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James Franco

James Franco
Best known for his breakthrough starring role on "Freaks and Geeks" (1999), James Franco was born in Palo Alto, California on April 19, 1978. Growing up with his two younger brothers, James graduated from Palo Alto High School in 1996 and went on to attend UCLA, majoring in English. To overcome his shyness, he got into acting while studying there, which, much to his parents' dismay, he left after only one year. After fifteen months of intensive study at Robert Carnegie's Playhouse West, James began actively pursuing his dream of finding work as an actor in Hollywood. In that short time, he landed himself a starring role on "Freaks and Geeks" (1999). The show, however, was not a hit to its viewers at the time, and was canceled after its first year. Now, it has become a cult-hit. Prior to joining "Freaks and Geeks" (1999), Franco starred in the TV miniseries "To Serve and Protect" (1999). After that, he had a starring role in Whatever It Takes (2000).

Although he'd been working steadily, it wasn't until the TNT made-for-television movie, James Dean (2001) (TV) that James rose to fan-magazine fame and got to show off his talent. Since then, he has been working non-stop. After losing the lead role to Tobey Maguire, James settled for the part of "Harry Osborne", Spider-Man's best friend in the summer 2002 major hit Spider-Man (2002). He returned to the Osborne role for the next two films in the trilogy.

Next was Deuces Wild (2002) and City by the Sea (2002), in which Robert De Niro personally had him cast, after viewing his performance in James Dean (2001) (TV). He was recently seen in David Gordon Green's Pineapple Express (2008) opposite Seth Rogen, in George C. Wolfe's Nights in Rodanthe (2008), starring Richard Gere and Diane Lane and in Paul Haggis' In the Valley of Elah (2007), starring Tommy Lee Jones. Also starring opposite Sean Penn in Gus Van Sant's Milk (2008/I) in which his performance earned him an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actor. Definitely growing out of his shyness, James Franco is turning into a legend of his own.



News | What members say | Filmography

James Franco - news / articles


  • James Franco films new version of Cruising - 24 August 2012
    -James Franco is preparing to go gay once more in a new project based on filmmaker William Friedkin's controversial movie Cruising.-The actor, who played Sean Penn's character's lover in Milk, has been inspired to shoot his own version of the 1980 film, which starred


  • Franco to play Mapplethorpe - 13 January 2012
    -James Franco has been cast as celebrated and controversial photographer and artist Robert Mapplethorpe in a new biopic.-It's not the first time the 127 Hours actor has signed up to play a famous homosexual on the big screen - he played beat poet Allen Ginsberg in How


  • Franco: 'Oscars should recognise Serkis' - 29 December 2011
    -Former Oscars host James Franco has urged Academy Awards voters to seriously consider his Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes co-star Andy Serkis for a Best Actor prize - because the work the Brit is doing with motion capture animation is amazing.-Serkis shot to fame when

James Franco - what members say


  • Spider-Man
  • Spider-Man review by A customer from Newcastle
    Rated - 5.0 stars EXCELLENT, MUST SEE MOVIE! 17 May 2004
    ...MJ [ Mary Jane's short name] while this goes on his best friend Harry Osborne [ James Franco]'s father Norman Osborne [ Willem Dafoe]has signed contract for an extro- skele...   Read customer review
  • Spider-Man 2
  • Spider-Man 2 review by from London
    Rated - 5.0 stars Outstanding superhero sequel 25 September 2004
    ...e even harder for Peter Parker(Tobey Maguire) by the fact that his friend Harry(James Franco) wants Spider-Man dead and the love of his life Mary-Jane is about to tie the k...   Read customer review
  • James Dean
  • James Dean review by biscuitbuscemi from Ossett
    Rated - 4.0 stars The story of a fascinating life, well told 13 February 2009
    ...James Franco looks eerily similar to James Dean - though his interpretation of the troubled young actor would've carried him through regardless. To those familiar with the...   Read customer review

