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Live From Studio 1A: Superbad and High School Musical 2

Posted: Wednesday, August 22, 2007 8:55 AM by Dan Fleschner
Filed Under:

On paper, the coinciding successes of Superbad, the latest Judd Apatow-produced raunch-fest, and High School Musical 2, the sequel to the blockbuster made-for-TV Disney Channel movie, seem unrelated.

Correspondent John Larson examined each film's success this morning on TODAY.  WATCH VIDEO

Superbad exceeded expectations by topping last weekend's box office figures, grossing $31 million. High School Musical 2 set a cable TV record with 17 million viewers on Friday.

Superbad is an R-rated movie featuring plenty of sexual humor about awkward high school boys searching for alcohol and girls. High School Musical 2 is the wholesome story of two teenagers finding true love.

On paper, it seems that aside from the ages of the main characters, these films don't have a lot in common. But they are more similar than you might think.

First, let's look at High School Musical 2, which, I must admit, I haven't seen (if you have kids aged 6-16, you most likely have). It focuses on the relationship between the basketball team captain, Troy, and top student Gabriella. In the first edition of the film, Troy and Gabriella upset their rivals to win lead roles in their high school's musical production.

In the sequel, there's more singing and dancing, more romantic intrigue, and Troy and Gabriella consummate their relationship with an explosive kiss. As John Larson said in his piece this morning on TODAY, "In High School Musical, true love conquers all, with the help of a great soundtrack."

Well, he could have said the same thing about Superbad. The soundtrack includes some new and some classic funk songs, and the love is between the two main characters, Seth and Evan, who go on the quest for booze and girls. Like Troy and Gabriella, they consummate their relationship too, but rather than with a kiss, it involves a drunken hug and some loud declarations of their love for each other.

Clearly, the two films are aimed at different audiences, and I wouldn't take my 7-year-old niece, who is a fan of High School Musical, to any film Judd Apatow has ever produced.

But these movies speak to our innate desire for wholesome relationships, both romantic and platonic.

The characters in High School Musical are squeaky-clean, like they stepped out of an "Up With People" song. And by the end of the first movie, the audience is desperate for Troy and Gabriella to let their romance blossom.

The characters in Superbad are addicted to Internet porn, have trouble forming relationships not only with teenage girls but also other boys, and are outcasts in their high school community. But by the film's conclusion, they have reestablished their own devotion to each other, and there's even hope for both of them to establish wholesome relationships with the girls in their lives.

Are they basically the same movie with slightly different presentations? Well, not exactly. But is the underlying message the same? Absolutely.

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Comments

It is totally beyond me how Superbad has grossed $31 million in a weekend, simply for the fact that it's juvenile humor is aimed at 13-15 year olds, coupled with the fact that the foul language in this movie that has warranted it's "R" rating, excludes that age group. Any adult that wastes their money on this film, (including my own dumb self) will be walking out of the theater shaking their heads at the fact that they have wasted two full hours of their life watching what has to be the foulest movie to come out of Hollywood this year. (There's more bad language in this movie than a Comedy Central Roast.) And, on a scale of 1 to 10 for funny, I would have to give it a 4. Mature adults, don't waste your time, nor your money. Parents of teens, don't take your kids, nor rent this movie for them, unless you are VERY liberal about what you allow them to watch.

G. Rice (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 12:53 PM)

Superbad = real life
High School Musical = singing and dancing if you were on crystal meth in high school

ian williams (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 1:12 PM)

Ian,

Maybe it was your real life.  It may even be closer to real life than H.S.M., but do we have to celebrate the baser parts of being a teen like this (to the tune of $31M?  We really enjoy aiming for the mud don't we?

Mev in MA (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 1:29 PM)

HA! Ian, that was hysterical!

"High School Musical = singing and dancing if you were on crystal meth in high school"

Rebecca, GA (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 1:42 PM)

I'm a fan of a good film, clean or dirty.  Superbad may contain pretty foul language and sexual humor, but that doesn't necessarily make the film stupid or juvenile.  I think pretty much everyone can relate to the characters one way or the other and it was cleverly written.  The entire theatre laughed from start to finish.

