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Wednesday, June 10
Actor James Franco has compiled an impressive list of accomplishments since his notable performance as Daniel Desario in Freaks and Geeks, most recently winning an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male for his role as Scott Smith in Milk. With disarming charm and the acting chops for anything from drama to comedy to action pics, Franco pretty much has his pick of roles.
Before heading off to Ireland to star opposite his Pineapple Express co-star Danny McBride in Your Highness, Franco will star in the indie film In Praise of Shadows, written and directed by Jay Anania, head of the directing program at NYU, where Franco just completed his first year of graduate school. Franco is also producing the film through his Rabbit Bandini Prods. banner. Said Anania about Franco:
In Praise of Shadows tells the tale of William Vincent (Franco), a man who returns to New York City after years in exile to rescue the woman he loves from mobsters. The budget for the film is less than $10 million.
Next Showing: In Praise of Shadows goes into production June 15
Posted 6/10/2009 by BrentJS
Related: James Franco | Danny McBride | Jay Anania | Pineapple Express
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Wednesday, April 8
The co-star of Seth Rogen's latest vehicle, Observe and Report, Anna Faris turned heads at last night's premiere in Los Angeles. An actress since the age of 9, Faris has appeared in more than a dozen feature films, including the four Scary Movie movies, and with two comedic performances alongside Ryan Reynolds in Waiting and Just Friends. Faris appeared in several episodes during the final season of Friends and she received wider recognition as an actress following her appearnce in Brokeback Mountain.
Written and directed by Jody Hill, Observe and Report also stars Ray Liotta (Revolver) and features an appearance by up-and-coming comedic actor Danny McBride (Eastbound and Down). While superficially similar to Kevin James' latest project, Paul Blart: Mall Cop, Observe and Report has been described as a darker, more mature film, with Rogen commenting:
They're totally different movies.
Observe and Report synopsis courtesy of Warner Bros.:
At the Forest Ridge Mall, Head of security Ronnie Barnhardt (SETH ROGEN) patrols his jurisdiction with an iron fist. The master of his domain, he combats skateboarders, shoplifters and the occasional unruly customer while dreaming of the day when he can swap his flashlight for a badge and a gun.
Ronnie's delusions of grandeur are put to the test when the mall is struck by a flasher. Driven by his personal duty to protect and serve the mall and its patrons, Ronnie seizes the opportunity to showcase his underappreciated law enforcement talents on a grand scale, hoping his solution to the crime will earn him a coveted spot at the police academy and the heart of his elusive girl Brandi (ANNA FARIS), the hot makeup counter clerk who won't give him the time of day.
But his single-minded pursuit of glory launches a turf war with the equally competitive Detective Harrison (RAY LIOTTA) of the Conway Police, and Ronnie is confronted with the challenge of not only catching the flasher, but getting him before the real cops do.
Next Showing: Observe and Report opens Friday, April 10
Posted 4/8/2009 by BrentJS
Related: Anna Faris | Ray Liotta | Scary Movie | Danny McBride | Waiting ... | Just Friends | Pineapple Express | Seth Rogen | Tropic Thunder | Jody Hill
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Wednesday, April 1
In a recent interview with Marvel Studios chairman David Maisel, it was revealed that Seth Rogen (Pineapple Express, Observe and Report) would be playing the role of Steve Rogers, the Army reject who is turned into the "Star-Spangled Avenger" through the ingestion of a "Super Soldier Serum," in the upcoming live-action First Avenger: Captain America film.
This is not the first time that Rogen's name has popped up in association with a superhero genre film. His name has been attached to the live-action Green Hornet project for years now, with production set to begin in June of this year.
Said Maisel:
Seth Rogen is today's 'everyman,' someone that we can all relate to. He has a strength of character only hinted at in his previous roles.
Maisel explained that Rogen had been chosen to play the character of Steve Rogers before he becomes Captain America and that it had not yet been decided whether an altogether different actor would be playing the post-powered Steve Rogers or whether CGI techniques, such as those used on Brad Pitt in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, would be used to "beef up" the portly actor.
Sony and Marvel Studios are coming on strong in 2011, with three superhero genre films slated for release. Last month, it was announced that Spider-Man 4 would be released on May 6th, with Thor following shortly thereafter on June 17th, and First Avenger: Captain America debuting July 22nd. These release dates resulted in the pushing back of The Avengers July 15, 2011, opening to May 4, 2012.
Happy April Fool's Day!
Next Showing: First Avenger: Captain America debuts July 22, 2011
Posted 4/1/2009 by BrentJS
Related: The Green Hornet | Pineapple Express | Seth Rogen | First Avenger: Captain America | Observe and Report
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Tuesday, January 6
Sony Pictures Classics has released The Wackness on DVD. The Indie comedy, winner of the Audience Award for a drama at Sundance, features Josh Peck as a teenage pot dealer, who not only sells weed to his therapist (Ben Kingsley) but also falls in love with his stepdaughter.
