In Young Adult, Patton Oswalt plays the endearing, yet snarky, action-figure/bourbon-making Matt Freehauf. He becomes unlikely friends with Charlize Theron‘s bitingly self-centered Mavis Gary, the popular girl from high school who comes back to her hometown to poach her ex from his family life.

Directed by Jason Reitman and penned by Diablo Cody (the dynamic, Juno-licious duo), the film has been raking in critical acclaim and Oswalt is no exception. His performance as the dorky anti-love interest of Theron has been getting plenty of attention — Oscar buzz even. I had the opportunity to chat with the funnyman about how it was like to divert from his usual comedic roles, being labeled as the class clown, and his favorite young adult novels.

Young Adult opens in select theaters Friday, wider release on December 16.

In Young Adult, Charlize Theron isn’t quite as glamorous as she is when she exhales the words “J’adore Dior” and she isn’t quite the lesbionic roughneck as she is in Monster. As an on-the-edge-of-a-breakdown young adult novelist, Mavis Gary, Theron goes on a toxic and biting rampage to win the heart back of her now married high school beau (Patrick Wilson) when she returns back to her hometown.

There is plenty o’ Oscar buzz surrounding this tale concocted by the Juno dynamic duo of Jason Reitman (director) and Diablo Cody — and Theron’s turn as Mavis is probably getting the most attention because EVERYONE knows a girl EXACTLY like her. She’s that bitchy popular girl we knew in high school who returns to her home town to tell everyone how great she is and how they are all still beneath her. Yet, we still can’t help but LOVE her.

Check out these five clips from the movie:

“Checking in”: Mavis checks into a hotel and shows her sunny disposition whilst doing so.

“Do I know you?”: Mavis has friendly condescending conversation with her old high school locker neighbor, Matt (Patton Oswalt — stay tuned for my interview with him. I’m posting it next week!)

“Looking for a dress”: Mavis continues to spread joy and love at her hometown Macy’s while looking for a dress to make her ex swoon.

“Wedding photo”: Perhaps this is one of the MANY reasons why Mavis is so poopy.

“Adorable”: Mavis shows how great she is with kids.

Young Adult opens in select theaters Friday, wider release on December 16.

- A digitally aged Princess Diana makes a Photoshopped appearance next to Kate Middleton on the cover of Newsweek. Some people find it’s disrespectful. Others tacky. I just think it’s creepy. [Go Fug Yourself]

- Transformers: Dark of the Moon took movie theaters by storm on Wednesday — sans Megan Fox. This poses the question: What are some other disposable female leads in blockbuster franchises? [Time]

- YAY! Diablo Cody is comin’ back to the big screen! This time, she’s going to be making her directorial debut with Lamb of God, a story about a woman who loses faith in Christianity after a plane crash and moves to Vegas to become a stripper but ends up at square one, rediscovering Jesus. [Paste]

- The Voice finds it winner. Even though I wish Stevie Nicks would’ve taken the top prize, I am satisfied with Javier.

- Spielberg’s never-ending fascination of creature and young boy friendship shines through with the new trailer for War Horse. Unfortunately, it does not involve a naked Daniel Radcliffe. [The Daily Beast]

- I found my summer jam and it involves Beyonce, Andre 3000, Kanye West, throwback late ’80s/early ’90s Jade-like, mid-tempo R&B appeal and a “Party.” [Hard Candy Music]

- Could Myspace rise from the ashes of the Internet ghetto? Justin Timberlake seems to think so. [Hollywood.com]

- Thor 2 finds a 2013 release date. As for a replacement director for Kenneth Branagh, that’s another story. [HitFix]

- Francis Ford Coppola plans to make his second appearance at Comic-Con with his new horror project Twixt — which could possibly be about murderous candy bars. [Deadline]

- A teaser trailer for Disney’s Brave hits the Internet. It’s the first Pixar movie with a female-led narrative. Other than that, the trailer is just a big tease (hence TEASER trailer). [Comingsoon.net]

- We haven’t gotten rid of Stephenie Meyer. The Twilight franchise may be taking it’s final bow soon, but her sci-fi book The Host is getting the silver screen treatment with Saoirse Ronan in the lead. [EW.com]

- Larry Crowne stars Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts. It opens in theaters today. They are doing their press rounds. Tom Hanks went on Conan. This is what Conan said about him. [@ConanOBrien]

The red band trailer for DC’s horror flick about a girl who eats guys (a literal maneater, mind you) is quite exciting. And by “red band” it means the trailer has the “F” word in it.

Already, I dig the dialog. DC has a knack for the clever discourse with lines like “Nice hardware Ace” and “You need a mani bad, you should find a Chinese chick to buff your situation” and “It smells like Thai food in here – have you two been fucking?” Gasp! The language! I love it.

I love all the Asian references. Normally, I would get in a hizzy because they border on derogatory, but I see it as a shout out. And who doesn’t love Thai food?

It just fuels my stalker-esque admiration for Diablo Cody – and this is just based on a two-minute trailer.

One criticism – is it me or does the poster look too much like the “licking blood off your lips” charm of True Blood? It’s not that I’m mad at it – I’m just sayin’…

…and P.S. I have a thing for the wide-eyed whimsy of Amanda Seyfried and could this possibly be a movie that makes Fox more than a wet-lipped Vixen? With DC in her corner, it is a possibility.