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Capone heaps much praise on PINEAPPLE EXPRESS' smoking, guns
Hey everyone. Capone in Chicago here.
There isn't a ton of competition for the title, but the best movie of the week is the latest from the writing team of Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (who first joined forces to write SUPERBAD). The story is fairly simple, and the film is a prime example of how strong writing and a handful of pinpoint accurate performances can elevate a familiar plot and make it some of the most fun you'll have at the movies this summer. As much as the world would like you to believe PINEAPPLE EXPRESS is simply some dopey stoner comedy, Rogen (playing process server Dale Denton) and his "Freaks and Geeks" co-star James Franco (as pot dealer Saul Silver) do not simply sit in a room at smoke killer weed for two hours. The movie is a great buddy comedy action film with a hefty level of violence and blood mixed with a fairly convincing story about the kind of friendships that evolve around the massive quantities of illegal narcotics. This is the story of two drug buddies and their excellent adventure through the world of killer drug dealers, corrupt police officers, and stormy romances.
Perhaps the most bizarre things about PINEAPPLE EXPRESS is that David Gordon Green is the man behind the camera. The previously low-key director of such thought-provoking works as GEORGE WASHINGTON, ALL THE REAL GIRLS, and SNOW ANGELS (from earlier this year) a has true gift for drawing out some of the most unusual performances from his actors. Seth Rogen coughing up a storm from his first puff of the PINEAPPLE EXPRESS-brand weed suddenly begins moving like a robot while he's gasping for air. Franco's entire performance is so dead-on happy stoner that you find it impossible to believe the guy isn't baked for the entire movie. But the scene-stealer in a film filled with potential scene-stealers is Danny McBride's Red, Saul's supplier to turns on his friend and spends much of the film trying to make up for the indiscretion. Every word out of this guy's mouth is gold. Every since seeing him in Green's ALL THE REAL GRILS, I've enjoyed watching him work. Mot people (including me) were turned onto him thanks to THE FOOT FIST WAY, and I've enjoy him a little bit more every time I see him (he's also outstanding in next week's TROPIC THUNDER). The fight scene between him and Rogen in Red's cramped and cluttered apartment is one of the history books.
Every supporting part also is exceedingly strong. I would have loved to see more of Rosie Perez and Gary Cole as the police officer and drug dealer, respectively, who kill a man with Dale as an unexpected witness. They are able to track Dale down and connect him with Saul, and soon the pair are on the run for their lives. Kevin Corrigan and Craig Robinson. If I had one gripe with the film, it's that the subplot involving Dale dating a high school girl (ALL THE BOYS LOVE MAND LANE's Amber Heard). There is either not enough of it, or there's far too much. I wanted to see more about that relationship, but I understand that Rogen and Heard as a couple aren't necessarily what the audience wants to see in this movie. Still, by the time we get to the long-anticipated dinner with Dale and his girlfriend's parents (Ed Begley Jr. and Nora Dunn), I was ready for that storyline to actually go somewhere or just go away. It's a minor quibble.
PINEAPPLE EXPRESS is fast paced when it needs to be, shocking with the level and quantities of violence it offers up, and mellow and silly pretty much from end to end. The film is produced, not surprisingly, by Judd Apatow (who is also given a story credit), and there's a certain degree of familiarity that goes along with each Apatow Productions. You expect a strong script and some of the best ad libbing you're ever likely to see. Add to that, Rogen and his stable of fellow actors (many dating back to "Freaks and Geeks") are so reliable in whatever combination they appear that it just doesn't seem fair. PINEAPPLE EXPRESS isn't your average "spot-the-celebrity-cameo" kind of Apatow production, because the tone is a bit more serious (relatively speaking). The film feels streamlined and to the point in its foolish behavior. Even the violence is treated with a degree of humor. All of the blood will fill you with a combination of shock and the giggles. Without giving too much away, something happens to one of Rogen's body parts that disgusted me and make me bust out in uncontrollable laughter. Much of the film is like that. If you can see the humor in two grown men selling some of the strongest weed imaginable to 11 year olds, I think you'll feel right at home with this baby.
--Capone
capone@aintitcoolmail.com
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seeing it today!
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Good but not as good as I was hoping. Still laughed my ass off though. Just not up to the standard of last summers apatow films.
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Red-band trailer had me pissing myself
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it'd be better If it ever actually went anywhere by the end
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Seeing it in a few hours.
