Juno

Juno is a monster. The little independent comedy about a pregnant teenager was the second-highest-grossing movie in North America last weekend, ahead of such big-studio holiday hits as I Am Legend and Alvin and the Chipmunks. It's well past $50 million at the box office, and there's no end in sight. The word-of-mouth smash is simultaneously gaining serious awards momentum, especially for its 20-year-old star, Ellen Page. The petite Canadian is charming everybody as the smart, tart-tongued expectant mother.

The one perfect aspect of "Jennifer's Body" is its title: No one is going to like this movie for its brain. In this dodgy hipster horror film from the pen of Diablo Cody ("Juno"), Megan Fox plays Jennifer, the hottest girl in Devil's Kettle High School, who smolders whenever she feasts on the innards of slathering teenage boys and turns gaunt when she grows hungry for testosterone-laden "Satan chow." Amanda Seyfried plays her virtuous best friend, Needy, who would probably be considered even hotter than Jennifer if she took off her glasses and dressed for sexual success.

Barry Louis Polisar and his family settled into their seats at a Bethesda movie theater as the overhead lights dimmed and the stream of movie previews gave way to soft-drink slurps and the munching of buttered popcorn, just before the movie's opening number. "You should tell them you wrote the song," said his wife, Roni. "Maybe they'll give us free tickets." "Shhhh!" said the couple's 20-something twins, Evan and Sierra, perhaps recognizing their father's urge to be incognito. He worried about how his 1977 song "All I Want Is You" would be featured in the then-newly released motion picture, Juno - and whether more than 30 years as a children's author and entertainer would be tarnished by a momentary mocking of his work on the big screen.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. -- Juno, a comedy about a pregnant teen who is very much an independent spirit, was named best feature at yesterday's Spirit Awards, which honor the best of Hollywood's independent fare. In an awards ceremony dominated by no single film, Juno also garnered best female lead for star Ellen Page and best first screenplay for writer Diablo Cody. Both women are up for Oscars tonight. "All of this is just the added crazy cherry on top of the sundae," Page, 21, said backstage.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. -- Juno, a comedy about a pregnant teen who is very much an independent spirit, was named best feature at yesterday's Spirit Awards, which honor the best of Hollywood's independent fare. In an awards ceremony dominated by no single film, Juno also garnered best female lead for star Ellen Page and best first screenplay for writer Diablo Cody. Both women are up for Oscars tonight. "All of this is just the added crazy cherry on top of the sundae," Page, 21, said backstage.

The one perfect aspect of "Jennifer's Body" is its title: No one is going to like this movie for its brain. In this dodgy hipster horror film from the pen of Diablo Cody ("Juno"), Megan Fox plays Jennifer, the hottest girl in Devil's Kettle High School, who smolders whenever she feasts on the innards of slathering teenage boys and turns gaunt when she grows hungry for testosterone-laden "Satan chow." Amanda Seyfried plays her virtuous best friend, Needy, who would probably be considered even hotter than Jennifer if she took off her glasses and dressed for sexual success.

Mary Lazar, 60, wife of the literary and talent agent Irving P. "Swifty" Lazar, died of cancer Jan. 14 in Beverly Hills, Calif. She began her career as a model and appeared in advertisements as a "Coca-Cola girl." She later headed her own television and motion picture production company, Juno Productions.

NEW YORK - At least a dozen U.S. telecommunications executives and investors may have received initial public offering shares from Citigroup Inc., memos from the world's largest financial-services company show. Executives of Citigroup's corporate clients were offered IPO shares that could be sold at a profit within hours or days, the memos show. Copies of the 1999 memos were sent to Citigroup's private client services and equity capital markets departments, as well as to Jack B. Grubman, the top telecommunications analyst for Salomon Smith Barney Inc., Citigroup's brokerage.

Were you swept away by the wartime love story Atonement? Are you rooting for the underdog teen comedy Juno? The Sunwants to know your choices for this year's Oscars ? and why you chose them. You can weigh in on any or all of the following categories: Best Picture, Best Director, BestActor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress. (A complete list of nominees can be found at baltimoresun.com/ oscars.) Send your picks to arts@baltsun.com by Feb. 21. We'll publish the best responses in the Arts & Life Today section on Feb. 24. Please put "Oscars" in the subject line and include your name and a phone number where we can reach you to verify the information.

CHINCOTEAGUE, Va.-- On Oct. 28, 1802, after a losing fight against a seemingly perpetual storm, a Spanish ship went down in the dark of night off the coast of Assateague Island. More than 400 people drowned when the Juno sank. The ship, it is believed, carried treasure.Now and then, the sea throws up a hint of that treasure, signs that the Juno is still out there.People who wander the empty beaches up and down Assateague have gathered these pieces of evidence over the years. Fishermen have snared them in nets offshore.

