comment #1

BurmaShave says ...

Might be the dumbest thing ever written on HuffingtonPost, which is saying a lot. And please for the love of God see the fucking movie before you start posting things like this Wells.

comment #2

Craig Kennedy says ...

Would you just see the f'ing movie and then tell us how much you hate it? Because you really are going to hate it. You've already made up your mind or are on the verge of talking yourself into it.

comment #3

PastePotPete says ...

The stupidest thing I've ever read on the Huffington Post was a hysterical allegation that people in New Orleans were resorting to cannibalism 3 or 4 days into the whole thing.

I stopped reading The Huffington Post after that.

comment #4

PastePotPete says ...

Looks like he retracted it a few days later.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/randall-robinson/the-lessons-of-new-orlean_b_6851.html

comment #5

gruver1 says ...

Wells to BurmaShave: I will see it tomorrow, or at least soon. How's your sense of humor doing?

comment #6

David Ehrlich says ...

okay, as a cinematically educated 23 year-old (a degree in film from columbia), it is my humble opinion that the 40 year-old virgin is the funniest movie of my lifetime. hands down. much of its genius is of a subtler nature than most critics are attuned to, as some "high-minded" journos like jeff prefer the broad and lazy swipes of wedding crashers to the brilliant inflections of romany malco... but comedies live and die by their repeat viewability, and 40 year-old is a classic in that regard. not to mention that it set a precedent for social insight that apatow's other projects have yet to match... anyhoo, to tie this back to the thread, the eponymous lars is MUCH more of a serial killer persona than carrell's andy... and in a much lesser film, at that.

comment #7

scooterzz says ...

i know 'lars...' is a fable and i sat through the screening with a smile on my face but, really, any thought at all reveals that there is not one believeable moment/person in the whole film.... the movie is very sweet, the performances are very sweet but no way is this oscar material... golden globe, perhaps...but no oscar.... i just kept thinking that it was like a really good episode of 'northern exposure'...... and, i'll repeat an earlier post: go see the bbcamerica doc 'love me, love my doll'.... the relationship these men have with their dolls (even if not sexual in any way) is just not cute....

comment #8

malibugigolo says ...

40-year-old virgin was lame: The basic childish premise of the movie that it makes you an adult by simply having sex is one of the most regressive statements about the human condition I've ever seen in film.

LARS is similarity rendered in that realm and its probably the most intellectually vacant, intellectually stunted movies...as in...love is a one way street, love gives you a reason to possess someone...thus I will agree such a mentally retarded view of one love is...would be what a misogynistic serial killer would possess....a truly revolting picture, morally repugnant on multiple levels.

Both movies have such a sad pathetic understanding of human sexuality it makes me think we are living in the Victorian age.

comment #9

scooterzz says ...

'bu--- how's life in the hot zone?....

comment #10

BurmaShave says ...

Burma to Wells: My sense of humor is fine, which is why I loved SUPERBAD as much as you did and didn't fouc on its Obese Sociopath tendencies like this king of comedy. I wasn't completely over the moon about LARS, it was all right, but why'd be have to drag in the name of one or two of the best comedies of the year?

comment #11

Marty Melville says ...

Right up front, I haven't seen LARS. But someone on another thread here compared the film and it's main character (in a good way) to Jimmy Stewart and HARVEY. I have seen HARVEY and Elwood P. Dowd creeps me out... the same way Lars seems to be creeping other people out.

In HARVEY, We're supposed to accept Dowd as a blissful innocent, pure in his instincts and a fundamentally sweet and honest man... when in fact his complete denial of reality is borderline psycho. The scene where Dowd opens his mailbox and nonchalantly rips up the mail (without having reading it) is a textbook example of running from the truth.

Seems to me LARS is trafficking in the same hoary dream-mongering where wishes are as good as horses.

comment #12

Craig Kennedy says ...

You don't need me to tell you this Marty, but don't see this movie. And I'm not just being snide because I happened to like it a lot. If you've got no patience for Harvey, Lars will kill you.

And Scooterzzz isn't wrong, this movie does not traffic in any kind of realism, but I don't think that's a bad thing necessarily.

comment #13

scooterzz says ...

cj-- in almost any other case i'd agree.... but 'lars...' really needs, at least, a toehold in reality.... that said, i like it and wish it the best...

and you're right...if elwood p. dowd creeps marty out, lars will have him sleeping with the lights on......

comment #14

Craig Kennedy says ...