Today's other releases include Pineapple Express, which stars Seth Rogen as a stoner who is the only witness to a murder committed by a drug lord and crooked cop; the crime drama Righteous Kill, which teams Robert De Niro and Al Pacino as veteran detectives hunting a vigilante serial killer; Nicholas Cage's turn as a hitman in Bangkok Dangerous; the latest Hollywood parody, Disaster Movie; and Vin Diesel's Babylon A.D., which was even criticized by its director, Mathieu Kassovitz.
Posted 1/6/2009 by reelz
Related: Babylon A.D. | Pineapple Express | Righteous Kill | Bangkok Dangerous | The Wackness | Disaster Movie
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Tuesday, August 19
On paper, Tropic Thunder's $25.8 million number one opening this past weekend makes it this summer's top comedy, knocking off the previous week's Pineapple Express, which took in $23.2 million.
But when you add in the fact that Tropic Thunder is one of the most expensive comedies of all time, with a production budget of $92 million (according to Box Office Mojo), the big picture changes considerably.
Pineapple Express, on the other hand, sported a streamlined budget of only $27 million. Since its August 6th opening, Pineapple has garnered an impressive $62 million domestic toll. With $65 million less in production budget, the stoner action comedy is far and away the more successful movie. And considering Thunder's likely drop-off next weekend in the 50 percent range, it's unlikely the Ben Stiller comedy will even break even before home video, especially when you add in the flick's massive marketing costs.
Judd Apatow and Co. may seem like goofy stoners, but they have stuck to a shrewd, smart business plan. Their success has easily afforded the temptation to go for a larger budget, but instead they've stuck to the same plan again and again, with every Apatow production thus far landing in the $20-35 million range. The other big advantage here is that the occasional misstep like Walk Hard, budgeted at $35 million, can be recovered without much worry.
With three upcoming projects in production as a producer or director including next summer's surefire hit Funny People (starring Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen) Apatow's reign as king of comedy isn't ending anytime soon.
Posted 8/19/2008 by reelz
Related: Ben Stiller | Judd Apatow | Pineapple Express | Tropic Thunder
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Thursday, August 7
In a powerful affirmation of the box-office clout of unemployed stoners, the weed action comedy Pineapple Express yesterday scored the highest-ever Wednesday tally for a movie debuting in August. According to Variety, the Seth Rogen/James Franco buddy flick earned $12.1 on its opening day, besting previous Wednesday record-holder The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement by almost four million bucks. Hats off to the producers of Pineapple Express for breaking a record that, frankly, many of us didn't even know existed.
In related news, convenience store chain 7-Eleven and snack-food conglomerate Frito-Lay both reported unusually high sales yesterday as well.
Posted 8/7/2008 by reelz
Related: Pineapple Express
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Wednesday, August 6
The latest offering from the Apatow crew seeks to combine classic Cheech and Chong stoner humor with heavy doses of camp-action. Does the combination work or is the movie left just -- blowing smoke? We caught up with fans' reactions to Pineapple Express.
See also: our review
Next Tuesday night, August 12th, it's 'welcome to the jungle' with Tropic Thunder.
Posted 8/6/2008 by reelz
Related: Judd Apatow | Pineapple Express
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Tuesday, August 5
Does this stoner action comedy hold the goods for the sober-minded individual as well as a blissful cult of inebriated moviegoers?
Check out our full Pineapple Express review to find out.
Posted 8/5/2008 by reelz
Related: Pineapple Express
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Thanks largely to its inclusion in the trailer for Pineapple Express, "Paper Planes," British hip-hop artist M.I.A.'s irresistibly catchy paean to drug use, larceny and other wholesome youth activities, has rocketed to #1 on iTunes. It's welcome news for an artist whose album failed to catch fire when it first debuted in States almost a year ago, despite strong studio backing and near-universal adoration from critics.
Hoping for a similar career boost from Pineapple Express are rockin' '80s bad 
boys Huey Lewis and the News, who recorded the film's official theme song. It's no "Heart and Soul," but it does contain traces of the magic that their 1983 opus "Sports" go platinum seven times over.
Pineapple Express opens in theaters tomorrow, but don't expect to hear M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes" if you see it. The song is only being used in marketing for Seth Rogen's stoner comedy and isn't included on its soundtrack. Bummer.
Posted 8/5/2008 by reelz
Related: Pineapple Express
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Monday, August 4
The "weed action comedy" Pineapple Express -- starring Seth Rogen and James Franco -- opens on Wednesday, and our partners at Variety have an early video review.
Here's what critics are saying elsewhere around the web:
"A drug-fueled caper that doesn't stint on chronically loopy characters and ridiculously funny situations."
—Michael Rechtshaffen Hollywood Reporter
"Probably the most artful of the Apatow Factory comedies, but don't worry: It takes being sweetly dumb just as seriously as the rest."
—Bob Mondello NPR
"It's empty and formulaic, with plotting that's lazy even by stoner-comedy standards. Without all the yuck-o sight gags, it would be a huge bummer."
—David Edelstein New York Magazine
Posted 8/4/2008 by reelz
Related: Pineapple Express