anselmdaniel This review contains spoilers.127 Hours is a movie directed by Danny Boyle and stars James Franco. The movie is about a hiker that becomes trapped for 127 hours and must come to terms with his predicament. The movie examines his life and how he had come to this situation. In particular it shows the character's regrets and his eventual resolution.The movie is a vehicle for James Franco's acting ability. The movie is entirely dependent on James Franco's acting range and for this the movie does well. There is not a scene that is weak because of James Franco. He is on the screen for almost the entire movie, and the movie is better because of it. He is able to portray a character literally stuck between a rock and a hard place incredibly well. I became a fan of James Franco and his acting has made me interested in his serious roles in the future.The movie's plot is bare bones. This is to be expected but the movie fills the full 90 minutes with flashbacks and hallucinations. These scenes felt superfluous to the predicament and only served to make the character come to terms with what he had to do. Without these scenes, the movie could have been 45 minutes long.Overall, I would recommend 127 Hours. It is a tense and claustrophobic look into a man stuck in a rough predicament.

jamesjustice-68209 This otherwise good movie is painful to watch. I liked the hallucination scenes the most and I know they were supposed to show us all that was going on in a trapped person's mind but it's so darn long. Only 90 minutes of runtime but the movie itself feels like eternity. Never liked Danny Boyle and I guess I never will. But James Franco has got that magical delight about him I want to believe and taking in consideration the story is as true as can be makes it so amazing to watch. But just once.

thedarkknight-99999 Thanks to the incredible directing from Danny Boyle that played with our emotions, and James Franco's powerful performance, 127 Hours is one of the most intense movies I've ever watched!We know everything about Aron Ralston from the flashback scenes, maybe this is the best use of flashback technique in film if not flawless one; as some of flashback scenes felt like the were forced to the movie or they were used just to waste some time. Also, some of daydream scenes changed the tone of the movie. (8.5/10)

wogsurfer It's important for us as humans to step outside our comfort zone. Do something we wouldn't normally do, if we don't, we're only living life half way.I'm the first to admit that I do not practice this as often as I should, it's lead to being slightly overweight, heavily opinionated, and some may tell you, it's the reason I'm still single. Unfortunately stepping outside my comfort zone is not limited to my life, it's also in my movie watching habits.The movie I am reviewing and the review itself is outside the norm completely. Number one; I do not generally watch films like 127 Hours. Forgive me, but biopics generally do not interest me, not sure why, but I do prefer watching the fanciful, and the stuff you don't see ever in the real world. Number two; I do not own this film, the opportunity to watch the film came up due to being broadcast on satellite television, and I thought, "Well why the hell not?" So this review is outside the norm as it were.Enough about me, and onto the film.127 Hours tells the true story of one Aron Ralston (Franco). Adventurer, rock-climber, and canyoner, Aron is someone who definitely does not live in any comfort zone. Unfortunately one such adventure trip through Utah's Blue John canyon, Aron falls and becomes trapped with a boulder pinning his arm to the canyon wall.Despite desperate attempts at the start to free himself, Aron is most literally caught between a rock and a hard place, the term that is used for the title of Aron's book, upon which this film is based. Aron uses his guile, and survival techniques to stay alive and figure out a way to free himself.Between making video logs to his parents, winning minor victories in his attempts at freeing himself, and using Bear Grylls type methods to keep himself warm. Aron ponders his life, and the people he holds dear. This is the heart of the film, as we all have or will face moments where we have to pause, and really take the time to appreciate the life we are given, and the people who fill it. They say don't sweat the small stuff, but this film also shows that in desperate and difficult times we think about the small moments in our life.Danny Boyle is no doubt a clever film maker. In another film maker's hands this film may not have been quite as good, and probably a by the numbers kind of film. I believe Boyle is another one of those who like to live life outside his comfort level, which brings a realness to this film. Life like moments that left me thinking about how I probably would have done similar things to what Aron did.James Franco as Aron delivers a personal, internal, and remarkable performance.I am glad to say now that I have seen 127 Hours, I probably won't get outside my zone anymore than I did before, but when I do, I'll think about Aron Ralston, what he had to endure in the five days he was trapped, what he had to do to get out alive, and also not let the loss of his arm prevent him from still getting out there and living a full life.