Playing Mavis Gary, a thirtysomething author of young-adult fiction geared to flatter teen delusions, Charlize Theron comes out blazing with bitchery. Thackeray's Becky Sharp has nothing on Mavis. Recently divorced and nearing meltdown, big-city Mavis returns to her backwater Minnesota town to win back Buddy Slade (Patrick Wilson), the boy that got away. Pure YA stuff. One problem: Buddy is married, a new dad and not interested. Screenwriter Diablo Cody, famed for YA-themed movies such as Juno and Jennifer's Body, has this territory down cold. And her gutsy script is note-perfect, right down to Mavis' addiction to the Kardashians, Diet Coke and the fast-food dumps she visits with her laptop, the better to steal bons mots from teens with. Jason Reitman (Juno, Up in the Air) directs this tricky material – Mavis is someone you often want to throttle – with the ease and dexterity of a true pro. In this tale of stunted development, Theron is a comic force of nature, giving her character considerable density and humanity despite her monstrous aspects. And Patton Oswalt deserves cheers as Matt, a former classmate who pops Mavis' delusions with soul-crushing honesty. His dark duet with Theron is funny, touching and vital. But fair warning: The laughs in Young Adult leave bruises.

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“Ambling Alp”

The "Ambling Alp" was the nickname of the six-and-a-half-foot-tall Primo Carnera. Though the song is named after the Italian-born 1930s heavyweight champion, Yeasayer are actually paying tribute to boxing legend Joe Louis with this first-person psychedelic dance-rock tune. “I was always interested in writing a song that had boxing mythology in it,” Yeasayer’s Chris Keating said. “It’s pretty fascinating: There were so many amazing characters, and it was so closely entwined with 20th century history.” Yeaseyer also invokes German champ Max Schmeling and hints at the historical significance placed on the historic bouts between the Nazi-era boxer and the African-American Louis.