Were you swept away by the wartime love story Atonement? Are you rooting for the underdog teen comedy Juno? The Sunwants to know your choices for this year's Oscars ? and why you chose them. You can weigh in on any or all of the following categories: Best Picture, Best Director, BestActor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress. (A complete list of nominees can be found at baltimoresun.com/ oscars.) Send your picks to arts@baltsun.com by Feb. 21. We'll publish the best responses in the Arts & Life Today section on Feb. 24. Please put "Oscars" in the subject line and include your name and a phone number where we can reach you to verify the information.

Barry Louis Polisar and his family settled into their seats at a Bethesda movie theater as the overhead lights dimmed and the stream of movie previews gave way to soft-drink slurps and the munching of buttered popcorn, just before the movie's opening number. "You should tell them you wrote the song," said his wife, Roni. "Maybe they'll give us free tickets." "Shhhh!" said the couple's 20-something twins, Evan and Sierra, perhaps recognizing their father's urge to be incognito. He worried about how his 1977 song "All I Want Is You" would be featured in the then-newly released motion picture, Juno - and whether more than 30 years as a children's author and entertainer would be tarnished by a momentary mocking of his work on the big screen.

Juno is a monster. The little independent comedy about a pregnant teenager was the second-highest-grossing movie in North America last weekend, ahead of such big-studio holiday hits as I Am Legend and Alvin and the Chipmunks. It's well past $50 million at the box office, and there's no end in sight. The word-of-mouth smash is simultaneously gaining serious awards momentum, especially for its 20-year-old star, Ellen Page. The petite Canadian is charming everybody as the smart, tart-tongued expectant mother.

Next Friday CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR -- (Universal Pictures) Mike Nichols directs this fact-based tale about a playboy congressman (Tom Hanks), a beautiful socialite (Julia Roberts) and a CIA agent (Philip Seymour Hoffman) who secretly pulled off one of the largest covert operations in U.S. history. JUNO -- (Fox Searchlight) Ellen Page is a pregnant teenager looking for the perfect parents to adopt her unborn child. She finds them in an affluent couple (Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman).

Revelations that Mayo A. Shattuck III might soon give up running Constellation Energy Group to pursue a dream job as NFL commissioner has renewed concerns that Baltimore risks losing another one of its corporate stars after the energy giant merges with FPL Group Inc. of Juno Beach, Fla. Ever since the merger was announced Dec. 19, industry analysts have been skeptical that the former investment banker would stay on after giving up the title of chief executive...

Constellation Energy Group disclosed yesterday that its chief executive has waived tens of millions of dollars in bonuses and accelerated pension payments that would be triggered by the company's planned merger - putting an exclamation point on a day that also marked the end of a months-long political battle over a BGE rate plan. The news came in regulatory filings the company made hours after Maryland lawmakers over-rode Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s veto of a bill that would soften BGE's imminent 72 percent rate increase and fire the state's Public Service Commission.

As sales of key corporate citizens to out-of-town landlords go, the merger of Constellation Energy with FPL Group isn't that bad. So why are they trying to spin us like a dynamo in a heat wave? "The combined company will maintain a dual headquarters in Juno Beach, Fla., and Baltimore," says the propaganda. Sorry. Calling the merged power company "Constellation" and having Florida bigwigs sometimes visit Baltimore does not make Baltimore half a headquarters. Or even a fifth. Like pregnancy and the Heisman Trophy, corporate headquarters are all-or-nothing deals.

The Washington Opera production of "Semele" by George Frederic Handel opened Saturday night at the Kennedy Center with a splendid cast, excellent sets and a sense of wit and humor that brought this Baroque masterpiece to life."

As sales of key corporate citizens to out-of-town landlords go, the merger of Constellation Energy with FPL Group isn't that bad. So why are they trying to spin us like a dynamo in a heat wave? "The combined company will maintain a dual headquarters in Juno Beach, Fla., and Baltimore," says the propaganda. Sorry. Calling the merged power company "Constellation" and having Florida bigwigs sometimes visit Baltimore does not make Baltimore half a headquarters. Or even a fifth. Like pregnancy and the Heisman Trophy, corporate headquarters are all-or-nothing deals.

NEW YORK - At least a dozen U.S. telecommunications executives and investors may have received initial public offering shares from Citigroup Inc., memos from the world's largest financial-services company show. Executives of Citigroup's corporate clients were offered IPO shares that could be sold at a profit within hours or days, the memos show. Copies of the 1999 memos were sent to Citigroup's private client services and equity capital markets departments, as well as to Jack B. Grubman, the top telecommunications analyst for Salomon Smith Barney Inc., Citigroup's brokerage.