08.20.07 From the Vixen
Movies/TV > 10 Reasons to Go See "Superbad"
Written by Ashly Burch
As if you don't have reason enough already.
10. The nervousness
I know this doesn’t exactly sound like something you’d go to a movie for, but I actually really like the sensation when it’s accomplished well. Meet the Parents does the same thing. There’s an established destination (the party) and shit they have to get (the liquor) and there are so many pitfalls and misadventures in between that you find yourself near to exploding you’re so anxious. And it’s not like a “God, get the party, I want this movie to end” sort of thing, it’s just that you’re genuinely scared that they’re not going to get there. (This is completely unrelated, but thinking about it, could you slap the hero quest against this movie and find correlations? I wonder.)
9. The credit sequence
It doesn’t get much better than Michael Cera and Jonah Hill’s colorful silhouettes dancing in horribly awkward and fantastic ways to ‘70s music. Three seconds into the credits I already knew I was going to like the movie. I honestly think Michael Cera dancing has become one of my favorite things in the world (which was why I was really disappointed that they cut out the little groove he had in the trailers—I was waiting for that shit. But the rest of the movie made up for it); it is truly one of the more simple/fulfilling pleasures in life.
8. The references
Within the first half hour of the film, Seth (Hill) and Evan (Cera) reference both the Coen Brothers (in relation to porn, no less) and Orson Welles (in relation to reaching one’s peak at an early age). I’m not going to try to tell you that this is a mature comedy, because it isn’t (in no way is it), but there’s something indescribably cool about hearing those name drops coming from what is, for all intents and purposes, a teen comedy. I don’t know who decided to throw those in, but they deserve a pat on the back. In Evan’s room, there’s also a The Goon poster (and Cera’s delivery of the lines where he’s complaining about the video game that he’s playing are absolutely priceless), and the cops occasionally allude to Star Wars (that’s nothing new, but still). ALSO. An incredible Charlie's Angels 2 reference that you have to look out for.
7. The amusing drawings of penises
And there are several. There’s a strange context and justification for the movie that I won’t go in to, suffice it to say that you will be seeing a number of hilarious illustrations of tally whackers (knobs, bishops, pistols, middle legs, etc). Coincidentally, in relation to the theme of referencing, there are a number of penis drawings that play off of famous movie images; one of which is Buck riding the bomb from Dr. Strangelove, which, you can’t go wrong with Dr. Strangelove (I initially wrote "long" instead of "wrong". Ba dum tss).
6. Seth Rogen and Bill Hader
These guys are fantastic. You probably love them already, and with good reason, I suspect, so just enjoy continuing to do so. (Their introductory scene is hilarious; it’s probably my favorite moment of theirs.)
5. The slow-mo sequences
Actually, come to think of it, I don’t know which is better; Cera and Hill’s silhouettes dancing, or them coming off a bus and walking slow-mo toward the camera. It’s really difficult to decide. Given that, I don’t know why they’re so far apart in this listing, but it’s the same sort of principle; Michael Cera being awkward is comedy gold. In no way do they look even remotely badass, which is what slow-mo sequences normally lend themselves to. Also, seeing Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse [whoa, hell of a last name]) walking slowly into the night flicking a cigarette has a similar effect.
4. Hearing Michael Cera talk about erections
I don’t know about you, but pretty much all I’ve seen of Michael Cera is on Arrested Development. I’ve watched one or two episodes of his online show, but otherwise, it’s all AD, within which he’s very awkward and sheltered and not even remotely sexual, so hearing him talk about pussy and booze and boners is somehow shockingly awesome. It’s somewhat akin to hearing your grandma say “fuck” for the first time; you know she must know the word, but the fact that she’s you’re grandma makes you inclined to think that maybe she’s never used it before. As far as I was concerned, Michael Cera was devoid a sex drive previous to this movie. I mean, he had the hots for Maeby, but I don’t even want to think about them getting into the Dangerous Cousins territory. Cera talking about having to hide his boner was a strange but amusing experience.
3. The dialogue
“Get ready to be fucked by the long dick of the law.”
“Yeah, well, at least you got to suck on your dad’s dick.”
“I know. It’s like a sexy hamburger.”
“Funny thing about my back is that it’s located on my dick.”
Etc., etc.
2. McLovin getting a boner
Fogell getting a boner is somehow funny in of itself, but the fact that he announces with such excitement is pure hilarity. It’s one of the best moments of the movie.
1. Hearing Michael Cera sing “These Eyes” by Guess Who
You know how I said that them cutting out his dance from the trailer was made up for? This was how. I quite nearly died when he started singing; there was nothing that could contain my shameful fangirlish glee. As a random side note, for all you interested in superfluous details such as these, apparently he’s in a band, although I don’t know specifically what he does in it. My brother’s friend met him and talked to him about it sometime last year. Are you jealous? I am.
