Films opening today (11/19/10) or soon

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
Director: David Yates
With: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, etc.

Two of my favorite recent book series, Harry Potter and the Dragon Tattoo books, have been accused of padding out the story with irrelevancies, repetitions and/or extraneous details.  These criticisms are to some degree true of both, yet this did not affect my enjoyment in any way.
When I read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, I kvetched about the long section which involved Harry, Hermione and Ron running around the English countryside avoiding turtle-faced Voldemort’s minions.  Jeez, what a bore.  A little of this went a long way.
The decision to split the last book into two movies was strictly a crass business decision to prolong the life of a cash cow.  Part 1 is mostly this part of the book.  Gawd!  Had I been consulted, I would have taken the bulk of this 2-and-a-half-hour movie and made it a 5-minute montage with the few important events scattered throughout.  But, no one consulted me.
In spite of this, the power of Rowling’s story, and the appeal of these young adults whom we have seen grow up before our eyes, carries the day.  This is the darkest film, by far, and people die.  Any kid who has read the books will be prepared for this.  Ron and Harry fall out over the stresses of being on the run, and Ron’s believing that Harry and Hermione have hooked up in his absence.  The action happens nowhere near Hogwarts, which has been the focus of every previous film, making this even more disorienting.
It ends grimly, setting up the magical Armageddon of Part 2, coming next summer.  I believe that any real fan of the books and movies will have no trouble dealing with any of this, but will become lost in the story and in the tribulations of their heroes.  Hermione, always the most mature and responsible of the trio, is a great role model.  She knows her stuff and is the one they turn to when they need the proper spell or charm.  She is also the conscience of the group.  I love her, and may miss her the most.
Go see this movie.  All of its faults don’t matter in the end, and it has many more virtues.
B

The Law (French, 1959)
Director: Jules Dassin
With: Gina Lollobrigida, Marcello Mastroianni, Pierre Brasseur, Yves Montand, Melina Mercouri, Raf Mattioli

Filmed in Italy with all dialog spoken in French.  Weird.
Marietta (Lollobrigida) is one of three sisters who are servants to the local padron, Don Cesare (Brasseur).  He is hot for Marietta, as is nearly every man in town, especially Matteo (Montand), the local crime boss.  Marietta wants to marry Enrico (Mastroianni), an engineer with no money for a dowry, so she decides to steal from a tourist.
The title comes from a drinking game played in the local bar, in which power and humiliation seem to be the point.  The whole movie is a slightly cynical romantic comedy with a subtext of the privileges and abuses of power.
Lollobrigida was a magnificent specimen, with a flair for comedy and a knowing attitude about her sexuality.  All the other roles are acted well, and the direction moves the story.  Dassin was a fugitive from the blacklist, and often had politics in his films.  Not bad.
B
 

127 Hours
Director: Danny Boyle
With: James Franco, Kate Mara, Amber Tamblyn, Treat Williams, Kate Burton, Clémence Poésy

If you recall the story of Aron Ralston (Franco), this is the film of his ordeal and escape.  Boyle, who last directed Slumdog Millionaire, has gone from big and noisy to small and quiet.
Ralston is a hipster jock who loves to do extreme biking and hiking.  He falls into a crevice in the Canyonlands of Utah and a boulder pins his arm, trapping him.  He has little water and not much else, although his video camera works, and he keeps a video diary. 
Franco is simply brilliant, taking us through the spectrum of emotions Ralston experienced during his captivity.  The other actors are there to set the action, or to provide daydreams to take us out of the crevice from time to time.
But, the movie is Franco’s, and he knocks it out of the park.  I can’t imagine another young actor who could have done it better.
A-