Banned Zack and Miri poster!

Apparantly this will only be appearing in Canada, as it was banned by the MPAA (jerks, I can't believe they control the advertising too. But I guess in todays world someone was bound to be controlling it). I think this is just hilarious. Look at Rogen's face.

And really, only astute viewer's would catch the ludeness. I also don't think children would figure out what was going on here. I see no reason why this was banned. If anything should cause this poster to be banned, it should be the word Porno, because I can see kids asking their parents what that word means. However, I'm so glad the MPAA has allowed them to pass with that as the title, because it is perfect and hilarious.

Is it me, or does Rogen only do movies with obvious, self-referential titles (or are all titles technically self-referential?)? 40 year-old Virgin, Knocked Up, Pineapple Express, Zack and Miri make a Porno, even Superbad (sorta). Indie film-makers, this is your chance. Write a movie called "Asshole" and make the main character a complete dick. Seth will be sure to do it, and we'll get to see him take a turn as a bit of a different character for once.

Summer is Over

And damn can you tell. Movie news is getting more and more boring by the day. Remember the days leading up to TDK? Pineapple Express even? Man... those were some good times. What's left to be excited about? The only thing I can think of that the fall has in store for us is Zack and Miri, which I'm uber-pumped for. What's on everyone's radar?

Pineapple Knights

This weekend, it's been reported, is the fourth weekend in a row that The Dark Knight has enjoyed the numer one spot, coming in this weekend with an estimated $26 mil. This is fantastic news, and all us geeks should cheer. Yayyy.

But Pineapple Express was surely meant for some of us geeks as well wasn't it? Of course it was, and the weekend numbers reflect this, putting it at number two with $22.5 mil. But is this really an accurate representation of Pineapple's numbers? I mean, it opened wednesday, so shouldnt its opening weekend either be considered wednesday to sunday, or its first three days in release? According to cinematical, the film had actually pulled $40.5 mil for the full 5 days, meaning its techincal opening weekend was much larger than TDK's take this weekend. I know this means all of the info about other movies that weekend would be inaccurate (you'd have to look at the 5-day cume for all of them, or something) But I think this movie should be given a fair chance.

Maybe what I should be arguing for is no more wednesday releases. If they're not going to tally wed and thurs into your opening numbers, what the hell is the point of opening a few days earlier?

What do you think? Is it fair to say that TDK actually held the number one spot again this weekend? Do you think movies should be allowed to open on Wednesdays?

A Bro's Film Analysis: Pineapple Express

So tonight I went to a party at some people I don't know's house. I don't know why I keep going out to these parties, I think deep down it's in hope that a.) either I'll meet a gorgeous girl and fall in love or b.) that I will meet some like minded life-long friends. Usually what occurs is the much more frequent c.) I sit bored out of my mind on the couch trying to make eye contact with the 3 other people that I know and wait for them to give me the much awaited "Are you ready to go?" line. I find that each party I go to leans towards one extreme. Reciently either the more creative types (where they have heavy opinions on everything and I get intimidated to jump in with my opinion) are having a party or on the oppisite side of the spectrum to put it simply, bros. I'd much rather be uncomfortable at an elitist artsy party than a bro party. Tonight, I was at a bro party. There's just something so phoney about the whole needing to be macho thing that pisses me off. I get it, you can drink more beer than a camel can drink water, awesome. I am a man confident enough in my own manhood to be able to let loose and not care if I seem feminine ever. And what I hate more than anything is how for some reason I get talked to as if I am in some way... less? I guess you could say that... You know like you're just their "pal" or "buddy." And for some reason since this is the image being given of me, I tend to perpetuate it with acting more meek and small. It just happens.

Anyway, as I was sitting there on the couch watching the bros play beer pong they started to talk about Pineapple Express (it also upsets me that bros like all the Judd Apatow movies, seeing as they all seem to be from the nerds perspective, ah well). As they proceeded to discuss the film the only real analysis they could come up with was to relate the film to other movies. One bro said it was "A mix between Shaun of the Dead and Grandma's Boy" while the other bro felt it more akin to "Cheech and Chong and Air Force One." First off... Cheech and Chong... Okay, I'll accept that. Freaking Shawn of the Dead, Grandma's Boy, and Air Force One? Really? As far as I can remember there were no zombies or hijackers involved in Pineapple Express.

I think what is really upsetting me here is that I go to a party in hopes I will meet interesting people, for a chance to interact, to not do what I would ordinarily being doing: watching movies at home. When I finally get out I get stuck with people that actually feel that in some way Air Force One and Pineapple Express are somehow similar other than the fact that to some capacity both movies have action and some guns. Where are all you people that I do want to meet and talk to? You are all sitting at home doing what I would be doing if I wasn't at the party! People, we need to get out of our homes for a little bit and interact, maybe throw some of our own party where ridiculous people need not come. It's not even about having poor taste in movies really. You can have the complete opposite taste in films as me, just have some intelligence and don't be a duesche bag (or a bro). So my challenge to all you other interesting worthwhile people is to get out more so I can meet you and be your friend and we can have our own party's where it's cool to just throw in a movie and actually pay attention to it.

Rumors are like STD's...

Only dicks spread them. Or something like that. MTV interviewed James Franco the other day about a possible Pineapple Express sequal (which Seth Rogen has said, given the right budget, he'd be interested in doing) which I actually think could be a great sequal. Just like the 80's action movies they're taking from, they could franchise Dale and Saul (and hopefully Red too). However, in the interview, Franco muses about a sequal in which the kids from Superbad buy weed from Dale and Saul and have to go on the run together. While this actually sounds like it could also be a hilarious concept (here's hoping Rogen's Officer Michaels is sent after them so that we can get a Rogen vs. Rogen chase scene, on foot) and the characters could actually come together in a logical way, I don't think Franco was being serious. I feel as though I saw an interview with Rogen not too long ago where he mused about the same concept, but he definately sounded like he was kidding. Even the way Franco phrases most of what he says indicates to me that he's just thinking off the top of his head.

The only reason I'm even posting about this is because I feel as though this happens far too often, especially now in the blogosphere (do they still call it that?). Reporters choose specific quotes from interviews they do and then pull them out of context and say "A Pineapple/Superbad crossover! Could it be true?" And then they give a bunch of conjecture about what Apatow might be thinking, and suddenly people are talking about this like it's actual news, when really Franco was just having a laugh with the reporter. This is made worse by the blogs who then pull even smaller quotes out of the already small quotes in the original article and ask, are these rumors true? It's dumb. Why not report that Franco had a hilarious little idea that perhaps Rogen should consider writing. Because that's really what you mean MTV. That Franco made you laugh with his little idea, and now you think it would be funny to see it come to fruition.

Does anyone else notice this, and does it bother you as much as me? Or are you just satisfied knowing that you know better, and you can filter out the bullshit yourself?