127 Hours
127 Hours. This was the one movie that I didn't want to see. The true story of a hiker (Aron Ralston) who ended up trapped in a canyon, pinned by a rock and then has to rely on himself to get free. If you know the outcome then you'll understand why someone might not want to watch the re-enactment. If you don't, well he doesn't move the rock or get help.
The strength of the movie is James Franco. He deserves his award nominations because it can't be easy acting with only props and pretending your arm is stuck. Yet his performance conveys the sense of desperation and determination to stay alive. What Aron went through, well, most of us would be dead. Lesson for all solo hikers - let people know exactly where you are going.
At times the movie drifted about, especially during the hallucination / flashback scenes. All that mattered was the canyon, the rock, and the arm. The movie runs for just over 90 minutes and that was the right pace. Any longer and we wouldn't have cared what happened, any shorter, no vested interest in the outcome. I kept thinking that in the real situation there would be no background music or sound effects. The movie might have been better had it been kept simple.
Who would like 127 Hours? Hikers, rock climbers, mountaineers, etc. If you've ever hiked alone (and in my family we are 3/3 for this) then you'll get the movie. When we are not in the canyon the Southern Utah scenery is beautiful and a poster for the area. Makes me want to go to Moab and Canyonlands.
With a friend of course.
The strength of the movie is James Franco. He deserves his award nominations because it can't be easy acting with only props and pretending your arm is stuck. Yet his performance conveys the sense of desperation and determination to stay alive. What Aron went through, well, most of us would be dead. Lesson for all solo hikers - let people know exactly where you are going.
At times the movie drifted about, especially during the hallucination / flashback scenes. All that mattered was the canyon, the rock, and the arm. The movie runs for just over 90 minutes and that was the right pace. Any longer and we wouldn't have cared what happened, any shorter, no vested interest in the outcome. I kept thinking that in the real situation there would be no background music or sound effects. The movie might have been better had it been kept simple.
Who would like 127 Hours? Hikers, rock climbers, mountaineers, etc. If you've ever hiked alone (and in my family we are 3/3 for this) then you'll get the movie. When we are not in the canyon the Southern Utah scenery is beautiful and a poster for the area. Makes me want to go to Moab and Canyonlands.
With a friend of course.
I, as you said, have hiked alone, but I will never watch this movie. If I hike alone, I hike on well maintained and traveled trails, and doing what he did to get free would put an image in my mind that might make me not want to hike, even if I'm with friends. I prefer movies like Cast Away that are pure fictional.
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