Juno --- The best film of TIFF 2007

Rating: 10/10 (10 September 2007)

Seen at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival
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I have discovered my 5"1, 20 year old cinematic muse, and her name is Ellen Page.
I was one of the lucky patrons of this year's Toronto Film Festival to have stumbled upon one of the very best films of this year: JUNO, a breathtakingly hilarious and heart-breaking black-comedy directed by the uber-talented Jason Reitman and written by Diablo Cody, a former stripper and first time screenwriter.
But the real praise here goes to Page, who (as quoted here by Reitman) "can go from hilarious to heartbreaking in seconds flat." To me, her talent truly lies in the way she brings a careful sensitivity and intelligence to all her roles. Here Page is Juno McGuff, a sarcastic and wise beyond her years 16-year-old dealing with the complexities of an unplanned pregnancy.
Reitman directs here with the same knack for visual charm we saw in "Thank You For Smoking" and elicits tremendous comic performances from the entire supporting cast, including Allison Janney as Juno's tough-talking step-mother (who has an unforgettable scene with an "ultrasound technician"), Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner as the adoptive parents of Juno's baby and fellow "Arrested Development" alum and newly minted "Superbad" star Michael Cera as Juno's high school track star love interest.
Come release in mid-December (a.k.a award season), I sincerely believe this well-crafted piece of genius will garner the audience it deserves.