See this darkly comic character study unburdened by preconceptions. Writer-director Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale) walks the fragile line between humor and heartbreak. Ben Stiller is exceptional as Roger Greenberg, a failed New York musician housesitting for his brother in the Hollywood Hills and wondering how life sent him adrift. Selfish, neurotic and often an asshole, Roger exists to sweat the small stuff. He's delusional about his ex-girlfriend (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and his former bandmate (Rhys Ifans). Why his brother's sweet, affectless assistant, Florence (Greta Gerwig), would go to bed with this grab bag of dysfunctions is a mystery even to Roger. But not to us. Baumbach tracks Roger without glib condescension. That's why Greenberg pulls you in. Even when you laugh, like in the climactic party scene, it hurts.

“Time to Pretend”

Listening to MGMT’s breakthrough song, one might interpret it as being about the excesses of rock stardom, but it’s actually about the duo’s pet praying mantis. Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden told Rolling Stone they got the idea from the insect's jerky movements. The mantis died, but the two bandmates kept the egg sack and allowed the hundreds of eggs to hatch. “We tried to name them all, but they died after a day,” said Goldwasser, with VanWyngarden chiming in, “But the praying mantis dance inspired us.”