James Franco - filmography


  • Oz - The Great and Powerful (2013)
    Starring: James Franco,  Michelle Williams,  Rachel Weisz
    Director: Sam Raimi
    Certificate: Certificate: TBC
    Fantasy adventure directed by Sam Raimi. Acting as a prequel to the much-loved classic 'The Wizard of Oz' (1939), the film explores how the titular hero, Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a largely unsuccessful circus magician in Kansas, may have found his way to the Land of Oz and his early days in the ..read more »
    3.5 stars out of 5 70% from 218 members
    Due for release on 1st July 2013
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  • This Is the End (2013)
    Starring: Seth Rogen,  Jonah Hill,  Jay Baruchel
    Director: Evan Goldberg,  Seth Rogen
    Certificate: Certificate: TBC
    Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen direct this comedy action movie in which a number of Hollywood stars, including Rogen himself, play fictionalised versions of themselves facing up to the apocalypse. When Rogen, Jonah Hill, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride and Craig Robinson attend a party at James Franco's ..read more »
    3.5 stars out of 5 69% from 12 members
    Currently unavailable
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  • About Cherry (2012)
    Starring: Ashley Hinshaw,  Lili Taylor,  James Franco
    Director: Stephen Elliott
    Certificate: Certificate: 18
    A drama centered on a troubled young woman who moves to San Francisco, where she gets involved in pornography and aligns herself with a cocaine-addicted lawyer.
    3 stars out of 5 No ratings yet. Be the first.
    Due for release on 9th September 2013
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  • Spring Breakers (2012)
    Starring: James Franco,  Selena Gomez,  Ashley Benson
    Director: Harmony Korine,  Harmony Korine
    Certificate: Certificate: 18
    This adrenaline-pumping must-see film of the year follows teen tearaways, Brit (Ashley Benson), Candy (Vanessa Hudgens), Cotty (Rachel Korine) and Faith (Selena Gomez) who hold up a restaurant with toy guns to fund their trip to Florida for two wild weeks of sexy fun and sun-drenched partying at ‘..read more »
    3.5 stars out of 5 70% from 108 members
    Currently unavailable
  • Your Highness on DVD (2011)
    Starring: Charles Dance,  Noah Huntley,  Rasmus Hardiker
    Director: David Gordon Green
    Certificate: Certificate: 15
    Throughout history, tales of chivalry have burnished the legends of brave, handsome knights who rescue fair damsels, slay dragons and conquer evil. But behind many a hero is a good-for-nothing younger brother trying just to stay out of the way of those dragons, evil and trouble in general. Danny ..read more »
    2.5 stars out of 5 52% from 10,645 members
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  • Eames - The Architect And The Painter on DVD (2011)
    Starring: James Franco
    Certificate: Certificate: Ex
    James Franco narrates this documentary about husband-and-wife design duo Charles and Ray Eames. Widely regarded as America's most important modern designers, they are perhaps best remembered for their mid 20th-century plywood and fibreglass furniture, although the Eames Office also created many ..read more »
    3.5 stars out of 5 70% from 68 members
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  • Date Night on DVD (2010)
    Starring: Steve Carell,  Tina Fey,  James Franco
    Director: Shawn Levy
    Certificate: Certificate: 15
    In New York City, a case of mistaken identity turns a bored married couple's attempt at a glamorous and romantic evening into something more thrilling and dangerous.
    3.5 stars out of 5 66% from 30,361 members
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  • 127 Hours on DVD (2010)
    Starring: James Franco,  Lizzy Caplan,  Kate Mara
    Director: Danny Boyle
    Certificate: Certificate: 15
    Watch now: Unavailable
    A mountain climber becomes trapped under a boulder while canyoneering alone near Moab, Utah and resorts to desperate measures in order to survive.