Fair enough scooterzzz, I wasn't really troubled by it though I'll admit ***Massive, all-encompassing SPOILER*** the resolution with Margo happened a little quickly after the funeral. That went from unreal to forced, especially since you could see that resolution coming from 10 or 15 minutes into the movie ***end of massive, all-encompassing SPOILER*** Despite that, I was sucked into the thing and charmed as hell. It didn't feel as manipulative as Little Miss Sunshine and even though I wasn't surprised by how it turned out, the path it took getting there seemed fresh.

comment #15

malibugigolo says ...

scooterzz- Up in Santa Barbara. Malibu is fucked. Car's on the road were ablaze. Nuts. I think I'm staying up here. Forgot how nice and quiet the place is and how clean.

comment #16

Jack Price says ...

Listen, this film could have been so unmistakably terrible. That we're poking this many holes in the central conceit of the story yet still debating the quality of the film itself is a testament to Gillepsie's direction and even to Nancy Oliver's character work. Not to mention a bevy of fine actors who knew how react believably in spite of what was asked of them. And yes, I would call their performances believable.

This movie is realistic the same way that "Being There" is realistic. In both, you're waiting for the illusion to finally burst, more than likely by the doing of some asshole, but against all odds it still holds together. And yet I still recognize aspects of my own world in both.

Scooterzz: I see both your points a little differently. Regarding 40 Year Old Virgin, part of the reason why I was initially adamant about not seeing the film was because I thought it was going to make the same point you feel it advocates. However, I feel like the film is explicitly NOT about losing your virginity in order to enter into adulthood. He was certainly a man-child of sorts, but I feel it was more about his inability to commit into a mature relationship, regardless of the sexual element. Not to mention that all his seemingly "wise" friends were replete with relationship problems themselves. Granted, the Age of Aquarius ending could make it seem as though it really was all about the sex, but I really don't think this is so.

With Lars, have to strongly disagree with you on that one. The "fight" between Lars and Bianca is proof that the film is about more than Lars dominating the opposite sex. It's in no way a reflection of the ideal relationship. If that wasn't enough, the following scene where Lars' sister-in-law berates him for expecting Bianca to do nothing more than sit around for him all day is proof that the doll is moving him towards a more selfless place.

If you want to get into regressive films about the human condition, the least you can do is pay proper respect to "Bringing Down the House."

comment #17

Rothchild says ...

Look, my sense of humor pays my bills, but you only have two options after seeing this film tomorrow:

1) You realize you made a mistake, in the same way you did with James McAvoy, everyone respects that and never mentions your brief bout of insanity again.

2) You convince yourself you didn't like this total gem of a movie and struggle to write a coherent paragraph attacking it.

I hope you go with #1.

comment #18

malibugigolo says ...

Jack Price

Using the Joe Walsh song "Life of illusion" who is really deranged living the life of illusion? The Virgin or everyone else in the movie (including Apatow) who by default makes fun of the Virgin for not acting like a self-important bourgeois fool. His movies are so gutless in their fawning of the status quo with the pose they strike as being "naughty" or "honest"...more like inanely crude.

As for:
"where Lars' sister-in-law berates him for expecting Bianca to do nothing more than sit around for him all day is proof that the doll is moving him towards a more selfless place"

That struck me as massively disingenuous. The conceit that a doll is human is beyond reproach, not just because of the idea, but the whole atheistic of the movie that treats "working class" life as some sort of flannel, mustached, fantasyland that was wildly condescending....and I don't mind "fables" of what this writer was trying to write...such as Italo Calvino's Baron in the Trees...but Calvino this is not.

comment #19

scooterzz says ...

jp --- i never referenced '40 yr. old virgin'.....

rothchild-- i was afraid you'd get into this...what, exactly, is your issue with people not having the same opinion as you?!?... i know you think 'lars....' is the greatest thing since latex but the film has major problems.....it's 'northern exposure' for the big screen.....but i applaud your enthusiasm ......

comment #20

Rothchild says ...

I applaud your refusal to capitalize anything. I know it's an easy joke but I had to do it.

comment #21

Craig Kennedy says ...

I don't take issue with it not working for you scooterzz, but it's funny you dismiss it as Northern Exposure for the big screen since I've described elsewhere as being anything but that. Almost word for word.

