112 - The 40 Year Old Virgin

Connection To THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER - Paul Rudd.

Before seeing The 40 Year Old Virgin, I already brought, watched and loved the DVDs for Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared. So I actually think my mind going into this would be different to somebody who hadn't seen either of these shows would know despite the title that the film as the potential to have heart.

I think the title does make it sound like it will be American Pie but with an older character, a desperate odyssey for a virgin to finally get laid - but it's not really like that, it's his new friends that are pushing him to get laid, but the only way the truly know how to make him appeal to women is to give him Lothario traits that never suit him, but I think the message is actually the exact opposite to American Pie which message seem to be lose your cherry as soon as possible so there's no more pressure to this films hey just wait until you yourself are ready, which is ultimately the better message of the two for me.

While it does have something in common with American Pie and that is comedy set-pieces - the infamous chest waxing scene which Steve Carell did for real is probably the films most famous moment, though there is other funny scenes including Carell talking to Elizabeth Banks' book shop worker in only questions ("do you like to do it yourself?") and Apatow's wife Leslie Mann drunk driving are among the stand out scenes.

Overall Apatow's directorial debut is probably still his best film - the others haven't proven they have had the same re-watch-ability like this movie has. The cast are on super-form and has time to be a bit disgusting whilst still having a heart. Recommended.

89 - Zack and Miri Make A Porno

Connection To SUPERBAD - Seth Rogen

Do I think it was intentional that Kevin Smith or Miramax wouldn't think it would be the worst thing in the world if people confused it for having some sort of involvement from Judd Apatow?

I think so in my humble opinion, though we have some of Smith's regulars such as Jason Mewes, Jeff Anderson and his wife Jennifer Schwalbach, we have slightly more with connections to Apatow - Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Craig Robinson and Gerry Bednob (who plays the same character he normally does for Apatow). So yeah that's why I think so.

And to be fair the stuff Apatow as normally done and the stuff Smith as normally do, they've never been a million miles away from each other, both can go gross but show heart at the same time, I just think Apatow (including his producing credits) as got a better oeuvre - I did used to hold Smith in higher esteem but I've think with time I've moved on from him slightly.

Rogen and Banks play platonic best friends since high school, who share an apartment and struggling to pay bills whilst working at coffee shop, some younglings take video of Banks in the back changing and reveals she's wearing granny panties this makes her a minor internet celeb, the pair attend their high school reunion where they get talking to Bobby Long (Brandon Routh) who Banks had a massive crush on, but it's revealed he is gay and they get talking with his boyfriend - played by Justin Long, who talks to them about the gay porn he stars in, the pair decide to cast and star in their own porn movie including friends and people they audition.

If you buy into the premise I think you'll enjoy the film more - predictably Zack and Miri are paired up in their sex scene which ends up being more tender then what porn scenes are usually like which predictably stirs the feelings that ends up causing the rift in their relationship.

I did groan (giggity) that they initially chose Star Wars as the film to do a porn parody of, mostly because that is the most predictable way they could have gone, but they end up having to rewrite it and doing it (giggity again) in the coffee shop after hours... shades of Smith's debut Clerks there.

The supporting cast is cool and as the film goes on you do get a sense of a family unit (giggity) building around them, the cast includes some porno stars past and present alongside the Smith and Apatow clan.

Overall, it's far from limp but it's honestly nothing that Apatow is doing (usually better), there's funny stuff and it's engaging so to me it is worth your time.

81 - Wet Hot American Summer

Connection To NOT ANOTHER TEEN MOVIE - Samm Levine as an uncredited voice role here, confirmed by Levine himself if there was some doubt from IMDB.

It's been over 10 years since I first discovered Wet Hot American Summer, it was brought in a budget DVD pack with some other films, if I recall correctly it was one or two of the other comedies was my reason for buying as I had never heard of this film at all - I think that says a lot I can't remember what the other films where but this film as been brought multiple times and I even purchased the American DVD with extras (the British is bare-bones).

This is my 4th or 5th time watching WHAS and it's still as funny now as the first time I saw it, it has a weird tone to it which isn't a bad thing - it's not out and out parody but it's not in a world where everything is completely straight if that makes sense. This film is set in 1981 on the last day of a Jewish summer camp and is about the misadventures of the counselors, the romance of the camp director (Janeane Garofalo) and an astrophysics proffers (David Hyde Pierce) and we also spend some time with the kids.

The plot is basically just an excuse to string the funny moments together and the film features plenty of funny people, practically the entire cast of The State, Amy Poehler, Molly Shannon, Paul Rudd, early roles for Bradley Cooper and Elizabeth Banks.

I don't want to write about too many of the scenes because it gives away the direction but one of the funniest scenes for me was when the camp director goes into town with the counselors just how it spirals out of control is so hilarious, I also like Christopher Meloni and his subplot as the cook and is also a shell-shocked Vietnam vet.

Overall I'd prefer somebody to go into this film without any expectations then you can be surprised like I did as I found this incredibly funny.