Pineapple Express

Seth Rogen and James Franco in what may be the first pot action comedy, Pineapple Express (Sony Pictures)

I have a weakness for pot comedies. I think there's a lack of mean-spiritedness in pot comedies even when there are gross out gags or in the case of Pineapple Express (opening August 6 throughout San Diego) violence. You can always find a goofy sweetness lurking somewhere in a pot comedy and I find that oddly endearing. In the case of Pineapple Express that sweetness can be found in James Franco's broad innocent grin and in a totally frivolous scene where the two main characters take a moment to goof off in the woods. You could cut that scene out and not disrupt the plot at all yet that scene seems essential to me in terms of defining this film as a pot comedy. But while films such as Harold and Kumar, Garden State, and Knocked Up are all obvious pot comedies, Pineapple Express may be the first pot action comedy. Now cops have always been a part of pot comedies if only in the sense that characters are often on the look out for cops in order to avoid arrest, or find themselves being pursued by law enforcement. But pot comedies have avoided using cops, guns, and criminals in full-blown action mode - until now. Check out the video of the Pineapple Express Comic-Con panel.

Trailer Tuesdays: Pineapple Express

Now that I can more easily add video elements to my blog I have decided to start a new weekly feature: Trailer Tuesdays. Each Tuesday I will try to post up a fun or interesting trailer from an upcoming new film or maybe a classic old one or something cool on DVD. The first trailer going up is for Pineapple Express (opening August 6 throughout San Diego). Imagine the Big Lebowski crossed with True Romance, or Hot Fuzz with the added layer of being a pot comedy and you'll have a good idea of what Pineapple Express is like. Written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the creative team behind Superbad, and produced by Judd Apatow, Pineapple Express focuses on Rogen's character Dale who witnesses a hit while taking a hit, and then all hell breaks loose. The film marks the first mainstream effort from lyrical indie director David Gordon Green (George Washington, All the Real Girls, Snow Angels). Check out the trailer and let me know if there are any trailers you'd like to see posted or dug up from the archives. Trailer courtesy of Sony Pictures.

Hey Dude, It’s Harold and Kumar on DVD and Blu Ray

John Cho and Kal Penn as the new Bob Hope and Bing Crosby? Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo comes out on DVD/Blu Ray this week. (Warner Brothers)

At the Harold and Kumar panel at Comic-Con this past Sunday, someone asked if they could be a stoner version of Hope and Crosby creating a whole new set of Road pictures for the new millennium. And I have to admit that thought crossed my mind too. As wacky as that sounds, it's kind of accurate because like Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, Harold and Kumar are buddies with an appealing chemistry and marked set of differences, and they keep hitting the road for comic adventures. I have to confess I took something of a slacker approach to covering the last H&K road pic, Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay when it opened theatrically back in April. Instead, I made one of the teen critics hustle to get his review up in time for the film's opening. But if there's any film where such slacker behavior might be acceptable, Harold and Kumar would be it. So dudes, here's my belated review of what is now the DVD/Blu Ray release of Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo. (By the way, check out video highlights of their Comic-Con panel --and see how unlike Kumar Kal Penn is -- at the KPBS Comic-Con blog)

Hey Dude! It’s Harold and Kumar 2!

Dude... Kal Penn and John Cho return in Harold and Kumar: Escape from Guantanamo Bay (Warner Bros.)

By Tony Galindo

Four years after the original, Harold and Kumar 2: Escape from Guantanamo Bay is set to open in theaters Friday April 25th. Though four years has passed since the release of the first film, the sequel picks up right were we left off at the end of the first movie as Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) prepare for Amsterdam in search of the girl of Harold's dreams. After meeting up with a new love interest of Kumar's at the airport the boys are finally on their way. A little later when we see the boys on the plane Kumar has the brilliant idea to test out his new invention -- the smokeless bong. Not being able to wait till they arrive at the "weed" capital of the world, he lights up in the bathroom only to be spotted by a paranoid old lady who yells out, "Bomb!" It is this incident that makes everyone think the boys are terrorists. This causes their arrest and they are sent to prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. But they are only there for what seems like five minutes before they escape and must seek help from friends to help clear their names and finally get on to Amsterdam.

Again, I didn't know what I was getting myself into when I signed up to review this movie, although I already knew what the first Harold and Kumar film was about and what this one could be like. The theater for the preview screening was packed and full of rambunctious fans as we got ready to enjoy the film. Beach balls were being tossed around the theater, hit left and right; people were fighting for seats; and many were jumping up and down at the chance to get free Harold and Kumar stuff that was being thrown into the audience.

This movie turned out to be just like the original. You have your tasteless comedy, drugs, and of course Neil Patrick Harris playing Neil Patrick Harris. It delivered well on the funny factor with a scene involving George Bush hiding from Cheney, and heading off to go light it up with the boys. There was also the racist comedy -- poking fun at the KKK and racial stereotypes held by the government officials -- that you could enjoy.

These two aspects have been present in both this film and the previous one I reviewed, Zombie Strippers. Everyone seems to be getting their last shots at Bush before he leaves office and we have someone new to make fun of.

I enjoyed this movie -- what can I say it was funny and it made me laugh. Though rated R for obvious reasons (strong use of drugs and some nudity), it was a fun time -- you know being in a crowd with people constantly yelling 4-20! Definitely something I would go see just for fun.

-- Tony Galindo is a senior at Mount Miguel High. He was recently accepted at the Art Institute of San Diego where he wants to major in game art design and pursue a career in environmental design. Writing is a hobby of his as well as watching movies, so he thought it would be great to be able to share his opinions on film with people.

Trailer Park Boys

Julian, Bubbles and Ricky plan the Big Dirty in Trailer Park Boys: The Movie (Screen Media)

I never would have caught Trailer Park Boys (opened February 2 at AMC Palm Promenade Theaters) if it hadn't been for a friend of mine. She's a fan of the Canadian TV series, so she dropped everything and called me as soon as she saw an ad announcing the opening of the film in San Diego. But the film arrived without fanfare and opened at only a single theater location, so if you like the show and want to catch the film you better move fast. I had never seen the TV show but was game to see if the Trailer Park Boys could make me laugh. Past experience has proven that Canadian humor -- from Second City TV to Kids in the Hall to Strange Brew -- can be quite addictive once you've been exposed to it. No prior knowledge of the show is required to enjoy or understand the film, but an ability to divorce yourself from reality and be able to look past the low morals of the main characters helps.

Knocked Up

Ben and buddies in Knocked Up (Universal)

Two years ago, Judd Apatow's comedy The 40 Year Old Virgin surprised everyone by grossing more than a hundred million at the box office. Apatow's follow up film this summer is another relationship comedy and it offers a welcome alternative to bloated blockbusters. Knocked Up (opening June 1 throughout San Diego) considers the unexpected repercussions of a one night stand between a slacker and an overachiever.