127 Hours is the true story of Aron Ralston, a climber who trapped his arm under a boulder when he fell while canyoneering.
This movie is nominated for six Academy Awards and it is deserving of each nomination. James Franco is nominated for Leading Actor and his performance was fantastic. He easily convinced you he was trapped and trying not to panic, or crazy while cutting his nerve. Amber Tamblyn and Kate Mara were fine in their roles early on in the movie but only noteworthy in the scheme of the movie. I really enjoyed the title sequence at the beginning of the movie and towards the end where they used the split screen to great effect. At the beginning it was to show his personality quickly while also getting to the main event of him getting trapped. The way they filmed and edited this movie was enjoyable. They had many different camera angles in each scene of him being trapped so you understood how small the space was but you were never overly claustrophobic. This movie kept the entertainment level high, the way this movie was written you never got bored even though the setting rarely changes. Within this movie you see him have flashbacks of a woman he once had and lost, and things he should have done which would have helped him in the situation he finds himself in now. The way they did some of these flashbacks and scenes were great because it meshed so well into his surroundings and sometimes you had to ask yourself if it were happening right there or not. The song “If I Rise” by Dido (vocals) and AH Rahman (score & vocals) was spectacular, as was the whole score. This song is the pivotal moment when he decides to cut his arm off because he desperately wants to live. It is a beautiful song, and I find it very inspiring.
This movie is also nominated for Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture. This was a great movie and I would give it 3 1/2 stars out of 4 but I don’t think it will win Best Picture, with the competition it has.
Lauren, sending reviews your way.
The Review Weekly 