Comedy of the Masses

For our 2nd blog post, our assignment is to write about an aspect of film or films that we see today, or traits that are common or reoccurring throughout different films, or genuinely anything to do with movies today. Since I have no exact outline of what to cover in my "spiel" on present day comedy, Ill be just covering a generic outline of what I feel is portrayed so fervently today. As evident in many of the last "amazing" or blockbuster hit caliber movies, (Superbad, Knocked Up, 40 Year Old Virgin, Blades of Glory, Anchorman...I'm sure there are more that I simply cant remember) sex is no longer used as one of those topics directors "tiptoe" around or "steer clear of", but more or less embody completely and use jokes based on sex to catapult their films to the top. There is always severity of things and sexual jokes in movies is no different. For instance Superbad, the goal of the main characters is to "get with" or "hook up with" the girls at the party by the end of the movie. Less monumental an occasion is in Blades of Glory when Jon Heder's character stops focusing on the routine in order to hook up with their opponent's sister, thus causing drama and hilarity in he process. This kind of a trend has been continuing for less then the last 10 years of films that I have seen, however this does not rule out anything before 95 and on. In my opinion, these jokes are attention grabbers towards the audience and almost make them feel more a part of the film. I think that they trend will continue and even upscale in movies until it becomes a "social norm" to accept such comments and quotes.

Critiquing the critic - 2007: The year Judd Apatow and Seth Rogen saved movie comedy.

For our blog assignment, critiquing the critic, I chose to review a report written by Philadelphia weekly online’s Sean Burns. He recently wrote a review highlighting Judd Apatow and Seth Rogen’s newest comedy blockbuster Superbad and briefly mentioned their performance before in Knocked Up. Burns noted many interesting facts that I did not previously know regarding both movies, and their marketing campaigns.

Knocked Up turned into this year’s most unexpected blockbuster, the only mega-hit powered by generous reviews and audience goodwill rather than a presold multimillion-dollar marketing campaign. Superbad seems poised to follow a similar trajectory.

It’s interesting when you take a step back and look at the truth in his statement. Many movies released these days are hyped with millions of dollars being spent on marketing, advertising, sales promotions, sweepstakes, ad campaigns, and every other form of media. But in the long run, those movies rarely turn out to be what they were hyped to be. As Burns so duly noted, in Superbad’s (and Rogen’s Knocked Up) case it is the exact opposite. Where, virtually out-of-nowhere, a movie comes through theatres knocking audiences off their feet with laughter and destroying the competition.

Throughout his article, Burns pays careful attention to “the fine print” as he cautiously but thoroughly details key plot points and cinematics that are crucial to the underlying plot of the movie.

Seth likes to overcompensate with wild theories about non-Ivy League girls having lower standards, but the prospect of starting a new life without his trustworthy sidekick clearly has him spooked.

Overcompensation is indeed key to the character, as Seth can’t help drawing pictures of penises all the time, and he’s prone to loud, blisteringly profane monologues, even though he clearly has no idea what he’s talking about. He’s a potty-mouthed, gynecologically fixated bluster of a kid whose entire sexual education took place on dubious websites.

Throughout my reading of Burns review, I couldn’t help but agree with what he was saying. He commented many times on how Superbad was a non-stop riot and we couldn’t have ended the summer with any better of a film, outlying my opinion precisely, as if he had seen it with me. He even goes into such detail as describing the two cops in the picture, Rogen and SNL’s Bill Hader, as the key to the film. As I had felt while watching the movie, that these two policemen were “reliving” there glory days of high school through their companionship with Fogell or “McLovin” and their ridiculous irresponsible actions.

Sure, they puff out their chests and wave around guns, but deep down these two are every bit as needy, clingy and desperate for approval as Seth and Evan. (High school never really ends, does it?)

Burns end’s fashionably with a very observant, almost profound, statement. He explains how the characters of Superbad symbolize youth today and how its off-kilter humor and feelings of inadequacy leave us with the impression of “everything will work out in the end.” All in all I agree immensely with Burns on his major points of Superbad’s inarguable humor that relates to us today and through this review and my response, even increases my desire to see it again.

Towey

Art of Film

1st blog FTW