Blake B, Dallas, TX (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 1:45 PM)

I can't wait to see Superbad after work tonight, it looks hilarious. I don't care for your judgments, if my enjoyment of a stupid movie has that much effect on your life you should reevaluate.

Nick, Boston (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 1:47 PM)

High School Musical 2 was cute.  My kids are 6 & 7 and it was pretty much the most anticipated event of the summer for them.  They have played the first movie so many times on the DVD player that the DVD machine just opens by itself when I approach with the box.  It was a family movie that we could watch together, as a parent of young children I always appreciate that.  Superbad my appeal to someone, but sure is not this family!

Jheron, Pataskala, OH (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 1:49 PM)

Superbad was hilarious.  It's a movie. It's supposed to be for entertainment purposes, so don't take it too seriously-i bet kids these day are just like the kids in the movie. Go see it. It is very vulgar, so if you don't like that, then don't see it, if you do, then you'll enjoy it.

rob (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 1:57 PM)

I have to agree with Ian on this one. Superbad = today's youth vernacular. Kids talk like this in reality. That is why the movie did so well. It reminds a generation of themselves and how they acted with their friends (to an exaggerated degree). I think everyone just needs to accept that. That doesn't mean teach it to your kids or take them to this movie. But accept that is how that age group acts nowadays.

Trevor in Minneapolis (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 2:01 PM)

I personally find it refreshing and encouraging that HSM has drawn such a huge audience.  I'm so very tired of vulgarity! HSM & HSM2 have proven there's still a demand for quality.

Nan in Charleston, SC (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 2:04 PM)

I just saw this last night. Very funny. It may not have related to your life going through highschool but being that its based on a true story that the writers wrote soon after graduating and even used all the original names of their classmates after getting them to sign a release... well my point is clear. This movie is one of the funniest of the summer, up there with Knocked Up. Well worth paying to go see. No your grandma isnt the best choice to bring with you but your 15yr old child is going to crap his pants laughing at this.

Mike Finch, BC, Canada (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 2:07 PM)

Superbad and High School are NOTHING alike. In High School Musical, these kids are trying to find true love. Aww... like a fairy tale, right? Where as to Superbad takes place in reality and it's all about getting laid (like in the real world). High School is about getting laid before you graduate, everyone knows that. This is the message Superbad is trying to get across (and many other High School movies). High School Musical is just giving little kids false hope that High School is all about dancing and singing to gay little songs. Well yeah, I just wanted to inform those of you who live in Lala Land who believe in true love of this. Peace. I'm outtie.

Dominic, Nogales, Arizona (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 2:39 PM)

I haven't seen Superbad, so I can't comment on that movie, but my wife, 34 year old son and I all watched High School Musical the other evening and we all thoroughly enjoyed it.  Even my son, who would probably love Superbad just from the reviews and comments I have read, really enjoyed H.S.M.  It's nice to occasionally watch a movie that doesn't assult all of your senses with Blood, Gore, Violence and constant super foul language.  Watch and enjoy!

Max Trapp, Selbyville, DE (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 2:58 PM)

I loved Superbad!  I was almost falling out of my seat laughing.  You can be a mature adult and still
love this movie, G. Rice.  After 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up & Superbad, I am a fan for life of Judd Apatow, Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Jonah Hill, Michael Cera and McLovin!  And I will be going to see all future movies these guys are involved with.  

Julie, Mt. Olive, Illinois (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 3:01 PM)

i'd rather innoculate todays youth to the dangers of excess, than brainwash them with walt disney's facism of pants-on love and world of smiling zombies.  who wouldn't?  disney = quality?  what?!  

superbad was funny, not the best movie of all time, but it was ture to life, it had a great message, it was smart and it was FUNNY!  

the whole magical world of disney is a "big lie" much like the one hitler used to talk about in private.  people think it's cute to whitewash history, and love, and death so that kids will be entertained without the need to process what they see.  at the best it leaves a vacuum where insight ought to be, and at worst it allows insidious social experiments to be played out on a global scale with youth as the rats.

the best we can hope for walt disney's victims is disillusionment at some point.  but that leads to another host of problems and pain, and does nothing to stop the next generation from filling their kids rooms with a mess of primary colored fairtales that do everything BUT eductate and promote good character.


