I can’t believe it came out this year, but Miguel Arteta‘s Youth In Revolt hit theaters the first weekend of January and it dissuaded the infamous January/February curse of terrible films. It remains one of my favorite comedies of the year, and although it grossed less than the other Michael Cera-starrer Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, it actually turned out to be more profitable.
After being mishandled by the Weinstein Company, Miguel Arteta‘s next film is in the hands of Fox Searchlight, with a better outlook. The film just landed a February 11th, 2011 date (via ION Cinema) and will open limited next to four wide releases including The Eagle, Gnomeo and Juliet, Just Go With It, and Justin Bieber: Never Say Never. This date gives us hope the film could possibly see a debut at Sundance Film Festival. Their initial line-up gets announced next week.
For those unfamiliar, the film has an impressive cast of Sigourney Weaver, Ed Helms, Alia Shawkat, John C. Reilly, Anne Heche, Rob Corddry, Stephen Root, Kurtwood Smith, and Thomas Lennon. Check out the official synopsis below and expect a trailer soon.
Tim Lippe (Helms) was the guy people always thought would go places but then he just … didn’t. He’s been living in über-sleepy Brown Valley, Wisconsin his whole life, still “pre-engaged” to his 7th grade teacher Millie Vanderhei (Weaver), while selling insurance to protect other people’s dreams. But now, Tim’s stalled life is about to get a kick-start because, for the first time in his 34 years, he’s headed to a “major” metropolis – Cedar Rapids, Iowa – where he must try to save his company at a do-or-die insurance convention that, for him, will be entirely nonconventional. From the minute he checks into his hotel with his ancient American Tourister and cummerbund money-belt, it’s clear Tim has no idea how the modern world really works. He is soon smitten with seductive Nebraskan insurance agent Joan (Heche) and awed by his experienced roommates, the straight-shooting Wilkes (Whitlock Jr.) and the suspicious Zeigler (Reilly). Disheartened when he comes face-to-face with corporate corruption, Tim is ultimately lured beyond the lobby into an urban jungle he’s only ever seen on DVD and when it seems his life – and chances to succeed – have gone completely topsy-turvy, he finds his own unjaded way to turn it all around.
Also getting a release date is James Gunn‘s Super, which debuted to at TIFF (you can see our review here). The low-budget (anti)superhero comedy stars Rainn Wilson and Ellen Page will hit theaters via IFC Films on the appropriate April 1st, 2011. You can see a red band clip here.
Lastly, Bennett Miller‘s baseball drama Moneyball will hit theaters September 23rd, 2011. The film stars Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Robin Wright, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Kathryn Morris, Rick Yudt, Frankie Ingrassia, and Renee Diamond.
Were you one of the few that saw Youth In Revolt? Looking forward to Cedar Rapids, Super, and Moneyball?