With the impending release (August 13th) of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz director/genius Edgar Wright’s next film, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, we’ll be seeing more marketing materials from the film over the next five months. The music of the film is a big factor in how it’s ultimately going to work, as Scott Pilgrim, the title character played by Michael Cera, is a member of a band called Sex Bob-Omb and will be playing with them throughout the film, along with rival band The Clash at Demonhead. Interestingly enough, the music will be performed by musicians such as Beck, Broken Social Scene, and Metric, and that will be the music the bands in the film “play”. This is an unusual choice, but should yield unique results.

The last band mentioned, Canadian indie-rock band Metric, has released the first song on the soundtrack for the film (which will also be featured in the movie), and can be listened to via their Facebook page. All you have to do is become a fan of the band and once that’s accomplished, the song is free to listen to.

As someone who’s never listened to Metric before (I’m so, so unhip to the current music world it’s pathetic), I actually liked the song, and not just as a piece of marketing for the movie. I’m looking forward to hearing it in the movie come August. I just started reading Scott Pilgrim and am on the second book, and ever since my excitement for the movie, which I originally had oddly no enthusiasm for, has increased tenfold. I’m beginning to tell people about the series and the movie, and hopefully more people will begin to take an interest, what with there already being 2,873 listens as I’m typing this sentence.. If they do more things like this, it could very well pay off.

Director Edgar Wright also told MTV recently that Scott Pilgrim will diverge from the graphic novels around the 3rd book. Check out his quote below:

“After three volumes, it starts to take its own path, but very much within the spirit of the book — and approved by Bryan as well. … There are some things that are in the film that are actually from Bryan’s original ideas before he wrote the books. [So] there are some things in there that refer to older ideas which he didn’t end up doing. It’s ironic, because there will be a couple of scenes when people will say, ‘That’s not in the book,’ but actually, if you look at these notes from 2005…”

Are you excited for Scott Pilgrim? If not, do marketing materials such as these help get you excited?

Source: CHUD

Last night a test screening of Edgar Wright’s next film Scott Pilgrim vs. The World was held in Las Vegas. A brother of a writer here at TFS was lucky enough to attend and he has sent me (and some other sites) the review. There was also a number of other reviews that hit the web. This was just an early cut of the movie without finished effects, but check out the responses below. Read the full story

Every month or so we seem to receive a new rumor about the much-anticipated Arrested Development movie. Most recently, Michael Cera all but admitted that he was the cause for the delay. Now, thanks to an interview over at Coming Soon, Will Arnett had more to say about the matter. Check out the quote below. Read the full story

Dimension Films | USA | 90 min

Note: This review contains major spoilers.

Another hilarious comedy with Michael Cera? What a surprise. A dark comedy with Michael Cera? That’s new and that’s also the reason why Youth in Revolt works as well as it does. After the crushing disappointment with Year One, Cera returns to his comedic roots while also showing a whole new side of his talent that hasn’t been seen before. This may not be Superbad, but it’s remains a hilariously quirky comedy. Read the full story

Funny or Die has the red band trailer premiere for Youth In Revolt starring Michael Cera…and Michael Cera. Miguel Arteta’s comedy also stars Justin Long, Zach Galifianakis, Steve Buscemi, Ray Liotta, Jean Smart, and Fred Willard. Check out the trailer below.
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A batch of new trailers have just hit the internet. They include a teaser for the next Pixar film Toy Story 3, a full trailer for the award worthy biopic about Russian author Leo Tolstoy called The Last Station, and a second trailer for Youth In Revolt starring Michael Cera. Check them all out below. Read the full story

Dimension Films | USA | 90 min.

These days it almost seems like a hip, wise-ass, teenage angst flick would be remiss to not have Michael Cera in the lead. Cera’s shtick has been played over and over and its reckless use has started to take its toll on the audiences and critics alike. Following the disappointment of Year One it seemed like ‘The Era of Cera’ had been finally put to rest — or so we all thought. Cera’s hilarious rendition of Nick Twisp in Youth In Revolt has enough Cera trademark awkwardness shtick to be recognizable as the kid we all know and love but also has enough twist and originality to remind you that he is still a viable actor and he has not turned in his skinny jeans just yet.

Youth In Revolt is a book-adaptation film and its main problem is rooted in exactly that — it is a book-adaptation film. C.D. Payne’s 499-page novel is a tough feat to compress into a coherent 90 minute film, but the material they were able to transfer is hilarious and definitely close to the best, if not the best, performance of Cera’s career. It’s weird, it’s smart, it’s shocking and it’s just enough for Cera to reclaim the throne of teenage sex comedy king.

Nick Twisp is a smart-ass kid with trashy parents (Jean Smart and Steve Buscemi) that has little direction or joy in life. Living in Oakland with his mother and her current boyfriend Jerry (Zach Galifianakis),  Nick deals with his promiscuous mother who has a complete disregard for what it takes to be a proper parent. Nick is brought along on a kind of long term “vacation” to a weird and seedy trailer park in Ukiah and is forced to deal with his mother’s shitty parenting and not-so-subtle exposition of her awkward sex life in the close quarters of a caravan. There is an ultra-conservative christian family living in the trailer park as well, and like every family that seeks to socially repress and morally program their children, the kids are exactly the opposite, privately, than their parents wish them to be. Sheeni Saunders (Portia Doubleday), the publicly obedient and privately rebellious daughter of the neighborhood religious fanatic family, is exactly the kind of smart and seductive girl that could complete Nick’s incomplete life, make him fall hopelessly in love and trigger his uncontrollable obsession.

