(FALL) Movie Guide
Intro By:  Katie Cervantes
Written By: Daniel Albert

Fall is the perfect time to snuggle up with a blanket and some hot coco and watch movies when Southern California is too cold to spend outside. It's a great excuse to spend half your paycheck on a new film where Jennifer Aniston plays the same character yet, again. Or you may opt for another 3-D film where you dish out a few more bucks than necessary, or an award-winning film that leaves you questioning the meaning of life. Either way, it's movie season.

Whether you're into a true story that will leave you crying and clutching your hot coco, or if you want to see your favorite stars fall in love, we're here to ensure you get just what you need without wasting any of your time or money this season.



127 Hours

Starring: James Franco, Amber Tamblyn, Kate Mara, Clémence Poésy

Rated: R

Opens: November 5

Speaking of Oscar Nods, there’s been talk that this one is in the mix for James Franco, who depicts the true-life story of Aron Ralston, a mountaineer who becomes trapped when a boulder falls on his arm during exploration of a remote canyon in Utah. Over the next five days, Ralston examines his life and considers his options, leading him to an agonizing choice: to amputate his own arm and possibly survive, or remain pinned to the canyon wall and possibly die. If this isn’t dramatic enough for you, you might want to check your pulse.



Due Date

Starring: Robert Downey, Jr., Zach Galifianakis, Jamie Foxx, Michelle Monaghan

Rated: R

Opens: November 5

The one-two punch of RDJ and Zach Galifianakis should be enough to make you shell out the $12 for this one. Add to that a hilarious plotline that includes a road trip concerning a soon-to-be father’s (Robert Downey Jr.) cross-country trip to make it back in time for his baby’s birth — with the only roadblock being the dubious passenger (Galifianakis) who’s along for the ride. Long car rides are rough. Zach Galifianakis shows us why.



Megamind

Starring: Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Jonah Hill, Brad Pitt

Rated: PG

Opens: November 5

Yet another comedy that is sure to please with a little more of a family vibe. DreamWorks Animation gives us a satirical take on the superhero genre focusing on a down-and-out super villain (voiced by Will Ferrell) who has to learn how to get his groove back when he’s left without an arch nemesis. The film is directed by Cameron Hood and Kyle Arthur Jefferson with Tina Fey and Jonah Hill filling out the rest of this comedy veteran cast. Did I mention that you can also see it in 3-D?



Skyline

Starring: Donald Faison, Eric Balfour, David Zayas, Scottie Thompson

Rated: PG-13

Opens: November 12

What screams Fall more than an alien invasion? No I’m not talking about the Pilgrim’s landing at Plymouth Rock, I’m talking about “Skyline.” Although this film doesn’t boast huge names in the industry, its special effects are sure to dazzle enough to make it worth a go. It’s plot is described simply as a time when strange lights over Los Angeles herald the arrival of a malevolent alien force that threatens to swallow up all of humanity. If you haven’t already seen it, you can check out the trailer and see humans being sucked up into the sky like dust mites in an Oreck.



Unstoppable

Starring: Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Rosario Dawson

Rated: PG-13

Opens: November 12

New dreamboat Chris Pine joins old Dreamboat Denzel Washington in this contemporary thriller based on true events. Director Tony Scott gives us a movie whose action involves two locomotive operators who team up to stop a runaway train filled with toxic waste. This is one of those movies where the characters have depth and our heroes aren’t so cut and dry. Although the “Young Blood” vs. “Old Knowledge” angle has been played out many times in the past, this film should bring some new life.



Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: Part I

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes, Robbie Coltrane, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman

Rated: PG-13

Opens: November 19

Does this one even need any introduction? Despite the fact that Harry has aged so much that I’m starting to wonder whether or not Hogwarts has a masters program, the gang returns once again for an all out epic battle of magic and mayhem. Now alone, without the guidance and protection of their professors, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) set out on a mission to destroy the Horcruxes, the source of Voldemort’s immortality. Though they must rely on one another more than ever before, dark forces threaten to tear them apart. Voldemort’s Death Eaters have seized control of the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts, and are searching for Harry even as he and his friends prepare for the ultimate showdown. One word: Epic!



Burlesque

Starring: Christina Aguilera, Cher, Cam Gigandet, Stanley Tucci, Kristen Bell

Rated: PG-13/R (?)

