Judd Apatow

Writer for The Ben Stiller Show and The Larry Sanders Show, creator of Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared.

The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005) -- Amazing that the title premise of this movie can be extended not only for a feature-length film, but one that lasts almost two hours (even longer in the unrated version). It's funny throughout with little observations, great characters, and the kind of "Rated R" humor we don't see enough of these days. Only occasionally does it lose focus or lapse into typical romantic comedy crap. For example, Carell saying "I know now that I waited forty years for you" is pretty unforgivable not only as a false and mooshy line, but it also is the movie suggesting that his psychosis is okay or even honorable, which is ludicrous. But those are just a few seconds at a time, and the rest of the time we get greatness from Paul Rudd (the "You know how I know you're gay?" is destined to become a classic comedy runner), Catherine Keener, and of course Steve Carell himself.

Knocked Up (2006) -- Really funny movie (with a bad title) that has the same kind of charm and humor as The 40-Year-Old Virgin, while being even more realistic, in spite of the potentially unbelievable premise. Judd Apatow proves that he knows what he's doing and is pretty much the current king of smart comedy movies.