Okay... several things are going on right now, so let's get right to the break down.

Maxie and James Franco do a flirty dance of words in his studio, where he tells lie after lie and suddenly she grows a brain and believes none of it. Maxie kind of "gets" Franco's creepy facade, and is even turned on by it. There's more kinky blindfold action, and then there's action of a different sort. You know, the kind that will cause Spinelli's heart to break into a million shards like the glass Maxie dramatically throws to the floor. Read more...

Let's start by saying that nothing good ever comes out of all of Port Charles congregating in the same place at the same time. Through the recent carnival calamity, hospital fire and Metro Court hotel hostage crisis (just to name some of the more recent mega-disasters) you'd think that our PC friends would have learned this by now.

(As an aside, I was just recalling some of the fiascos the writers have introduced for sweeps over the years, and the time that half the town got monkey virus doesn't seem so ridiculous now that we have problems like swine flu. But I digress.)

Friends, welcome to the Crimson gallery opening! Literally every major character will find a reason to attend. Read more...

Today's the day! James Franco made his soap debut on "General Hospital" as Franco.

Franco appears to be, on the one hand, an elusive but promising photographer who will show his work at a Crimson magazine gallery event. On the other hand, he makes his first appearance on the show dressed like a homeless person, lurking in the shadows as mobster Sonny Corinthos and his right-hand man Jason Morgan walk into a mob trap that turns violent on Front Street in Port Charles.

Franco witnesses the entire shootout, which leaves Sonny victorious and his rivals down for the count. As Sonny and Jason drive away from the scene of the crime, Franco, with a hoodie hiding his face, waves at the limo, taunting Jason. Read more...

Depending on your age, James Franco is either "the stoner from 'Freaks & Geeks'" or "the stoner from 'Pineapple Express.'" Or Harry Osborn I suppose, if you've seen the little-known comic book adaptation of "Spider-Man."

What you might not realize is that Franco has also dipped his toes into the world of avant-garde filmmaking. He's allied himself with one artist in particular: John Carter, who operates under the professional name Carter. The two collaborated on a 2008 film, "Erased James Franco," an hour-long piece in which Franco re-creates past performances -- his own and others, particularly Rock Hudson and Julianne Moore -- without providing any context. It seems that this Franco/Carter partnership is also what led to the actor taking his soon-to-begin guest gig on TV soap opera "General Hospital." Read more...

UPDATE: Commenter DeeDee has correctly pointed out that the "Mad World" covering playing behind the promo is actually "American Idol" star Adam Lambert's version of the tune, not Gary Jules'. They sound pretty damn close, especially with all of that dialogue playing over it.

I have nothing against soap operas. I spent many of my younger, carefree college days planted on the couch -- and missing class, incidentally -- watching "Days of Our Lives." So I can understand, even respect, a person's need to watch their stories. That said, I can't help but chuckle at the sight (and sound) of "Spider-Man" and "Pineapple Express" star James Franco in this "General Hospital" promo.

Yes, that is Gary Jules' cover of "Mad World," made famous by its appearance in Richard Kelly's "Donnie Darko," playing behind the action. And Franco does indeed smile smugly while uttering the words "Violence sells... that's what I'm all about, right?" Read more...

On Thursday, the world was sort of stumped when it was announced that James Franco would have a recurring cameo role on soap opera, "General Hospital." The general response was: Why is James Franco going to do anything with "General Hospital"?

Well now it seems that answer has been uncovered. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, actor and college student Franco very succinctly explained, “It’s performance art.” Read more...

What's one way you can ensure a 4.0 at NYU's directing program? Take a page out of James Franco's script and take the lead role in your professor's film. While I am kidding about such a move getting you good grades in film school, or that Franco would even need to do such a thing, at least the core of the story is true. According to Variety, Franco will be starring in the indie drama "In Praise of Shadows," which will be directed by his NYU professor, Jay Anania.

"Shadows" is the story of a man named William Vincent (Franco), who returns to New York after four years in exile from the city. The journey that brings him home is strange and curious, and his goal is a simple and romantic one: he wants to save the woman he loves from a crime syndicate. Almost sounds like a tale from Franco's "Spider-Man" universe, doesn't it? Read more...

Danny McBride. “Conan the Barbarian.” David Gordon Green. Natalie Portman. I can keep going. “Krull.” James Franco. “Deathstalker.” Am I just throwing stream-of-consciousness nonsense at the wall and seeing what sticks? Am I creating some wicked, half-fictional movie all-star team? Or am I listing the elements from a new project that has me pretty stoked?

Yes, new movie (called “Your Highness”), yes, stoked, and here’s why: the project brings together writers, actors, a director and ‘80s film reference points that have me thinking this flick is going to be a winner. When Danny McBride sat down with MTV News while promoting “Land of the Lost,” what he had to say about “Your Highness” only got me more pumped.

The emphasis in that title is on the 'high' (or should be), a fact that should come as no surprise to fans of "Pineapple Express" director David Gordon Green. "Your Highness," his next gig, comes from a script by "Express" star Danny McBride and Ben Best. McBride, who appears in this week's summer comedy "Land of the Lost," will also star alongside James Franco and, as Variety revealed today, Natalie Portman.

In "Highness," McBride plays a lazy (pot-smoking?) prince who must work with his brother (Franco) to save the kingdom along with bro's bride-to-be. Portman joins the cast as a warrior princess and romantic interest for McBride. Green has already confirmed that "Highness" isn't exactly a full-blown stoner comedy, though McBride and Franco being in the mix certainly suggests that things will lean in such a direction. Read more...

FROM MTV.COM: The idea made total sense: Seth Rogen and James Franco were starring in the summer's baked-out action flick, "Pineapple Express," as stoners on the run from a murderous marijuana dealer. So when the two actors were set to come out onstage during the 2008 MTV Movie Awards to deliver the Golden Popcorn statue for Best Summer Movie So Far, why not have them pull out a monstrous bag of fake weed and light up a joint? Crispy comedy gold, right?

Continue reading Seth Rogen's Pot-Smoking 2008 Movie Awards Stunt Was Only Half-Baked