    3.5 stars out of 5 72% from 44,748 members
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  • Eat, Pray, Love on DVD (2010)
    Starring: Julia Roberts,  James Franco,  Billy Crudup
    Director: Ryan Murphy
    Certificate: Certificate: 15
    Watch now: Unavailable
    Liz Gilbert had everything a modern woman is supposed to dream of having - a husband, a house, a successful career - yet like so many others, she found herself lost, confused, and searching for what she really wanted in life. Newly divorced and at a crossroads, Gilbert steps out of her comfort zone,..read more »
    3 stars out of 5 58% from 33,340 members
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  • Eat, Pray, Love - Blu-ray (2010)
    Starring: Julia Roberts,  James Franco,  Billy Crudup
    Director: Ryan Murphy
    Certificate: Certificate: 15
    Watch now: Unavailable
    Liz Gilbert had everything a modern woman is supposed to dream of having - a husband, a house, a successful career - yet like so many others, she found herself lost, confused, and searching for what she really wanted in life. Newly divorced and at a crossroads, Gilbert steps out of her comfort zone,..read more »
    2.5 stars out of 5 54% from 6,522 members
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  • Date Night - Blu-ray (2010)
    Starring: Steve Carell,  Tina Fey,  James Franco
    Director: Shawn Levy
    Certificate: Certificate: 15
    In New York City, a case of mistaken identity turns a bored married couple's attempt at a glamorous and romantic evening into something more thrilling and dangerous.
    3.5 stars out of 5 65% from 4,777 members
    Currently unavailable
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  • 127 Hours - Blu-ray (2010)
    Starring: James Franco,  Lizzy Caplan,  Kate Mara
    Director: Danny Boyle
    Certificate: Certificate: 15
    Watch now: Unavailable
    127 Hours is the true story of mountain climber Aron Ralston's (James Franco) remarkable adventure to save himself after a fallen boulder crashes on his arm and traps him in an isolated canyon in Utah. Over the next five days Ralston examines his life and survives the elements to finally discover ..read more »
    3.5 stars out of 5 73% from 371 members
    Not available for rental
  • Howl on DVD (2009)
    Starring: James Franco,  Paul Rudd,  Mary-Louise Parker
    Director: Rob Epstein,  Jeffrey Friedman
    Certificate: Certificate: 15
    Rob Epstein directs this drama based on the obscenity trial faced by Beat poet Allen Ginsberg following the publication of his poem 'Howl'. Set in 1950s San Francisco, the film stars James Franco as the young Ginsberg, who becomes a lynchpin of the Beat generation, alongside the likes of Jack ..read more »
    3 stars out of 5 59% from 2,842 members
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  • Nights in Rodanthe on DVD (2008)
    Starring: Diane Lane,  Richard Gere,  James Franco
    Director: George C. Wolfe
    Certificate: Certificate: PG
    Watch now: Unavailable
    Adrienne Willis, a woman with her life in chaos, retreats to the tiny coastal town of Rodanthe, in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, to tend to a friend's inn for the weekend. Here she hopes to find the tranquillity she so desperately needs to rethink the conflicts surrounding her-a wayward ..read more »
    3 stars out of 5 62% from 6,736 members
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  • Milk on DVD (2008)
    Starring: Sean Penn,  Josh Brolin,  Emile Hirsch
    Director: Gus Van Sant
    Certificate: Certificate: 15
    Watch now: Unavailable
    The story of California's first openly gay elected official, Harvey Milk, a San Francisco supervisor who was assassinated along with Mayor George Moscone by San Francisco Supervisor Dan White.
    4 stars out of 5 75% from 41,229 members
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  • Nights in Rodanthe - Blu-ray (2008)
    Starring: Diane Lane,  Scott Glenn,  Mae Whitman
    Director: George C. Wolfe
    Certificate: Certificate: PG
    Watch now: Unavailable
