What can be said about Knocked Up and Superbad on a film blog that hasn't been hashed out already, and in more opinionated places, so really what's the bother?
I loved both of these films and enjoy the editions that I presently own on DVD. It is nice to see Tulsa homeboy Bill Hader so well represented on both discs. I am looking forward to seeing him in Hot Rod, as well as listening to him on the Knocked commentary track. The "making of" supplements on these films' discs are as wonderfuly inventive comedically as the features. I actually feel bad for Apatow and Co. (or do I feel bad for the people who buy the disc and --->) because some might buy these discs and actually think that Universal Pictures hired director Bennett Miller to "rein in" an out-of-control Apatow on the "Knocked Up" set. That Michael Cera is really some obnoxious kid. That Apatow went through five or six leading men before ending up with Seth Rogen. I may be giving more jokes away than necessary, but you should really seak out the 2-Disc Editions of these.
Judd Apatow seems to be on a Sturges like roll this year (although a favorite of mine, this year's The TV Set, which Apatow exec-produced, came and went in a few theaters earlier this year), between these two films and the upcoming Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (directed by the same director as the above-mentioned "The TV Set"), Apatow has already set himself up for backlash as long ago as July. Not so from these corners.
Both of these films are about young males trying to put off impending maturity by refusing to deal with/ignoring it like it'll go away. In "Knocked Up"; it is the pregnancy. In "Superbad"; it is graduation and the eventual division of the two boys to alternate colleges. Although "Superbad"'s ending isn't quite as poignant as those in American Graffiti or Dazed and Confused, it is still earned and balanced. It may even portray a positive message towards the high-school subject of "The Drunk Make-Out". "Knocked Up" may have some character problems, but it made up for in laugh and a likable cast, including the man I think should be in every film ever made: Mr. Paul Rudd.
Walk Hard looks like it may tread in the same "putting off adulthood" vein as these films although some may accuse the film is trafficking in the "doofus film" category. This remains to be seen, but after hearing Kasdan and John C. Reilly's Fresh Air interview with Terry Gross on NPR and hearing samples of the songwriting; I think we are in for a wild ride.
No comments:
Post a Comment