Must See James Franco Projects
New fan of James Franco? Wondering what his best projects are, and what you should check out first? I've compiled a list of my favorite James projects, and why you should check them out:) Please be warned, the following list may contain spoilers! I've tried to be as vague as possible, but I just wanted to warn for potential spoilers!
1. Freaks and Geeks
2. James Dean
3. Spider-Man Series
4. Tristan + Isolde
1. Freaks and Geeks: Daniel Desario (TV Series)
If you're new to James' work, this is the first thing you should check out. This critically acclaimed, but short lived tv series is some of James' best work. He stars as Daniel Desario, the "too-cool-for-school" freak, who befriends Linsday Weir, played by Linda Cardellini. James plays Daniel perfectly. On the surface, Daniel is just a freak who spends most of his time getting stoned, playing with his band, making out with his girlfriend, and oh yea, doesn't give a shit what people think of him. But, there is so much more to the character, and it's pretty hard not to love Daniel from the getgo. He's very funny, he has real affection for his girlfriend, and he does care about more than getting stoned. Most importantly, Daniel is realistic. He's also unlike any character James has played since then.
But really, this show is worth buying. It's honestly one of the best TV series to ever air, and it's a shame NBC never gave it a chance to find it's audience. The characters and plotlines are real, and I think everyone can connect to a character on this show. It's one of Judd Apatow's earlier projects, who is now known for his very successfull comedies, The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up. The cast is fantastic, featuring Jason Segel, Linda Linda Cardellini, Martin Starr, Seth Rogen, Busy Philipps and John Francis Daley. I've forced pretty much all of my friends into watching this series, and they're all addicted to it. By far my favorite James Franco project, and worth your time!
2. James Dean: James Dean (TV Movie)
This is the made-for-tv movie (by TNT), about the life of James Dean. James Franco plays the late actor, and it's one of the best performances of his career. James won a Golden Globe for this performance, and was also nominated for an Emmy. If you've ever seen a James Dean movie, then you know how wonderful James Franco is in this role. He simply becomes James Dean, and it's absolutely amazing to watch. It helps that James looks remarkably like the late actor to begin with, but he really throws himself into this role. It's hard not to become not just a James Franco fan, but a James Dean fan as well, after watching this movie. It's a great film, and by far one of James' best performances.
3. Spider-Man Series: Harry Osborn (Film)
This is the first role that I saw James Franco in, and while it's not my all time favorite role of his, it's still one of his best performances. The character of Harry Osborn grows and develops through all 3 films. Harry is more lighthearted and funny in the first film, but becomes more angsty in the second film. James has wonderful chemistry with both Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst, which makes Harry's relationships with MJ and Peter that more believable. His best performance in the series is in the third Spider-Man film. James shows a wonderful range in the film, and his performance is one of the most enjoyable in the movie. The entire series is a really wonderful film trilogy, and worthwhile a watch by any James fan.
4. Tristan + Isolde: Tristan (Film)
Unlike the other projects on this list, I don't find this film as enjoyable as the others. While James is pretty fantastic in it, the film is pretty much an "eh" film. However, if you're watching it simply for James Franco, then it is well worth your time. James is really good as Tristan. His guilt over his love for Isolde, and the estrangement he feels is heartbreaking. For me, it wasn't so much the love story, but the relationship between Tristan and Marke that made this movie worthwhile. Tristan wins Isolde for Marke, who raised Tristan after his father's death. Marke cares more for Tristan than his own son, and that's what makes the entire story so sad. James is really fantastic in this film, and if you can make it through the rest of the movie, it's worth a viewing.