Superbad (2007)

             Superbad              

NETFLIX SYNOPSIS:  40-Year-Old Virgin veterans Judd Apatow and Seth Rogen team up again as producer and co-star/co-writer (respectively) of this high school comedy starring Jonah Hill and Michael Cera as best buddies facing separation anxiety as they prepare to go off to college. Attempting to score alcohol for a party (believing that the babes will follow), the boys’ evening quickly dissolves into chaos. Bill Hader (“Saturday Night Live”) co-stars.

REVIEW:  Judd Apatow has cranked out yet another comedic gem, this time about a pair of geekish high school buddies, about to be separated upon graduation, who just want to buy liquor, go to a party and hook up with girls.  This is one coming-of-age high school comedy that doesn’t wax overly nostalgic about an era in life that few of us would ever truly choose to re-live.  I was already laughing during the credits, with 1970s-esque color silhouettes of the kids dancing.  The script takes its young protagonists seriously without turning into A Very Special Episode of The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, and still manages to produce plenty of rapid-fire zingers that you’ll be quoting for months: “This guy is either gonna think ‘Here’s another kid with a fake ID’ or ‘Here’s McLovin, a 25 year-old Hawaiian organ donor.'”  Movies this fun just don’t come along often enough.

4.5 stars
HAWK

Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures (2001)

       Stanley Kubrick:  A Life in Pictures      

NETFLIX SYNOPSIS:  Stanley Kubrick‘s frequent collaborator and brother-in-law, Jan Harlan, offers a fascinating inside look at the genius behind such films as 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, Full Metal Jacket and Dr. Strangelove. Narrated by Tom Cruise, the documentary features interviews with family members as well as colleagues, including Jack Nicholson, Nicole Kidman, Malcolm McDowell, Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and more.

REVIEW:  Fans of Kubrick need to check this out.  Produced after Kubrick’s death, this documentary provides background on Kubrick’s life for the first half-hour or so, then focuses on his films, exploring each project, including some that never made it to film (Napoleon, AI, etc.).  Serious students of Kubrick might find this a bit basic, and those unfamiliar with his work might be left out in the cold, but the documentary is fascinating viewing for most of us.

4.5 stars
HAWK

Warren Miller’s The Power of Snow: Cold Fusion (2003)

               Cold Fusion             

NETFLIX SYNOPSIS:  Extreme-skiing/snowboarding documentarian Warren Miller (a veteran of more than 50 years of this type of filmmaking) travels to Kenya and Verbier for some one-of-a-kind footage that will thrill you right down to your Rossignols. Be a witness when two world records get crushed (with all the action set to a rocking soundtrack by the Foo Fighters and the Dave Matthews Band).

REVIEW:  Warren Miller’s The Power of Snow: Cold Fusion (4/5):  With Cold Fusion, Warren Miller Films may have officially arrived in the modern age.  Awesome footage (although there’s still too much skiing and not enough snowboarding, I say) accompanied by Zebrahead, Frank Black, BT, Saliva, and plenty of other radio-friendly rock and techno. Perfect for getting geeked up for the slopes.

 4 stars
HAWK

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving/The Mayflower Voyagers (1973)

              A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving         

NETFLIX SYNOPSIS:  With Thanksgiving just around the corner, Charlie Brown wants to host a traditional holiday feast for his friends. But his dinner turns into a disaster when a clueless Snoopy and Woodstock (the designated chefs) serve toast and popcorn as the main dishes. Marcie steps into the fray and saves the holiday for her crestfallen friend “Chuck.” An Emmy Award-winning classic. Also includes “The Mayflower Voyages.”

REVIEW:  Who remembers watching this classic holiday special on network TV when we were kids?  Who remembers network TV?  Anyone?  Well, while Rankin-Bass may have dominated the Christmas season, Charlie Brown owned Thanksgiving. In A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, some of Charlie Brown’s friends invite themselves over for Thanksgiving dinner when he’s supposed to be going to his grandmother’s house.  The second feature, The Mayflower Voyagers, features the Peanuts gang re-enacting scenes from the Mayflower voyage to America, and will be considered far too politically incorrect for some folks.  Both 24-minute specials have the same animation, same cool jazz score, same Bill Melendez direction that we’ve come to expect from this series.  This one is enjoyable for kids and adults alike.

4 stars
Hawk