Hey, it's X-Ray Cat. I was in the first audience to see KNOCKED UP, which isn't due out for nearly a year. In a way, I'm a terrible choice to tell you about this film, because I'm a straight-up Apatow fanboy. I think FREAKS AND GEEKS and 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN are on par with classic Bill Murray, Woody Allen, etc., and I couldn't have been more excited about this new one. So get ready, because I'm about to gush like an open wound. You know how 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN was completely filthy and hilarious, but Then also surprised the hell out of you by being much sweeter than a Nora Ephron script could ever dream of being? KNOCKED UP takes it to the next level like a motherfucker. I don't want to undersell the humor, because the movie is consistently hilarious throughout, whether you're following the troubled marriage of Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann, or watching Seth Rogen and his dream-team cast of roommates Jason Segel, Martin Starr, Jonah Hill, Jay Baruchal, and Charlyne Yi. But honestly, if you're looking for a movie with wall-to-wall tear-faced laughter, you can't do any better than BORAT and IDIOCRACY this year. But KNOCKED UP is the better film. It's the sort of film that comes along and makes you realize that the Oscars is such a broken system, because they would never pull a stick out of their ass to nominate a movie like KNOCKED UP, a movie that has a two-minute conversation about Julianne Moore's pubic hair no sooner than the opening credits finish up. But it deserves it. The two main performances by Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl are two of the best performances I've ever seen in a "comedy." They are spookily natural, and watching their relationship fumble together in the midst of an unexpected surprise is never less than 100% believable, sad, frustrating, and of course funny. While it is similar to Steve Carell's fantastic 2005 performance, it works in a different way. This isn't the sort of movie, for example, that could end with the cast doing an all-out musical tribute to Earth, Wind, and Fire. The humor is something that just happens, like in a John Landis movie where the jokes never feel carefully constructed and handed to you in pre-chewed form, but instead just roll by like constant tumbleweeds in their natural habitat. And it has the classic feel of a Landis or Hughes film, the sort of film kids will track down as soon as they can to laugh their minor asses off at the parade of F-bombs, bong hits, and friends going to Vegas and eating shrooms to watch Cirque de Soileil, and then when they hit their 20's they'll appreciate it even more as it becomes the perfect movie to watch after a pregnancy scare. Hell, it's a damn near perfect movie either way. I told you I was going to gush. The screening seemed to go really well, it got huge laughs and lots of positive afterward chatter. If the scores are high enough, they should really push it up for you guys, because it was in a much more final-looking stage than most of the test screenings I've seen this year which were only screened half as much time in advance. The constant improv that can lead to jarring and awkward cuts in VIRGIN and TALLADEGA NIGHTS is actually cut together exceptionally well here. The timing never felt off, there were obviously no effects to work on, and besides slapping on credits and maybe some less temp-sounding music, it was pretty much releasable. Certainly not enough problems to merit an August 2007 release. It could even jump up to this December, and kick the ass of FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS in the awards race in your head.
Heh.
I mean, I'm sure it's worthy of Oscar consideration. No doubt. And I've been saying for years that Seth Rogen is the next Sean Penn. But with a sense of humor.
...that's the Fifth Dimension, not Earth, Wind and Fire. And glad to hear this movie rocks. I, too, am an unapologetic Judd Apatow and Seth Rogen fanboy.
thats a long time to wait for a comedy..i too did rogen and apatow thought undeclared was cancelled way too early and virgin was great thought the unedited version was not as good as the theatrical release
Plants don't grow very well in winter. This should have been potted next spring.
I think it's supposed to be a one night stand...a bit more believable. The important question is, does she show her booblies?
OK, so this guy likes it. Now, can you tell me what the fuck its about???
judd apatow is this generation's woody allen. and i totally agree with his comments about the oscars. a film like annie hall wouldn't see so much as a nomination today.
...a guy (Seth Rogen) who goes out on a date with a girl (Katherine Heigle) and gets her "knocked up" on the first date.
I've never accused anybody of being a plant, but that review sounds a bit plantastic to me. Just a little too clever by half. Doesn't matter, movie sounds good anyway.
There u go.
Damn you Michael Bay
A few more spoilers would have been good to get more of an idea of what its about. Thanks for the 'review' anyway.
... there is no film on the books in the next year that I anticipate more. Judd Apatow can do no wrong. And watching Katy Heigl's raw, outstanding work on GREY'S ANATOMY right now -- truly, the only redeeming element of that rapidly soapifyin pile o' melodramatic dookie -- makes me want to see more, more, more of this terrific actress. And opposite Seth? Sublime. Bring it on!!
