James Franco In Rise of the Planet of the Apes
James Franco is one of the most exciting acting talents that is currently working in Hollywood as he moves effortlessly from small projects to the blockbuster.
This week he is back on the big screen with The Rise of the Planet of the Apes, which has already topped the U.S. box office, following the success he has already had with 127 Hours and Your Highness.
To celebrate the release of the movie we take a look at some of Franco's best performances.
- James Dean
It was a TV movie where Franco grabbed everyone's attention back in 2001 as he played James Dean in a movie of the same name.
Franco went all out whilst preparing for the role becoming a smoker as well as learning to ride a motorbike and play the guitar.
And all of the hard work paid off as he picked up a Golden Globe for his performance as well as picking up a Screen Actors Guild and Emmy Award nominations.
- Spiderman
Franco got a taste of the big budget blockbuster for the first time back in 2002 when he took on the role of Harry Osborn in Spider Man.
The son of the Green Goblin and best friend of Peter Parker was the role that brought him international fame as the he went on to appear in all three of the movies.
Spider Man is one of the most successful franchises of all time and has grossed over $2 billion at the global box office.
- Pineapple Express
For Pineapple Extress in 2009 Franco teamed up with Seth Rogen, Danny McBride and director David Gordon Green with a performance that really is hysterically funny.
Franco who is quite simply brilliant. I appreciate that there are only so many ways to play a stoner but he puts his own endearing, lovable spin on the type, portraying Saul as a kind-hearted, well-intentioned yet hardcore dope smoker, who knew he could be so funny?
Franco showed that he really does have a forte for comedy and I am looking forward to future performances in this genre.
- Howl
Franco seems to have a bit of a knack of taking on the biopic picture and last year he played Allen Ginsberg in Howl.
Howl interweaves three stories: the unfolding of the landmark 1957 obscenity trial; an imaginative animated ride through the prophetic masterpiece; and a unique portrait of a man who found new ways to express himself, and in doing so, changed his own life and galvanized a generation.
While the movie does have some flaws Franco's engaging and moving performance really does make up for all that.
- 127 Hours
He took on the real life story of Aaron Ralston at the beginning of the year in the Danny Boyle directed movie.
It's a tour de force performance from the actor as he As well as he also goes on an emotional journey as he learns the errors of his ways and to appreciate the people in his life.
Who would have known that a man stuck in a canyon for 90 minutes would be such a riveting watch but Franco shows so brilliantly Ralston's fight for life.
For his central performance Franco picked up a Best Actor Academy nomination - but was beaten to the gong by Colin Firth.
- The Rise of the Planet of the Apes
He returns to the big screen this week as he tackles the blockbuster once again as the 'Apes' franchise makes a triumphant turn.
Franco take on the role of a super smart scientist who, by using a chimpanzee, tries to find the cure to Alzheimer's.
Set in present day San Francisco, the film is a reality-based cautionary tale, a science fiction/science fact blend, where man's own experiments with genetic engineering lead to the development of intelligence in apes and the onset of a war for supremacy.
The movie has been a huge hit with the critics and has already topped the U.S. box by taking $56 million in it's opening weekend.
The Rise of the Planet of the Apes is out now
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
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