127 Hours

It can be argued that 127 Hours has no great overlap, and that it is simply a post-modern stylized testimony of courage and desire to survive. It can also be argued that subliminal stressing of fate and miraculous hunch smacks of melodramatic cheesiness. A lot can be argued about, but what really counts is the experience. Pain, despair, fear, and above them a triumphant animal desire to escape and live, no matter what it takes. And 127 Hours has plenty of raw experiences to give. That's why this is an exceptional film and one of the most intense experiences of pain I've ever experienced in a movie theatre (Gibson and his biblical exploitation should study how it's done "for real"). (01/12/2011)

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%. (06/02/2011)

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)

Desire for adventure, desire for solitude, desire to live. Danny Boyle translates a relatively trivial story into a highly personal level, where no hallucination is purposeless and no flashback empty. With the breathtaking James Franco and a visual that never rests, 127 Hours becomes a magnificent spiritual cleansing and also the most intimate story. It is simply a difficult task that passed with flying colours and made me, despite the inconspicuous warning, desire to rush somewhere headlong, making it perhaps the biggest surprise of the season. (01/11/2011)