Friday, August 13, 2010

Posterized: Michael Cera

I'm still giggling about Scott Pilgrim vs. The World which I saw this morning. I loved the comic book and I was pleased that Edgar Wright was so skilled at keeping the comedy zippy.
Wallace: The L Word
Scott: Lesbian?
Wallace: The other L Word
Scott: Lesbians ?
My review is coming soon but in the meantime, shall we discuss Michael Cera's movie career. This is it, in posters. Before he came to real fame with Arrested Development, he did have a few movie roles, usually as children such as in the Dennis Quaid /Jim Caviezel time travel piece Frequency (2000). But I'm picking up where the classic sitcom left off.

Arrested Development (tv, 03-06) | Superbad (2007) | Juno (2007)

Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist (08) | Extreme Movie (08) | Paper Heart (09)

Year One (09) | Youth in Revolt (09) | Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (10)

How many have you seen? And isn't it peculiar that the posters are almost all the full body type? I guess you need both arms and legs for maximum slapstick lolz. I thought he was pretty great in Juno (and thought he made a fine Scott Pilgrim) but I know he has many haters, too. Especially due to that Arrested Development Development Hell.

18 comments:

Lucas said...

I liked him in Juno, but I think Nick and Nora Infinite Playlist is his best work... And Year One is one of the worst movies I've ever seen.

Jorge Rodrigues said...

I agree with Lucas. About everything.

Sometimes I think Michael Cera is playing versions of his own nerd self. But then I remember Nick and Norah's and Arrested Development and I like to think the kid has definitely some real talent.

Dylan said...

I just got back from Scott Pilgrim. It was excellent! But I fall right into its target demographic (18 years old, gamer, gay (gotta love Wallace!), into indie music). But I can certainly see how other people, Baby Boomers perhaps, would find it annoying, childish, etc.

adri said...

I just saw Scott Pilgrim tonight and I thought it was fun, a great summer movie. For me, the best thing in it was the women. Alison Pill as Kim the drummer was perfect. Ellen Wong as Knives was terrific, Mary Elizabeth Winstead was just right, and Julia, Envy/Natalie, were all fun. (Can't stand the sister, though).

I've only seen 3 Michael Cera movies (Juno, Nick & Nora, Scott Pilgrim) but what I like about him is that he shares the screen, with great aplomb, with terrific interesting idiosyncratic women. So many actors his age can't and won't. Actually playing opposite an actress, creating an acting exchange, is the way actors grow and get better. It will be interesting to see what happens with Michael Cera's career.

par3182 said...

george michael was my favourite character on arrested development and when that show met its premature fate i thought what a shame it was that that was the last time i'd get to see michael cera in anything...

of course, back in the 1980s i predicted madonna would be a one hit wonder and the other guy from bosom buddies would go onto bigger things than his costar tom hanks

Keelay! said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Keelay! said...

I've seen five of those posterized.

I would have to agree that Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist is my favorite performance from him. I think that movie as a whole is great; one of my favorite comedies from recent years.

His Juno turn takes a close second, but I honestly find him appealing in everything I've seen (no matter how bad the movie...Year One.) I'm definitely not a Cera hater.

Hopefully I'll be able to catch Scott Pilgrim within the week.

Ryan T. said...

I've yet to see Arrested Development even though I actually own the entire series. Go figure. I've seen Superbad, Juno, Nick & Norah, Paper Hearts, and Scott Pilgrim.

Like a few people have said, his best work (that I've seen) was in Nick & Norah. But huge props for Scott Pilgrim. LOVED the film. Definitely one of this summer's highlights. I wanted more!

Y Kant Goran Rite said...

I haven't seen Michael Cera give a bad performance (I haven't seen Year One) - and he was excellent in Juno, AD and Superbad, but at the same time, I'd be very happy if I don't have to watch him in a movie for about a decade or so. I don't even know why I feel this really. I just caught Scott Pilgrim and though I was pretty underwhelmed (I just couldn't handle the dandruffy-neurotic-earlytwentysomething-fantasising-from-his-mother's-basement vibe), I thought Cera did really well with what he had. Still I just couldn't wait for the film to finish so I didn't have to look at him for a while. I don't know what it is, I just can't handle the guy.

Glenn said...

*scottpilgrimangerlevelsreachingboilingpoint*

Anonymous said...

I've only seen Scott Pilgrim. One Michael Cera movie. That is said, yet it is not.

It doesn't look like he's trying too hard to have 'range' neither. Even in the fight scenes he doesn't look like he's fighting, which is awesome since if he overdid the kicks and punches the audience wouldn't fall for it.

But hey, the guy knows Italian, right? He can have a role about Italian diaspora or make a movie in Italy.

Andrew R. said...

Juno and Superbad are hilarious. I like Cera.

I heard Youth in Revolt was good, and I am probably going to enjoy Scott Pilgrim.

Is anyone else wondering what the odds of Scott Pilgrim getting a Visual Effects nomination at the Oscars are?

pomme said...

i only saw 3 movies with him and never saw "arrested development"(i live in France)and i like him in "Juno" and "Nora"(even if it's the same character for me)

Blinking Cursor said...

I've only seen 3: Juno, Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist, and Scott Pilgrim vs the World (which I actually got to see an advanced screening of on Aug 11th in Toronto). Cera's a likeable manling or man-child, if you will. He's got a low key comedic schtick, which he uses to his advantage. But alas, it seems like this is all he's got as an actor; he really doesn't have much in the way of range, and it's a fair and frequent critique to say that he always plays the same sort of character over and over again. He doesn't move out of his comfort zone and tackle anything new or challenging. Whether or not this is due to him knowing he doesn't have the ability and/or because he simply isn't offered the non comedic slacker/hipster/man-child roles is unknown.

Now, all that said, as a person and fellow actor, he seems to be kind, professional, gracious and really sweet. Many of his female costars from Ellen Page, Alia Shawkat, to Ellen Wong and Mary Elizabeth Winstead have all said that Cera is lovely to work with.

I like Cera, and I hope that he'll someday move out of his comfort zone and try different roles, ones in which he's challenged and which will intrigue viewers.

Scott said...

Have only seen the first 4 (some of the next 4 appeared terrible), but can't wait to see Scott Pilgrim.

cal roth said...

I am a hater and I don't even want to talk about it. Sometimes declaring love/hate is enough. But let's wait to see him again when he grows up. In ten years I may give him another chance.

NATHANIEL R said...

Scott -- that's only because he shares your name. I'm dreaming of a movie with a lead character named Nathaniel eventually. It just never happens. Though Denzel Washington was named Nathaniel in Courage Under Fire but they almost never called him that, given the military language.

Unknown said...

He's one of those actors whose output I've seen less of than my mind tells me I have, which, I assume, is the fault of the modern publicity machine. Aside from "Arrested Development" and "Juno," I'm completely agnostic. Even so, I would love to see him try his hand at broadening his scope a little.