"I Am Legend," "Juno," and the Coolest Movie of 2008.

I Am Legend- With a box-office take upwards of $76 million this weekend chances are pretty good you've already seen Will Smith vs. the Zompires. The result (for me at least) was a pretty good time at the movies.
In 2012, Dr. Robert Neville (Smith) is the last man standing after a virus killed virtually everyone on the planet. Those who survived were mutated into superhuman flesh-eaters who come out only at night. It is during these nights that Neville sleeps in his bathtub, shotgun in hand, dog Sam by his side, and all entrances to his home secured. During the days, Neville and Sam go out hunting. The opening images of "I Am Legend," as directed by Francis Lawrence ("Constantine"), are striking. The streets of New York are uninhabited, though the evidence of the dead is everywhere. Abandoned cars and tanks remain where they were while buildings slowly deteriorate. Neville blasts through the city streets chasing the deer which roam freely. The early animal effects don't look quite finished. It appears as though we're watching a herd of XBox deer. The film's later zompire effects fare no better.
"Legend" works best when we see Neville in his day-to-day routine outside of the hunt. He talks to Sam, watches old tapes of "The Today Show" which appear to have been taken directly out of the NBC offices (it's not as though security could stop him), and goes out to the video store, going through titles alphabetically. On his way he talks to the mannequins, each with their own names, and even chickens out of asking one on a date. Neville hasn't lost his mind. He just wants to have some semblance of normalcy in his life, and more than anything just wants to hear another human voice. Smith is one of the few actors who could make this work. He carries "Legend" from first frame to last by coupling his natural charisma with the character's deep sense of loneliness and pain.
"I Am Legend" is not an entirely successful film however. Aside from the effects, it all feels a bit rushed. In an age when many movies go on far longer than necessary, this is a good twenty minutes too short. It feels like there's much to the story that we don't know and that would have made the film more powerful. It's as though Lawrence feared audiences would get bored. At around one hour and forty minutes "Legend" is too brisk for its own good.
This is a film worth seeing purely for the performance of Smith, who long ago proved his star status, but who has quietly become an excellent actor. 7/10.

Juno- Juno MacGuff ("Hard Candy's" Ellen Page) is an unusually witty 16 year old girl who's just found out she's pregnant. The first to know (outside of the oddball convenience store clerk played by Rainn Wilson) is her best friend Leah (Olivia Thirlby). Juno's early exchanges between the clerk and Leah make it clear early on that this is a film with very stylistic dialogue. Diablo Cody's characters sound more like they're in "Heathers" or "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" than like actual high school students. But Cody and the actors make it work.
Juno has no doubt as to who the father is. It's her other best friend and band mate Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera). Paulie is a quiet young man whose "only vice is orange tic-tacs," Juno tells us. Upon hearing the news from Juno, Paulie is clearly surprised but tells her that she should do whatever she feels is best. Initially Juno feels that means a trip to the abortion clinic. Within moments of heading inside (and being told by the teenage receptionist, "We need to know about every score and every sore"), she realizes she couldn't possibly go through with it.
Juno decides to give her supportive parents the news and that she's already found the couple she wants to give the baby. Afterwards, her dad (the always great J.K. Simmons) and stepmom (Allison Janney) are left a bit dazed but taking it in stride.
The adopting mother, Vanessa (Jennifer Garner), is a woman with all the love in the world to give. It's immediately clear her desire to be a mother. Her husband Mark (Jason Bateman) on the other hand, is unsure. The unlikely friendship that develops between he and Juno showcases Mark's unwillingness to let go of his youth. Becoming a father would cement the end of that for him.
"Juno" is a very funny and often quite moving film, with remarkably well-drawn characters who all feel unique. Kudos to Cody for creating these characters and giving them wonderful dialogue. The words may feel written but its the honest emotions behind them that make "Juno" real. The casting is spot on as well. No other actress could have pulled Juno off better than Page (a Bob Award winner last year for "Hard Candy"). Cera (who could have used another scene or two) further establishes himself as one of the finest comedic talents at any age, and Garner, Bateman, and the rest breath life into these complex people. Director Jason Reitman ("Thank You For Smoking") has once again helmed another great comedy. "Juno" is currently in limited release but will probably go wide very soon. 9/10.

I'll post my review of "Atonement" soon, but for now I leave you with the trailer for the coolest movie of 2008, "The Dark Knight." I've said it before and I'll say it again. Heath Ledger is the right man for the Joker. If you're scoffing now you won't be in 2 minutes and 7 seconds.