127 Hours

Actual events which took place in Canyonlands national Park: great scenery. A good survival movie which teaches a valuable lesson. Going to places like this is best with at least another person; and ALWAYS let someone else know exactly where you are going!

Great movie. True story and his still living life the way he want's to.

I know, you’re thinking “the man cuts off his arm, how is that snooze fest?” But I can only do a solo Franco scene for so long

The movie was remarkable as it teaches about never giving up and that life can still go on after life tragedies. James Franco did a great job. It makes it especially better knowing this is based on a true story. The cinematography is interesting and the scenery is breath-taking. This is not a movie for the faint-of-heart or for those who like a huge cast of characters. If you enjoy a movie where there is a deep message and leaves you contemplating the film long after it's over, you should enjoy this one.

Good movie

I watched this movie immediately after reading the book and as with most movies made from books, it was a very disappointing and glossed-over version of what Aron Ralston went through. I most enjoyed the scenery and on location scenes and it was great to see where and how the accident happened after reading about it. The movie had so many events out of order and with weird changes that didn't really need to happen and barely touched on what Aron went through those 5 day that he was trapped. There were many scenes that never happened in the book and very little time was spent on how much time Aron spent reflecting on his family, friends, and experiences - and that is what the bulk of the book is about. The movie cruised through his 5 days trapped in the blink of an eye, and then through his rescue even faster - like he just walked out and was found when he really hike 4+ miles alone before finding people, and another 3 miles until the chopper reached him. There was nothing in the movie about the family/friends/authorities searching for him or how the chopper that saved him was already out there looking for him.I think I would have enjoyed watching the movie first, and then reading the book. The movie is an okay summary of the accident, but missed the mark on how much Aron did to save himself - he's a very smart guy (and very experienced in wilderness search and rescue) and he spent hours contemplating and calculating out every factor and option available to him over and over again. It also missed that mark on the personal realizations he made during his time that he was trapped - it touch on it a bit at the end but 50% of the book is his stories about family and friends and how he maybe hadn't appreciated them as much as he should have prior to the accident. If you liked the movie, then read the book!

Disc was fine, ran ok. Case was completely demo'd. The plastic bag it came in was totally inadequate. A little padding would probably help.

And that is: an attempt to repackage a classic story (in this case near death survival stories) and a classic event (the Oscars) as something the new generation can connect with. However, while in my opinion the Social Network pulled this off brilliantly (even after hearing all the hype prior to watching it) and was deserving of the praise 127 Hours was a bit of a let down (after the post-James Franco being nominated, the great reviews on here, my friend raving about it, etc...-hype).Alright now that I made that interesting comparison on to a couple thoughts about the movie itself:James Franco did good not great as an actor here. Having not had my hand trapped under a rock for a few days I can't really say how I would act but I was kinda surprised by his response at different points. In the beginning I was expecting a sheer panic expletive ridden outburst of someone in shock with the claustrophobic doom-filled knowledge that your hand is ummm...how should i put this? Really f'in stuck. He seems a little too together. And indeed that would be my one main critique on his performance...he never really loses it. More like "hey looked at my glazed over eyes and how out of it I am...this is really deep."The opening music is cool but as we get trapped with James in the crack the musical selection does less to build the ominous tension as it does to become a strangely out of place element...either by trying to be ironic, reminding us that it will all be over soon, and/or that there is something 'cool' about all this. The end music/scene when he is reunited with people is over the top to me...screaming, "We just won the battle!!" Ummm....no. This story is still part tragedy. The dude lost an arm among other things. ...and incorporating that emotionally tragic element into the celebratory ending would have added some needed poignancy.The flashbacks make me yawn. Someone mentioned that James should be confessing these flashbacks instead of the film recreating them and I think that could potentially be a better idea. Instead of pulling me closer to the character and fleshing him out more they seem to 'flesh him out more' and then ask you to emotionally invest more. I feel like the filmaker's could have taken more of a risk here (potentially resulting in boredom if it were to fail) but instead played it safe.Anyway, long story short this film isn't bad. Its decent...and about what I would have expected when I initially saw the previews.However, if you feel like this review was too focused on the negative and want something positive to take away here you go:Go watch "Touching The Void" for what I believe to be a 'harrowing tale of near-death adventure' done right...very, very right in fact.