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what do you have against mot people?
but at least you get an edit button. Use talkbackers dont get on1, thaugh. -
actually it was two bugs fighting in my backyard.
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people i know who've seen it keep telling me it's crap, but i'm still looking forward to this one. The trailer kills me!
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"Kevin Corrigan and Craig Robinson." Wow, good point. I never thought of it that way!
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Of all the updates and posts and talkbacks on this site, what does Judd Apatow mention on Coana O'Brien?
DANNY GLOVERS DICKBLOOD.
yeah - thats what he brings up. So today, when thousands are googling up Danny Glovers Dickblood, they'll find AICN, and Danny Glovers Dickblood will be the basis upon which they form their opinion of this site.
way to go, dummys. -
Oh fuck off you disease. You would rather have them google your name and find the Roman Polanski TB where you defend a child rapist? You are the lowest for of vile sludge. Die a messy death, fucker.
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Did you see a Zack and Miri trailer? I'm curious.
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DANNYGLOVERS_DICKBLOOD and ArcadianDS replied immediately and directly to each other. I wonder if they are sock-puppets.
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I'm at work so I can't youtube it. I keep hearing about it.
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Lots of classic lines in this one....
"Smoking it is like...killing a unicorn." -
caught the attention of the nation (the world?) Well done, sir. No one needs to be jealous b/c their own handle and attitude don't have the same traction.
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...well when its on tv. i havent seen any of the others, not that i think they look bad but they just dont catch my interest. but its also because EVERYtime some comedy is heralded by the masses as "awesome" it turns out to be just ok if not boring. but this one has action and violence so thats a plus.
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I never defended Roman Polanski. Where do you keep coming up with this made-up nonsense? Find the post, and show me the quote you asshat.
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Might just be next week when I get to it though. And Tropic Thunder too.
And that's fucking awesome that DANNYGLOVERS_DICKBLOOD was mentioned on Conan. It is an epic handle. -
HHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAAH
THAT IS DEF THE LINE OF THE DAY. NEXT TO THE LADY ON THE STREET IN THE CITY ASKING "DO YOU HAVE ONE GAY MINUTE FOR GAY RIGHTS" -
Man, I've never seen stoners more motivated in my life. They were actually pushing each other. You ever been pushed by a stoner? They're pretty weak. But I was high so I fell anyway.
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...I was so happy that I could still enjoy the fuck out of this movie while sober as a judge. Thanks, Capone, I was an attendee of the Monday Chicago showing with my wife, and we were both thoroughly entertained.
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Dec. 26, 2007 -- THC and another marijuana-derived compound slow the spread of cervical and lung cancers, test-tube studies suggest.
Robert Ramer, PhD, and Burkhard Hinz, PhD, of the University of Rostock, Germany, set up an experiment in which invasive cervical and lung cancer cells had make their way through a tissue-like gel. Even at very low concentrations, the marijuana compounds THC and methanandamide (MA) significantly slowed the invading cancer cells.
The researchers are quick to point out that much more study is needed to find out whether these test-tube results apply to tumor growth in animals and in humans.
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Ramer and Hinz report the findings in the Jan. 2, 2008 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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Medical marijuana was prescribed by doctors until 1942. That's when it was taken off the U.S. pharmacopoeia, the list of commonly available drugs.
"Marijuana has been a medicine for 5,000 years," says Donald I. Abrams, MD. "That's a lot longer than it hasn't been a medicine." Abrams, who is an oncologist and director of clinical research programs at the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at the UCSF School of Medicine in San Francisco, is one of a handful of top-flight doctors in the country researching medical marijuana. "The war on drugs is really a war on patients," he says.
WebMD.com
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The federal government, in the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, placed drugs into five groups called "schedules," driven by three criteria:
potential for abuse or addiction
medical usefulness
dangers of abuse or addiction, both physically and psychologically
Marijuana, LSD, and heroin were all initially placed in Schedule I -- the most addictive, and least medically useful, category.
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lets see if they post my submitted review
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...is exactly the kind of story risks that these guys need to keep taking, in order to not become soooooo formulaic. i think this film is gonna be a blast - but i'm mostly curious if i will prefer this, or tropic thunder.
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When im high I believe the ninja turtles would make a delicous and hearty soup.
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so your saying my pot will cure my cancer? O and this film dosnt look that funny, modern "stoner" movies rarely are the only ones I can remember laughing at except for the old cheech and chongs are Half Baked and Grandmas Boy can anyone confirm thats its more of an action buddy movie.
