Judd Apatow versus Wes Anderson

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Poll Results

OptionVotes
Judd Apatow 27
Wes Anderson22


The stickman from the hilarious "xkcd" comics, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 10:17 (seventeen years ago)

i've never seen an apatow film but he still wins.

jed_, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 10:33 (seventeen years ago)

http://www.frontiernet.net/~goofis1/Images/Forms/You_did_it.jpg

en i see kay, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 10:35 (seventeen years ago)

apatow = bear
anderson = octopus

blueski, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 10:36 (seventeen years ago)

Apatow ftw but only just. Rushmore is still one of my favourite films even after seeing it many times. But for sheer quantity of guffaws, Apatow wins.

Ned Trifle II, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:37 (seventeen years ago)

40 Year Old Virgin was better than any Wes Anderson film I've seen, but I wasn't totally convinced by Knocked Up, though it had its moments. I think Apatow needs to direct more movies for a fair comparison.

Tuomas, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 12:15 (seventeen years ago)

I'm voting for Wes Anderson, which probably makes me rockist or something.

chap, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 12:19 (seventeen years ago)

I've liked all Wes Anderson movies I've seen (not seen Darjeeling Limited), it's just that the overt quirkiness and the distancing effects are sometimes a bit too much. But as a director (as opposed to writer) I think he is more unique and talented than Apatow.

Tuomas, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 12:23 (seventeen years ago)

Yeah I could do without the quirkyness and slowmotion kinks montages but I like the stifling staginess of his sets and ridiculous colour. Also, the clothes are always great.

I know, right?, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 12:32 (seventeen years ago)

40 year old virgin was just kindof annoying.

I know, right?, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 12:33 (seventeen years ago)

Anderson's films have a more distinctive visual style, and his use of music (Creation, Kinks, Love, Rolling Stones) is consistently amazing.

That said, his shit started to seriously get on my nerves after Rushmore. Life Aquatic and Darjeeling were embarrassing self-parody and showed just how colossally limited he is as a filmmaker.

So I'm going with Apatow because his movies are way more fun (probably because he lets his actors improvise in a way Anderson seems to be afraid to), more chaotic, and usually have a fuck of a lot more to say without doing the Anderson trick of "I'M SPEAKING QUIETLY BECAUSE THIS IS A VERY DEEP THING I'M SAYING, EVEN THOUGH IT'S JUST EMPTY BULLSHIT."

If we're including Freaks & Geeks, that tips the scales towards Apatow even more.

Sara Sara Sara, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 15:57 (seventeen years ago)

Anderson no contest. I like Apatow's movies a lot but his movies are funny because he has a stable of actors and writers that work well together and know how to improvise within fairly standard comedy frameworks - but as a director, he has no particular visual style, etc. there's nothing unique about him at all.

Shakey Mo Collier, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 16:06 (seventeen years ago)

also it might be good to list what Apatow's actually directed himself (as opposed to just produced or written or whatever):

Knocked Up
The 40 Year Old Virgin

and that's it.

Shakey Mo Collier, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 16:08 (seventeen years ago)

also Darjeeling Ltd is Anderson's best movie ftw

Shakey Mo Collier, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 16:12 (seventeen years ago)

right now apatow but im not an anderson hater or anything

max, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 16:14 (seventeen years ago)

lso it might be good to list what Apatow's actually directed himself (as opposed to just produced or written or whatever):

is this poll about who's the better director?

chicago kevin, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 16:15 (seventeen years ago)

My favourite Anderson is Life Aquatic and I've been shouted down for it in the past.

chap, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 16:15 (seventeen years ago)

couldnt stand life aquatic, and anderson biting is out of control, but still, i voted anderson for 'rushmore' alone

deej, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 16:16 (seventeen years ago)

Need to see Rushmore again, I was drunk when I watched it.

chap, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 16:16 (seventeen years ago)

O R you

deej, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 16:17 (seventeen years ago)

I'll take Apatow's movies and Anderson's soundtracks.

Oilyrags, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 16:19 (seventeen years ago)

i still have a bit of faith that anderson will loosen up as he ages and make another movie that i will like. rushmore and bottle rocket are v enjoyable.

mizzell, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 16:21 (seventeen years ago)

is this poll about who's the better director?

This definitely needs clarification.

Savannah Smiles, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 16:24 (seventeen years ago)

I'll take Apatow's movies and Anderson's soundtracks.

That would leave you without Asia's "Heat of the Moment"

mizzell, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 16:25 (seventeen years ago)

I'd only want to hear it in the movie anyway.

Oilyrags, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 16:26 (seventeen years ago)

Wes Anderson makes movies for my teenage self, Judd Apatow makes movies for my 20-something self.

Allen, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 16:38 (seventeen years ago)

yes, wes anderson came first

deej, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 16:41 (seventeen years ago)

yeah, but Apatow had produced and written a mess of TV shows and movies by the time Anderson did his first short film version of Bottle Rocket.

on a related note, holy shit Judd Apatow was the voice of the goofy ball on Newsradio.

some dude, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 16:47 (seventeen years ago)

anyway one of these guys does comedy and one of them does dramedy, any comparison feels kinda forced.

some dude, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 16:47 (seventeen years ago)

I dunno, Freaks and Geeks was pretty dramedy, and it was fantastic... I think Apatow's only really gone downhill from there. I didn't mind Knocked Up or The 40-year-old Virgin, but I wouldn't watch them again nor recommend them to anyone else.

