Image Credit: Bryan Bedder/Getty ImagesIt’s impossible to know how a movie will turn out, but based solely on the names involved, next summer’s comedy 30 Minutes or Less could make for a tasty night at the cinema. According to Variety, Jesse Eisenberg has joined Aziz Ansari and Danny McBride in the film, which is about criminals who force a pizza delivery man to rob a bank…in 30 minutes or less. The film’s directed by Eisenberg’s Zombieland helmer, Ruben Fleisher. 30 Minutes seems to have all the right ingredients to become a great comedy. By which I mean, it’s about pizza.
Pizza has a uniquely fantastic history in pop culture. It’s a symbol of barely repressed racial issues in Do the Right Thing. It’s the secret weapon and sole vice of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It’s the inspiration for a classic Sesame Street song, sung here by a dead-eyed Elmo doll. Dean Martin was known to claim that, if the moon happens to hit your eye like a big pizza pie, then that is what the Italians call amore. One of the best minigames in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City had you delivering pizzas.
But when it comes to pizza in pop culture, Spaceballs reigns supreme. The brief but pivotal appearance of Pizza the Hut gets my vote for Best Pizza Moment because, even though the puppet looks ridiculously grotesque, it still makes me feel very, very hungry. Mmm, greasy pizza…
What’s your favorite appearance by pizza, PopWatchers? And are you excited about 30 Minutes or Less?
Not sure, but this movie sounds great. I love Jesse Eisenberg.
My favorite pizza moment is the scene in My Best Friend’s Girl where he takes a date to a religious-themed pizza parlor called Cheeses Crust.
Mystic Pizza! It looks so good. I’d still like to know what’s in that sauce.
Mystic Pizza for sure and the new Eat, Pray , Love should have a good pizza scene if they use the book properly. Yum-O
Fast Times At Ridgemont High…nothing wrong with having a little pizza on our time.
Seconded
Can’t wait! This movie is actually filming in my hometown, soooooo excited for it to hit the big screen!
what about pizza as a way to discuss abortion in seinfeld
is it me, or is Jesse Eisenberg turning out to be a fantastic actor? The guy was amazing in The Squid and the Whale, and continues to amaze me with the roles he gets. And he has grown up in the past few years. I believe he will end up getting an Oscar before my days are done. Movie sounds hilarious btw.
Gleaming the Cube starring Christian Slater. Tony Hawk is driving the Pizza Hut delivery truck while chasing the bad guys! There’s a barrage of skaters all around him and they are just fearless! Man, I love that movie!
ELMO FTW.
The director of Zombieland? Danny McBride?! I’m there!!
Not just Mystic Pizza, but Jenna Mulroney performing in Mystic Pizza the Musical on 30 Rock. She ate four slices a performance and got fat because of it. So good.
Toy Story!! I want to go to Pizza Planet so bad
Walt throwing the pizza on the roof in Breaking Bad.
Having the movie being made right outside my office, is exciting! GR is a great city, and very glad they picked this location! I hope we can see some of main actors in normal mode…well maybe not..