127 HOURS

RYAN: The new James Franco drama 127 Hours is based on the real story of a hiker who cut off his own arm after being trapped for five days in the wilderness. This is Danny Boyle’s follow up to the Academy Award winning Slumdog Millionaire.

CAROLINE: It’s like Into the Wild meets Cast Away, fortunately with a happy ending. It’s very crazily edited at the beginning, in a good way. I loved the music and the fast pace. Basically the movie is 20 minutes of heart-pounding fun and excitement, and then the last hour and ten is a very slow burn.

RYAN: I think they did a good job of giving us a sense of what it was like for this guy to be trapped for that long. Honestly, it’s one of the best edited films I’ve ever seen and could totally win the Oscar for editing. I could also see it getting nominated for directing and for James Franco’s performance.

CAROLINE: He really carries the whole movie. He has a few brief scenes with Amber Tamblyn and Kate Mara who play other hikers, but other than that it’s all about James. He does a phenomenal job. His performance was so raw – I felt his pain and thirst and hunger and delirium. It kinda seemed like James Franco didn’t shower and barely ate or slept during the shoot because he captured the emotion and suffering so well.

RYAN: There were also some really creative sound effects that made you feel like you were there and feeling his pain. The music really punctuates what you’re seeing.

CAROLINE: I’m sure it was hard to capture how this guy is feeling in such a solitary movie like this that has no voice over or anything. But they did a great job of conveying how he felt through other means. It’s excruciating to watch at times, but I’m happy to say the arm cutting scene is mercifully brief; albeit very real looking. I was worried that scene was going to be an hour of the movie or something.

RYAN: Yeah, luckily there’s plenty of other stuff going on before and after the arm scene. While he’s trapped, they use flashbacks, hallucinations, panic attacks, etc. to show what he went through, not to mention the recreation of actual videos this guy made for his family and friends since he thought was going to die. And I’m thrilled to say there’s a Harry Potter actress in the movie! It’s the girl who plays Fleur Delacour.

CAROLINE: Only you would notice that. This movie has such a fascinating story, but you almost wonder how it could be made into a movie since it’s just one man’s ordeal. But you totally made it work, Danny Boyle!

RYAN: I’m so glad he was the director. It’s such a compelling and terrifying film, while still being hopeful. I actually got misty at the end, which I can’t believe.

CAROLINE: I love that! I, too, was completely about to weep at the end. Even though you know how it turns out, it’s still so exciting to watch. And I couldn’t even believe what he still had to go through after he cut off his arm.

RYAN: You have such a sense of relief when it’s all over. It was happy tears for me.

— BOTTOM LINE —

CAROLINE: This is not a movie for the squeamish. You will see a pretty graphic scene of a man cutting off his own arm, so if you can’t handle that, don’t see this movie. But for the rest of us, this is a great, very Oscar worthy film that everyone’s going to be talking about. I highly recommend it.

RYAN: This movie is very buzz worthy this awards season, so if you’re at all inclined, you should see it. I don’t know if I could sit through the whole thing again just because it’s so slow and agonizing, but it’s a brilliant film. James Franco has redeemed himself for his appearance on General Hospital for sure.

— RATING —