Trailer for David Cross' Fame-Skewering Directorial Debut, 'Hits'

They say everybody gets their 15 minutes of fame at some point, but the bar for becoming a celebrity nowadays is ridiculously low. The Kardashians are one thing, but now every jerk with a YouTube page and a few fans is considered famous. One guy who hates how things are now is David Cross, and with his directorial debut Hits he's ready to skewer all those instant celebs out there.

Debuting to mixed reviews at last year's Sundance, Hits stars Matt Walsh as a father who becomes an Internet sensation when his rants at a city council meeting go viral. While this gets him all kinds of attention it also angers his daughter (Meredith Hagner) who is obsessed with becoming famous.

The trailer features a few witty pitches at a pretty wide strike zone, and with a cast that includes Amy Sedaris, Michael Cera, Julia Stiles, Jason Ritter,  and David Koechner there's reason enough to be interested. No word on a release date but it looks to be arriving via BitTorrent.

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Michael Cera, Tye Sheridan, and John C. Reilly Give 'Entertainment'

Whatever one thinks of Rick Alverson's last film, titled The Comedy purely for ironic reasons, it was enough to gain him a lot of attention for whatever he tackled next. And that apparently includes Hollywood because some big names have already come aboard his new film, Entertainment.

John C. Reilly, Tye Sheridan, and Michael Cera will join Angeliki Papoulia (Dogtooth), and Dean Stockwell in the film, which will star comedian Gregg Turkington, who was also featured in The Comedy. Alverson co-wrote the script with Turkington and Tim Heidecker, which follows "a broken and aging comic, known only as “The Comedian,” who travels across the Southwestern United States to meet his estranged daughter while attempting to revive his dwindling career. Along the way, his identity begins to deteriorate amid a series of encounters with the desert populace and a string of dead end shows." 

So another "laugh riot" from Alverson and one I hope isn't quite as shamelessly pretentious as The Comedy was. Filming on Entertainment is going on now.  [Deadline]

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Jonah Hill, James Franco, Seth Rogen, Michael Cera, and Kristen Wiig to Voice 'Sausage Party'

The gang behind This is the End have formed their own little stoner brat pack of sorts, and for the most part it's been a formula for success. Last year's apocalyptic comedy made over $120M, not bad for a hard R-rated flick in the middle of summer. Now they hope to recreate that success with the "adults only" animated comedy, Sausage Party.

Hill revealed his plans for the film a few years ago but it took a step forward when Conrad Vernon (Shrek 2) and Greg Tiernan came aboard to direct. Now The Wrap reports Hill, Seth Rogen, James Franco, David Krumholtz, and Michael Dera will lead the voice cast, with Kristen Wiig, Edward Norton, and Nick Kroll joining in. Rogen and Evan Goldberg pitched in on the script which takes place at a supermarket and follows a sausage's quest to discover the truth of his existence after falling out of a shopping cart. With the 4th of July sale approaching, he and his friends must hurry to get back to their aisles in time.

Much like the talking M&M's from the commercials, apparently these anthropomorphic foods don't realize what the end game is.

Sony plans to release Sausage Party some time in 2015.

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*CLOSED* 'Crystal Fairy' Advance Screening

I'm happy to be offering you an opportunity to attend an advance screening of Crystal Fairy, the new drug-fueled road trip comedy starring Michael Cera and Gaby Hoffman! One of my favorite movies from the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year (review here), it stars Cera as a drug-obsessed American in Chile on a quest to partake of the mesculine properties of the San Pedro Cactus. The screening takes place on Wednesday July 17th at 7:30pm at Landmark E Street.

To qualify, you MUST be a fan of Punch Drunk Critics on Facebook, so if you haven't "Liked" us yet please go there and do so now.  Simply leave a comment here with your name, favorite Michael Cera film, and your email address. Twenty-five winners will be contacted on Monday July 15th with a downloadable E-pass for you and a guest. 

Crystal Fairy opens in DC on July 19th!


