Best of 2007, Part II

Juno: Many (but far from all) of the snappiest lines are in the trailer for this comedy about a pregnant teen, but in a way this just allows it to sneak up on you more effectively. Amidst all the laughs are well-observed characters that ring true. By the time major choices need to be made you've become thoroughly invested in the possible outcomes. This is an exceptionally well-written movie (by Diablo Cody), and is also nicely acted by a wide array of actors. (Ellen Page could have carried the picture with her utterly winning (and bracingly sarcastic) Juno, but JK Simmons, Alison Janney, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, and Jason Bateman all nail their scenes too.)

Margot at the Wedding: This is a chilly, talky, very dark comedy. It's spawned from the same DNA as director/writer Noah Baumbach's last film, the stunning The Squid and the Whale, but this time the characters are even more self-involved and destructive. It's a good thing they're also so funny. Nicole Kidman gives an amazing performance as Margot, brittle and biting. I should probably at this point state that I'm a big fan of Eric Rohmer (Claire's Knee, Love in the Afternoon), and this seems like a film Rohmer might have made if he were American, a little funnier, and a little more bitter. (Read: if you don't like Rohmer, you might want to take a pass on this one.)

The Lives of Others: Technically this is an older film, but it didn't open in Seattle until 2007, so I'll note it here. It won the foreign language Oscar in 2007, so it should be easy to find in the video store. This is a fascinating, suspenseful, and ultimately quite touching portrayal of the horrors of living in a totalitarian state and the difference that small kindnesses can make. Don't miss it.