    Romantic drama starring Richard Gere and Diane Lane. Adrienne Willis (Lane) retreats to the small coastal town of Rodanthe in North Carolina to take stock of her life and decide whether or not to continue with her unhappy marriage. The only other resident at her guest house is Dr Paul Flanner (Gere)..read more »
    3 stars out of 5 61% from 638 members
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  • Milk - Blu-ray (2008)
    Starring: Sean Penn,  Josh Brolin,  Emile Hirsch
    Director: Gus Van Sant
    Certificate: Certificate: 15
    Watch now: Unavailable
    The story of California's first openly gay elected official, Harvey Milk, a San Francisco supervisor who was assassinated along with Mayor George Moscone by San Francisco Supervisor Dan White.
    3.5 stars out of 5 73% from 5,636 members
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  • In the Valley of Elah on DVD (2007)
    Starring: Tommy Lee Jones,  Charlize Theron,  Jason Patric
    Director: Paul Haggis
    Certificate: Certificate: 15
    Watch now: Included in all packages with LOVEFiLM Instant
    A career officer (Jones) and his wife (Sarandon) work with a police detective (Theron) to uncover the truth behind their son's disappearance following his return from a tour of duty in Iraq.
    3.5 stars out of 5 68% from 38,503 members
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  • Camille (2007)
    Starring: Ed Lauter,  Scott Glenn,  Sienna Miller
    Director: Gregory Mackenzie
    Certificate: Certificate: TBC
    A twisted love story of a young couple on their way to to the Niagra Falls for their honeymoon. Silas Parker is a moody petty-thief who marries his parole officer's niece, wanting to use the honeymoon as an opportunity to escape to Canada. Camille Foster is a sweetheart and truly believes Niagara ..read more »
    2.5 stars out of 5 54% from 15 members
    Currently unavailable
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  • Good Time Max on DVD (2007)
    Starring: Molly Cheek,  Madalyn Lest,  Bailey Hughes
    Director: James Franco
    Certificate: Certificate: 15
    Watch now: Unavailable
    Actor James Franco co-writes, stars in and directs this stunning drama about two intellectually brothers; Max (James Franco) and Adam (Matt Bell) who take drastically different courses in life. With Adam evolves into a successful doctor career while Max leads a roller-coaster, drug-fueled existence...read more »
    2.5 stars out of 5 50% from 42 members
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  • Spider-Man 3 - Blu-ray (2007)
    Starring: Thomas Haden Church,  Tobey Maguire,  James Cromwell
    Director: Sam Raimi
    Certificate: Certificate: 12
    Three years on from the previous blockbuster, Marvel comic book character Spider-Man returns in his latest adventure. Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) and his girl Mary-Jane (Kirsten Dunst) are on the cusp of contentment - but not for long. His ex-friend Harry (James Franco), son of the Green Goblin of ..read more »
    3 stars out of 5 64% from 6,487 members
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  • The Dead Girl on DVD (2006)
    Starring: Toni Collette,  Piper Laurie,  Don Smith
    Director: Karen Moncrieff
    Certificate: Certificate: 15
    Teen horror starring Shiloh Fernanderz and Noah Segan. While cutting class one day, teenage misfits Rickie and JT (Fernandez and Segan) find themselves in the derelict remains of an abandoned hospital. There they make a gruesome and unnerving discovery: a woman, naked, chained and covered in ..read more »
    3 stars out of 5 56% from 1,603 member
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  • Flyboys on DVD (2006)
    Starring: Scott Hazell,  Mac McDonald,  Philip Winchester
    Director: Tony Bill
    Certificate: Certificate: 12
    The adventures of the Lafayette Escadrille, young Americans who volunteered for the French military before the U.S. entered World War I, and became the country's first fighter pilots.
    3 stars out of 5 63% from 5,829 members
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  • Tristan & Isolde - Blu-ray (2006)
    Starring: James Franco,  Sophia Myles,  Rufus Sewell
