127 hours
BinauralJam
Posts: 14,158
It's only being shown in a few theaters nationwide unfortuntly.
Hey everyone. Capone in Chicago here.
This is a film that is so perfect as both a visceral and sensory experience that it's almost impossible to say anything more than, if you think you can handle watching a guy cutting his own arm off to escape certain death, you're going to love Danny Boyle's magnificent 127 HOURS. Condensed to a 90-minute package of unwasted moment, Boyle hands us not only one of the greatest performances of the year--James Franco as real-life mountain climber/guide Aron Ralston--but also something that goes far beyond a simple retelling the facts of Ralston's accident that had him pinned by his arm in crevice well out of the reach of any potential rescue.
Boyle doesn't deny us the highlights of Ralston's almost unbelievable story (adapted from his book by Boyle and Simon Beaufoy, who wrote Boyle's SLUMDOG MILLIONAIREl as well as THE FULL MONTY), such as his survivalist skills kicking into high gear. As strange as it may sound, if this accident was going to happen to anyone, it's a good thing it was Ralston, who knew how to conserve the water he had, create a system of straps to make it possible for him to sleep, and ultimately have the fortitude to do what it took to free himself from certain peril. But Boyle is perhaps even more interested in Ralston's mental collapse due to lack of water and looking death straight in the eyes. The filmmakers recreate some of Ralston's hallucinations of the real (his family, an old girlfriend, two girls he met just before the accident) and the ridiculous (Scooby Doo, a rain-triggered flash flood that helps him escape, but not really).
Ralston also did a somewhat thorough job documenting his own dilemma thanks to a video camera and digital camera he brought with him, on which he recorded his surroundings and personal message to his family that he believed would only be seen after his death. I've certainly seen Franco do some fairly remarkable things in his acting career, but nothing quite prepared me for the lengths he goes to to capture this experience. There's a purely fictional moment when Ralston creates both sides of a radio interview with himself that should be shown in acting classes around the world.
Perhaps better than any other filmmaker working today, Boyle (28 DAYS LATER, SUNSHINE, TRAINSPOTTING) had the remarkable ability to to harness the chaos of turmoil, to make it something we can taste and smell and certainly hear. In 127 HOURS, the moment I realized just how deep this experience went was during the arm-cutting sequence, which isn't as gory or bloody as you might believe. However, when Ralston hits an exposed nerve deep in his arm and experiences pure pain, Boyle punctuates that moment with piercing guitar feedback, which is, of course, exactly what genuine pain sounds like. It fills the ears and makes them ring for hours. And don't even get me started on trying to wrap my head around what Ralston had to do to himself just prior to cutting his arm so that he was able to preserve his elbow.
People have told me that they love Franco dearly but refuse to see 127 HOURS because they don't think they can handle it (maybe they've heard the stories about fainting audience members at festival screenings). To paraphrase Jason Segel, gently remove your tampon and go see this movie (I dare Fox Searchlight to put that quote on their posters). Don't tell me good films mean something to you and then skip one of the best things you'll see this year. This is not a horror film, and the scene that you're so damn worried about only lasts a couple of minutes and is followed by some of the most glorious and celebratory scenes you'll see all year.
The movie is meant to shake you up, but not because of the gore. It's the total experience. Both Boyle and Franco are master craftsmen who are giving us the best work of their career, and they put us deep inside Aron Ralston's fractured mind and force us to wonder how we would have held up under circumstances. I think I would have lasted about five minutes. 127 HOURS is meant to blow your mind, and give you an experience you so rarely get these days in a movie theater. Without resorting to 3D or vibrating seats or whatever, Danny Boyle puts us in that hole in the earth. The escape route is clear and yet entirely unreachable. I hope if I ever find myself in a similar situation, James Franco is right there next to me showing me where to put the knife for that first cut. You will squirm, but you will be a better person for having seen 127 HOURS.
-- Capone
<!-- e --><a href="mailto:capone@aintitcool.com">capone@aintitcool.com</a><!-- e -->
Hey everyone. Capone in Chicago here.