CAn we just ban this guy or something? Maybe hunt him down and chop his fingers off? Hypnotize him to forget who Michael Bay is? Anything? Please?
I was so excited to see it and then thhhhhhhhhhhhpt. Crap. One note humour and a wasted cast and budget.
Paul Rudd however can do no wrong. I'll see this.
I'll second Borat being one of the funniest movies ever made.
Sorry for not going much into the plot, I guess I assumed others were as excited as me and already knew. Someone already explained it just as well as I could. Seth Rogen plays a stoner living off some settlement money which is starting to run out, so he and his roommates are working on a website tracking nude celebrities. Heigl works at E! and lives with her sister (Leslie Mann) and her sister's husband (Rudd). They meet at a club, have a disastrous one-night stand, she gets pregnant, and they get together and try to make it work, despite the fact that they have very little in common, and they're constantly reminded of how easily marriage can fail because of Rudd and Mann's relationship. I'm not a plant, search for my name and you'll see lots of other reviews with varying degrees of love and hate responses. This was, however, one of my most anticipated films, and that's why I had such a strong reaction to it. Katherine Heigl does not show her luggage. Idiocracy is amazing. That's all.
Damn. She's got a great ass (per MY FATHER THE HERO, though that's a rather jailbait example, there). I still maintain that GREY'S ANATOMY should be changed to (Izzie) STEVENS' ANATOMY...she's one of the major reasons to tune in each week. Screw Pompeo.
because 40YOV was a fine movie and this dude says its better kind of.
she's playing a christian doctor on ER.
...I just bought the 40-Year-Old Virgin on DVD like a month ago.
Dude, you couldn't be righter(its a word in my dictionary...written in crayon... but still there) She is the best part of that show and the TITLE character is the worst part of that show...that said I can't wait for this flick.
Grey's Anatomy because there's a required-reading text called Grey's Anatomy that med students have used for many years. Maybe a doctor will clarify, if he or she can quit saving lives long enough to waste time on a website specializing in giant robots and advertising toys (um, . . . "maquettes"?) for adults.
...if I ever met you, there is a good chance I would hate you. A REALLY good chance. If your sense of humor is that fucked up, I honestly don't want to know you.
This Is Spinal Tap, The Jerk, Airplane!, Caddyshack, Ferrell on SNL, Reno 911, Strangers with Candy, and The Colbert Report. Oh, and Parker Lewis Can't Lose.
I actually agree with most of what the above guy has listed. Plus any other Christopher Guest movies, as well as stuff like Old School, Wedding Crashers, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, most Wes Anderson movies, and the list goes on. If you are still curious, I can add more. I would actually be curious to know what a person who DIDN'T find the Borat movie to be funny (not even a little bit) actually DOES find funny. If they were to list a good portion of these same things, I would be shocked.
Also a big Apatow fan, and I love what he comes up with. I agreee with the Oscars comment, but the fact that 40 Year-Old Virgin was voted as one of WGA or AFI's top written scripts of the year is SOMETHING. And yeah, I'd like to discuss Moore's pubic hair as well.
Spaced, Life Of Brian, Holy Grail, Black Books, Animal House, Family Guy, Office Space, Trey Parker and Matt Stone.
Freaks & Geeks cast members into this. Martin Starr and Seth Rogen were my two faves on the show. And why has nobody mentioned Ghostbusters as among the funniest movies ever?
We are in agreement, Mechasheeva.
Have you seen Fun with Dick and Jane? Awful. Did you see Cable Guy? Not that great. Just keep Apatow away from Jim Carrey and they'll both do fine. Incidentally, they're very good friends, they've known each other since their stand-up days. It's odd that they're not nearly as funny when they collaberate.
I loved Seth Rogan in 40 Year Old Virgin and have been a fan of his after watching Freaks & Geeks and Undeclared...can't wait to see it.
i saw the movie too, and it is no where near done. it is WAY too long and the pacing was all over the place. the movie was about 2 hours and 20 minutes long! full of fat.
October 16, 2006 9:50 PM CST
by s0nicdeathmonkey
but it was fucked up and watered down by reshoots. also, i love cable guy. but then, i love pretty much any dark comedy.
...until it comes out, you may as well watch something else: http://tinyurl.com/wraah
girl's a trip
The title "Grey's Anatomy" is a dangling modifier. The main characters last name is Grey and it's the 'required' text. My girlfriend watches the dvds all the time
was fucking awful. painful to sit through. hopefully this will be good. apatow seems to know what he's doing.