It's Juno baby, the rare box office and critical darling that managed to turn Jason Reitman and Elliot Page into household names and, according to some, made such good silver screen fodder that it inspired teens across America to emulate Juno and get pregnant themselves. The script is maybe the most examined in today's film studies programs, and to call it a winner is to ignore how much it turns away from the big, environmentally-fantastical trends in concurrent filmmaking (Spider Man 3, Shrek the Third, and Transformers all dominated this year), in favor of a much older, almost Golden Age tryst around wordplay and social slights moreso than the actual pregnancy itself. That's not to say Juno is devoid of drama; it manages to balance its sillier, self-deprecating moments with a genuine recognition of the shortcomings of the institutions, peers, and adults around Juno to treat her and her pregnancy with respect and care. A bit light on technical flourish, but overall too big-hearted to not love!
