What it is:
The latest bro-mance from team Apatow (the guys who brought us Superbad, Knocked Up and The 40-Year-Old Virgin), Pineapple Express is the story of Dale Denton (Seth Rogan) and Saul Silver (James Franco), a pothead and his dealer who accidentally get caught up in a drug war between two gangs with some corrupt cops, high-school girls and small-time henchmen thrown in for good measure. At its core, Pineapple Express is a stoner comedy–a tale of two semi-slow giggling and loveable idiots in way over their heads–this formula has made for some entertaining comedy over the years, Cheech and Chong’s Up in Smoke and Dave Chappell’s Half Baked being two of the best examples. What sets Pineapple Express apart from these silly classics however, is the consistency of the humor, the perfect chemistry between Rogan and Franco and the giddily ridiculous action sequences (and the fact that even mild intoxication is not required to enjoy the humor). The movie retains the sweetness that is present in most of Apatow’s films, making the characters’ poor choices and ultra-violent actions somehow justifiable, or at least relatable. The site gags, pop-culture references and perfectly timed non-sequiturs only enhance the hilarity.

Why it’s Significant: Because it was time for a semi-grown up Superbad. Because James Franco is so good and perfect as this character that he’s been nominated for a Golden Globe. Because it’s nice to see David Gorden Green (phenomenally talented director of All the Real Girls, Snow Angels) make a movie that’s not totally depressing.  Because you don’t have to be a stoner to find this movie hilarious.