life is vulgar.  life smells bad.  life is full of cops, life is complicated and full of shadows, hidden meanings, unspoken agendas, and missed opportunities.  if you all you hand to a child is sanitized, that kid is going to step out of the house one day and drop dead from all the germs and viruses taking advantage of his weak defenses.  same goes for matters of the mind and conscience.

go ahead and fill your kids' heads with prozaic nonsense, teach them to bow deeply to their flag, let them know how dirty their dirty parts are, remind them again and again that no matter what, as long as they try as hard as they can they will always win....or you could just snap out of it and let your kids grow up with proper perspective and guidance.

joshua, memphis, tn (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 3:04 PM)

WHAT HAPPENED TO CLEAN,PLEASANT, HUMANE,BEAUTIFUL,LIGHT,SWEET........INSTEAD OF DIRTY,HORRIFIC,VICIOUS,UGLY,MEAN...ARE WE SO PERVERTED AS A SOCIETY THAT'S IT FOR US???????

SUZIE DOE (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 3:05 PM)

High School Musical 1 & 2 greatly appealed to my 3 generation family - Ages 6, 42 & 65. And I'm not ashamed to say this "grammy" has watched HSM1 even when the 6 year old wasn't around.  Great fun! Great talent! Great music and dancing!!    

Carole Malarkey, Lowell, MA (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 3:11 PM)

Please, HSM was a good clean show, I haven't seen Superbad,(yet) my 15 yr old wants to see it but is rated R which means you should be 17, I got to tell you all this is, is a generation of foul mouth kids,and I blame alot of their parents, who are from my generation,who speak to their children with foul langage. I find it disgusting coming from anyone, exspecially the F-BOMB. I don't know why people think they can't get their point across without cussing. I think you just sound stupid. Please don't be proud of the fact that you cuss alot or have sex with every, TOM,DICK,HARRY, MARY, JANE, SUE or what every their names are, that is why your generation has so much sexual diease, which believe me you might be able to use medicine now to control it, but it will catch up with you when you are older, ie:40's 50's, which you might think is old now but you won't when you are that age. Do you realize if you as a generation don't change the way you eat, exercise and your sexual behaviors you will be the first generation not to out live my generation (48 yrs old)After hearing about this movie, I don't think my daughter needs to see this, I don't care how funny you think it is, I'm sure I would see some humor in it, but the cussing will just tick me off.

c dyer, cincinnati, oh (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 3:16 PM)

If you didn't like Superbad you've obviously forgotten how to let loose, relax and enjoy life. I've never laughed throughout an entire movie before, And i'm not some stupid stoner teenager that thinks any curse word is funny. I found the characters to be embarassingly endearing. And I loved the cops. They were great. So if your complaining about this movie, get over it & stop whining.

Courtney, Moorpark, CA (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 3:31 PM)

Superbad was funny. It was a date movie for me and even though the language threw me off for a while..I must admit I laughed the whole time. Not only did I laugh so did the rest of the adult theater. So is Superbad more related to real life? Yes, even my date was like, this was so me in high school." I was trying to get some. That doesn't mean I don't appreciate a good disney film. You must find the balance and learn how to distinguish between both genre's. I mean just watch them both, they are just for entertainment purposes only.

Nadia, Nashville, TN (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 3:31 PM)

Joshua in Memphis....

You didn't have a very happy childhood did you?

Go Disney!!!

Kevin W. (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 3:36 PM)

Okay, while I haven't seen Superbad, I really want to. Like many others have said, it's true to life, and looks absolutely hilarious. So it's vulgar. So are most teenagers. Get over it.

That aside, I think attacking High School Musical is unfair. I haven't seen either of them, and I have no desire to because of the extreme overmarketing, but I'm sure they're still decent movies with good music and a nice story. My 19 year old cousin and many of my friends liked them.

And to c dyer I would like to say this. Our generation is more protected sexually than most others before us. We know about disease, and we take precautions. We're also in better health than most other American age groups. Teenage obesity rates are below the national average and a lot of us are into sports.

And it's not polite to insult an entire generation of people based on false generalizations. Since you're so much more mature, you should know that.

