James Franco

This Is the End: Joke Book of Revelation

It all ends not with a whimper, but a dick joke.

It's Blockbuster Time: Your Guide to the Summer Movie Season

Movie by movie, here's how to get the most out of this summer without having to cake on sunscreen.

Harmony Korine Explains the "Beauty in Horror" of Spring Break

Spring Breakers' provocative director on the darkness beneath college partiers' booze, boobs and bad decisions.

Spring Breakers: Girls Gone Godard

A thrilling corruption of the Disney princess set.

The Best Concerts In Houston This Week: Alicia Keys, Maroon 5, RiFF RaFF, etc.

Alicia Keys, Miguel Toyota Center, March 18 Alicia Keys just keeps rising. The Harlem-raised soul singer and pianist has reached the peak of her profession, exuding a retro vibe and flashing her classical training while becoming a fashion-forward style trendsetter. Along the way, Keys has gone mult ... More >>

Oz the Great and Powerful

This Oz is neither great nor powerful.

RiFF RaFF and Hip-Hop's Greatest Method Rappers

There's an idea floating around in the pools of rap consciousness that most guys within the genre are merely method actors on par with Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln. Rick Ross might have already secured a few Academy Awards with his confusing portrayal of a flamboyant mafioso kingpin who dwells in mat ... More >>

Will You Be Watching the New James Franco Movie The Broken Tower?

James Franco has written, directed and starred in a new biopic, The Broken Tower, which was released on Video on Demand and digital download on Tuesday. The man behind the mustache is Hart Crane, a homosexual Jazz Age poet who committed suicide at sea after a turbulent life full of love affairs, den ... More >>

Houston Film Critics Society: Best of 2011

Free for All: Art Without a Price Tag

We've had a couple of days to recover from all of those holiday parties, and we're already looking forward to this weekend's offerings. Here are a few of the events on our list. On Friday, we'll be stopping by the "Joseph Cohen: Fatto in Italia" opening at Wade Wilson Art. Cohen, part of the Conc ... More >>

The Film Issue

The Film Issue

Looking back on the year in movies, and what's coming in 2012.

James Franco on the UH Campus? Officials Know Nothing About It

Twitter is exploding locally with alleged sightings, or rumors of sightings, or alleged rumors of alleged sightings, about James Franco being on campus today. Franco, of course, was accepted into the university's respected Creative Writing program earlier this year, but put off his classes at least ... More >>

One Day

Life happens according to plan.

Simian Disobedience

The making of a monkey activist in Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

Charlie Sheen Becomes Honorary Coog, Doesn't Enter Creative Writing Program

UH​Charlie Sheen, in town to appear in his disastrous live show, took batting practice with the UH baseball team Monday night. "Guess Charlie Sheen has Cougar blood, as well," UH spokesman Richard Bonnin tweeted. Sheen thus edged out James Franco, who has been accepted for the Fall 2012 seme ... More >>

James Franco Enrolling In UH's Creative Writing Writing Program?

Is the University of Houston's well-respected Creative Writing Program about to get as a student James Franco, the actor known for post-grad studies, 127 Hours and not being the greatest Oscar host? Possibly. Burndownblog takes note of page 13 of the CWP's newsletter listing incoming students. Amo ... More >>

Stoned and Throned

Your Highness, dirty jokes for the D&D crowd.

What Community Responsibilities Do Rappers Have?

Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Every Monday or thereabouts, Rocks Off will have some of them here discussing issues relevant to their culture. "Don't nobody care about how much your watch cost" Photo illustration by John Seaborn Gray​This Week's Panel: Z-Ro, Paul ... More >>

Oscar Liveblogging!! Tonight, of All Nights!

Too bad Chalie Sheen's not hosting​Tonight brings the annual event where Hollywood humbly congratulates itself -- and all the little people -- in the Academy Awards. Whate everyone's hoping for, of course, is at least one trainwreck moment. James Franco and Anne Hathaway host, which will be. ... More >>

Oscar Night 2011: The Live Blog!

​We are only less than three hours out from bringing you live-blogging coverage, right here, of this year's Academy Awards, and we are more than excited to take you through the night for every win, loss, awful dress, awesome dress, foible, and foul-up Hollywood throws our way.

Colin Firth for Best Actor? Not So Fast.

​I realize the actual Academy Awards aren't set to be broadcast until Sunday night, when millions of people will watch -- for the first hour, at least -- as co-hosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway lob Nerfball zingers at their fellow actors, make passively tasteless jokes about speech impedime ... More >>

20 Musician Biopics Currently In Development Hell

Happy birthday, Janis.​News came down last week that Sacha Baron Cohen will be stepping into the rhinestones and glitter as Queen icon Freddie Mercury. It's been a long time coming for Cohen, the Borat and Bruno star who is slowly becoming his generation's Peter Sellers and has been rumored to ... More >>

Howl

Rock, Hard Place

James Franco puts his mind to it in 127 Hours.

Handsomebeast Loves The Funk, Promises You'll Get Wet

Each Wednesday, Rocks Off arbitrarily appoints one lucky local performer or group "Artist of the Week," bestowing upon them all the fame and grandeur such a lofty title implies. Know a band or artist that isn't awful? Email their particulars to sheaserrano@gmail.com. handsomebeast.bandcamp.comR ... More >>

SUMMER GUIDE: (100) Days of Summer Movies

Enjoy the great indoors!

For 4/20: Five More Classic Stoners From the Movies

​When I came up with our inaugural list of movie stoners way back in 2009, I knew I was unfortunately ignoring some key characters. After all, pot smokers have a rich cinematic history, dating back to the 1930s, and it was impossible to get everybody in the same bowl, as it were. If you'll re ... More >>

Bad Marriage

Tina Fey and Steve Carell go lowbrow and chemistry-free in Date Night.

Most. Boring. Oscars. Ever.

Ugh! The only interesting thing about the whole damn show was the realization that Goldie Hawn looks like Mickey Rourke. Stop with the work, lady! Seriously. God love Hugh Jackman, but this is not the Tonys. Could that Beyonce "Best of the Musicals" number been any more cheese ball? I have exp ... More >>

Proposition Hate: Milk

Gus Van Sant's recaptures Californian intolerance at exactly the right time

Rogen and Franco, on the Run and Madly in Love in Pineapple Express

True Bromance

Spider-Man 3

Overstuffed plot, empty action ruin Spidey's run

Rocky Waters

Annapolis salutes all the classic boxing clichés

Romeo in the Rough

Tristan & Isolde's clumsy romance may make you crave Shakespeare

Unknown Soldiers

The Great Raid's compelling story never comes to life

Run, Do Not Crawl

Spider-Man swings in this touching, thrilling sequel

World Wide Web

Spider-Man does whatever a spider can and much more