Not that Fox Searchlight’s “Juno” needs another champion in the mix, but this film is such a giant leap forward in artistic discipline from director Jason Reitman that I have to say something. And at the risk of drifting into hyperbole, I’ll keep it short.

“Juno” is the best comedy to hit screens in at least five years. I have to go back to “Punch Drunk Love” to find a laugher that is working with an equally impressive arsenal. While trying filmmakers continuously attempt to make the quirky significant (Wes Anderson), and still others strive too hard for stylized realism in their humor (Judd Apatow), Jason Reitman is making it look so easy it’s scary. And he’s doing it under the radar, if you can believe it. Everyone is so caught up in Diablo Cody’s admittedly adorable screenplay that the real story is getting lost in the mix: a filmmaker’s lightning-quick rise to a level of pretension-free control in the span of 18 months.

Everything you’ve read about Ellen Page is real. A star is born; a new and vibrant comedic sketch of a character enters the pantheon, etc. But any dissent you come across regarding the film’s Best Picture hopes is beyond me. When I tossed the film into my predicted five during the Toronto love-fest, it was admittedly sideshow guessing. But sitting there with happy man-tears constantly welling up in my eyes, hearing the unabashed adoration coming from others in the packed screening, it was enough to convince me that “Juno” is Searchlight’s heavy-hitter. Not “The Savages,” not “Once,” it’s all “Juno” – a film with more going for it, I would wager, than “Little Miss Sunshine” a year ago.

I can’t say enough about Page’s beautifully rendered portrayal, Michael Cera’s painfully touching support, Jennifer Garner’s best work to date and Jason Bateman’s convincing plight. Performances from J.K. Simmons and Allison Janey are just gravy on the top. So a SAG ensemble bid is well on its way. The editors will be on board when the ACE dishes out comedy achievements. Golden Globes? Absolutely. And, if it makes money, the PGA will follow suit. It’s a road paved with gold if the studio wants it. That’s all I’m saying.

A huge bravo to all involved. “Juno” is without a doubt one of the very best films of the year.