127 Hours

     First of all, let me say that I have been waiting for this movie since it came out in November. But living in Bloomington, it never came here until now. It was well worth the wait. I absolutely loved it. The movie is about a hiker, Aron Rolston, getting stuck under a rock in a canyon in the middle-of-nowhere, Utah. Since it is a true story, you know what happens, and that actually adds to the suspense. The entire first part of the movie, every time he stepped on something, I thought he was going to fall, and also, once he was down there, I kept anticipating the amputation scene. James Franco does a fantastic job as Aron. He did a great job of being likable and perfectly portrayed his struggle to keep hope and survive. The film does a great job of making you feel like you are right there with him. Usually I don't like movies with a lot of close ups, but for this, it really works. This is especially true for the amputation scene. The whole thing is very visceral, and you feel like it is actually happening to you.
     Because of this movie, I am now officially a Danny Boyle fan. He did an absolutely fantastic job with the writing as well as the directing. The film was beautiful, and there were some very interesting split screens that were done very well, and I think they added to the movie. They were very symbolic of how fragmented Aron's thoughts were becoming. Another thing I like about this movie is that it's not just a movie about him freaking out and then all of a sudden he gets free. I know it's a true story, so that has a lot to do with how the situation was actually handled. But this movie was not like that. It just really showed the true potential of the human will to survive. All in all, the movie was exhausting and exhilarating to watch. I was completely captivated the whole time, and I would watch it again and again. It is my new favorite movie of the year. I cried, it was heartwarming, and I suggest that everyone see it. Unfortunately Danny Boyle did not get an Oscar nomination, but otherwise, it is very well represented in the nominations. I don't think it will win any of the big categories, but I wouldn't completely write it off. Any win will be well-deserved. Go. See. It.