Two laughs and a scream

By Faheem Ahmed     8/28/08 7:00pm

Just a few years ago, the comedic stage belonged to the super-duo of director Adam Mackay (Anchorman) and chubby funnyman Will Ferrell (Talladega Nights). Since then, they have had to make way for the hilarious antics of Seth Rogen (Knocked Up), another fat white guy, and director-producer extraordinaire Judd Apatow (Step Brothers), yet another out-of-shape white guy. Hmm, I wonder why the target audience for this genre is so huge.

The Forty-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up and Superbad have become instant classics of our generation; cinematic flicks in which Apatow makes us not only root for the nerds, losers and underdogs, but also envy them. After I saw the first trailer for Pineapple Express, my mouth literally salivated, and not due to the munchies.

Also, is it just me or could you not get M.I.A's "Paper Planes" out of your head? Pump that song and everyone will start dancing. I played it so loudly in my car the other day that the old lady at the bus stop started grinding with a trash can. But then again, she might have just been senile.

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This action-comedy follows the adventures of Rogen, a subpoena server, and James Franco (SpiderMan), his nutty and lonely pot dealer. My favorite part of the movie is Franco's description of the origins of Pineapple Express, reportedly one of the most potent strains of marijuana on the planet. Surprisingly, Franco turns in an impressive and hilarious performance, whereas Rogen's character seems like . well, like Seth Rogen in every movie he's been in. I thought the first two-thirds of this film were hilarious, with the characters doing everything from getting lost in the woods to being arrested by elementary school security.

The last leg of the journey is where Pineapple Express falls on its face. The film loses its levity and degenerates into gratuitous and pointless violence, as Apatow showers the screen with bad explosions and cheesy blood splatters. Also, I don't understand why these guys think Danny McBride (The Heartbreak Kid) is funny. He fulfills the criteria of a fat, white guy, but he fails to make me laugh.

Overall, Apatow's signature has been the endings of his movies. His previous films make us laugh hysterically at the absurd events that lead to an ending steeped in poignancy and realism. Pineapple Express burns brightly for the first hit, but is just straight ash for the second.

I'm a huge sucker for horror movies. I can't get enough of them! The thrill, the chill, the suspense, the rising action . Okay, fine, so I only watch horror movies so that girls will grab me during the scary parts. With that said, it's been a long time since Hollywood has released an original horror film that isn't a diced-up Japanese remake. The keys to a great horror movie lie in subtlety (don't reveal the actual monster, just elude to the idea of the monster), excellent acting and a strong plot. Favorite examples include The Ring, The Descent and the original Halloween. Does Mirrors fit the bill?

Jack Bauer - er, I mean Kiefer Sutherland (24) - plays an alcoholic former police officer, fallen from grace, who now works the night shift as a security guard. His workplace is an abandoned department store, destroyed by a fire. After the lurking images in the store's mirrors have attacked him, the evil follows him across town to attack his family.

Although director Alexandra Aja (High Tension) manages to elevate the suspense and induce a few startles, the film ultimately ends in shambles with an over-dramatic ending that isn't at all scary. One of the film's best aspects is its sprawling set design by Joseph Nemec III (The Hills Have Eyes). The building is definitely dark and exudes evil and malevolence.

The opening of this film is one of the most original and hilarious concepts I've witnessed, poking fun at the endless stream of commercials and previews that precede a movie in the theater. Since when did I need to buy herpes medicine for my dog? Those stupid commercials. Following the brilliant introduction of the movie's stars, we enter the set of a typical action film.

The action begins after a group of over-pampered, egomaniacal actors threatens to tank the production of Tropic Thunder, a story inspired by Vietnam vet Tayback (Cape Fear's Nick Nolte). The director puts the spoiled Hollywood stars in a helicopter and drops them in the middle of the Myanmar jungle.

Tugg Speedman (The Heartbreak Kid's Ben Stiller) is the fading star of the Scorcher films, a blatant satire of the ridiculous sequels churned out by Hollywood. Jack Black (King Kong) plays Jeff Portnoy, an obnoxious comedian famous for farting and double-acting, who claims Eddie Murphy is a hack. Finally, Robert Downey, Jr. (Iron Man) plays Kirk Lazarus, an Australian actor who has won numerous Oscars and takes method acting way too far. While the action in this movie is over-the-top, its biting commentary on the movie industry is hilarious.

The acting varies. On one hand, Black's comedic portrayal of a drug-addicted actor is pitiful. He comes across as loud, annoying and disgusting. On the other hand, Downey's role as an actor who has received controversial surgery to play a black character steals the show. "I'm a lead farmer!" is just one of his numerous quote-worthy lines that people will be repeating throughout the nation's dorms and offices. In addition to Downey, the performance that absolutely sent the audience into tears of laughter belonged to none other than Tom Cruise.

That's right. "I'm an alien-humping, star-dwelling maniac" Tom Cruise. Cruise's agent should be paid millions of dollars for landing him this part. If anything could save a career rapidly in decline, it is his role as Les Grossman, a crazy movie executive who would eat a baby if it earned him a dollar.

Overall, Tropic Thunder is a surprisingly deep comedy, though thirty minutes too long, and director Ben Stiller does a decent job of keeping these stars together in his rag-tag band of soldiers. Basically, you should go check it out.

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