michael cera
Manhattan Weekend Box Office: Yes, Juno, It's True! New York City Loves You (and Atonement)
While The Golden Compass (No. 1) will be stealing headlines this morning for its lackluster performance—$26 million nationally ($420,000 of that from Manhattan) to offset its reportedly $180 million budget—this weekend’s box office receipts portended the rise of two Academy Award contenders: Jason Reitman’s Juno (No. 2) and Joe Wright’s adaptation of the Ian McEwan novel, Atonement (No. 5).
The comedy starring Ellen Page and Michael Cera averaged an astronomical $63,000 on three screens, beating out Atonement—currently, according to buzz and conventional wisdom, the Oscar forerunner for best picture—which had an impressive $55,000 average on two screens and The Golden Compass, which managed a rather respectable $42,000 average on 10 screens. So, to recap, in a town where neither Atonement, nor The Golden Compass faltered, Juno shined brightest. A Reitman hasn’t been this popular in this city, since the first Ghost Busters in 1984. read more »
Calling All 'Hipsters': Michael Cera Wants You
Hey guys, are any of you “goth types,” a “rock n roller” or, the endangered species known as a, “hipster?” Well, then come on down to the casting call for Michael Cera’s new movie, Nick & Nora’s Infinite Playlist on Saturday. Playlist LLC is looking for those “alternative” types to star as extras in a new independent film starring Superbad boy Michael Cera.
Kristian Sorge, aka thepunkguy, posted the casting call on his blog this week, and apparently the film, Nick & Nora’s Infinite Playlist, will be shot later this month through December “in many real NYC locations and featuring real NYC indie rock bands.” OMG!
Nick & Nora is based on the teen book written by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, released by Random House in August.
Mr. Cera will play Nick, a “nonqueer bassist of a queercore band,” while Nora, played by Kat Dennings from 40 Year Old Virgin, is a straight-edge daughter of a New York City record executive. They meet at a Manhattan punk club, Crazy Lou (ahem, CBGB’s?) and Nick kisses Nora to hide from his ex-girlfriend. The smooch sparks a puppy-love crush between the hormone-filled teens and sends them into a lusty night of music and making out.
The movie is set to be directed by Brooklyn native Peter Sollett, who won the best short film prize at both the Sundance and Cannes Film Festivals in 2000 for "Five Feet High and Rising," (view it here). It would be the inspiration for his feature about coming of age in NYC, "Raising Victor Vargas." 
Some tips for the starving actors who are too norm to make the cut should include getting an asymmetrical haircut, wearing “guyliner” and maybe cueing some gnarly “punk” tunes on the iPod like Rancid and Green Day! Study Bedford Avenue, folks, and welcome to the underground!
The full casting call listing is after the jump.
