Pineapple Express

It looks like Michael Cera (or maybe someone pretending to be Michael Cera) has been thinking "aloud" (or via Twitter) about future Superbad projects. He first twittered that he wants to do a movie with Jonah Hill and Jason Bateman (ending with the words: "Good idea?!"), and then he followed up with this one:

Decided I'm gonna contact Jonah and Jason tomorrow. See what they think about doing a movie. Maybe, just an idea, but maybe Superbad 2.

But that's not the only Superbad-related idea to be tossed out there — apparently James Franco has mentioned a Superbad/Pineapple Express combo film, with the movies' directors each taking on half of the movie. Franco mused about the plot, "Somehow the kids get in trouble and we have to get them out of it. And Seth plays characters in both movies, so somehow we'd have to kill one of them off."

I have to say, it's a funny image to consider: Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Cera) — and of course Fogell/McLovin (Christopher Mintz-Plasse)! — on a hilariously ill-fated adventure alongside the bromantic stoners Dale (Seth Rogen) and Saul (Franco) — and Red (Danny McBride)! But just a straight sequel with the Superbad kids would also be pretty funny. Which idea do you like better?

Photos courtesy of Sony Pictures

All of the new DVD releases hit stores (and Netflix) on Tuesdays. So each week in What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday, I sort through the best of the batch and tell you what to add to your queue. In addition to the selections below you can also take home Battlestar Galactica: Season Four and Righteous Kill.

Pineapple Express
You guys, Pineapple Express is not just a stoner movie, OK? James Franco was nominated for a Golden Globe for his work! This is award-worthy stuff! I kid, I kid. But it is funny to me that Franco is up for a serious award for playing a pot dealer who has lines like, "Pandora can't go back into the box — he only comes out."

This movie was a lot of fun to see in the theaters and as a DVD it will probably get the most play in dorm rooms, frat houses, and 20-something apartments across the nation. Seth Rogen and James Franco are a match made in stoner heaven, but be warned: The movie is actually pretty graphically violent (just a heads-up if that's a buzzkill for you).

Special features include an extended version of the film, commentary with the filmmakers and cast, and of course, the gag reel.

Three more up next so read more

Even though Tropic Thunder is technically No. 1 this weekend, The Dark Knight is still being called the biggest winner because it is "the second highest grossing pic of all time after Titanic domestically." Ben Stiller's comedy earned an estimated $26 million while the Batman sequel took in $16.7 million and has a total gross of $471.5 million.

The rest of the top 10 was shaken up a bit as well this weekend: Star Wars: The Clone Wars came in third place, followed by the horror flick Mirrors at No. 4 and Pineapple Express rounded out the top five.

Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona opened this weekend at No. 10, and the new 3-D animated flick Fly Me to the Moon came in at No. 11.

Photos courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Interestingly, neither a BFF movie nor a stoner action-comedy could dethrone The Dark Knight in its fourth weekend. Having already surpassed the $400 million mark in domestic ticket sales, the superhero movie pulled in another $26 million over the weekend.

According to Variety, the movie has now taken the place of Shrek 2 to "become the third highest domestic grosser of all time with a cume of $441.5 million. It’s expected to beat Star Wars in the next week before finally settling at No. 2."

Pineapple Express came in second place with $22.4 million (however, it has earned a total of $40.4 million since it opened last Wednesday), followed by The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor in third, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 in fourth, and Step Brothers in fifth place.

What do you think? Will The Dark Knight score five weeks in a row at No. 1?

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

• The Hollywood Reporter has the news that Martin Scorsese is in talks with HBO to direct a dramatic pilot titled Boardwalk Empire. Scorsese is already a producer for the upcoming show about Atlantic City gamblers in the 1920s.
• According to Variety, Pineapple Express had the best Wednesday opening ever for August. The comedy took in $12.1 million.
• Regis Philbin is following in the footsteps of Britney Spears and is set to appear on the second episode of the upcoming season of How I Met Your Mother, Entertainment Weekly says.
• The reunited Police closed its tour, the last live show ever for the band, last night in New York, reports Billboard.
• The AP reports that Philip Seymour Hoffman is slated to direct a play in London later this year. The play, Riflemind, is about a rock band reuniting after a 20-year split. Sounds a lot like The Police!
• Reuters reports that Hollywood producer Bernie Brillstein died last night of lung disease at the age of 77. He was best known for his work on The Blues Brothers and Happy Gilmore fame.
• Pitchfork has the scoop on the soundtrack for the upcoming Michael Cera film Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. Vampire Weekend is collaborating with a member of Devo for the project. Awesome.

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The Pineapple Express pulled up to NYC night for another big red carpet premiere. This time the boys Seth Rogen and James Franco kept it casual and grin-filled for the cameras. As a special treat for us, Lipstick Jungle cutie Robert Buckley came out for the screening — yummy. The movie, which hits theaters today in case you want some midweek laughs, has been getting some pretty good reviews, including from Buzz, who found it to be enjoyable no matter your, uh, mindframe.

To see more from the premiere including Rosie Perez, Judd Apatow, Judah Friedlander, Michael Strahan, and others, just read more

How much you enjoy Pineapple Express may depend more on how charmed you are by the chemistry between James Franco and Seth Rogen and less on how funny you find pot jokes. Don't get me wrong, marijuana jokes abound in this comedy written by Rogen and his frequent collaborator Evan Goldberg, and they are funny. But I was surprised by how much more Pineapple Express falls into the category of buddy movies like Lethal Weapon, rather than the stoner category like Half Baked. I guess I'll put it this way: You don't have to be high to be entertained by this.

I've been feeling fatigued by some of cinema's leading funny men these days who keep pumping out the same old comedies left and right, and Rogen's shtick is definitely pushing it for me. But I was pleasantly surprised to see how well he plays the straight man (no pun intended) to Franco's snuggly drug dealer. They strike a hilariously delightful chemistry together, which I kind of didn't want to end. But there's more going on here besides the two lead actors. To see why I think the director of this movie was a cool choice and which scene-stealer I think earns himself a place in the Apatow kingdom, read more

It wasn't just the usual crew of Apatow boys at last night's LA premiere of Pineapple Express. Established and legendary Jim Carrey and Jenny McCarthy came out to support the younger crew of funny kids while fashion icon (and seriously loving it!) Kanye West also made his way to the screening. Of course, the stars of the movies themselves James Franco and Seth Rogen, meandered down the red carpet all cleaned up, handsome and fancy looking. This high (heh) comedy brings the laughs when it hits theaters next Wednesday.

To see a lot more from the premiere including Daniel Craig, James Franco, Alicia Silverstone, Jonah Hill, Amanda Peet, Judd Apatow, Emile Hirsch and many others, just read more