Jake And Amir’s Movie Playlist
Tune in for Jake and Amir LIVE on the /Filmcast tonight, 10 p.m. EST!
My introduction toCollegeHumor.comwent a little something like this: I was drunk in my college newspaper’s office, eating two-day-old Sbarro pizza and my desk line rang. “I’m callingagainfrom CollegeHumor. When are you going to review the big foamShocker handwe sent you?” For some reason, this turned into a pretty amazing argument.Jake HurwitzandAmir Blumenfeldwork at CH, which is now an 800-pound online gorilla, complete with aCHTVoffbranch that consistently offers hilarious and original video content, and simmers with some of the best young comedic talent around.
Here at Slashfilm, we’re fans of Jake and Amir’s web show,Jake and Amir. The premise is simple: inside the NYC HQ of CH, Amir eats McDonald’s chicken nuggets and bugs the fuck out of Jake until an affable Jake is forced to confront his co-worker like a hyperactive rash with 500 heads. It’s like Peter and I playingMortal Kombat IIx angel dust. We decided to ask Jake and Amir about their tastes in movies for a little feature we callThe Playlist. It was difficult.
/Film: One of the things I dig about CollegeHumor and CHTV is your staff’s respect for and interest in the tradition of American Comedy, going back to Del Close, National Lampoon, and the start ofSNL. What movie comedies do you guys consider your favorites, and which ones first inspired you? And why.Amir:Citizen Kane, 1941,The Godfather, 1972…Jake: You can’t just list off the AFI’s top 100 movies of all time. What comedy first inspired you?Amir: Great question.Little Nicky. You?Jake: I thinkSlackersis a really underrated comedy, and I really loveSwingers.Amir: In terms of comedy I think I was inspired more by television than movies. That being said, my three favorite comedies areSouth Park: Bigger Longer and Uncut,Wet Hot American Summer, andLittle Nicky. Just kidding. AndTop Secret./Film: For Amir, do you love any movie—comedy or otherwise—more than McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets? Do you sneak nuggets into the theater?Amir: I only eat popcorn in movies.Jake: Popcorn chicken.Amir: Right. What do you think I meant?Jake: Just popcorn.Amir: What is that?/Film: On the web show, Amir entertains the idea of creating a TV show calledAce and Jocelyn: Astronaut Accountants in Outer Space. He even sacrifices getting laid in your recent “Hallie” mini-series—which was twice thrilling—due to his dedication to it, and possible mass-delusion. Pretend I’m a TV god who can give you guys the greenlight and fulfill Amir’s dream. What’s the golden pitch, and what show do I cancel and replace with yours?Amir: I’m offering you a TV show that’s funnier thanSeinfeld, more suspenseful thanLost, and longer thanMad Men. Why do I even need a pitch?/Film: Would you rather…watchThe Love Guruonce a day for the rest of your life while getting licked by 30 cats or watchKingpinonce a day for the rest of your life while giving a movie-long foot massage to Eric Stoltz made-up as1985’sMask?Amir: I guessThe Mask.SOMEBODY STOP ME!Jake: That wasn’t an option.Amir: Oh, okay. I see. Well I’ve already seenKingpin, so I guessLove Guru.
More Slashfilm Playlist after the jump, including a confession aboutPaulie.
/Film: Do you have a fave stand-up comedy film or special?Amir: [Dane Cook’s] TOURGASM!Jake: I guess anything that’s not that.Amir: I also really like David Spade’s “Take a Hit.” For reals./Film: Out of last year’s Best Picture nominees, did you side withNo Country for Old MenorThere Will Be Blood? Did anyone in your office do great or annoying Daniel Plainview or Anton Chigurh impressions?Jake: I was more intoThere Will Be Blood. I also think I was the annoying guy doing Daniel Plainview imitations.Amir: Do the milkshake line! It made me crack up!Jake: You didn’t even see the movie.Amir: Doesn’t matter. It’s funny to drink ice cream./Film: What’s the latest with the CollegeHumor’s movie deal at Paramount? Do you think Jake and Amir could work as a feature, given that the show’s format and humor plays so well off web ADD?Jake:Jake and Amirprobably works best as online shorts. Even our two minute videos sometime feel very long.Amir: I am working on aJake and Amirfull-length feature and I’m on page 328.Jake: You should stop writing. That’s already too long.Amir:Harry Potterwas 700 pages and that movie is gonna rule./Film: You guys have lived in NYC for a few years now. Now that you have a real feel for the place, what film(s) best capture the city and your views of city life? And what film, TV show or documentary’s depiction of NYC, realistic or not, is your favorite?Amir: When I moved to New York three years ago, I said everything looked like quick cuts fromDie Hard with a Vengeance. Really busy scenes with loud traffic noise. The longer you live here the more things calm down. My favorite movie of all time,American Psycho, took place in Manhattan, but it’s not really a “New York Movie.” I think my favorite “New York Movie” is the aforementioned Die Hard with a VengeanceorManhattan.
[Ed. note- If you haven’t, check out CHTV’sdead-on spoofofAmerican Psycho’s biz card scene. It’s one of the best things they’ve done.]
/Film: For fans visiting NYC, where are the spots you’d recommend for seeing comedy? Where can people find out about CH’s comedy events, atthe UCBor otherwise?Amir: I’d definitely recommendUCBfor improv and some stand up. You can check out their scheduleonline.Jake: AlsoRififiin the East Village has good standup, and “Tearing the Veil of Maya” at Union Hall in Park Slope has great stand up on Sunday nights.Amir: General rule is to avoid anything in Times Square or anything with a two drink minimum./Film: CollegeHumor employs some funny and charming gals. Is there a comedic actress or specific role that stands above all others in terms of comedy?Amir: CollegeHumor’sSarah Schneideris the funniest comedic actress I know.Jake: What about Julia Louis-Dreyfus? You loveSeinfeld.Amir: Oh yeah. Okay, I change my mind. Mine is Julia Louis-Dreyfus. I hate Sarah.Jake: You don’t have to hate Sarah, you can like them both.Amir: Too late.Jake: It’s not./Film: On last week’s /Filmcast, our staff discussed movies we had skipped out on due to boredom or hatred. What movies were so awful that you checked out early? What movie was so awful that you decided to kick back and bask in it?Jake: The only movie I ever walked out of wasPaulie. [Ed. note - Holy shit.]Amir: I walked out ofCarlito’s Way. I hear it’s a good movie but I was ten years old at the time.Mumfordis the worst movie I saw in theaters. I should have walked out but didn’t. I stayed for what seemed like eternity. In some ways…I’m still in there. Watching.Jake: Are you crying?Amir: This isn’t your interview, I don’t have to answer that.Check out Jake Hurwitz and Amir Bludenfeld atJakeandAmir.comand on tonight’s /Filmcast, 10 p.m. EST.
