127 Hours

After the third screening, it's clear to me: this film has matured and offers much more than a first superficial viewing might suggest. What hightlights it above all is its playfulness. It’s packed with so many directorial ideas and visual tricks, visual and sound games (functional flashbacks, image splitting, refreshingly chosen music) that watching its atypical narrative is a joy – this despite the slightly morbid climax. James Franco is a great actor in this film, and Danny Boyle is a genius. (08/14/2011)

After some time, I’m increasing my rating to a “subjective” five stars, because it’s exactly my cup of tea. Danny Boyle once again proves his originality and ability to engagingly tell any story through audiovisual orgies. In an intimate drama with a single character, he doesn’t shy away from strong camera filters, fastforward scenes, split screens or jumping from one flashback to another. These tricks might seem out of place and irritating in a different film of this genre, but they make 127 Hours a fast-paced, riveting story that is never boring while also never straying from the sharp focus on the psychological state of the main character. It is an excellent, almost extraordinary film that made me cry with happiness at the end. (06/08/2011)

This is Touching the Void in a more cinematic, but less emotional package. Boyle cuts back on the poignant sequences and instead serves up a minimalist tale of one self-centered fop for whom a smaller rock was waiting to show him that ego isn't everything. The cinematography, music, editing, and especially the acting are incredibly captivating for the entire ninety minutes, even if all of this can be summed up in a single sentence. Maybe this is how you recognize good filmmaking, and maybe this is what works better than all the sad sights from the slums. But then again, it doesn't collect gold-plated statuettes. (01/10/2011)

Danny Boyle is a good director and this adrenaline bite is far more impactful than it might seem at first glance. He turns a a banal storyline into a psychedelic affair of the highest caliber. The desire to survive is beautifully displayed in full force. From minimal resources, he achieved the maximum outcome; this film is definitely worth seeing. It is a simple, yet highly watchable affair. (02/19/2011)

I didn't waver for a minute over any rating other than 5 stars. James Franco played his role perfectly, movingly, and naturally. My hand ached for him from the beginning and my heart was pounding until the end. The imaginative and, most importantly, original ending only made me believe that this film is 100%. (06/03/2011)