This is a film that is so perfect as both a visceral and sensory experience that it's almost impossible to say anything more than, if you think you can handle watching a guy cutting his own arm off to escape certain death, you're going to love Danny Boyle's magnificent 127 HOURS. Condensed to a 90-minute package of unwasted moment, Boyle hands us not only one of the greatest performances of the year--James Franco as real-life mountain climber/guide Aron Ralston--but also something that goes far beyond a simple retelling the facts of Ralston's accident that had him pinned by his arm in crevice well out of the reach of any potential rescue.
Boyle doesn't deny us the highlights of Ralston's almost unbelievable story (adapted from his book by Boyle and Simon Beaufoy, who wrote Boyle's SLUMDOG MILLIONAIREl as well as THE FULL MONTY), such as his survivalist skills kicking into high gear. As strange as it may sound, if this accident was going to happen to anyone, it's a good thing it was Ralston, who knew how to conserve the water he had, create a system of straps to make it possible for him to sleep, and ultimately have the fortitude to do what it took to free himself from certain peril. But Boyle is perhaps even more interested in Ralston's mental collapse due to lack of water and looking death straight in the eyes. The filmmakers recreate some of Ralston's hallucinations of the real (his family, an old girlfriend, two girls he met just before the accident) and the ridiculous (Scooby Doo, a rain-triggered flash flood that helps him escape, but not really).
Ralston also did a somewhat thorough job documenting his own dilemma thanks to a video camera and digital camera he brought with him, on which he recorded his surroundings and personal message to his family that he believed would only be seen after his death. I've certainly seen Franco do some fairly remarkable things in his acting career, but nothing quite prepared me for the lengths he goes to to capture this experience. There's a purely fictional moment when Ralston creates both sides of a radio interview with himself that should be shown in acting classes around the world.
Perhaps better than any other filmmaker working today, Boyle (28 DAYS LATER, SUNSHINE, TRAINSPOTTING) had the remarkable ability to to harness the chaos of turmoil, to make it something we can taste and smell and certainly hear. In 127 HOURS, the moment I realized just how deep this experience went was during the arm-cutting sequence, which isn't as gory or bloody as you might believe. However, when Ralston hits an exposed nerve deep in his arm and experiences pure pain, Boyle punctuates that moment with piercing guitar feedback, which is, of course, exactly what genuine pain sounds like. It fills the ears and makes them ring for hours. And don't even get me started on trying to wrap my head around what Ralston had to do to himself just prior to cutting his arm so that he was able to preserve his elbow.
People have told me that they love Franco dearly but refuse to see 127 HOURS because they don't think they can handle it (maybe they've heard the stories about fainting audience members at festival screenings). To paraphrase Jason Segel, gently remove your tampon and go see this movie (I dare Fox Searchlight to put that quote on their posters). Don't tell me good films mean something to you and then skip one of the best things you'll see this year. This is not a horror film, and the scene that you're so damn worried about only lasts a couple of minutes and is followed by some of the most glorious and celebratory scenes you'll see all year.
The movie is meant to shake you up, but not because of the gore. It's the total experience. Both Boyle and Franco are master craftsmen who are giving us the best work of their career, and they put us deep inside Aron Ralston's fractured mind and force us to wonder how we would have held up under circumstances. I think I would have lasted about five minutes. 127 HOURS is meant to blow your mind, and give you an experience you so rarely get these days in a movie theater. Without resorting to 3D or vibrating seats or whatever, Danny Boyle puts us in that hole in the earth. The escape route is clear and yet entirely unreachable. I hope if I ever find myself in a similar situation, James Franco is right there next to me showing me where to put the knife for that first cut. You will squirm, but you will be a better person for having seen 127 HOURS.
-- Capone
<!-- e --><a href="mailto:capone@aintitcool.com">capone@aintitcool.com</a><!-- e -->
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Comments
Yeah, this looks good. I've seen that Franco fella in some good rolls, I like his abilities.