Ashley (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 3:42 PM)

Superbad was funny. It was entertainment. It doesn't need to be a reflection on all youth. I don't really think it's appropriate for teenagers, but that's WHY it's rated R! And Superbad is not really JUST about getting laid...okay maybe for the Seth character it is! But not for Evan. He is surprisingly sweet and arguably moral. Which would apparently shock many of you that have not seen it and want to write it off as simply a vulgar waste of your time.

christine k (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 3:48 PM)

whatever, go burn some books and do 50 hail maries just for thinking about 'cuss' words...

and i got news for anyone mentioning "generations" you forget who used up all the oil, and came up wuth all the drugs, and decided that abortion was an acceptable form of birth control.  yup, the boomers.  and they didn't start it either, their parents were drunk on whiskey and high on valium, touched their daughters, and beat their sons, bought everything that was ever sold to them and came up with the cold war to distract themselves from the crushing reality of modern wage-slavery that was their lives.

you've left us an inheritance of fear, hatred, greed, waste, abuse, delusion, hypocracy, veiled fascism, and invented drugs for invented diseases...i hope you all realize the judgement your generations receive in history will be brutal and clear eyed.

joshua, memphis, tn (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 3:56 PM)

"ganstas, whats up guys"- McLovin

Superbad was the funniest movie of this summer. The audience was laughing the whole time because the characters were easy to relate to. Everyone had that crazy friend who said crazy things and had insane ideas, and even though you knew how horrible the ideas were, you still went along with them.
All my friends were obsessed with HSM, I've seen the first one once and thought it was ridiculous. Then last week when HSM2 aired, I had to change the channel 30 minutes in because I couldn't believe how bad it was.
Superbad had great humor and no it wasn't immature, its just how teenagers act not just now but for years and years. Look at Grease, the boys AND girls are all obsessed with sex, the difference is that its sugar coated with song and dance. Sandy becomes a whore in the end and you don't see parents restricting their kids from watching the movie.

Gloria, CA (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 3:59 PM)

Thanks, Trevor for your wise, on target comments.  Adults need to realize that how kids talk and what they find funny is usually going to be more adult than what they are supposed to be interested in (which was the same when all us oldsters were teens, too!).  Dominic, believe it or not, I know and work with a lot of teenagers who (although they might like to have sex) find romance just as interesting (yes, even the boys).  I believe it is a much a social "unrealism" that all kids want to be skanky, just like it would be unrealistic to think that all adults that find humor in reality TV are living like  Flavor Flav or Jenna!  Teens want sex, yes, but I don't think they've stopped wanting love.  

Mom who works with teens, Pittsburgh, PA (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 4:17 PM)

Josh from Memphis,

I feel sorry for you.  To come from a background that has left no room for hope, hope of a better life, or a better future.  You are right that the real world is tough and at times can seem like nothing in it is right.  But it is movies like HSM 1 and 2 that show us there there is still hope and that if you do try, you might fail but you can also suceed.  Thomas Edison was once asked how his progrees was on the light bulb, his response "I know a thousand ways that don't work."

If we raise our children with a sense that there is nothing worth fighting for or striving for, then kiss technology, inovation, and new ideas good bye.  

It is the struggles of life that make success worth the effort.

I am glad Disney managed to make the first HSM a clean family fiendly movie, HSM 2 was just as great..I hope this is a wake up to hollywood that there is a market for this type of entertainment.

As for Super Bad, haven't seen it, don't plan on it.  I am sure there is room for this just not for my Family.

Marcus H, Marysville CA (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 4:22 PM)

When you're anywhere from 6-13 years old, High School Musical will, of course, appeal to you: the good guy wins, dance numbers ensue, singing... Stuff that makes you feel all warm and gooey inside. Basically, if you were spoon-fed a steady diet of Disney while you were growing up, you'll probably like/love HSM.

On a side note, I'm super-impressed that all the older commenters immediately tag the 16-24 generation as being "dirty," "diseased," etc.

By the way, if you're going to claim our generation is full of "diease," at least spell it right. :)

It really shows that you know nothing about our generation; you're just going by what you see when you're channel surfing on Sundays and see some random rap video.

Anyway, Superbad is at least somewhat realistic. Guys trying to get laid? Yeah, it happens. Believe it or not, your grandsons will more than likely search out an "easy lay" at least once in their life. Your granddaughters? You'd be surprised at how many girls act the same way, if you get what I mean. And it's not just this generation- the generations before us acted this way, too! Get off your self-righteous high horses and admit that at one point in your life, you dropped the F-bomb, either had, or considered having, promiscuous sex, and took part in other not-so-clean activities. Hypocrisy at its finest.

