127 HOURS

127 Hours stars James Franco, Kate Mara and Amber Tamblyn. Directed by Danny Boyle. Rated R with a running time of 1 hr and 33 mins.

127 Hours is a true story about mountain climber Aron Ralston. While exploring the canyons of Utah Aron slips in between a skinny canyon and gets his right arm pinned up against the wall with a large boulder. Unable to move the boulder Aron will have to do the unthinkable to save himself and get home. While being stuck there for almost 5 days Aron reflects on his life and family. He also wonders if the two young women he met earlier that day will be the last people he will ever see. Unfortunately Aron didn't tell anyone where he was going so no one knows where he is.

127 Hours at first thought wouldn't seem like a good idea for a movie, because on paper its a movie about a guy who is stuck in a canyon and can't move. But director Danny Boyle does a great job of adding heart and little interesting points throughout the movie. He always keeps the movie rolling at a great pace. James Franco is brilliant playing Ralston. If an actor makes me forget that im watching a movie and Im thinking Im right there with Ralston, he did a damn good job. All of the emotions he has to go through within those 5 days is amazing and he hits all of them.

The most impressive scene had to be the one where Ralston amputates his own arm. It looked painfully real and just WoW. The hardest part to watch for me was when he had to break his arm in 2 different places. Its unbelievable that someone could cut their own arm off. But I think that is where the movie appeals to the audience. He had so much determination to get back home and start a family of his own one day. He did whatever it took and it was thrilling to watch. Im saying it, James Franco deserves to get the best actor oscar this year!

127 hours isn't the best movie of the year but it is one of the best. You shouldn't miss this movie.

B+

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 1

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows stars most of the same people from the entire franchise but sorry I just don't feel like writing all of their names, but Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Waston and Rupert Grint are back as Harry, Hermione and Ron. Directed by David Yates. Rated PG13 with a running time of 2 hrs. and 30 mins.

Part 1 begins as Harry, Ron and Hermione set out on their perilous mission to track down and destroy the secret to Voldemort's immortality and destruction, the Horcruxes. On their own, without the guidance of their professors or the protection of Professor Dumbledore, the three friends must now rely on one another more than ever. But there are Dark Forces in their midst that threaten to tear them apart.

So we all know by now the the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the 7th and final book in the beloved franchise, has been split into 2 movies. I think if you have read the book you will feel cheated but then again you will be glad to see the first part of easily the best book in the franchise come to life on screen. I have to admit that once this movie was over I was angry at first because you really want to see the end but now you have to wait about 7 months for the final FINAL installment. But then i began thinking even though we still haven't seen the end what we did get was still very entertaining and at times thrilling.

I do think that where they did decide to end part 1 was a great decision. It leaves you with wanting more especially because a death just occurred. It also shows Lord Voldemort at his strongest which leaves you anxious with fear and intensity. I have to give a special shout out to Ray Fiennes who plays Voldemort. He is just damn scary and intense even when he is just whispering. Bravo to Fiennes, the way he plays Voldemort is exactly how I pictured him in the book. In fact all of the acting was perfectly fine with everyone doing what they are supposed to do. Also the cinematography was very well done with the scenes in the foggy forests really standing out to me.

Part 1 definitely makes you want more and I believe that Part 2 will be the best movie in the whole franchise. We will finally get some intense war scenes and of course the final showdown between Harry and Voldemort. Part 1 is good but not great. 7/15/11 can't come soon enough!

B

UNSTOPPABLE

Unstoppable stars Denzel Washington, Chris Pine and Rosario Dawson. Directed by Tony Scott. Rated PG-13 with a running time of 1 hr. and 38 mins.

A veteran train engineer (Denzel Washington) and a young conductor (Chris Pine) race the clock to stop an unmanned runaway train, a missile the size of a skyscraper, and prevent disaster in a heavily populated area.

There really isn't much to say about Unstoppable. Theres a runaway train and two guys chase after the train and stop it. Other than two action sequences there really wasn't much to the movie. Of course they try with some backstory to the two main characters but it wasn't done good enough so you just don't really care. Washington and Pine don't really have much to do except in the climax where they finally chase after the train. Besides the climax and an earlier failure to stop the train, this movie was quite boring. The rest of the film is people on the phone discussing whats going on whether it be police or locomotive officials. The two leads are like able so you do root for them in the end. Once the action is delivered it is done pretty well, its just a shame there isn't more. WIth Denzel and the new Captain Kirk on screen together you expect them to have more to do but unfortunately they don't.

The acting isn't bad but the actors aren't given a lot to do. I guess I wanted more action, more Denzel and more Pine. The only time you should see this movie is if you have extra money and have absolutely nothing to do. Otherwise you can wait for this one on Netflix.

C

DUE DATE

Due Date stars Robert Downey Jr., Zach Galifianakis, Jamie Foxx, and Michelle Monaghan. Directed by Todd Phillips. Rated R with a running time of 1 hr. and 35 mins.

Peter Highman (Robert Downey Jr.) is an expectant first-time father whose wife's due date is a mere five days away. As Peter hurries to catch a flight home from Atlanta to be at her side for the birth, his best intentions go completely awry when a chance encounter with aspiring actor Ethan Tremblay (Zach Galifianakis) forces Peter to hitch a ride with Ethan, on what turns out to be a cross-country road trip that will ultimately destroy several cars, numerous friendships and Peter's last nerve.

Zach Galifianakis is back playing essentially the same type of character as he did in The Hangover. No sorry its not the The Hangover 2 yet. This one is Due Date also starring Robert Downey Jr. basically playing the straight man to Galifianakis's crazy antics. This film is funny but not even remotely close to The Hangover. I found myself having little chuckles throughout the movie but not really any big laughs as you would come to expect from Zach Galifiianakis. There are some funny cameos from Danny McBride and Jamie Foxx but once again they aren't big laughs. One part I found especially funny was how Downey Jr's character has some anger management problems and when he gets really ticked off he spits on a dog and even punches a kid in the stomach! Those parts were quite funny. Galifianakis's Ethan Tremblay is an aspiring actor and near the end there is a very funny bit with the real show Two and a Half Men. I thought that was one of the funniest parts of the movie. The movie deals with Daddy issues. Peter's dad walked out on him when he was very young and never really had a father figure. Ethan's dad just passed away but he was a great dad to Ethan and he looked up to him. The question is can Peter be a good father? Dealing with Ethan probably will help him becuase he is basically a man child. By the way there are some funny bits with Ethan's dad's remains. He carries the remains in a coffee can.

Overall you will laugh during this movie but probably not as much as you would like to as was the case with me. I just didnt' get any big laughs from the movie. I think this was also a case of showing too many of the funny parts in the previews. But I guess it will do until The Hangover 2, due out next summer.

B-