127 Hours

Love and Other Drugs

Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhaal strip down and fall in love in this sometimes funny, often cheesy romance. Gyllenhaal plays Jamie, a smooth-talking drug rep who gets more than he bargained for when he hits on Maggie (Hathaway), a Parkinson's patient who's not interested in a serious relationship. Overall, the film is entertaining and has its sweet moments — if you can forgive a very clichéd ending. DVD extras include extended and deleted scenes, and featurettes with Gyllenhaal and Hathaway.

49%

127 Hours

James Franco plays real-life hiker Aron Ralston, who found himself trapped under a boulder during an outing in Utah. Since he didn't tell anyone of his whereabouts, the film dramatizes the five days Aron spent before he finally amputated his arm to free himself. The arm-cutting scene isn't for the faint of heart, but the film is worth watching for Franco's Oscar-nominated performance. DVD bonus features include deleted scenes and feature commenter with director Danny Boyle.

93%

One more release when you read more

I've already walked you through how to host your own Social Network-themed Oscar shindig, but let's switch gears with another Academy Award best picture nominee: 127 Hours. Even though the film may not seem like party material at first glance (that arm-cutting scene doesn't exactly go well with hors d'oeuvres), it's still a great source of inspiration.

I've come up with a few suggestions to kick-start your planning, so take a look. And while you're at it, don't forget to download your own Oscar ballot to pass around to your guests, and fill out our online ballot for the chance to win a Samsung HDTV.

• Who to invite: All of the people you've met on your various travels — or at least your friends with the strongest stomachs. You don't want any pals to pass out mid-show because they're feeling a little queasy.
• Dress code: One-armed shirts in honor of the film's dramatic climax. Guests can alter old tops with some scissors, but if you don't want to tear up your clothes, then hiking pants and a bandanna will suffice.
• Table setting: Turn your party area into a backpacker's oasis. Lay out some sleeping bags on the floor to lounge on, or use a camping kerosene lamp as a table centerpiece.

More tips after the jump.

A clean-shaven James Franco stopped by the interview room at today's Academy Awards Nominees Luncheon in LA. The 127 Hours star is not only nominated for best actor this year but will also be cohosting the Oscars alongside Anne Hathaway. James chatted about the sometimes excruciating job of playing hiker Aron Ralston on screen and about bringing a younger and fresher vibe to this year's big award show. He said:

• On whether he got hurt on the 127 Hours set: "There was a lot of physical pain, and Danny [Boyle, the director] knew that it was going to cause a lot of pain. And I asked him after we did the movie, 'How did you know how far you could push it?' Because it’s a shame; I had bruises, scars . . . and there were some shots of my bare arm, and it looked like track marks, and that was the Trainspotting Boyle, got me hooked on heroin or something. So I had plenty of scars. And Danny said he looks at the actor, and that the actor will say when it’s too far."
• On the first scenes they filmed: "We shot the movie pretty much in order. One of the first scenes is where the boulder has fallen on the character’s hand. And Danny said, 'Go at it and don’t stop till I say.' And I said, 'OK, I’m going to get bruised.' And the conversation was [that] I’m going to get beat up. I said, 'OK, I’m willing to do it, but let’s make sure we get it in one take.' . . . It was 22 minutes, all bashing into a rock . . . and that’s what we kind of figured out. Oh, that works. Those long takes work. That makes it real. Not only am I feeling physical pain, but I’m getting exhausted. It became less of a facade I put on and more of an experience that I went through."
• On cohosting the Oscars with Anne: "[When the announcement was made] A lot of the reaction was, 'Oh, an obvious ploy by the Academy to bring in younger viewers.' And yeah. Duh! Is that a bad thing? . . . I think there's a little bit of the old, a little bit of the new. I think a lot of the show will definitely be about bringing in a fresh crop of movie viewers — but also one of the backbones, or arcs, of the show is to appreciate the history of film; bridge the gap between the older generation and younger generation."

Don't forget to fill out our ballot for a chance to win a Samsung TV!

Watch out, Jesse Eisenberg. You may have an Oscar nomination to your name, but a little boy is gunning for your job. The folks over at AOL have released a collection of videos featuring kids reenacting several Oscar best picture contenders. Among the selected films: The Social Network, 127 Hours, The King's Speech, Black Swan, and The Fighter (complete with unintelligible Boston accents, of course). The little clips are especially funny if you've seen all of the films, but even if you haven't, you'll still chuckle at the kids' cuteness. Take a look!

The Social Network

More videos spoofs after the jump.

James Franco's acting has earned him praise many times before, but this year, his performance in 127 Hours knocked some people out — literally. When the movie, a dramatization of Aron Ralston's hiking accident, started making the film festival rounds, the action was not all onscreen: the film's climactic arm amputation scene was making audience members pass out.

Reports of fainting incidents started coming in at the first screenings. At the Telluride Film Festival in early September, two viewers needed medical attention, while three passed out at the Toronto Film Festival, though it was never enough to quiet the film's acclaim at the events.

As news of more people passing out rolled in, the movie was officially released in November, allowing a larger audience to see what all the fuss was about. Personally, I enjoyed the film and didn't think the amputation scene was so bad.

At the movie's premiere, we asked Franco himself what he thought of the fainting reports, and though he said he'd heard that people had passed out, they still wanted to see the rest of the film as far as he knew.

The press has hardly deterred 127 Hours's critical reception; it's already beginning to garner nominations including a Golden Globe nod for James Franco. But will the film be better remembered for its sensationalism?