Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
If you can’t make it to the movies this weekend to watch Bryan Cranston and James Franco terrorize each other in Why Him?, you can still get your Franco fix from home. Venture over to Netflix and stare in amazement at the embarrassment of riches the site has to offer when it comes to Franco flicks. This dude works more than any of us ever realize, and that’s in between all that learning, teaching, and poetry-writing he’s always doing, too. Currently, IMDB lists 20 upcoming projects for James. TWENTY!
What you’ll find on Netflix are a variety of Franco roles, some of which are based on his own short stories. There are westerns and thrillers and even that classic sketchball Franco we can’t seem to get enough of. If it’s a film written and/or directed by James himself that you’re looking for, well, you know he’s done plenty of those. Most of these titles premiered at film festivals and had small if any releases at all, making Netflix the perfect place to view them.
This shouldn’t need to be stated, as it comes with the James Franco territory, but some of the films presented below might even be a little bit…odd. But at the very least, he’s always good at giving us something to talk about. Oh, and you know, that whole easy on the eyes thing.
'As I Lay Dying'
Franco wrote, directed, and stars in As I Lay Dying, released in 2013, based on the novel by William Faulkner. The story about a family that goes on a journey to fulfill their deceased mother’s wishes to have her ashes buried in a nearby town also stars Danny McBride, Tim Blake Nelson, and Logan Marshall-Green. If James Franco having a southern accent while riding horses is your thing, this is the movie for you.
'Wild Horses'
Yoooo James Franco and Josh Hartnett in the same movie? Robert Duvall is more than just the writer, director and star of Wild Horses, he’s a genius for that casting. The two dudes play brothers trying to protect their father from a detective who believes he is guilty of murder, and yes, there are cowboy hats.
'Yosemite'
Yosemite seems kind of like Stranger Things but instead of a Demogorgon, it’s mountain lions that the Palo Alto, CA community and a group of adventurous young boys are scared of. The film, which premiered at Sundance at the beginning of the year, is based on two of Franco’s short stories, and he plays the father of one of the boys.
'Interior. Leather Bar.'
Maybe don’t plan to watch this one with your family on Christmas Day? As co-director and one of the stars of the film, Interior. Leather Bar. is a “docufiction” film that reimagines the lost 40 minutes of footage from 1980’s Cruising, and explores the use of sex, and particularly gay sex, on film. It certainly has its moments, but it wouldn’t be false to say this film is not for everyone.
'Every Thing Will Be Fine'
Franco stars in Every Thing Will Be Fine as a writer who accidentally kills a child, and then uses that as inspiration for his stories, only to see his career flourish. The film, also starring Rachel McAdams, was released in 2015 to mixed reviews. It also looks pretty cold in the snow scenes so maybe don’t choose this one if the heat isn’t blasting in your house.
'About Cherry'
About Cherry finds Franco, as a wealthy lawyer, involved with a young woman who is entering the porn industry. Franco shows off that sexy/just a little bit skeezy side like never before in the the film that also stars Heather Graham and Dev Patel.
'Good People'
A struggling couple (Franco and Kate Hudson) find a whole bunch of money in an apartment where their neighbor was murdered in Good People, and then things start to get interesting in this action thriller from 2014.
'Memoria'
Franco stars in Memoria, released this year and also adapted from one of his own short stories, as Mr. Wyckoff, the teacher of a detached teen boy. While Franco isn’t quite front and center, his fingerprints are certainly all over the story, also set in Palo Alto, CA.