Charlotte 03
Asheville 04
Atlanta 12
Greenville 16, Columbia 16
Seattle 18
Nashville 22
10/31/09- Philly
5/21/10- NYC
9/2/12- Philly, PA
7/19/13- Wrigley
10/19/13- Brooklyn, NY
10/21/13- Philly, PA
10/22/13- Philly, PA
10/27/13- Baltimore, MD
4/28/16- Philly, PA
4/29/16- Philly, PA
5/1/16- NYC
5/2/16- NYC
9/2/18- Boston, MA
9/4/18- Boston, MA
9/14/22- Camden, NJ
9/7/24- Philly, PA
9/9/24- Philly, PA
Eddie Vedder- 6/25/11- Philly, PA
RNDM- 3/9/16- Philly, PA
awesome, but intense...?
are you insinuating you have a problem with movies that are intense?
ya because then my wife won't go see them in the theatre, and then 5 months later i rent tham, but ya know she doesn't wana watch that, so i gotta wait for her to fall asleep, then buy the time i do see them it will be 1 in the morning and i'm pretty drunk and end up scared and alone on the couch.
did you ever have to pee but were to scared to go to the bathroom? that sucks,
10/31/09- Philly
5/21/10- NYC
9/2/12- Philly, PA
7/19/13- Wrigley
10/19/13- Brooklyn, NY
10/21/13- Philly, PA
10/22/13- Philly, PA
10/27/13- Baltimore, MD
4/28/16- Philly, PA
4/29/16- Philly, PA
5/1/16- NYC
5/2/16- NYC
9/2/18- Boston, MA
9/4/18- Boston, MA
9/14/22- Camden, NJ
9/7/24- Philly, PA
9/9/24- Philly, PA
Eddie Vedder- 6/25/11- Philly, PA
RNDM- 3/9/16- Philly, PA
fade away...
I am at peace with my lust.....for Eddie.
I remember the story about the dude...unbelievable
The ONLY thing better than a glass of beer is tea with Miss McGill
A protuberance of flesh above the waistband of a tight pair of trousers
Incredible story though, I've read extensively about it.
Aron Ralston is a living badass.
6/12/08 - Tampa, FL
8/23/09 - Chicago, IL
9/28/09 - Salt Lake City, UT (11 years too long!!!)
9/03/11 - East Troy, WI - PJ20 - Night 1
9/04/11 - East Troy, WI - PJ20 - Night 2
The best expression of Love is Time.
The best time to Love is Now.
I'm never as good as when you're there.........
MILK was a fantastic film, and Franco really was awesome in it.
6/12/08 - Tampa, FL
8/23/09 - Chicago, IL
9/28/09 - Salt Lake City, UT (11 years too long!!!)
9/03/11 - East Troy, WI - PJ20 - Night 1
9/04/11 - East Troy, WI - PJ20 - Night 2
10/31/09- Philly
5/21/10- NYC
9/2/12- Philly, PA
7/19/13- Wrigley
10/19/13- Brooklyn, NY
10/21/13- Philly, PA
10/22/13- Philly, PA
10/27/13- Baltimore, MD
4/28/16- Philly, PA
4/29/16- Philly, PA
5/1/16- NYC
5/2/16- NYC
9/2/18- Boston, MA
9/4/18- Boston, MA
9/14/22- Camden, NJ
9/7/24- Philly, PA
9/9/24- Philly, PA
Eddie Vedder- 6/25/11- Philly, PA
RNDM- 3/9/16- Philly, PA
and I love james franco, anyone ever seen Freaks and Geeks? Loved him on that, he was a cute boy thats for sure.
Seattle Key Arena 9-21-2009
Seattle Key Arena 9-22-2009
do you mean the Spiderman movies?
Just off the top of my head, as said above, Milk, and City By The Sea.
Now it's time to read the book.
Aron is a regular customer of mine and seems to be a funny outgoing guy which the movie was dead on about.
He still has one whacky sense of humor.
He said he almost never wears his prosthetic anymore.
i saw it with my brother and there were maybe 14 people total in the theater........fucking half of them talked the whole time. these were older people too. not some young punks. the guy in front of us would say stupid cliche shit like "DON'T DO IT!" to his wife. at the time when franco experienced the sunlight for the first time since being stuck he leans into the wife and goes "he must have been quite cold." :roll: :x ....then this old couple to our right basically had a running conversation through out the entire film--and it wasn't whispering. they were fucking talking. there was a bass and a baritone to their cadence. it was awful. i shushed them multiple times to no avail. my brother gave a few violent shushes. and this was a movie about a dude stuck in a canyon. not a lot of noise for long stretches of time people. at one point, when 3 different sets of people were talking i dumbfoundedly turned to my brother and said "this is unbelievable. these are the worst movie goers i've ever watched a movie with."
great movie. terrible audience.
imagine all the weird looks you would get if you said this sentence in 1995.