127 Hours

Two things I knew about this film before I watched it was that it was based on a true story and he had to cut his arm off (very graphically) in order to survive (sorry if I ruined that for anyone, but I figure if you know anything about the movie, that is what you know, so hopefully I am not ruining it for many people.) I had no desire to watch this movie for the longest time because of the later tidbit of information and because I am not too fussy on James Franco's "quirkiness" in real life, and he was such a turd at the Oscars. So I watched it because it was available to me, and because I like Danny Boyle and Slumdog Millionaire, and was in a "willing to give it a chance" mood. And let me tell you, going into a movie with little expectation is probably the best way. This movie was everything I didn't know I wanted it to be. The music was absolutely perfect, the lighting and cinematography was unique and created an atmosphere of lightheartedness or confusion or what ever the occasion needed. It was easy to forget James Franco's real life crazy because he is such a fun-loving adventurer of a guy that is easy to like.

I very much enjoyed the tone of this film, I can imagine for many people to be stuck in a canyon for five days the atmosphere could turn very dark and sad, I know that I would be having a "why me?" pity party. But Aron Rolston understands why it is him - "I chose this". In a moment of delirious epiphany Aron realizes that every decision he has made in his life has brought him to this point - he decided to go it alone, to recklessly explore the canyons, and to feel invincible enough to not tell anybody where he was going, oops. From the very beginning he accepts that this is his fault, and it is his challenge to get himself out of it. He deals with it mostly positively and in good humor, and that makes his moments of despair all the more heart-breaking.

In what could have been a very boring movie, director Danny Boyle keeps us interested, in flashbacks and videos made with his camcorder while in the canyon, the film is a perfect balance of adventure, survival, and the human spirit. At the end when he has removed himself from the rock he looks at it as if to say "Fuck you rock" but instead just says "thank you". Is it cheesy for me to think that he's thanking the rock for helping him appreciate life? Maybe, but I'm sticking with it.

Go on this adventure.