A fucking Rancor

Today I watched 3 hours of comedy movies. One and a half movies.
The half of Forgetting Sarah Marshall made me laugh a lot more than the 2 hours of Pineapple Express.

It'd be easy to slate Pineapple Express, but it's not THAT bad. The one thing that struck me straight away was just how badly acted it is. It's like one of those movies off Zone Horror called 'Telephone of the Dead Zombie Eaters 174' or any dodgy comedy. Previously, in Judd Apatow's career, he's produced fresh and rather hilarious comedies, with a selection of actors that always impress. With the exception of Saul, it was pretty badly acted.

Pineapple Express has Seth Rogan in, and pretty much only because he wrote it. The guy who plays Saul, I didn't recognise, only to find out it's that guy who plays Harry Osborn from Spiderman, James Franco! There are a surprising lack of the expected cameos from Jonah Hill and Steve Carell etc. A lack that stems to absolutely none. There is the inclusion of Harvey Pekar (who isn't actually Harvey Pekar, it's Jack Kehler so this point is irrelevant) and that doctor from Knocked Up, it's the height of barrel scraping when it comes to their friends.

It's really really long, and there are characters who could be completely removed and it wouldn't change the film at all. His girlfriend is pointless, apart from the part where he insults her for liking Godspeed You! Black Emperor, but it was a very geeky thing to laugh at. There are also sections that could be remarkably shorter, and plot points that are included that are pretty pointless. Mostly involving the girlfriend.

It is a funny film, but it's as funny as Superbad or Knocked Up, therefore not constantly funny. Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Don't Mess With The Zohan both had me laughing ALOT more than the three Seth Rogan/Jonah Hill movies. Not since 40 Year Old Virgin have I constantly laughed in a Seth Rogan film, although most of that is the supporting cast, and Steve Carrell and his bags of sand. I'd even say it's on the same level of comedy as Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanemo Bay, which isn't amazing but makes you laugh enough to it be called a comedy.

The film also relies on a lot of MacGuffins (I love that word). Seth Rogan originally flips out because he ASSUMES that the bad guys might trace his roach, and James Franco smashes his phones because he ASSUMES they could triangulate their positions. I know a lot of it relies on the paranoia one suffers whilst high, but it kinda goes a little too far. It also relies on the comedy/action thing too much as if it is something original, lots of explosions and stuff, but 'Hello! Hot Fuzz!'. This film is VERY Edgar Wright. Explosions, homages to action films and snazzy-but-jokey editing in certain sequences.

If you like the Jew Tang Clan movies, most importantly Superbad (ie the not very funny one) then you'll like this. Also if you're stoned, you'll like this. Seth Rogan even states 'Weed makes shit movies better'. I'm not saying this is a shit movie, but it's not the best. I'd recommend Zohan or Forgetting Sarah Marshall over this anyday. And I'm hoping that Tropic Thunder will be much better than this.

Anyway, to mention Forgetting Sarah Marshall. I didn't watch it all but I have seen it before at the cinema. It's fucking hilarious. And everyone should see it. I'm really excited for the Muppet Movie from these guys.