Stoner comedies are a dime a dozen, from “Cheech and Chong”
to “Harold and Kumar,” so it seems only natural that Judd Apatow would sink his
teeth into the postpsychedelic genre with old “Freaks and Geeks” pals James
Franco and Seth Rogen in “Pineapple Express.” Rogen stars as corporate
ne’er-do-well/hash enthusiast Dale Denton, who inadvertently witnesses a mob
murder and goes on the run with chronically chroniced dealer Saul (Franco),
bearer of modern science marvel Pineapple Express, a strategically bred brand
of herb.

Word on the street pegs this as Apatow’s best production
since “Superbad,” and it’s nice to see Rogen play the straight man next to
Franco’s zealously over-the-top Saul, and the pair is simultaneously freaked
out by murderous hitmen on their trail and stoked that they get to blast guns
like action heroes. Cinephiles will note that indie auteur David Gordon Green,
known mostly for his beautifully masterful slice-of-life dramas “Undertow” and
“All the Real Girls,” is helming “Pineapple Express” as his first big budget project,
an oddly brilliant move on Team Apatow’s part. His goal: make a film that
reminds you of all those great cheesy 1980s action comedies. And yes, that
includes a theme song by “Hip to Be a Square” troubadour Huey Lewis. August 8.