Actor James Franco (1978)

11.22.63 (2016) is a science fiction thriller miniseries based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name, consisting of eight episodes. It follows Jake Epping, an English teacher from Maine who is given the opportunity by his friend Al Templeton to travel back in time to 1960. Jake is initially hesitant but eventually agrees in hopes of preventing the assassination of John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963. However, as he settles into life in the past, he becomes torn between his mission and the new relationships he forms. To gather information without raising suspicion, he must carefully navigate through events and ...

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011), an American science fiction action film, follows pharmaceutical chemist Will Rodman in San Francisco as he tests the virus-based drug ALZ-112 on chimpanzees at biotechnology company Gen-Sys. His goal is to find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. Their test subject, a chimp named Bright Eyes, shows remarkable intelligence after being given the drug. Her newfound intelligence leads her to escape her cage during Will’s presentation and ultimately be killed. Will’s boss, Steven Jacobs, ends the project and orders all chimps to be euthanized. However, Robert Franklin, Will’s assistant, reveals that Bright Eyes had ...

The movie Eat Pray Love (2010), based on the memoir of the same name by Elizabeth Gilbert, portrays a woman named Liz in her journey of self-discovery. Despite having a husband, house, and successful career, Liz feels lost and uncertain about her true desires. She asks for a divorce from her husband, Stephen, who struggles to accept it. During this time, she has a brief relationship with David, an actor. Newly divorced and unsure of where to go next, Liz takes a daring trip to Italy, India and Bali. In Italy, she indulges in the pleasures of eating pasta and gelato for four months and even learns Italian from a private ...

The survival drama, 127 Hours (2010), was written and directed by Danny Boyle. In April of 2003, experienced hiker Aron Ralston sets out on a solo trip in Utah’s Canyonlands National Park without telling anyone. While on his journey, he meets two lost hikers named Kristi and Megan and helps them find their way. During their time together, they stumble upon an underground pool and spend the afternoon enjoying it. The girls invite Aron to a party the next night and he happily agrees before saying goodbye. Continuing through Bluejohn Canyon, Aron comes across an 800-pound boulder that suddenly breaks loose while he ...

Nights in Rodanthe (2008) is a heartfelt American romantic drama based on Nicholas Sparks’ 2002 novel of the same title. The story follows Adrienne Willis, who is going through a divorce with her husband Jack, after he left her for another woman. This has caused tension between Adrienne and their teenage daughter Amanda. During a weekend visit to pick up their children, Jack confesses his love for Adrienne and asks to reconcile. However, she needs time and space to think, so she heads to Rodanthe, North Carolina to take care of a friend’s beachfront bed-and-breakfast for a few days. The only other guest is ...

Pineapple Express (2008) is a buddy stoner action comedy directed by David Gordon Green and written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. The story takes place in Clark County, the same fictional county from the film Superbad. We meet Dale Denton, a process server and marijuana lover, as he visits his dealer Saul Silver. After trying the rare ‘Pineapple Express’ strain together, Dale heads back to work. However, things take a dramatic turn when he witnesses Ted Jones and officer Carol Brazier kill a Korean gangster. ...

Paul Haggis wrote and directed the American crime drama film, In the Valley of Elah (2007). The story follows Hank Deerfield, a retired military police sergeant living in Monroe, Tennessee with his wife Joan. On November 1, 2004, Hank receives news that his son Mike, a soldier who had recently returned from Iraq, is missing. Determined to find him, Hank makes the trip to New Mexico where Mike’s base is located. Along the way, he stops to help a school custodian raise the American flag correctly. At Fort Rudd, he meets Mike’s squad and manages to sneak away with his son’s cell phone from his belongings. ...

Spider-Man 3 (2007) is an American superhero film based on the popular Marvel Comics character. The movie was a joint effort between Columbia Pictures, Marvel Studios, and Laura Ziskin Productions, with distribution by Sony Pictures Releasing. It was directed by Sam Raimi, who also co-wrote the script with his brother Ivan and Alvin Sargent. The plot follows Peter Parker as he plans to propose to Mary Jane Watson after a year since their last adventure involving the defeat of Otto Octavius. However, their peaceful moment in ...

Annapolis (2006), an American drama directed by Justin Lin, follows the story of Jake Huard. After being knocked down in a boxing match, Huard wakes up and heads home where his distant father and employer doubts his potential. Despite this, Lieutenant Commander Burton visits Huard to inform him of his acceptance to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. While celebrating at a bar with friends, they introduce him to Ali, who they claim is a prostitute hired as a going-away present. However, Huard’s attempts to seduce Ali fail and he leaves frustrated after saying goodbye to his father. On his first day at ...

Spider-Man 2 (2004) follows the story of Peter Parker, a young man who gained superhuman abilities two years prior and now goes by the name Spider-Man. Peter is currently struggling with strained relationships with both his love interest, Mary Jane Watson, and his best friend, Harry Osborn. To add to his troubles, he discovers that his Aunt May is facing eviction. In addition to these personal challenges, Peter also finds himself experiencing sudden bouts of power loss at critical moments. Meanwhile, Harry has taken over as head of Oscorp’s research division and is funding a project led by nuclear scientist Otto Octavius. Octavius soon becomes a mentor to Peter ...

Based on the Marvel Comics character created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, the American superhero film Spider-Man (2002) follows high school senior Peter Parker on a school trip to a genetics laboratory at Columbia University with his friends Harry Osborn and Mary Jane Watson. After being bitten by a genetically engineered spider, Peter falls ill upon returning home. Meanwhile, Norman Osborn, a scientist and owner of Oscorp, is trying to secure a military contract and tests a performance-enhancing chemical on himself, resulting in him becoming insane and killing his ...