Capsule reviews of movies showing this week:

"Juno" — Juno MacGuff is the kind of teenager we all wish we could have been: quick-witted, frighteningly smart and comfortable enough in her own skin to resist those high-school pressures to conform, even as her body expands with an unplanned pregnancy.

And "Juno" is the kind of movie all indie comedies wish they could be: light and lovable, perhaps a bit too pleased with the cleverness of its dialogue, but a charmer nonetheless.

It's also sure to make a star of the appealing Ellen Page. Page absolutely shines in this second feature from director Jason Reitman, once again showing a deft touch with tone following his 2006 debut, "Thank You for Smoking".

It certainly doesn't hurt that stripper-turned-screenwriter Diablo Cody has given her such delightful and disarming turns of phrase at every turn. Juno is almost superhuman in her ability to say just the right funny or poignant thing in any given situation, from telling her dad and stepmom (J.K. Simmons and Allison Janney) she's pregnant to bickering with her best friend and baby-daddy (the adorably awkward Michael Cera) about the prom.

Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner co-star as the wealthy suburban couple planning to adopt Juno's baby, and Olivia Thirlby gets some of the best lines of all as her loyal sidekick. (PG-13) – The Neptune Theatre

"Vantage Point": A strong ensemble – including Dennis Quaid, Sigourney Weaver, Forest Whitaker, Matthew Fox and William Hurt – easily handles the melodramatic demands of this derivative conspiracy thriller. The film shows an assassination attempt on the president of the United States from numerous angles, and all of the fancy editing tricks and slick chases help compensate for the film's predictable twists, which are borrowed from previous movies. (PG-13) – The Little Theatre

"27 Dresses" — So chock full of romantic-comedy cliches, it almost plays like a parody. It might be fun, though, if they handed out lists at the multiplex door to allow you to check them off as you go along — could be an interactive thing. You know, to help pass the time. Katherine Heigl's Jane is always a bridesmaid and never a bride, a role she's performed 27 times already because she's so adept at anticipating and meeting her friends' every prenuptial need. She's secretly in love with her boss (Edward Burns) but, naturally, there's another guy out there (James Marsden) whom she initially clashes with, and who obviously will end up being the one to keep her from having to wear bridesmaid dress No. 28. – (PG-13) Southside Cinema

"Step Up 2 The Streets" – A rebellious street dancer (Briana Evigan of "Something Sweet") attends a prestigious Maryland arts school. In this sequel to "Step Up," she teams with a hot dancer (Robert Hoffman of "She's the Man") to compete in Baltimore's underground dance battle known as The Streets. – (PG-13) Liberty Theatre

For movie times, see Weekend Movies on Page 19