I'm not sure what it is. Maybe my tastes are just maturing as I get older. I blame that on my wife -- not that it's a bad thing. She's never liked the ridiculous heavily sexualized-slapstick, fart-joke kind of movies, and I'm beginning to see her point. That being said, the movie Superbad definitely lived up -- or down -- to its name.

High school kids drinking alcohol and obsessed with sex...where does that sound familiar? For once it would be nice to see a movie about high school kids that did not revolve around those things. Not meaning to preach but doesn't the fact that these movies make teen alcoholism and premarital sex look cool kind of, I don't know, encourage these behaviors? If you're a parent reading this, let this be a red light going off.

Of the Judd Apatow/Seth Rogen projects this one's the worst so far. Okay, sure, The 40-Year Old Virgin had some decently funny moments despite all of the innuendoes and nonsense, and it actually had a happy ending that almost made up for the otherwise raunchy film. At least Knocked Up had heart, even if it wasn't particularly funny.

The plot revolves around two high school seniors, Seth (Jonah Hill, Accepted) and Evan (Michael Cera, Fox TV's Arrested Development), who believe that by bringing alcohol to a party they will get girls drunk and be able to have sex with them. That's the whole point of the movie. Oh yes, and there are plenty of hand-drawn phalluses (Why?). Hold on to your seat.

The end of Superbad just falls in the toilet. As the boys realize their earlier fantasies of "getting with the girls" of their dreams, the tone is bittersweet. Guy gets girl -- happy ending. Friendship on the rocks is reconciled. No big thing here. The problem with the end, however -- and I'm not worried about spoiling it for you because it does a good job spoiling itself -- is that it leaves the two protagonists pining after each other and contemplating homosexual passions. Huh?!

Factor in the stock characters of cops-as-idiotic-bad-guys, and you've got a movie that utterly lacks in originality or purpose. In the end, it's just sad.

The DVD is loaded with special features that you'll appreciate only if you enjoyed the movie in the first place. Deleted/extended scenes, gag reel, making-of, and a few extras litter (literally) the disc. There's also a look at the upcoming marijuana-driven Seth Rogen film, Pineapple Express. Sounds like another one to avoid.

In short, the film is nothing but an unoriginal story, a script lacking for anything other than cheap sexual jokes, and an ending with no redeeming values whatsoever. Superbad is right.
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