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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“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.”