Oh, and HSM depicts such a skewed portrayal of what high school is like. High school is full of crap. Fun crap and bad crap. When they go to history class, they are going to find out that life isn't always great; bad crap has gone down in the past. Why sugarcoat all of these aspects of life (mainly when you're dealing with a 12 year old) when they will ultimately find out the truth, leaving them disappointed?

Anyway, Superbad or HSM2? Depends on who you are. If you prefer to view the world through rose-colored lenses, then HSM2 should satiate your appetite for entertainment. However, if you like to view the world through non-colored lenses, consider Superbad.

Minnie, WA (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 4:28 PM)

To all those who are degrading superbad for all the vulgar, foul things it contains.  THough I have not seen it readign the reviews and comments left by others it sounds just like high school.  And I would hate to break it to most people who blame parents for it, but that is an obscene generalization.  It is brought on by a few parents who allow their children no boundaries and consequwently they learn inappropriate stuff at young ages (listen 6th grade, you would be surprised at what the kids know).  It is these few children who then go and teach it to all the others.

Shane from IN (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 4:34 PM)

Joshua in Memphis, dude, calm down.  It's going to be ok.  We're just talking about a movie here.  

McLovin (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 4:45 PM)

Wow!  I've only seen Grease about 50 times and I didn't know Sandy "became a whore at the end".  Movies really seem to bring out the best and worst of people!  All movies don't have a message, they don't need too.  If you enjoy one and others don't, hey, that's what makes the world go round.  But don't  shove your moralistic, realistic and really dark views on people.  I'll probably never see Superbad, doesn't do anything for me; but obviously most seem to love it!  THAT'S life!!    

Carole Malarkey, Lowell, MA (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 4:56 PM)

Superbad = Reality

High School Musical 2 = An ecstasy/crack induced nightmare of over the top singing and dancing.

What are the chances that the people that really dug HSM2 are Walmart shoppers, watch fox news, and really enjoy American Idol?

JAS Salt Lake City, UT (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 5:03 PM)

I'm a 38 year old female and enjoyed both SuperBad and HSM2.  You've got to realize that both are skewed from reality and just enjoy them for what they are.  SuperBad: a hilarious story with quick-witted foul humor and shockingingly funny physical comedy.  HSM2: a simple, fun and entertaining show that reminds you about the sweetness of youth.  Both are good in their own right, though my 42 year old boyfriend wouldn't be caught dead watching HSM2.  

Kellie, CA (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 5:13 PM)

superbad = the love/hate movie of the year!

It's to cater to a certain audience and if ur not in that audience then don't go around and complain that it was such a bad movie..

HSM is aimed at little kids fantasy worlds and superbad is aimed at teenagers highly exaggerated lifestyles..

Jebus, Canada (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 5:14 PM)

Wow, reading this is so interesting. It just shows how people are so different in opinion, but each one of us thinks we are more right than the next.

My opinion, I like Disney. I haven't seen HSM1 or 2, I would like to though. I like the Disney channel and I am 22. I would rather watch that than American Pie. I choose and strive to live my life in an "innocent and biblical" fashion, but that is how I feel good about myself and it is a God given right.

I will not be seeing the "Teen" movie, but it is more of keeping that kind of stuff away from my mind as much as I can. What goes in does come out. I know that is an impossible thing to stay away from in this world, but just b/c it is so popular doesn't mean I have to partake in it to stay in the ages. I am  fully aware of what our ages are capable of.

Both movies are a personal choice. If you feel uncomfortable with things like the "Teen" movies, than stay away from them, but don't expect too many followers. It's the norm for today. I do agree with that. I just don't choose to live it.

I am married

Tricia St. Louis, Mo (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 5:52 PM)

Superbad was funny but more offensive than necessary.  Haven't seen HSM2 and probably won't.  I only wanted to share two comments:

First, I think it is harder to make an unoffensive great movie than an offensive one.  Give HSM2 a break.

