Are Teen Films Graduating?
Reviewer reaction to “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” and “Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay,” indicate that perhaps some of the films being released from here forward geared to young movie-goers are reaching for more than a hearty laugh from a series of raunchy jokes. While that element still comfortably resides in this genre of film, there are more traditional components being introduced. “If this is a trend that takes hold, it’s wonderful news for all of us who love movies,” said Dennis Vellucci, film teacher at a New York City high school and film historian. “There is a sense when viewing some of these efforts, that the common denominator is sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll or whatever other musical genre you want to substitute. Stories have been flimsy because they didn’t need to be more to draw attention and significant audience to the theaters…not to mention the extraordinary impact of the rental DVD market. The more shocking they were, the better. We’ve seen some examples t