Trailer: Crystal Fairy by CineStars

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Review: 'Crystal Fairy', Starring Michael Cera and Gaby Hoffmann

NOTE: This is an updated version of my earlier review from the Sundance Film Festival.

It's been a couple of years since Michael Cera last led a feature film, and maybe it's due to the visible way in which Scott Pilgrim vs. The World failed, but he's since been toiling away at smaller projects. Maybe it's for the best, as Cera's nice guy routine had quickly begun to wear thin, and taking on a few Indies has given him the opportunity to show a bit more edge. That's certainly the case in Crystal Fairy, a psychedelic road trip "comedy" where Cera plays maybe his most despicable character yet.

It's one of two films Cera has debuting at Sundance, both helmed by Chilean director Sebastian Silva. To say the film is an odd mix of styles is an understatement, shot guerrilla-style on handheld cam and utilizing the minimalist, naturalistic style of many indie pictures. Upon first glance one might think this was a Duplass Brothers production, or something cooked up by Lynn Shelton. But at the same time it's loopy and random, dispensing a weird coming-of-age tale that Silva keeps hidden until you've nearly given up hope there was ever any meaning to it all. 

At the center of it all is Cera's crude and utterly unlikable performance as Jamie, a drug-obsessed douchebag staying in Chile and doing copious amounts of illegal substances. He's hooked up with three brothers (all played by Silva's real brothers) who seem to barely tolerate him, only indulging his desire to seek out new drugs to try. After doing tons of Chilean cocaine at a party, Jamie makes fun of a girl named Crystal Fairy (Gaby Hoffmann), a wild-haired, uni-browed free spirit accurately described as a "lonely tornado". Despite Jamie treating her like dirt, she's nice to him, and in his drug haze invites her along on a road trip to find the legendary San Pedro cactus.

So what's so special about this cactus? Well, it gives an incredible high, of course, and Jamie has complete tunnel vision when it comes to securing it. After a strange night in which he invites a pair of drag queens up to his apartment for dinner(more randomness), the boys head off on their journey, with Crystal Fairy in tow despite Jamie forgetting he ever invited her. He's a complete jerk to her the entire way, and it's not just that he's mean; he's especially cruel and pointed. After she showers and returns to the room naked, in a rather awkward and unsexy scene, he renames her Crystal Hairy because of excess tufts of hair pretty much everywhere. Only the brothers does he seem to treat with any respect, and it's hard to tell if that's because he needs them to find the cactus, or because of some other unknown reason. He's at his worst when they discover a poor neighborhood where the cactus grows in some peoples' yards, and rather than enduring a friendly conversation with the owner, Jamie sneaks out and steals it from her. Not before being a complete ass-hat in the process. 

Jamie may be a total scumbag, but Crystal is immensely sympathetic, even though we've seen variations on her character before. While elements of the manic pixie dreamgirl complex are present, she also shows moments of intuitiveness and strength when dealing with Jamie's aggressive attitude. Hoffmann, an underrated actress who isn't seen on the silver screen nearly enough, saves the character from being a total cliché. Cera is obviously effective in creating such an ire against Jamie. 

It's unclear if Silva was aiming for this to be funnier, but it doesn't achieve much in that regard. Cera shines a couple of times, mostly through physical comedy as he's enduring the hallucinogenic effects of the cactus. It's much more effective once they hit their beachside destination for a camp out, where secrets are revealed and emotions lay bare. It's then that you realize that for all of the plot's meandering, these characters were slowly but surely becoming the oddest little family of all. It's to Silva's credit that he takes such a subtle approach, but he finds something tender and charming in the end. The conclusion's something of a head scratcher that will probably have many questioning everything they just watched. That's probably exactly what Silva wants you to do. Just because Crystal Fairy wanders, that doesn't mean it's lost.