Second, regardless of how much I laughed, As a parent it is difficult to imaging watching some of the more disgusting parts of Superbad with a 15 year old child.  To all the commentors who have noticed our current generation's guttering up as evidenced by their need for movies like saw and ultra gross-out comedies, parents who would take their young kids to see Superbad are making it worse.  I wish I could get some of the sick stuff I've accidently seen wiped from my memory, so I wouldn't share my fate with a young kid.

David, San Antonio TX (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 5:58 PM)

" HSM and HSM2 are both movies for all ages from 5-50. SuperBad is the most disgusting movie ever!!! the vulgar language and the "sexual content" in that movie is HORRIBLE! whoever made it is clearly disgusting. c dyer from ohio i completely agree with you 200 percent.  yes kids talk this way but it's becuase they hear it in schools and tv and movies, and their parents never said anything to them.

and because they talk like that DOES NOT by any means make it descent in ANY movie.

B.A, NY (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 6:05 PM)

I have two girls ages 5 and 7 and of course, they loved the HSM movies.  In fact, my 7 year old had her birthday party the night HSM2 premiered.  Sure, the movie is a musical and a bit cheesy with the singing and dancing (most musicals are) but it was just fun for them to watch.  

I know for a fact that my young girls have no idea what real high school is like or even what high school is!  It's beyond their realm of reality right now. They are only concerned with the here and now of their lives (kindergarten and 2nd grade). They aren't learning about life by watching a Disney movie - they learn about life by living their own!  Watching the movie is about having fun. Period.

I have not seen Superbad so I can't comment on it. But I would suspect most people go to a comedy for a good laugh, not to sit around later and contemplate the differences or similarities in the movie to "real life".

Jennifer, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 6:48 PM)

Quick question: for those of you quick to jump the gun on either one of these pictures, don't you have to at least watch both of them? 'High School Musical' is made for a younger audience and directed towards a younger audience than ANY of the Judd Apatow movies - and for good reason. There's nothing wrong with having a slight bit of imagination behind the rose-tinted glasses, but there's a line between optimism and sheer ignorance. I'll be the first to admit, I didn't care for either 'High School Musical' incarnation because I do not like musicals. However, I will not disregard its positive impact on youth (I don't live under a rock and I have younger siblings/relatives). Likewise, you would have to be completely insane to believe that this is what happens in real life. If you model your life entirely off of something like this, I either truly envy you for your cheery optimism or think you should seek help for your detachment from real-life issues that occur without aid of song-and-dance.

By the same token, to say that coarse language and such sexual content seen in 'Superbad' is either, a) unrealistic, b) misleading, or c) a bad influence is obviously playing the role of media watchdog and has NOT seen the movie in context (or, for that matter, must have skipped high school). The entire story hinges upon growing out of a juvenile attitude towards women and acting more adult (see: restrained, mature). If you missed this, that's really a shame. Also, to say that underage teens are going to see this movie is not the problem of the movie producers or actors - it's a problem/choice of the parents.

Granted, 'Superbad' is not going to be everybody's favorite movie - but to shut it down because it's not child-friendly like 'High School Musical' is absolutely ridiculous as it's not intended to be. If you're a parent and don't want your underage kid to see it, that's your prerogative. Don't preach otherwise. The only thing these two films have in common is childhood struggles. Aside from that, this is an apples-to-oranges comparison.

Bryant (San Diego, CA) (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 7:22 PM)

I agree with the writer of this blog, but why would you bother writing a comparison of two movies when you only saw one of them. I haven't seen HSM 2 either, but I think your age reference of 6-16 is a little off. HSM 2 sounds very juvenile so I doubt teens actually in high school would want to see it, especially if kids in kindergarten and second grade are watching it. Probably no one past 12, especially boys, would be caught dead in a HSM 2 showing.    

Joe Schmo (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 8:44 PM)

I love the 2nd movie of HSM I think its alot better than the first movie but yah thats my opion.

Carrie Bremer, Comon, Missori (Sent Wednesday, August 22, 2007 10:21 PM)

Minnie--to claim that "the generations before
us acted this way, too" is an all-too-common rationalization and it simply is not true.

Ironically, I expect this fallacy has been created and perpetuated by movies that portray prior generations "this way".  

