I saw three movies today. It was a totally nonproductive day work-wise, but my soul feels better.
First, I saw Juno. I liked it a lot, for reasons named in many places, including above. A very enjoyable movie, felt good in all the right places, just the right amount of depth, and Ellen Page rocks.
Then, I saw The Golden Compass. It was fine. I'm a pretty big fan of the books, and the movie was not the books, but it was very pretty and exciting. I liked Dakota Blue Richards a good bit. And I don't mind that the movie doesn't end where the book ends because MAN would that be a weird ending for a film. I think they could make the sequel for about a sixth of what they spent on this one (fewer bear battles, for one thing) so even if they lose money on this one they'll probably go ahead and make the sequel.
Finally, I saw Atonement. Wow. I've never read the book, which I hear makes me a literary loser or something, but I'll pick it up soon. I thought the movie was fantastic. It's pretty ponderous, with a few scenes that, narrative-wise, could have been dropped with little effect, but it's extremely well-crafted throughout. All of the performances are stellar. And the ending is extremely powerful. There are some very gory war bits, for the squeamish, but otherwise a full-fledged recommendation from me.