To me Northern Exposure is all about quirk for quirk's sake (not that there's anything wrong with that) where Lars clearly has some serious problems. Bianca is simply a way this guy can make a soft landing back to reality. It was a highly exaggerated version of the way a lot of people cope with a problem.

Besides, didn't the business with the teddy bear have any positive effect on you whatsoever?

I don't know, maybe I've just become a hopeless sap in my old age.

comment #22

scooterzz says ...

do you really (no, i mean really) want me to start dunning grammar/spelling posts on this site?....i've always thought that was a 'safe harbor'....

comment #23

scooterzz says ...

cj-- i might've chosen my words differently had i caught you're other refs....bottom line: i really liked the movie but i don't think it's gonna go the distance.... i'm ok with being wrong on this one....

comment #24

bmcintire says ...

I'd personally like to see some cut and paste jobs of twink/daddy gay porn photoshopped into stills from THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD, just for Well's own anti-edification.

comment #25

EDouglas says ...

Ah, that must explain why I love both those movies so much. I'd like to claim the easy-to-remember epithet of "The Junket Killer" and yes... Earl Dittman should be shaking in his XXX-Large boots.

comment #26

corey3rd says ...

David Ehrlich, you were born to a pretty lame lifetime. You really think that 40 Year Old Virgin is funnier than Repo Man? Withnail & I? Fast Times? Animal House? Wayne's World? Office Space? Any episode of The Odd Couple? The comedy bar has been lowered thanks to Lorne Michaels. Although watching Kids in the Hall's Brain Candy after dealing with Glaxo over the years, I will say that the film was too on target to be funny.

although I had a funny moment with your old Dean. He was down at my old film school for some lame Film Ethics BS conference. And I asked him why should the school own the copyright on student projects if the students had to raise the budget and the school didn't loan them any equipment. He was going to punch me.

comment #27

le corbeau says ...

the big problem was that Steve Carell's character just seemed so fucking creepy. That weird, strained stare...that rabbity way of speaking... those little dolls all over his room. I had the distinct feeling that if he got pushed just far enough, he'd snap and put someone in a crawlspace.

Gee, how could he have gotten that idea? Maybe from the fact that the MOVIE ITSELF made a couple of dozen jokes to that very same point?

Next week: Nick Antosca suspects an undercurrent of religiosity in Evan Almighty.

comment #28

le corbeau says ...

In HARVEY, We're supposed to accept Dowd as a blissful innocent, pure in his instincts and a fundamentally sweet and honest man... when in fact his complete denial of reality is borderline psycho. The scene where Dowd opens his mailbox and nonchalantly rips up the mail (without having reading it) is a textbook example of running from the truth.

I've always wanted to stage Harvey as if it was Suddenly, Last Summer and Harvey is his gay lover whom the family, indeed, the entire town refuses to acknowledge, thus driving him to drink; they finally send him to the asylum with the intention of curing him by lobotomizing him.

That said, Harvey was more novel than it seems now because the whimsical crazy person was a more original device. THAT said, my favorite comment on it was Barbara Stanwyck's; her ex-husband, Frank Fay, had made a big comeback on Broadway in the role and she was asked if she planned to see it. She snarled back, in that world-weary noir-broad voice of hers, "I've seen Frank Fay pull enough rabbits out of hats."

comment #29

J. Huff says ...

What I love in particular about this article is that beautiful people are supposed to wind up with beautiful people because that's the way it's supposed to go. Never mind compatibility or friendship or that one person in a relationship makes the other laugh. Because, as we all know, who cares about true intimacy when there's meaningless but beautiful people sex to be had?

comment #30

hanimal says ...

the creepiest thing here is that the writer on Huffington Post thinks he has right to judge both films by his heterosexual patriarchal sexual norms. creepyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

comment #31

Hallick says ...

Antosca can't even get his crazies straight. If Steve Carrell's character ever snapped, he'd obviously become a workplace shooter or a neighborhood sniper, not a serial killer. Serial killers, from the bountiful amount of coverage I've seen on MSNBC and A&E, are usually a lot more emotion-free and have an easier time blending into society than a jittery, emotionally short-circuiting guy like the 40 year old virgin.

comment #32

Ron Lim says ...

I think writing about movies and living in Hell-A has really messed up Wells perception of reality. He hates fat people, flannel shirts, mustaches, Hispanics, women who judge people on more than their looks, Lord of the Rings fans, Peter Jackson, Peter Jackson fans, Spider-man fans, Sam Raimi, Sam Raimi fans... anyone else I missed?