Opens: November 24

I’d feel guilty about not including this one for the ladies (and some gentlemen) even though it has me a bit wary. By the time you read this, the full rating might have been revealed, which might also reveal what kind of movie this is set to be. PG-13 would indicate something less provocative and more fun, while an R rating might put it somewhere in the “not-so-but-kinda showgirls” realm. Here are the facts: Christina Aguilera stars as Ali, a small-town singer who takes her shot at stardom performing at a neo-burlesque nightclub in Los Angeles. The cast should be able to keep this one afloat even if it ends up a little campy.



Love and Other Drugs

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, Oliver Platt

Rated: R

Opens: November 24

Why does this romantic comedy not star Jennifer Aniston? Probably because it actually looks good (sorry Rachel). Jake Gyllenhaal depicts a salesman who competes in the cutthroat world of pharmaceuticals to hawk a male performance enhancement drug. The film is based on Jamie Reidy’s memoir “Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman” and with the addition of Anne Hathaway as the love interest, this film is sure to be a sleeper hit with the men as well as the women.



Tangled

Starring: Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi

Rated: PG

Opens: November 24

Yet another animated movie slated for the Fall is this charming tale, based on the legendary lady of locks, Rapunzel. Action kicks off when the kingdom’s most wanted—and most charming—bandit- Flynn Rider (voice of Zachary Levi)- hides out in a mysterious tower, when he’s taken hostage by Rapunzel (voice of Mandy Moore)who is a beautiful and feisty tower bound teen with 70 feet of magical, golden hair. Flynn’s curious captor, who’s looking for her ticket out of the tower where she’s been locked away for years, strikes a deal with the handsome thief and the unlikely duo sets off on an action-packed escapade, complete with a super-cop horse, an over-protective chameleon and a gruff gang of pub thugs. Could their schemes be any more…hair…brained? Yes, I went there, and if you’re not a fan of these types of puns, this film may be off your radar, so take my advice and see it anyway. You won’t be disappointed.




Black Swan

Starring: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey, Winona Ryder, Benjamin Millepied

Rated: R

Opens: December 1

This film is my personal favorite on the list for a variety of reasons. First of all it’s directed by all time great Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream, The Wrestler). Secondly it is a dark story about ballerinas! Only Aronofsky could make a ballerina seem sinister and that’s exactly what he does in this film. Nina (Natalie Portman) is a ballerina whose passion for the dance rules every facet of her life. When the company’s artistic director decides to replace his prima ballerina for their opening production of ``Swan Lake,‘’ Nina is his first choice. However, Nina has competition: Lily, a newcomer. While Nina is perfect for the role of the White Swan, Lily personifies the Black Swan. As the rivalry between the two dancers transforms into a twisted friendship, Nina’s dark side begins to emerge. Add to that some Oscar buzz of its own and this one is a must see.



Fair Game

Starring: Naomi Watts, Sean Penn, Noah Emmerich

Rated: PG-13

Opens: November 5

This CIA spy flick is anything but the ordinary. They take a supremely simple concept, (making their protagonist a female for once!), and shift from cliché driven action to deep value story of  a woman who as to face the fallout when her cover is blown as a covert CIA agent. Valerie Plame’s status as a CIA agent was revealed by White House officials allegedly out to discredit her husband after he wrote a 2003 New York Times op-ed piece saying that the Bush administration had manipulated intelligence about weapons of mass destruction to justify the invasion of Iraq. Now she’s not only running to clear her name, but to save her and her family’s lives. Solid reviews have put this one at the top of several people’s lists, including mine.



The Next Three Days

Starring: Russell Crowe, Elizabeth Banks, Liam Neeson, Brian Dennehy

Rated: PG-13

Opens: November 19

Let’s be honest, everyone loves the Clash song “ I Fought the Law”, and if you don’t well you probably didn’t know that “the Law won”. The Next Three Days is pretty much a film embodiment of that song. Except in this version John Brennan (Russell Crowe) goes on a hell bent mission to break his wife out of prison after she is convicted of a murder she says she did not commit. Don’t worry this isn’t anything like the mess Gerard Butler created with Law Abiding Citizen. Sure it had action, but it also had a ludicrous plotline and tons of unnecessary violence. The Next Three days is a step forward in a genre overwrought by inane car chases and randomly triggered explosions.