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New trailer for Mark Webber's 'The End of Love'

Mark Webber's intimate and deeply personal The End of Love debuted at last year's Sundance Film Festival, so perhaps in an attempt to remind people of that, a new trailer has debuted just days before this year's fest kicks off. We brought you the previous one a few months ago, and it looks like a story Webber has been aching to tell for quite some time, even if it does look all too much like the prototypical indie festival film.  Starring alongside his actual son, Webber plays an actor(named Mark of course), who must learn to grow up and take care of his child in the wake of his wife's sudden death.

Co-starring Aubrey Plaza, Shannyn Sossamon, Michael Cera, Amanda Seyfried, Jason Ritter, and more, the film hits Itunes on January 21st before opening in limited release on March 1st. Check out the trailer below....

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Two clips from Sundance entry 'Crystal Fairy' with Michael Cera

The first night of the Sundance Film Festival is pretty quiet, with most of the big guns saved for the next few days after everyone has settled in. But one major film that's coming right out of the gate is Crystal Fairy, one of two films debuting in Park City from Michael Cera and director Sebastian Silva(The Maid). The other is the psycho-thriller Magic Magic, while Crystal Fairy is more of a gonzo road trip comedy.

Two clips from the film have emerged, and frankly I can't tell whether we're supposed to take Cera seriously or not. He plays an American traveling in Chile with some friends so they can partake of a legendary hallucinogenic drug called the San Pedro cactus. In the first clip he's clearly tripping out, and in the second he's offering to cook dinner for a pair of prostitutes. Nice guy Cera strikes again!

Crystal Fairy premieres on January 17th. Review to come....

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Trailer for Mark Webber's 'The End of Love' with Michael Cera and Amanda Seyfried

Premiering at Sundance earlier this year, The End of Love didn't make a whole lot of waves, and thus to the best of my knowledge still doesn't have a distribution deal in place. The film marks the second directorial effort by Mark Webber, an actor many will recognize from Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, and he's brought along a few friends in a story that looks to be a deeply personal one.

Webber stars as an actor named Mark, who is struggling to find a balance between work and caring for his infant son as a single parent.  'Scott Pilgrim' alum Michael Cera appears as himself, and Aubrey Plaza is in there as well. Amanda Seyfriend plays a woman named Amanda, and if you look closely you'll see others such as Alia Shawkat and Jason Ritter. Shannyn Sossamon plays a woman Mark seems to hit it off with, and what you get is what looks like a reflection on some aspect of the actor's real life, mixed with a healthy dose of fiction. While seeing all of Webber's close buds together is cool, this trailer is so glacially paced I hope they aren't using it as part of the sales pitch.

Check out the trailer for The End of Love below....[BleedingCool]

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Emily Browning and Juno Temple join Michael Cera in Magic, Magic

Two of my favorite actresses and one I don't see nearly enough have joined the cast of Sebastian Silva's(The Maid) indie thriller Magic, Magic. Michael Cera is already attached for a role in the film, about a girl who goes on vacation in Chile with her friends and begins to lose her mind. Now Variety reports that Emily Browning(Sucker Punch), Juno Temple(Kaboom), and Catalina Sandino Moreno(Fast Food Nation) are all signed on for unspecified roles, but I'm betting that either Temple or Browning will be the crazy chick. Here's hoping it's Temple.


Temple has been a constant presence on the indie scene ever since her first major mainstream role in Year One opposite Jack Black and Cera. Maybe it was an attempt to wash away the bad memories of that turd nugget. She was most recently seen in Gregg Araki's Kaboom, and will have an unspecified role in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises.

After a few years away, Browning came back in 2009 in the remake of The Uninvited, opposite Elizabeth Banks. She most recently geared up for action in Zack Snyder's Sucker Punch, and will be seen next in Julia Leigh's controversial Sleeping Beauty.

Moreno was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar back in 2004 for her remarkable debut in the drug mule flick, Maria Full of Grace, and was seen briefly last year in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. As strange as it may seem, Moreno is the old dog out of this bunch. She's 30, where everybody else hovers around 21-22 years of age. Leads me to believe she's not going to be part of the group of vacationers, but perhaps somebody they run into along the way.