However, the point made above about Apatow allowing for more improvisation was good. I always wondered how many scenes in Freaks and Geeks, especially those featuring Sam etc, were just kind of ad-libbed — the way those kids interacted always seemed so genuine and worked wonderfully for that show. But I also don't think that would work in an Anderson film... Apatow deals with vaguely/potentially real-life situations where that sort of thing works. Anderson's ideas are a lot more, uh, fantastical or surreal and probably it wouldn't work if actors were throwing in their own bits and pieces.

Or I just don't know what I'm talking about.

Anyway, Freaks and Geeks ≥ Anderson > all other Apatow stuff

salsa shark, Wednesday, 23 July 2008 13:53 (seventeen years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

ILX System, Monday, 28 July 2008 23:01 (seventeen years ago)

Something interesting I noticed about the Apatow phenomenon - I was at the Just for Laughs q&a with Apatow, Rogen, Hader, McBride and co. following "Pineapple Express," but David Gordon Green was strangely absent. (I'm pretty sure the initial announcement said he'd be there.) He also went un-mentioned by Apatow - his name didn't come up until Craig Robinson brought him up about 10 minutes in.

Similarly - what's going on with Greg Mottola? Jake Kasdan? I sense a weird dynamic btwn Apatow and his directors ("Pineapple Express" itself kinda confirmed this as well.)

Simon H., Monday, 28 July 2008 23:13 (seventeen years ago)

if it helps your theory, david gordon green did not mention apatow once when i saw him speak after a screening.

mizzell, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 01:10 (seventeen years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

ILX System, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 23:01 (seventeen years ago)

wtf

El Tomboto, Wednesday, 30 July 2008 02:11 (seventeen years ago)

oh please

J.D., Wednesday, 30 July 2008 03:27 (seventeen years ago)

apatow is the passive beneficiary of ile's contingent of self-loathing wes anderson characters.

tipsy mothra, Wednesday, 30 July 2008 04:07 (seventeen years ago)

blapatow

velko, Wednesday, 30 July 2008 04:16 (seventeen years ago)

I like how this poll got the votes of a clusterfuck thread but not the posts of one.

http://www.lafferty.ca/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/fail-24.jpg

The stickman from the hilarious "xkcd" comics, Wednesday, 30 July 2008 09:05 (seventeen years ago)

eleven years pass...

let's get back to what really matters.

wes anderson. his movies are actually funnier than apatow's. that's right motherfuckers.

treeship., Tuesday, 16 June 2020 22:35 (five years ago)

the tiramis of umour

Ivan Scampo (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 16 June 2020 22:38 (five years ago)

i'm not afraid to go against the consensus of twelve years ago. i must not be afraid of ANYTHING.

treeship., Tuesday, 16 June 2020 22:42 (five years ago)

apatow is actively bad

Rik Waller-Bridge (jim in vancouver), Tuesday, 16 June 2020 22:52 (five years ago)

my God, the very thought of watching that elf Davidson for 135 minutes

brooklyn suicide cult (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 16 June 2020 22:57 (five years ago)

Who actually enjoys Pete Davidson? I have never encountered anyone who would consider themselves a fan or even like the guy casually. He is deeply unappealing and thoroughly unfunny even by the admittedly low standards of the current (or recent) SNL casts. What do Apatow, Lorne Michaels, etc. see in him?

Badmotorfinger Debate Club (MFB), Tuesday, 16 June 2020 23:05 (five years ago)

comedy is hard. quirky is easy. piling up gags falls about halfway between them.

A is for (Aimless), Tuesday, 16 June 2020 23:09 (five years ago)

ariana's opinion is the only one i care about

Ivan Scampo (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 16 June 2020 23:10 (five years ago)

davidson movie was good and i find him generally repellent

adam, Tuesday, 16 June 2020 23:13 (five years ago)

Pete Davidson is a popular comic who lots of people like. maybe it's a generational thing and zoomers are into him? I dunno.

Rik Waller-Bridge (jim in vancouver), Tuesday, 16 June 2020 23:15 (five years ago)

Maybe you need to be Gen Alpha to really get his jokes.

pomenitul, Tuesday, 16 June 2020 23:26 (five years ago)

I don't know about zoomers, his biggest talent seems to be convincing older men with clout in the industry (Lorne, Apatow) that he's somehow worthwhile

Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 16 June 2020 23:31 (five years ago)

I mean he is a standup comedian who fills big enough places

Rik Waller-Bridge (jim in vancouver), Tuesday, 16 June 2020 23:33 (five years ago)

whyyyy

brooklyn suicide cult (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 16 June 2020 23:44 (five years ago)

What ever happened to Bob and Ray
That delicate chuckle bouquet

Well, that's a fine howdy adieu! (Old Lunch), Wednesday, 17 June 2020 00:02 (five years ago)

Rik Waller-Bridge (jim in vancouver) at 6:33 16 Jun 20

I mean he is a standup comedian who fills big enough places

plenty of better ones who fill the same or bigger places aren't getting Apatow movies

Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 17 June 2020 00:07 (five years ago)

he also has a big dick

Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 17 June 2020 00:09 (five years ago)

we talkin Jeremy or Diggler

Dig Dug the police (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 17 June 2020 05:37 (five years ago)


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