127 Hours (DVD, 2011)

Aron Ralston (played by James Franco) is traipsing alone through Utah's Canyonlands National Park, minding his own sweet-natured, loosey-goosey business, when an errant step drops him into a crevasse. That in itself wouldn't be so bad if he hadn't managed to get his right hand stuck between a heavy boulder and the side of the cavern--a cavern that will be his grave, if he doesn't figure out how to get himself out. Danny Boyle's film of this real-life 2003 incident builds up to what we all know is going to happen: Ralston must sever his arm between his elbow and wrist, after a few long, lonely days of avoiding the idea. (Superb casual line delivery by Franco: "So I found this great tourniquet….") Because this is a film by the director of Slumdog Millionaire and Trainspotting, we can expect a barrage of visual high jinks, despite the fact that this story would seem to be a simple tale of a man stuck in the desert. Boyle deploys flashbacks and fantasies to fill up the screen, plus he gets some mileage out of Ralston's video camera--and, of course, this director can't resist juicing the soundtrack with pop tunes, from Sigur Rós to Edith Piaf to Slumdog composer A.R. Rahman. Maybe Boyle is simply hyperactive, or maybe he's really onto something about what would happen inside the mind of a man left in extremis for an extended period (who wouldn't have a few Boyle-esque hallucinations, under the circumstances?). The cumulative effect is overbearing, but Franco's performance is spirited and endearing--he makes Ralston sufficiently "of life" that you definitely don't want to see this goofball soul be lost.

Although my husband found this to be rather dull and boring, I enjoyed it and was left thinking about the film for days. James Franco did a superb one-man job. I never cared for him as an actor although I find him to be a most unique and quirky individual! But he really proved himself in this movie. Everyone said I'd never be able to watch the scene where he cuts off his arm. But I did not have to look away. It was done in an effective and powerful yet not overly gory or graphic way. The cinematography is interesting and the scenery is breath-taking. This is not a movie for the faint-of-heart or for those who like a huge cast of characters. If you enjoy a movie where there is a deep message and leaves you contemplating the film long after it's over, you should enjoy this one.

From Academy Award®-winning director Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire) comes the powerfully uplifting true story of one man’s struggle to survive against mountainous odds. Aron Ralston (James Franco) has a passion for all things outdoors. But when a falling boulder traps him in a remote Utah canyon, a thrill-seeker’s adventure becomes the challenge of a lifetime. Over the next five days, Ralston embarks on a remarkable personal journey in which he relies on the memories of family and friends--as well as his own courage and ingenuity--to turn adversity into triumph!

Well Made, good actor, beautiful country and good story. Hoping to go to Moab, Utah in the future. Hope soon

Very moving. A really solid filmmaking and daring. About a man wrestling with his own cocky mode of living and paying the price for living such. The arc of this film is not just about a man getting trapped and finally getting free. It's of a man who has been isolated from the world for far more than 127 hours, and finally calling out for 'help'.