Nick ultimately shoe-horns himself into a ‘relationship’ with Sheeni even though she technically already has a boyfriend. Over the summer their relationship develops and Nick’s obsesssion and desires reach boiling point. Unfortunately, Nick eventually has to return to Oakland and being 14 years old it leaves few options for the relationship to continue. Sheeni convinces Nick, with little effort, that he must do two things to save their love: 1) Get his father a job in Ukiah, and 2) Do something bad enough to get kicked out of his mother’s house so he can leave Oakland to live with his recently relocated father in Ukiah. While Nick is definitely a back talking wise-ass kid, he rarely actually steps out of line to do something about his angst. Confronted with an unquestionable desire to get back to Sheeni and his complete inability to do more than just talk, Nick does what any sane person would do — create a smooth talking no-bullshit alter ego named Francois Dillinger. Francois smokes cigarettes, scoffs at risks, swoons women and never blinks in the face of danger — actually never blinks any other time either apparently with his piercing gaze of badassery. Francois takes Nick by the hand whether Nick wants to cooperate or not and does all the things Nick wishes he could do but never could. Laws will be broken, neighborhoods caught on fire and Nick’s cautious and timid sensibilities will be cast aside as Francois teaches Nick that when you want something, you better damn well get it.

Youth In Revolt succeeds in one-upping it self with one ridiculous plan after another to win Sheeni’s affection. Nick failing at avoiding the crazy plans and their ultimate consequences created by Francois, both of whom are played by Michael Cera, escalate hilariously throughout the film and deliver solid and memorable laughs on screen. The laughs are just one aspect of the film though, as Cera successfully delivers the aimless emotional impact of the situation without over doing it. The audience laughs at the situation Nick finds himself in, but we know under the surface he’s just a poor kid striving for a real connection. Seeing the way his family acts towards him and life in general sets the stage for the sweet desperate innocence that Nick has to break out of uncontrollably into rebellion — or a slightly more mentally unstable method of creating a rebellious alter-ego. Nick found his connection in Sheeni and will do what it takes to retain it. When Nick tells Sheeni, “I’ve been alone my whole life,” it’s obvious that all hilarity and jokes aside, Nick has had a rough life and he’s not going to sit on the sidelines anymore.

Much like the source material, the film is sharp and clever. Utilizing a well-timed voice-over throughout the film, the pace of the narrative is smooth and engaging. If you have lost hope in the golden child of hip comedy, fear not, for Michael Cera proves in fact he is a legitimate actor and not a one-trick pony on his way out of a possibly too bright career. Portia Doubleday does a great job of bringing the written character of Sheeni Saunders to life as well with exactly the right amount of quirky intelligence required to fit the bill. If you are a fan of the book, you may find that too much of the story has been cut out to your liking but what they were able to adapt makes for a great, only sometimes feeling rushed or short, screenplay regardless. In any case, if you’re a fan of the book or just a fan of well made teen comedy, the film is definitely a hit and you should seek it out at your local cinemas.

Youth In Revolt will hit cinemas nationwide January 8, 2010.

8 out of 10

Another new poster today! Cinematical has premiered the poster for Miguel Arteta’s Youth in Revolt. The film stars Michael Cera, Justin Long, Zach Galifianakis, Steve Buscemi, Ray Liotta, Jean Smart, and Fred Willard. Check out the poster after the jump.

Check out the poster below >>

Year One is a hit-or-miss comedy that almost skids by due to distinct character work and the satirical tone. Director Harold Ramis once delivered a string of comedy classics, from Caddyshack to Vacation to Groundhog Day. Unfortunately, this does not live up to that standard by any means.

The film follows two best friends named Zed and Oh, played by Jack Black (Kung Fu Panda) and Michael Cera (Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist) respectively, who are both outcasts in their tribe. Zed is the clumsy hunter who wants to do more with his life while Oh is a gatherer who is fine with his path, only wishing he could be with the girl he loves. After being banished from their tribe, the two head off on a new adventure that takes them to places they have never imagined. On their journey they discover new inventions and odd characters that help them a long their trip. After a series of mishaps, including becoming slaves, they must battle to protect the woman they desire in the middle of distressful situations.

Read the rest of this review below >>

You are entering the Back Stage. The following is a round-up of smaller film news around the web this week. These stories aren’t quite big enough to garner a full post, but worthy checking out.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt Cast in Christopher Nolan’s Inception [THR]

Tom Hanks Has Seen Toy Story 3 [/Film]

Transformers 2 Trailer to Premiere in 20 Cities [/Film]

Jack Black and Michael Cera Are Proud of Their Son Andy Samberg [/Film]

See The First 7 Minutes of The Brothers Bloom [Firstshowing]

Empire Unveil Tintin Information Galore [/Film]

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