Here are some photos of James Franco at the Rome film festival for the premiere of Tar. Dude looks okay in the suit even though he’s obviously accessorizing with Eau de Smug. At the photocall, however, James seemed to sprout some mini-moobs (and I’ve included those pictures at the bottom of this post). That’s not very artistic now, is it? Knowing Franco, maybe it’s all part of his master plan to create a moob-oriented art exhibit while simultaneously teaching six courses at two different universities, also attending three other ones, and maintaining an (inexplicable) A-list status in Hollywood. Is Franco still A-list? Maybe not after his little Oscar hate fest a few years ago.
As always, Franco has managed to stay extraordinarily busy lately. In his personal life, he’s apparently no longer with Ashley Benson, who according to Radar Online is reportedly “smitten” with James but is frustrated because “James is d-cking her around.” So now Ashley is supposedly trying to get back with her ex-boyfriend, Ryan Good (Justin Bieber’s BFF), after she dumped the guy for Franco. All of this will probably be of no concern to Franco, who is now nursing his oh-so-important creative urges by resuming his “director” persona (after cutting his teeth on some gawd awful commercials short films). This time, James has directed a music video for R.E.M.’s “Blue,” and the video not only features Franco himself in drag (it’s not pretty) but also stars Lindsay Lohan, who is seen posing for pervy Terry Richardson at the Chateau Marmont. Here’s the video (if you can stomach it), and we’ll discuss below:
This video is part of R.E.M.’s Collapse Into Now Film Project, which will hand off all of its newest album’s tracks (12 of them) to different directors. I don’t know why they chose Franco for one of the videos, but his shaky, handheld style of shooting really gave me motion sickness. Also, Franco’s pretentious way of thinking the dumbest things are worth of the “art” label gave me a different kind of sickness. As for Lohan? At this point, she’s incapable of playing any role other than her crackhead self. So I guess she succeeds here, but that’s not really a good thing in and of itself.
Oh, and here are James Franco’s new moobs from three different angles! I laugh.
Photos courtesy of WENN
lilo looks pretty
yeah… I’ve always thought she was pretty – but she keeps falling into that addiction hole and the press keeps catching her in the thick of her benders so that 90% of the imagery we see of her is oily, dirty, gritty…
I think – (oh God… I’m actually analyzing this crap) that the video is sort of saying that. That it’s about the grit… the rawness. Terry the pervert has become famous for his glitter free photography “style”. It’s about *artists* who present their raw, un-edited, ungraceful… and unpracticed – and put them out there in such a vulnerable and (they think is unpretentious) way that is rarely seen in Hollywood.
I think that’s what he’s trying to say anyway… sigh.
Well, I watched the whole thing. I kind of see what he was going for there, but it was too much of everything. He’s got a lot of money to make a video, but is low on talent. He’s just amateur. Maybe he’ll develop in time, but he sure shouldn’t be teaching any classes on film at this point.
Sophomore effort, but Agyness and Stipe were terrific.
I don’t even want to watch it – Lohan AND Franco? That makes REM the least objectionable part of this equation.
I see why the NYU professor failed his lame *ss.
It’s really painfully amateurish. It’s utter shite actually.
Everytime I see Franco I feel disgusted with myself cos him and Adam Levine are my shame f*cks. Euggh I’m so gross.
Girl, come here, you need a hug. 😉
Don’t worry, Kiki, I’ll crack out the Shame Vodka Shots; Franco would be my shame f*ck too!
So long as he doesn’t say anything remotely ahhrtty that isn’t Shakespeare.
Ew. Yuck. Really?? Maybe you should talk to somebody about that. That cannot be healthy
That song was awful. Lindsay looked surprisingly pretty.
I notice that right before the shot of the sign for the Chateau Marmont the oh-so-artistic Franko put a quick shot of a sign with the word “has been”. Then cuts to Lindsay. Inneresting…
I loathe Franco. Just LOATHE him.