Guess what Jeffy... people come in all shapes, sizes, and hobbies. Time to get used to living amonst human beings instead of the assholes in Los Angeles with their f'd up perceptions of how people are SUPPOSED to be.

comment #33

christian says ...

"as a cinematically educated 23 year-old (a degree in film from columbia), it is my humble opinion that the 40 year-old virgin is the funniest movie of my lifetime."

That statement defies all known logic. I question the future.

comment #34

George Prager says ...

"as a cinematically educated 23 year-old (a degree in film from columbia), it is my humble opinion that the 40 year-old virgin is the funniest movie of my lifetime."

And, to paraphrase Casey Stengel, in seven years he has a chance to be 30.

comment #35

nemo says ...

"... anyone else I missed?"

You forgot men who wear sandals or flip-flops.

comment #36

Rob says ...

I don't want to be friends with anyone who doesn't like The 40-Year-Old Virgin.

comment #37

stickybump says ...

I don't see how Wells's post has anything to do with liking / disliking the movie, and so why are the first two posters bitching about him posting something? I kinda think it makes sense, although really the theme is really an extension of loser-gets-the-girl movies.

comment #38

Craig Kennedy says ...

Scooterzz, I just thought it was funny we had the opposite reactions, but used to same TV show to illustrate. I wasn't implying that you had any idea what I've said elsewhere.

comment #39

le corbeau says ...

You know, it's not like someone who's 23 had movies like The Palm Beach Story or Some Like It Hot in their lifetime, or even Young Frankenstein and Airplane... if the competition is from Ghost Busters on, The 40 Year Old Virgin looks pretty good.

comment #40

rock powers says ...

george prager rules.

comment #41

David Ehrlich says ...

thank you, mgmax. it's not as if i haven't seen the wilder or zucker classics (not to mention those of keaton or lubitsch or whoever else people deem responsible for the funniest movies ever), but since the fall of 1984 there simply haven't been many worthy entries in that regard... i mean, was the condescencion above coming from huge ace ventura fans?

comment #42

MilkMan says ...

Dear David Ehrlich:

As a cinematically uneducated 35 year old (I do not have a degree in film from LACC) it's my opinion that I don't give a shit where anyone went to college. Save the name dropping for your interview at Petco. And the fact that you think The 40 Year Old Virgin is the funniest movie you've even seen means that your parents did not get their money's worth. I hope David Ehrlich is not your real name, that it's the name of some guy you went to school with, because you just made him sound like a total cocksucker.

Yours Truly and Forever Hereafter,
Milkman

comment #43

Craig Kennedy says ...

I laughed at Milkman's last comment more than I did 40-Year-Old Virgin (a movie a liked way better than Wedding Crashers by the way). It was harsh, but sometimes the truth hurts. No offense Mr. Ehrlich.

comment #44

Craig Kennedy says ...

Oh and stickybump, of course this post wasn't actually about Wells disliking the movie, he hasn't seen it yet, but based on other comments he's made, he's pretty obviously working himself up into a Munich-like tizzy over it. Probably mostly because Poland liked it. All I was saying is see the movie first.

comment #45

David Ehrlich says ...

first off, milkman, the only reason i mentioned where i went to school is because on this site there's no end to the qualifiers if you don't want jeff to label you a troglidite - i wanted a comment about a film called "the 40 year-old virgin" to be treated with at least a modicum of seriousness (maybe i should have just mentioned i was one of the legions of people who used to have a column on this site... or not). i thought my remark to be somewhat lucid and coherent, but (re: your most recent comment), you've woefully misread it. next time i'll remember you as my audience (as jeff does) and make all the important parts bold so you can follow.

ps. petco is a fine company that makes excellent products and pets happy.

pps. when not intended literally i'm not quite sure what being a cocksucker means, but if putting a cock in your mouth suggests an appreciation for good comedies... i like to think i suck dick with the best of them.

comment #46

Ogami Itto says ...

"I think writing about movies and living in Hell-A has really messed up Wells perception of reality. He hates fat people, flannel shirts, mustaches, Hispanics, women who judge people on more than their looks, Lord of the Rings fans, Peter Jackson, Peter Jackson fans, Spider-man fans, Sam Raimi, Sam Raimi fans... anyone else I missed?"

Yeah. "Slightly greasy-looking rural or suburban working-guy" types and low-thread counts.

comment #47

Ogami Itto says ...