SOME people have always been vulgar and sex-obsessed and for SOME, life HAS been "full of shadows, hidden meanings, unspoken agendas, and missed opportunities" as Joshua believes. But not as many as today's generation have been led to assume.

Don't dismiss happier, more satisfied, more decent folk as hypocritical.  They know what they have lived.  

Sharon, Monrovia, CA (Sent Thursday, August 23, 2007 12:02 AM)

I think most kids that watched High School Musical realize it is not really going to be that way in high school.  Most girls like the music and think that Zac Efron is cute.  I have three daughters and all liked the movie, but not one of them is planning on singing and dancing in high school!  

I am sure Superbad is funny for some.  Some kids might like both.  Both movies were made for entertainment, not "You must see this in order to understand high school."

Casey, Minneapolis, MN (Sent Thursday, August 23, 2007 12:05 AM)

Totally agree with Bryant!

Casey, Minneapolis, MN (Sent Thursday, August 23, 2007 12:07 AM)

Joe Schmo, I had a house full of 10th grade girls watching it - nope not for the movie, but to watch Zac Efron.  He is like the 70s Shawn Cassidy!  I heard he is doing the remake of Footloose too.  I agree it is not a boy movie at all!

Casey, Minneapolis, MN (Sent Thursday, August 23, 2007 12:11 AM)

I may be in the minority at this time, but when I watch a movie, I want to be entertained.  I am surrounded by the reality of life 24/7.  Sometimes I just want to escape and have fun.  It doesn't have to teach me anything, I just want to see the world through rose-colored glasses and see the joy and beauty in the world.  I want to feel hopeful about the future and see the world through a child's innocent eyes for a little while.  I think that is why Walt Disney created Disneyland in the first place.  It seems to boil down to those who look at the glass as half empty and those who see it as half full.  It is the same glass, just different perspectives.  So there is room for a difference of opinion and obviously there must be many fans of each of these movies or they wouldn't be making so much money.    

Louise, Santa Maria, CA (Sent Thursday, August 23, 2007 12:18 AM)

Sharon, you have blinded yourself to what went on in high school (unless you went to catholic school or are over 65.) High school has been like this for a while, ever since the sexual revolution.

Have you ever seen American Graffiti? The movie was made in 1973 (it took place in '62) and had teens looking for booze and sex. It might have been "cleaner," but that was because censors were super strict back than. Do you think that this was not happening at that time? If not, why would George Lucas make a movie that took place in a time when he was the same age as the characters, but make them do things that people his age wouldn't do?

Not to mention that I know older people who say that high school wasn't the "cleanest" place.

So, you're wrong, it's perfectly true.

Also, it's very arrogant and hypocritical of you to say that you're happier and more decent than anyone else. Especially in the next sentence when you say, "they know what they have lived."


And to the culture police: don't judge a movie's content before you see it. It's because of people like you that we have the Parents Television Council.

47, Seattle, WA (Sent Thursday, August 23, 2007 6:56 AM)

Wow, Superbad was hysterical! And I'm not in the "13-15" age group that people think the movie was aimed towards. Like everything else in life, go see for yourself before you judge something. It's great to be able to laugh out loud for two hours and not feel like you wasted $10 on a movie

Courtney Clark, NJ (Sent Thursday, August 23, 2007 10:27 AM)

I cannot believe some of the comments on here.  I see some of the first comments talking about how foul and vile this film is.  To you, this must all be a fantasy world, but for me, and countless people like me, that was pretty much my final years in high school.  Not everyone comes home from school to a swell glass of lemonade and a cookie, then heads over to the neighbors house to sing.  Sorry if real life offends you, but we're certainly not in the age of Leave it to Beaver anymore, and you blind parents are the ones who need to watch out the most, because by having expressed such lame views online, I cannot imagine the lame values you are putting off onto your children.  Theres drugs out there, theres sex happening all the time.  And guess what, its all happening around your children.  

Krull, ATL, GA (Sent Thursday, August 23, 2007 10:31 AM)

Superbad = an exagerated version of the private lives (what they don't tell parents) of teenagers.

HSM = an idealized version of the public (what they do tell paresnts) of teenagers.

In other words, when the parents aren't looking, the kids from "HSM" become "Superbad".  

J. (Sent Thursday, August 23, 2007 10:31 AM)



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