Can we get a separate post about the scathing “Liz and Dick” reviews? I would love that.
That review and the Guy Fieri review this weekend warmed my heart.
The week of the harshest reviews in history!
I too consider Franco one of my shame Fuc*s. But I think I just figured out why. He gives off a major Heath Ledger vibe. Right? Well, except for the fact that Heath was actually talented and seemed like a generally nice person. I have to say I think James looks adorable in his little sweater and pink oxford lol. K, I’m done.
I love James Franco, in all his douchey glory.Not sure all the reasons why, I just do. However…R.E.M is my favorite band and Michael Stipe is one of my favorite people, so this bothers me. I cannot watch the vid right now, since I am at work…but I know I won’t like it. I do not want Cracky Lohan in an R.E.M video!!! NO! Why???? **throws tantrum**
He most likely got his job through networking, I don´t think the guys from R.E.M. woke up and thought “That Franco guy is a really talented director, he should do our video.”
Franco worked with/is friends? Sean Penn, is friends with Terry Richardson, Helena Christensen is friends with Robin Wright(and Sean Penn), Terry the Predator and Micheal Stipe(and Bono). She was at the Milk premiere and at the launch of Franco´s book Palo Alto along with Richardson. So I assume that she introduced Franco to Stipe, they all hang out, are friendly with each other, Stipe:”Hey we are going to release a new record.”
Franco:”Do you already have someone to direct the musicvideo, you know I went to film school, currently teaching a couple of directing classes, I already shot 2? mvoies and some short films, who all got overlooked by the critics because they hate because I was in Spiderman, and I will direct…. bla bla.”
That´s how it happened.
Pretentious much? OMG, he filmed himself filming the video! This was truly, truly, awful, and amateurish. I wish I could un-see it – it’s made me irritable.
Terrible song. Terrible video.
Is that Michael Stripe’s voice? He sounds amazing if it is.
Feels like a bad Lana Del Rey video.
Oooh, blurry shots panning quickly over the landscape- SO DEEP! *eye roll*
If LiLo wasn’t cracktastrophic, she’d be a beyond pretty girl… Because frankly she can pulls off that vamp look it’s amazing…
As for the video, well… I’ve seen better! *shrug*
this is all terrible. we get it, James, LA is depressing and soul-sucking. Everyone already knows that…
No, Jimmy Boy, it’s not. You’re just a poor fit here.
What was that, an undergraduate film student’s final project from the first semester of first year?
UGH. I. HATE . HIM.
Franco wearing bowling shoes.
That video is cheap. Anyone can walk around hollywood with a super 8 camera and call it art. Typical artsy fartsy pretensious bs.
He is drugged up and greasy. Lilo looks like a cheap whore. She’s obviously learned her true role well. i watched the whole thing. Tripe. But i think he looks amazing in drag with that short wig. And looks exactly like Xtina in Burlesque.
Maybe those two plus Doogie Houser should do a remake of Some Like It Hot! I am now going to drown myself for suggesting such sacrilege…
It’s not a terrible concept, but the shaky handheld camera is not good. Dated, over-used, and kind of lazy if you ask me. Weird to say, but Lindsay looks kind of good here? Again, for her…
I kinda get the commentary he’s making juxtaposing himself in blonde drag directly after her (and as someone else said, with the sign “has been” right before her take), but I don’t think she gets that she’s the butt of a joke. And again, compared to her current looks, the gritty, slutty Courtney Stodden-esque thing kinda works for her (relatively speaking).
He looks incredibly old for his age.
Wait… I thought REM finally disbanded?
I’ve googled a bit and from what I understand, Collapse Into Now was their last album before disbanding. Then REM just hired a bunch of people to direct videos for some of their songs.
What I don’t understand is if C.I.N was released a year ago, why only create the videos now?
Kaiser, you got that part about motion sickness correct! I think it’s very amateurish, but hey, what do I know. Franco’s peers would probably call this ‘art’.