Guess Why I'm Named Neptune...

Is it because i love Greak mythology (well its Roman)? Or because my favorite planet has the same name? Perhaps the reason is that the ocean is pretty amazing? It could be the fact that blue is a beautiful color? Well, its all those and one slightly bigger reason...Juno.

I'm sure you know the plot by now: quirky teen girl, Juno MacGuff (Ellen Page), has sex with her friend/lover, Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera) and gets knocked up...she decides to give the baby up for adoption. Lets get the negative parts out of the way, the first fifteen minutes can be dizzying. The hipster jargon takes some time to register, i mean this is teen-speak on meth...but hilarious nonetheless (i hate that word by the way, nonetheless, who makes a word out of three existing ones and doesn't abbreviate). And...actually that's about it, literally, nothing else in the film sagged or stuck out.

Now...you must understand, i am doing everything in my power not to gush about Juno because it deserves better...more than i loved it so much and it was really cute (except that it i did and it was). Juno, the character, is written with an indescribable amount of quirk and acted with an abundance of heart and realness...the same can be said about the film. The supporting actors revolving around her are mutually skilled in witty authenticity. Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman as the adopting parents deliver performances, i'm ashamed to admit, sharper than i would have imagined. J.K. Simmons and Allisson Janney, playing Juno's dad and step-mom, are stellar...what would you expect from these skilled veterans. And who can forget Michael Cera. He inhabits this not-really boyfriend, nice guy character so comfortably...its eerie. But Ellen Page as the glowing Juno is head and shoulders, and swelling belly, above the rest. From her hamburger phone to her fashion sense (i love orange stripes coincidentally), she embodies this sixteen year old. Her delivery of the clever zingers is smooth and natural, i mean some of this dialogue is tough. Tough in the sense that its hard not smirking or chortling after every line ("Thundercats are go!" was a favorite) that debuting screenwriter, Diablo Cody (extra credit for the sexy name), hand-crafted...but Page shines in the dramatic moments, even more so if its possible. There's one scene in particular where she breaks down...the camera gets desperately close to her face and her cheek quivers. That tiny tremor is just...beautiful.

So, if you consider yourself a fellow whifer you'll see this movie, because its the kind of movie that hits the spot, more so than hot chocolate when your covered in blankets (which i am at the moment). If you have a funny bone in your body and a heart in your chest you'll...actually even if you're a seriously heartless grouch you will fall in love. Did i mention that the soundtrack is flawless...yeah, Neptune was a good choice.