"It's possible that "Pineapple Express" is much funnier if you're totally baked."

Um, isn't that the point of stoner comedies? I understand your criticisms, but aren't you being a little too hard on a movie that is directly aimed at potheads?

You're points are taken, but don't you have to ask yourself, "will the film work for its intended audience?" With stoner comedies, I'm not sure the bar is set too high ;)

This is the funniest thing I've seen in the political world in some time: A buffalo chip is colliquial for COW DUNG. Some call it bull shit.

Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce Mr. and Mrs. BullShit: John and Cindy McCain!

On the other hand, perhaps this is part of McCain's energy policy: in many parts of the world cow dung is used for heat and electricity. As Ms. Buffalo chip, Cindy McCain would certainly have a significant bully pulpit to preach the value and resourcefulness of burning cow crap! LOL!

I spelled colloquial wrong.

Good point. That's why these type of movies do so well when released on DVD.

Interesting topic. I wonder how many others we can come up with. Some fit better than others; this should be an interesting discussion. A few I can think of:

Maggie Gyllenhal in "Stranger than Fiction."

Angie Dickenson in "Rio Brovo." (of course Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, and Walter Brennan also play a type of MPDG for the Duke too--hmmm...)

Grace Kelly in "Rear Window"

Jennifer Aniston in both "Along came Polly" and "Office Space"

The more I think about it, the more it seems like a perverse semi-reversal of classic male hero/damsel-in-distress tropes (think "Officer and a Gentleman," "The Quiet Man," or the generic image of the girl tied to the railroad tracks, the male hero racing on horseback to save her). In those type of films the male hero saves the woman and incorporates her into his life--he is the powerful and dominant figure who sets the terms of their future life together. With the MPDG archetype, the male protagonist is conversely saved by the woman. However he is saved in order that he may gain power and control. The male character's life still takes primacy. It is a neat 21st century post-feminist trick of giving the female character the illusion of power. But that power is all in service to a whiny vampiric male hero. We've traded John Wayne for Zach Braff. Essentially they're the same self-centered hero.

(Say what you will about the Duke, but at least he had John Ford and Howard Hawks).

X. Hutman wrote: "I disagree that Grace Kelly is a MPDG in "Rear Window." She's not artsy, she's into the latest fashions, and she's pressuring Jimmy Stewart to get married."

I too was a little unsure about this one. The Stewart/Kelly characters are complicated. I figured someone would challenge me on it. Think about Kelly's character in the context of the '50's. She's an independent sophisticate. She has an important job in the fashion world (I suppose that's kind of artsy). She is attempting to rescue him--to civilize him. But she can only do this through his desires, whether it be through the Stewart character's obsession or his lifestyle. She risks her life, acting as his surrogate, for him. In the end she has to convince him that she can live his lifestyle. His lifestyle is seen as important and serious. Her desires and wants are fine with Stewart's character, as long as she doesn't impose them on him.

On the other hand, her character is constantly seen as a threat to Stewart's manhood and independence. He is portrayed as impotent. Much has been written about this. The woman portrayed simultaneously as threat and savior. Perhaps the dynamic is too complicated for the MPDG cliche, but in the light of the 50's it seems worth contemplating.

Oh, one more MPDG: Minnie Driver in "Grosse Point Blank."

I too do not understand this attitude of pretending not to like an artist because he/she is deemed unhip (well, I like a lot of jambands, so perhaps I'm hardened against hipster validation).

That being said I can't really get much into Bright Eyes just yet (he's still a maturing songwriter; I think he'll surprise us in 5 years or so with a flat out masterpiece).

Personally I've always thought Obersts' move to a roots influence was due to the friendship he has with Jim James from My Morning Jacket. Ironically, considering MMJ's last 2 (brilliant)albums, James and co. have already evolved into something else, something grander and more beautiful.

I started watching this thinking this has to be a joke somehow, waiting for the punchline, like zombie baby dolls eating brains or commando baby dolls with machine guns and knives. I think that would have been less creepy.