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4th & Short: 1/17/10

3. Crazy Heart

Jeff Bridges has never been better as Bad Blake, a down 'n out country music star who's life is as flawed and screwed up as in his songs. He's been through multiple marriages; has a kid he never sees; and worse, he's an alcoholic.  He finds that life has potentially presented him with another chance to make amends when he meets Jean, a single mother who starts a cautious relationship with the old singer. Scott Cooper's somber tale shares some thematic similarities to 2008's The Wrestler, and Bridges' performance is on par with Mickey Rourke's comeback role. Colin Farrell, as Blake's former protege turned country music megastar, is more convincing than you might think. Yes, that's him singing.

2. The Book of Eli
Even in the dungy, dirty, desolation of post-nuclear America, Denzel Washington is still the epitome of cool. The Book of Eli casts him as a mysterious road warrior, making a 30 year trek across the country to an unknown destination. Directors the Hughes Brothers take a pretty heavy scenario and punch it up with as much dark humor as possible, and a twisty ending that most won't see coming.

1. Youth in Revolt
The funniest movie of the year? Ok, that's not saying much, but it's doubtful you'll come across another coming of age story quite as vulgar and wild as this. Michael Cera pokes fun at his demure movie persona as Nick Twisp, a geek looking to win the heart of his beautiful neighbor, Sheeni. To keep her heart, Nick's gonna have to pump up the violence meter to 11, so he creates a French vigilante alter ego to start kickin' ass and takin' names.

DVD Pick: The Hurt Locker
When hotheaded SSgt. William James(Jeremy Renner) hooks up with his team of bomb disposal techs in Iraq, it's clear right from jumpstreet that things are about to heat up: literally. Kathryn Bigelow's explosive film ramps up the tension to an unbearable degree, as every scene is a potential powder keg. The best film dealing in any way with the Iraq War, and one of the best movies that more people desperately need to see. There's a reason why it's been nominated for so many awards this year.

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4th & Short: 1/10/10

Not much in the way of movies came out last week, in fact nothing came out last week. This weekend saw the introduction of Daybreakers, Leap Year, and Youth in Revolt, one of which will be expounded upon further in a minute...

3. A Single Man

With the Golden Globes coming up next week and the Oscars right around the corner, I want people to start paying attention to the film's garnering the most buzz. Tom Ford's haunting tale of a homosexual man in the 1960s, barely making it one day at a time after the death of his partner is one such film, garnering Best Actor heat for it's star, Colin Firth.

2. Up in the Air

Probably the most critically acclaimed film of the year, Jason Reitman's third insightful comedy(Thank You for Smoking, Juno) is sharp, witty, incredibly penetrating in it's look at today's post bailout society. Not to mention it's George Clooney's defining role of his career. I took it of the list last week because I've talked about it so much. It's good enough to sit here for weeks longer.

1. Youth in Revolt

Sick of seeing Michael Cera play the same awkward role every movie? Yeah? Well so is Francois. Who in the blue hell is Francois? He's Cera's more aggressive, manipulative, womanizing alter ego in Youth in Revolt, the funniest movie in theatres right now and Cera's best since Superbad. A coming of age story with a cartoonishly violent edge, blended together with a dose of 80's style sex comedy. A perfectly selected supporting cast featuring Jean Smart, Ray Liotta, and Steve Buscemi keep the jokes coming fast and furious.

DVD Pick: Lorna's Silence (2009)

Nobody ever comes away unscathed in the worlds created by the famed Belgian directors, The Dardenne Brothers. Well intentioned plans often go awry, and people often end up dead. In that, the Dardenne's bear a resemblance to the Coen Brothers, but their films are much darker. In Lorna's Silence, a young woman agrees to be part of sham marriage to a drug addict in order for her to gain citizenship quickly. Unfortunately, the man who arranged the marriage has deadly designs on her fake husband, and Lorna is forced to decide whether or not to see it through or pull the plug. A bleak, colorless film no doubt, but equally gripping and captivating.

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