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Franco had a unique way of introducing his film at the Sundance Film Festival.
By Terri Schwartz

James Franco
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/ WireImage

PARK CITY, Utah — James Franco is nothing if not ambitious. The 32-year-old actor is balancing several upcoming film roles, a teaching gig at Yale and the likelihood of being nominated for his first Oscar with a new meta-art piece at the Sundance Film Festival. Franco's "Three's Company: A Drama" premiered in the New Frontier program of the fest in an attempt to, in Sundance's words, view the 1970s sitcom from "a slightly oblique perspective."

So Franco decided to re-create the first three episodes of "Three's Company" at Sundance, sans the laugh track, and play it up for its dramatic value. His film was then projected up onto four screens in the theater so that it surrounds the audience. To add to the effect, Franco re-created the living room set in which so much of "Three's Company" takes place as the theater area where the audience watches the film.

"I was just thinking, back in the day, when people were watching that show, people were probably sitting in their living room watching these other people in their living room, so I thought, let's suck the audience into their living room and then there's projections on all four walls," Franco explained. "And it's not just seeing the show on all four walls. It's like, Chrissy's on this side, and Janet's on this side, and you're in the middle."

New Frontier advertises itself as a program that "explores narrative structure, the three-dimensionality of the cinematic image, and innovations in transmedia storytelling." If the 1970s television series seems like a strange launching pad for such an introspective look at television, you probably wouldn't be more confused watching what Franco came up with than Eliza Dushku and Rick Fox were in this video.

But even though Franco is trying to play his analysis of the sitcom as a serious drama, he isn't taking the entire project without some elements of humor. He donned a Suzanne Somers wig at the installation's afterparty, sang the "Three's Company" theme song during the art exhibit, and then tried to teach MTV News' Josh Horowitz how to improvise the theme song's lyrics to make them as graphic and inappropriate as possible. Let's just say Franco was a bit more imaginative than Horowitz was willing to be in front of the cameras.

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

• MTV Rough Cut: 2011 Sundance Film Festival

• Celebrities Hit The Ground At The 2011 Sundance Film Festival

Group release statement before Sundance premiere saying, 'We hope that the film's perspective conveys our love of hip-hop culture.'
By Mawuse Ziegbe

A Tribe Called Quest
Photo: Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

It looks like A Tribe Called Quest and director Michael Rapaport have found a way to agree on the ATCQ documentary.

Over the past few weeks, frontman Q-Tip has been sounding off about the indie flick, maintaining that he "was not in support" of the doc in early December. The Abstract later clarified his statements, explaining that "there were just different things that need to be done, edit-wise," but insisting, "the sentiment of the film is there. We feel like it's 80 percent there."

However, it looks like the filmmakers and Tribe, who also serve as producers on the film, have resolved their issues. Just before the Saturday Sundance Film Festival world premiere of the project, which chronicles the foursome's reunion for the 2008 Rock the Bells Tour, the group released a statement pumping up the project.

"Thanks to our fans for their support through the years and for the enthusiasm around the documentary. We hope that the film's perspective conveys our love of hip-hop culture. We could not attend Sundance, but we want to express our love and appreciation for the support that we have received in advance of the film's premiere tonight. We hope that it is well received," Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Jarobi and Q-Tip, who weren't able to attend the premiere, said in a statement. Phife attended the screening.

Rapaport, who has an extensive acting résumé to his credit peppered with roles in movies such as "Bamboozled" and "Mighty Aphrodite," has also explained his intentions for the flick.

"I wanted it to be a classic rock-and-roll-style documentary," Rapaport told MTV News earlier this month. "If you grew up listening to hip-hop and you were around A Tribe Called Quest, it was a part of your life.

"They are the equivalent to Led Zeppelin, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. I've been fans of those groups and fans of documentaries about those groups for a long time, and when I approached doing this film, I wanted to treat it in the same way. I didn't want it to be over-produced; I wanted it to have a rawness to it."

