Inside the Geezers Studio

In their first YouTube film review, for last year's high-school hit "Superbad," octogenarian Hollywood vets Marcia Nasatir and Lorenzo Semple bicker about which dirty words are most offensive—and repeat them, over and over. The Reel Geezers began as a gimmick, but now has a dedicated Web following that includes many Hollywood insiders. The critical duo spoke with NEWSWEEK's Jesse Ellison:

How did you start doing this?
SEMPLE: Marcia and I were arguing at a dinner party—
NASATIR: No, it's called a frank discussion.
SEMPLE: It was so frank and loud that one guest got up and said, "You two ought to shut up and put your show on the road." So it occurred to me that, well, maybe we should.

What do you think of most Hollywood movies now?
NASATIR: I would like movies to address more issues. The pictures now are what I call "me pictures." It's all "me, me, me."
SEMPLE: I disagree entirely. I could not be less interested in movies that deal with issues. Auden wrote, "Poetry makes nothing happen." Movies really make nothing happen. They shouldn't.

Are there any summer movies you're excited to see?
SEMPLE: None of them. [They're] nothing but explosions and idiocy.
NASATIR: I go for these so-called foreign films. You know, with words underneath.

Why start with "Superbad"?
SEMPLE: It was filled with what you call "colorful language." So we thought it would be fun for people to watch 80-year-olds using these words! I've always felt this is a personality show. So I act very mean. I try to provoke Marcia.

You're not that contrarian in real life?
NASATIR: Lorenzo, I don't think one should tell a fib to NEWSWEEK.
SEMPLE: OK, OK.

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