Comedy is king for teens

In times of recession and wars who doesn’t welcome a good laugh? It was reported today that the top three movies in the box office this past weekend were comedies: Baby Mama, Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay and Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
“Comedy is definitely king right now”, says film tracking executive Paul Dergarabedian. As the prolific Jude Apatow consistently reigns king (The 40-year old virgin, Knocked Up, Superbad, Forgetting Sarah Marshall), it’s obvious he’s certainly connecting with the young audience. As Y Pulse’s blog reports “Comedy flicks like "Knocked Up" and "Superbad" have become such mainstays in teenagers' DVD players that you would be hard-pressed to find someone under the age of 30 who hasn't watched (and re-watched) them over and over again”.
Interestingly, it was recently reported that cult-classics like John Hughes’ “Sixteen Candles” and “Pretty in Pink” outrank any of the Jude Apatow current flicks when it comes to teens’ favorite movies.
Regardless, it’s clear that both Apatow and Hughes have definitely been successful at connecting with teens. Apatow has long called Hughes a major inspiration and as such, their movies have similar themes that may explain some of the reasons why teens (of any decade) will watch and re-watch their movies:
Likable, smart and funny characters with real teen problems
A mix of outrageous humor and sweetness combined
Outsiders as the lead characters

If you think about it, teens haven’t changed a lot. Technology has definitely made an impact on how teens live and how they communicate but that genuine teen angst seems to be timeless. Aww.

Sources: The Canadian Press, ypulse.com