    Director: Kevin Reynolds
    Certificate: Certificate: 12
    Action adventure set after the fall of the Roman Empire. The warlords of England are brutally kept in line by the forces of Irish King Donnchadh (David O'Hara). One of these leaders, Lord Marke (Rufus Sewell), seeks to unite the English tribes to form one strong nation to rule itself. His greatest ..read more »
    3 stars out of 5 No ratings yet. Be the first.
    Due for release on 26th July 2013
  • Annapolis on DVD (2006)
    Starring: Jordana Brewster,  Roger Fan,  Chi McBride
    Director: Justin Lin
    Certificate: Certificate: 12
    James Franco stars in this coming-of-age military drama as Jake Huard. Coming from an impoverished background, Jake sets his sights on entering the exclusive Annapolis naval academy, where he is soon pushed to the limit of his endurance by ruthless training officer Lieutenant Cole (Tyrese Gibson). ..read more »
    3 stars out of 5 60% from 3,193 members
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  • Flyboys - Blu-ray (2006)
    Starring: Scott Hazell,  Jean Reno,  Todd Boyce
    Director: Tony Bill
    Certificate: Certificate: 12
    World War I action adventure focusing on America's first fighter pilots. The year is 1917, and the war is not going well for the allies. Although America has refused to enter the conflict, some of its more altruistic young men decide to take action. Blair Rawlings (James Franco) abandons his ranch ..read more »
    3 stars out of 5 63% from 1,033 member
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  • The Great Raid - Blu-ray (2005)
    Starring: Natalie Jackson Mendoza,  Dale Dye,  Craig McLachlan
    Director: John Dahl
    Certificate: Certificate: 15
    Watch now: Unavailable
    War drama based on the novel 'The Great Raid on Cabanatuan' by William B. Breuer. It stars Benjamin Bratt as Lt. Colonel Mucci, an offbeat military man who puts his faith in young Captain Prince (James Franco) to lead a dangerous mission to rescue 500 American POWs held prisoner by the Japanese. ..read more »
    3 stars out of 5 63% from 117 members
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  • The Great Raid on DVD (2005)
    Starring: Natalie Jackson Mendoza,  Dale Dye,  Craig McLachlan
    Director: John Dahl
    Certificate: Certificate: 15
    Watch now: Unavailable
    War drama based on the novel 'The Great Raid on Cabanatuan' by William B. Breuer. It stars Benjamin Bratt as Lt. Colonel Mucci, an offbeat military man who puts his faith in young Captain Prince (James Franco) to lead a dangerous mission to rescue 500 American POWs held prisoner by the Japanese. ..read more »
    3 stars out of 5 62% from 5,394 members
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  • Spider-Man 2 on DVD (2004)
    Starring: Daniel Gillies,  Tobey Maguire,  Willem Dafoe
    Director: Sam Raimi
    Certificate: Certificate: PG
    Two years have passed since the mild-mannered Peter Parker walked away from his longtime love Mary Jane Watson and decided to take the road to responsibility as Spider-Man. Peter must face new challenges as he struggles to cope with "the gift and the curse" of his powers while balancing his dual ..read more »
    3.5 stars out of 5 66% from 92,076 members
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  • Spider-Man 2 - Blu-ray (2004)
    Starring: Tobey Maguire,  Kirsten Dunst,  Willem Dafoe
    Director: Sam Raimi
    Certificate: Certificate: PG
    Two years have passed since the mild-mannered Peter Parker walked away from his longtime love Mary Jane Watson and decided to take the road to responsibility as Spider-Man. Peter must face new challenges as he struggles to cope with "the gift and the curse" of his powers while balancing his dual ..read more »
    3.5 stars out of 5 72% from 409 members
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  • Sonny on DVD (2003)
    Starring: Brenda Blethyn,  Nicolas Cage,  Mena Suvari
    Director: Nicolas Cage
    Certificate: Certificate: 18