Are you looking forward to checking out the Tribe Called Quest documentary? Let us know in the comments!

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

• A Tribe Called Quest

'The first time I came here, I was here as additional talent,' Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson told us at Sundance Film Festival.
By Terri Schwartz

Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson
Photo: MTV News

PARK CITY, Utah — For most performers, transitioning from music to film can be an uphill battle. Just ask Lance Bass, Mariah Carey and Jessica Simpson. But for every singer who failed to find his or her stride, there's one who didn't. Mark Wahlberg went from Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch to a potential Oscar nominee, Beyoncé Knowles has garnered so much clout that she's about to be directed by Clint Eastwood in a remake of "A Star Is Born," and the only thing left to remind audiences that Will Smith used to rap is that music video at the end of "Men in Black."

Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson is trying to join the latter group. He returned to the Sundance Film Festival for the third time to represent his production company, Cheetah Vision Films — the company that produced the Chace Crawford-starring film "Twelve," which was purchased at Sundance last year — and talked to MTV News about his experience trying to transition into acting.

"The first time I came here, I was here as additional talent. Music. Now, to be here, to actually be a part of the filmmaking process, is great," 50 said.

50 Cent is best known as the rapper who likes to party "In da Club," so he was careful not to alienate his music fans when he transitioned over to film. That, he explained, is why he uses the name "Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson" rather than just Curtis Jackson when making films. His name is directly associated with his music, and he said that wasn't something he was trying to downplay with his film career.

But it's still a work in progress. By returning to Sundance year after year, 50 Cent is proving that he's taking his acting career as seriously as he does his music. He said he surrounds himself with directors looking to help him develop his acting abilities so the public will continue to accept him as an actor.

"With each individual project, I work with someone that makes sure I'm completely prepared for it," the rapper and actor said. "I feel like I'm growing. When the projects get bigger and better, the public will start to shift and treat [it] like anyone else's progress."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

• MTV Rough Cut: 2011 Sundance Film Festival

• Celebrities Hit The Ground At The 2011 Sundance Film Festival

Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher's 'sex friends' romp debuts with $20.3 million.
By Mawuse Ziegbe

Ashton Kutcher in "No Strings Attached"
Photo: Cold Spring Pictures

"No Strings Attached" proves that hooking up with friends can be successful — at the box office, at least.

Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher's romantic comedy about two pals that decide to take their relationship to the bedroom scored the top spot at the box office over the weekend, raking in $20.3 million. Kutcher told MTV News recently that despite their theater-packing performances, becoming "sex friends" with Portman onscreen was not the most comfortable experience.

"There weren't really any bloopers," he said. "It's always sort of awkward and giggly, right? Because you're there and you're with someone you sort of know, and there's a lot of people watching," he explained of the awkward factor involved in filming love scenes. "It's always kind of in-between scenes you try to make jokes and divert it, 'Oh it's not a big deal,' try to make it seem like it's not a big deal."

In second place is Seth Rogen's turn as the classic masked vigilante in the "The Green Hornet." The onscreen take on the beloved crime-fighter's adventures picked up $18.1 million over the weekend. The figure adds to the flick's total box-office bank of over $63 million.

"The Dilemma" finished the weekend in third place. The relationship comedy, which stars Kevin James a clueless husband and Vince Vaughn his buddy and business partner who struggles with whether to let him know his wife is cheating on him, scored $9.7 million. The figure kicks the film's total estimated tally to over $33 million.

Just behind "The Dilemma" is "The King's Speech." The Colin Firth vehicle, which is inspired by the wartime reign of British monarch King George VI, made $9.1 million. The film has picked up over $58 million since landing in theaters late last year.

In fifth place is the star-studded Western "True Grit." Featuring performances from Matt Damon, Jeff Bridges and acclaimed newcomer Hailee Steinfeld, the movie made $8 million over the weekend. The film's total estimated haul now stands at around $138 million.

Check out everything we've got on "No Strings Attached," "The Green Hornet" and "The Dilemma."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.