127 Hours swiftly counts down every enduring hour to its grotesquely effective climax. Canyonlands National Park, Utah. Smooth slot canyons, intricately weaving through the desolate landscape, bask in the beating sunlight. Its burning rays illuminating the curvaceous formations that guide hikers to their idyllic destination. Aron Ralston, an adventurous mountaineer, one day journeys across the park. Befriending fellow backpackers, presenting them with natural wonders kept hidden from sight. Underground pools harnessing crystal clear water, just a leap of faith away. After a joyous separation, he lonesomely traverses Bluejohn Canyon. Hurtling over deceased wood and precarious boulders. He slips. A loosened large boulder follows his trajectory. Falling from gracious heights, Aron’s right hand becomes wedged in ‘Between a Rock and a Hard Place’. He cries for urgent assistance. But only his echoes reply. With limited supplies, time was running out. Aron, confronted with destiny, must overcome his own mentality to succumb to the inevitable action that would free his temporary imprisonment.Boyle’s adaptation of Ralston’s biographical memoir, initially, resembled the standardisation of trapped thrillers. One individual with a select amount of tools at their disposal must escape from the claustrophobic location that is holding them custody. An engrossing central performance, undoubtedly Franco’s best dramatic endeavour thus far, allows the particular central character to experience an array of emotions from determination to desperation, before developing a moral compass that had since been disregarded. These enclosed survival thrillers have been executed before. However, what enables 127 Hours to stand above the competition and garner several Academy Award nominations in the process, is Boyle’s direction. It’s a pure example of exuberance elevating a simplistic yet solidly constructed personable ordeal. He is able to embed an urban aesthetic, despite the rural environment, that increases the core frenetic energy throughout.Aron gulping on the slowly diminishing water supply is made increasingly apparent by employing a camera within the bottle itself. Aron chipping away parts of the boulder with an inexpensive multi-tool or him pushing the obstacle with his entire body force, are made inclusively exhausting through camera actions that jolt forward with each momentous push. The gorgeous aerial footage capturing the endless horizons of the National Park, securing his unfortunate solidarity. Harris’ signature editing stylistics, notably the split screen time lapses of fast-moving society, illustrating Ralston’s putrefying mentality whilst maintaining Boyle’s metropolitan buoyancy. All culminating in a visceral scene that invades every sense available. The inevitable amputation that audiences were fainting over, even before the film was theatrically released. It’s an impeccable reaction, not due to the biographical nature of 127 Hours, but the invasive filming style. The piercing sound effects when Ralston slashes a tendon and the abrupt camera rotation when he initially breaks the arm. Perfect examples of employing realistic imagination without displaying the act’s gratuitous gore in its entirety. Such directorial flair that, not only visually engages, but narratively powers through the sparse screenplay.127 Hours is unsurprisingly only eight-nine minutes in length. The first ten minutes introduces Ralston through a dutch angled bike ride across the park (Darude’s ‘Sandstorm’ anyone?) before presenting the main claustrophobic event. The initial problem with this, is that the emotional connectivity with the central character takes precious time to develop. Time that unfortunately this feature does not have the luxury of expending. It’s not until the third act when you start cheering for his survival, and that’s an issue. Flashbacks and premonitions are embedded throughout to grant some much needed characterised background, however the harrowing ordeal of his physical pain overwhelms the tender interior experiences. Had there been additional introductory development, these succinct moments would’ve been substantially more effective. Franco also occasionally seemed somewhat unrealistically calm in several situations, in particular the day transitions when Withers’ ‘Lovely Day’ would ironically play, which lacked an authentic continuity.Still, Boyle will always remain as a leading director in visual storytelling. With that, 127 Hours may just be his most personable and audacious feature yet. As a depiction of brute survival, enlisting the tactics of claustrophobic film-making, it’s a resounding success that will leave viewers wanting a solid 127 hour runtime. The personal touches however required more development in order to make Ralston a hugely relatable individual. We can all agree on one lesson though. Never go mountaineering by yourself, and certainly tell someone where you have gone...

I was so looking forward to this film BUT found it to be a bit over done in places such as flashbacks and music where none needed and there seemed to us to be a lot of "fillers" to extend the tale but as is is a true and very sad story it was just about OK but would not want to watch again.

This one is a classic very entertaining and plenty of action to keep you sitting on the edge of the seat, based on a true story I would hate to be in his shoes. Making you feel the pain and despair hoping someone would find you trapped in the rocks willing to take a chance to help you, Rock climbing and swimming with a couple of girls in a hidden lagoon having lots of fun, marvelous entertainment full on suspense and thrills flying everywhere. Actors made this movie fabulous with the story that made you feeling involved, wanting to help but not been able, I rated this one an A grade plus for holding my interest all the way through the show full on suspense, so why are you reading this, why not out there getting it so you can judge for yourself, top of the art movie couldn't be better not over done and hit the right note.

Absolutely brilliant movie. A fascinating and quite gory true story of a young adventurer.Loved the film. Confused as to whether I had a new copy or not. No plastic wrapper. A torn sticker on the cover. Don't know what the wording on the sticker might have been. But apart from that, it plays well and a great story

Great quality new DVD. The film was excellent, as expected. Only negative? I didn't like the director's crowd scenes at the beginning and the end, they were unnecessarily distracting.