And people who don't want to pay 12 bucks to see expensive, heavy-handed, Oscar-baiting Iraq War films.

comment #48

thevisceral says ...

Larsoween?

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h83/statelyplumpbuckmulligan/larsoween.jpg

comment #49

christian says ...

I would have loved DEER HUNTER more without the flannel.

comment #50

T. S. Idiot says ...

"but since the fall of 1984 there simply haven't been many worthy entries in that regard..."

Lost in America
Bull Durham
Living in Oblivion
Wag the Dog
Bottle Rocket
Rushmore
Election
Sideways
Sexy Beast (it's a comedy to me)

comment #51

Ogami Itto says ...

"I would have loved DEER HUNTER more without the flannel."

There was a lot of facial hair, too. It's a shame because it had the potential to be a great film.

comment #52

MilkMan says ...

David Ehrlich:

The only way I'm going to be able to comprehend what you're saying is if you think coherently and write with a modicum of respect for the English language. And if I were you, I wouldn't mention that you used to have a column on this site because you don't anymore, which means you're just another douche, wasting the day away, writing comments and name dropping where you went to school, which, of course, could be a complete lie. Judging from your taste in movies I would guess that you work at a collections agency or you're a girl who wraps gifts at a department store. And, incidentally, I meant that you were literally a cocksucker. As in, you suck cock.

comment #53

David Ehrlich says ...

jeez milkman, not sure what i ever did to you but i don't know how the one of us who likes a certain comedy is a douche, and not the one of us who is taking time from his presumably busy work day to call the other a douche ad infinitum. oh well. and as far as mentioning where i went to school is concerned, you're probably right. it was, and always will be silly to bring it up, but given how quick everyone is on these boards to discredit an opinion as ignorance it's sort of a lose-lose predicament (not that attending a certain college makes ignorance any less likely, so it was even more foolish than first thought). i guess i'll prefer the other loss from now on. and re: my taste in movieS, you really only know my taste in movIE, now don't you? at the end of the day, i'm happy being the guy who likes the movie about the virgin rather than the guy who repeats his position that sucking cock is an implicitly improper behavior that somehow correlates to a poor appreciation of cinema. oooo boy... i guess when you read this site daily it's only a matter of time before you play a role in totally derailing a thread into idiocy.

anyhoo, for what insanely little it's worth... lars is definitely more serial killer than adorable man-child. that the film can't quite find the happy medium (doing so would have been almost impossible) proves to be its undoing.

comment #54

le corbeau says ...

I'd add There's Something About Mary, Talladega Nights, Elf and Bowfinger.

And I'd say the whole world since 1984 is about equal to Preston Sturges in any three years of the early 40s.

comment #55

Craig Kennedy says ...

Raising Arizona. All I'm saying.

comment #56

Rob says ...

Waiting for Guffman
Romy and Michele's High School Reunion
Wet Hot American Summer
Flirting With Disaster
And most importantly, Showgirls

comment #57

George Prager says ...

Repo Man
Withnail & I
The Doom Generation
Deconstructing Harry
U Turn
Freeway
Citizen Ruth
Punch-Drunk Love
Something Wild
Wild at Heart
UFOria

comment #58

christian says ...

COOL AS ICE

comment #59

MilkMan says ...

Ehrlich:

I would respond to your last post, except I can't read it because you can't write. Or, maybe you're just writing while there's a cock in your mouth, which would explain everything.

And the thread only devolves into idiocy once people like you choose to chime in.

comment #60

le corbeau says ...

Milkman, you've occasionally been funny but this is NOT one of those times. Enough.

comment #61

MilkMan says ...

Mgmax, you've occasionally been a twat and this is definitely one of those times. Fuck off, this isn't your site.

comment #62

MilkMan says ...

Sorry, I forgot to eat lunch. I'm cranky. I'll go take a timeout.

comment #63

BurmaShave says ...

Just go fight some fires in Malibu and then come back. You'll feel better.

comment #64

Dave Polands Gut says ...

Everyone goes to the Huff Post for good film news and reviews!

comment #65

sake says ...

Whoa. Nick and I had a little disagreement about this, based on his analysis of Lars' mental health, but you know, it's just a movie, and everyone's entitled to their opinions. There's no reason to get up in arms about this stuff. I think there are quite a few people here who are more unbalanced than this FICTIONAL character.

Also, Ehrlich? Be careful when using big words to defend your intellect. The word is troglodyte.