    Sonny Phillips has just been discharged from the Army. He returns home to run-down, gothic New Orleans before heading off to make a life for himself. The only life he's known is as a gigolo, working for his mother, but he wants to leave that behind and escape his past. The job his Army buddy ..read more »
    2.5 stars out of 5 47% from 845 members
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  • Spider-Man on DVD (2002)
    Starring: Tobey Maguire,  Bruce Campbell,  Willem Dafoe
    Director: Sam Raimi
    Certificate: Certificate: 12
    Blockbuster movie adaptation of the Marvel comic strip. When high-school student Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is bitten by a genetically-altered spider while on a visit to a scientific institute, he soon begins to experience unusual side-effects - such as increased strength, enhanced wall-climbing ..read more »
    3.5 stars out of 5 69% from 58,623 members
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  • City by the Sea on DVD (2002)
    Starring: Eliza Dushku,  Frances McDormand,  William Forsythe
    Director: Michael Caton-Jones
    Certificate: Certificate: 18
    Watch now: Unavailable
    New York City homicide detective Vincent LaMarca has forged a long and distinguished career in law enforcement, making a name for himself as a man intensely committed to his work. But on his latest case, the stakes are higher for Vincent - the suspect he's investigating is his own son, Joey. ..read more »
    3 stars out of 5 58% from 2,523 members
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  • Spider-Man - Blu-ray (2002)
    Starring: Tobey Maguire,  Bruce Campbell,  Willem Dafoe
    Director: Sam Raimi
    Certificate: Certificate: 12
    Blockbuster movie adaptation of the Marvel comic strip. When high-school student Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is bitten by a genetically-altered spider while on a visit to a scientific institute, he soon begins to experience unusual side-effects - such as increased strength, enhanced wall-climbing ..read more »
    3.5 stars out of 5 71% from 401 members
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  • James Dean (2001)
    Starring: Valentina Cervi,  Michael Moriarty,  James Franco
    Director: Mark Rydell
    Certificate: Certificate: 12
    Biopic of the legendary 1950s film star. Directed by Mark Rydell ('On Golden Pond'), and starring James Franco as the tortured star, the film traces his rise to fame, his intense ambition to succeed as an actor, his affair with the actress Pier Angeli (Valentina Cervi), and shows how his ..read more »
    3.5 stars out of 5 66% from 170 members
    Currently unavailable
  • Whatever It Takes on DVD (2000)
    Starring: Marla Sokoloff,  Shane West,  Jodi Lyn O'Keefe
    Director: David Raynr
    Certificate: Certificate: 15
    Teenage version of 'Cyrano de Bergerac' in which two guys team up to get the girls of their dreams. Ryan (Shane West) agrees to introduce the gorgeous football star Chris (James Franco) to his best friend Maggie (Marla Sokoloff) on the condition that Chris will help him meet the beautiful Ashley (..read more »
    3 stars out of 5 56% from 669 members
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James Franco facts

5 most recent films

Oz - The Great and Powerful - 3.5 stars
This Is the End - 3.5 stars
Oz - The Great and Powerful - Blu-ray - 3.5 stars
About Cherry - 3 stars
Spring Breakers - Blu-ray - 3 stars

5 highest-rated films

Freaks and Geeks - The Complete Series - 4.5 stars
Rise of the Planet of the Apes - Blu-ray - 4.0 stars
An American Crime - 4.0 stars
Rise of the Planet of the Apes - 4.0 stars
Milk - 4.0 stars

5 lowest-rated films

Tristan & Isolde - Blu-ray - 3 stars
About Cherry - 3 stars
Spring Breakers - Blu-ray - 3 stars
Good Time Max - 2.5 stars
Camille - 2.5 stars

Most frequent co-stars

Tobey Maguire - 7 times - show films
Kirsten Dunst - 7 times - show films
Josh Brolin - 6 times - show films
Danny McBride - 5 times - show films
Brian Lally - 4 times - show films

Most frequent directors

Sam Raimi - 10 times - show films
John Dahl - 4 times - show films
David Gordon Green - 4 times - show films
Paul Haggis - 3 times - show films
Danny Boyle - 3 times - show films