127 Hours

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Jordan

The one where the guy cuts his arm off.

I think Danny Boyle may have over compensated just a little bit. A story of a guy trapped under a rock may seem uncinematic, so he's pulled out every trick in the book to keep us interested. But with all the constant time cutting and crazy new angles and pumpin' soundtrack, split screens, flashbacks, dreams etc. there is never any feeling of stillness or boredom or the passage of time. It makes being trapped under a rock look almost appealing and entertaining. Yes. I'm afraid Danny Boyle is glamorising being trapped under a rock and now all the cool kids will want to do it.

Okay, that's too far. But it does make something that could have been a slow build of tension into more like taking drugs at a rave. The best tension building bits are all the fake outs of arm cutting. Everyone knows going in he's going to cut his arm off and are all just waiting for that scene so playing with expectations like that works well.

The best parts of the movie for me was the exhilaration after he gets out. The build up and release works great and you can't help but feel happy and relieved for the guy. The most disgusting part for me was not him cutting his arm off, which isn't too graphic at all. No, the worst part for me was the gagging after drinking his own urine. That just makes you feel gross. So top points for that.

The other thing I really liked was the accompanying sound each time he tries to cut through his nerve tendon thingy. It's like a screeching distorted guitar. I fucking hate guitars, so that sound really worked to instil a sense of pain in me.

James Franco is neat. Kate Mara and Amber Tamblyn are at the start that ends up playing out like those extended pre-title sequences comedy shows now employ, where the title doesn't come up until just before the first add break. Lizzy Caplan you are in this film! You were only in it for 3 seconds and didn't say anything but that's ok, you are still cool.

There's a lot of brief appearances but really it's just James Franco and a rock. If they had gone hardcore like Buried there would be no need for any of them really. But the flashbacks do serve to tell us a bit about his character, not anything we couldn't have worked out for ourselves through what he does in the canyon, but it does help create the slightest of character arcs, from always being out on his own to at least telling others where he is going. It's not much but it makes the ordeal feel slightly worthwhile.

I really didn't like the music in this. The rest of it was okay. Best picture nom? I guess they have to fill out 10 spots this year. Best actor nom? I like Franco better in Howl this year. I like Danny Boyle films just fine. I like this film just fine.