By Terri Schwartz

I might never have had an affliction in middle school where I obsessive-compulsively drew penises in my notebook, nor have I flown to Hawaii to forget Sarah Marshall, nor am I 40 years old with no love life to speak of. But director, producer and writer Judd Apatow certainly knows how to make movies to which I can relate.

Take the 2007 hit “Superbad,” for instance. After viewing the film in theatres with a friend who was still in high school, his first reaction was, “I can remember having every single one of those conversations.”

I’m sure he didn’t mean driving around with a bunch of drunken cops or serenading a roomful of cracked-out 30 year olds, but the idea remains the same: Apatow is making comedies that are, more than anything else, relatable.

Or what about “Knocked Up,” which was a little too real during the final minutes of the film — it had a certain honesty that audiences found relatable and contributed to the break-out success of the film. While “Knocked Up” was directed toward a more adult audience, “Superbad” was directed toward high school and college kids.

Not all of Apatow’s work has fallen under the category of “relatable.” “Anchorman,” which Apatow helped produce, is anything but realistic, but it doesn’t change the fact that it was ridiculously funny.

Similarly, Apatow’s most recent flick, “Pineapple Express,” didn’t follow a logical or serious storyline. I feel pretty certain in saying that no one has actually experienced the ridiculous things that went on in that movie, unless they were a stoner on some crazy trip.

What’s important is not the movies Apatow makes, but how he is making them. Instead of doing another trashy “Movie” spoof (like “Date Movie,” “Epic Movie,” “Scary Movie”), we are getting comedies in theaters that have a genuine effort put into them, and haven’t just been created to continue a money-making franchise.

“Superbad” is similar to the 1999 flick “American Pie,” except instead of getting intimate with a pie on their kitchen table, they’re gesturing crudely with whipped cream in cooking class. Instead of getting laid at the end, the guys learn they have no idea what it really takes to get the girls of their dreams.

Then there is the fact that Apatow has now made the nerd “cool” in a way “The Goonies” never could. Instead of the perfect jock as the lead character, we have Seth Rogen and Michael Cera. Who, five years ago, would have thought an actor like Cera would be the heartthrob of 2008?

Apatow’s next comedy that he has written, directed, and produced, entitled “Funny People,” hits theaters July 31, 2009. The plot, while being kept tightly under wraps, centers around a stand-up comedian who suffers a near death experience. Somehow, Apatow will make it better than it seems. Plus, the cast includes Rogen, Adam Sandler, Jonah Hill, Eric Bana, Leslie Mann and Jason Schwartzman. Apatow is getting bigger and better than ever.

Apatow has redefined the quality of the comedy genre. While “Scary Movie 5” might manage to slip through the cracks somewhere along the way, rest assured that, with Apatow leading the pack, the future looks bright for college kids going to the movies.

– Terri Schwartz can be reached at

inside@huntington-news.com.