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They need more research, but it works in controlled tests. You know what else works in controlled tests... masturbation.
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I know, but I prefer being tested in public for that, especially outside a schoolyard
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dirty
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About 20% of teens say they use marijuana (down from nearly 27% in 1999). 18% of teens say they carry a gun, knife, or club
WebMD -
Great movie and a good review, but really difficult to read. Why does nobody proofread before posting anymore?
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Most of the funny parts are in the trailer. The rest of the film is mildly entertaining. Worth a watch, but don't get your expectations too high.
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I was at Monday's screening in LA (well, Sherman Oaks, but still...), and laughed my ass off. There are a few slow spots (I agree about the girlfriend), but overall a very funny, original comedy that I will go see again. No, I was not stoned.
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DOOM will seek to obtain yet another ticket for The Dark Knight long before seeing yet another Apatow weedfest!
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SO i'm there with bellbottoms on!
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Should I get baked before seeing the motion picture, or should I reserve any supplements for a second viewing? I don't want to run the risk of watching it high the first time and loving it, then watching it sober and remembering it being funnier. Thoughts?
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Fuck you man! I cant believe your defending that lame excuse to try to get us to buy back our childhood! its no wonder G.I. Joes are selling for 600 bucks on ebay...
Also, I just saw Pineapple Express. Yeah. It was good. I liked it. -
I'm really glad its finally out so I can talk to people about it.
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Much obliged.
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waiting to see if they post my slightly faded review
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but then I got high
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Is the only way to see this and what I hope they call the sequel to Half Baked. Pineapple Express is an instant classic. I missed so much from my own laughing that I need to go back and catch all the shit I missed. I laughed so hard I cried when they're smoking the cross joint. This movie is made for serious stoners.
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waiting to see if they post it...
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Sooooooo...what's the point of the script? If you have a strong script, there's no need for ad-libs. But since the last script these fellas had was Superbad...that means it's a weak, with TV movie level character development and endless profanity in place of witty dialogue.
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and, you know..weed gets you hungry and such..
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I went to see it today stone-cold sober and laughed my ass off. Obviously David Gordon Green is a closet Tarantino fan. From the scenes in Red's apartment to the "ear scene" in the basement of the drug dealers' farmhouse (a direct nod to Reservoir Dogs if ever there was one), Green knows how to make ultraviolence funny as hell. And it's one of those stoner comedies with great one-liners that people will be quoting ad infinitum (a la Friday or Up In Smoke). Although I find it hard to see how non-stoners are going to get past the drug humor, for any any 'head planning on seeing this movie, I agree with irrelevntelefant's advice to jackie boy - see it sober first (so you can catch everything), baked second (so it's that much funnier). But see if you enjoy stoner comedies, see it. Instant classic.
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Soundtrack was pretty great, also. It skews towards Hip-Hop/Rap and Reggae, but if you're a big fan of anyone from Marley to P.E., you'll dig it.
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Pineapple Express is 15 minutes of funny material stretched into 2 hours of plotless, shrill screaming. I recall Vern coming on here a month or two ago complaining about the original Beverly Hills Cop, obnoxiously saying it doesn't hold up and that "You had to be there." Beverly Hills Cop is sloppy but it's a far more graceful blend of improvised comedy and gorey violence than this fucking amateur-hour mess. One good thing that came from seeing this movie is that it convinced me not to see Tropic Thunder. Enjoy the new wave of "comedy," you fucking mindless sheep.
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thank you for giving us permission to enjoy this. I'm guessing your all time favorite comedy is "The Great Santini". Rumor was Jerry Lewis turned down the Duval role. Maybe they can get Dane Cook for the remake...
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Really enjoyed it, great combo of action and comedy. I feel bad for those who can't enjoy this movie.
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This and Dark Knight were the two movies I looked forward to all summer, and I hated, hated, hated this fucking movie. Boring action and unfunny comedy. The trailer was brilliant though.
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Pretty fucking cool.
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Go and watch it right now and tell me its a timeless classic. Its borderline unwatchable
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I loved "The Outsiders".
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hahaha
ive always been laughing at that shit -
Loved every second (well except the gf subplot as has been mentioned) Saul is a revelation for Franco who needs more films like this in his catalogue, he's damn funny. Mcbride is awesome, rogen is rogen (a good thing to me) and rogen and franco's chemistry is great. I have plenty of experience with the devil's lettuce (as DGG calls it) and this movie delivers if that's your thing or not
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