Mid-to-late season review!

Alright, the summer movie season of '08 is about to wrap so it's time to take a brief look at the best and worst of the year.

Of the eight 2008 releases I have seen, here's how I'd rank 'em:

The Great
1. THE DARK KNIGHT
2. WALL-E
3. FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL

The Good
4. CLOVERFIELD

The 'Meh'
5. PINEAPPLE EXPRESS
6. IRON MAN

The Bad
7. INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL

The Ugly
8. HANCOCK

There you have it. And yes, IRON MAN was terribly overrated, CRYSTAL was a pile of rank dog shit, and THE DARK KNIGHT was everything I had hoped it would be.

As for the rest of 2008, the only event marked on my calendar so far is QUANTUM OF SOLACE, which has unfortunately just been pushed back a week to November 14. 'Til then (maybe), in the spirit of the Olympics, zài jiàn (and zài jiàn to that god awful disgrace of a country as well)!

All aboard the PINEAPPLE EXPRESS!

I've now seen THE DARK KNIGHT three times (don't you want TITANIC to be beaten also?) so a change of pace is needed and welcomed. This week it's PINEAPPLE EXPRESS.

PINEAPPLE EXPRESS (2008)

Some names instantly interest me in a project - Judd Apatow and Seth Rogen being among the select few of my prestigious catalogue. Needless to say I was eagerly anticipating this film, but the end result is a movie that falls short of either's top efforts.

PINEAPPLE EXPRESS has its funny moments, but it doesn't quite stand up to either 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN or KNOCKED UP. Let's face it - stoner comedies are difficult to do well (and despite what society seems to say, you can't convince me that there is a truly great one out there), but as far as the genre goes, PINEAPPLE EXPRESS is nothing more than an apt attempt that still left an unhealthy, munchies-esque appetite for more.

James Franco has been catching quite a bit of buzz for this role, chiefly because its his first opportunity to show off his actin' chomps without a green screen behind him, and while it's certainly deserved, it was neither he nor Rogen (who, rather shockingly, is reprising the same character from his last few films) that stole the show. It was Danny McBride (Red) who served up the most laughs, particularly in a thunderous house fight and an instance of vehicular homicide. Why didn't he get more screen time? I needed more Danny McBride, damnit!

All-in-all, PINEAPPLE EXPRESS is an okay watch. The mediocre, surprisingly unfunny first half transitions into a second half that provides enough laughs to make you leave the theatre satisfied. But underneath a plethora of stupid action (which at points seems nauseatingly intentional) and idiotic and clichéd buddy-film plot turns, EXPRESS ends up being nothing more than an acceptable stoner comedy.