A masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (6 February 2011)

I just saw this film the second time. The first time, I cried multiple times. This time, I cried even harder. And it's not even your typical crying-movie.
Aron Ralston was stupid enough not to tell anyone about his whereabouts when going to the Blue John canyons. He gets trapped by a boulder and his 127 hours of hell begin. He remembers his friends and family and the two girls he met before he was trapped. Can he make it out? Of course he will and we all know it, we know the story. And this film isn't about it. It's not about getting out of there, it's about the hours spent there and how he got out and what happened in those 127 hours.
James Franco gives the performance of his life. He has always been good, but now he has achieved something every actor hopes to achieve - greatness. His portrait of Ralston is so vivid and realistic that it made me cry. I walked in the theater expecting some heart-breaking scenes of him crying and sobbing and promising to the camera to be a better man with piano music in the background. Instead I was given a realistic portrait of a man trapped and needing to get out and trying to do everything he can think of to keep his spirit up and his heart beating. Absolutely beautiful.
Danny Boyle is an excellent director as well, he knows how to work his camera and create the feeling of being trapped, even though you never get trapped as the viewer, the camera-work is that good. It wasn't the story, but the camera-work and James Franco's performance that made me cry.
I loved the use of split-screen, I would have used it a little less but it's still new and fresh. Although it reminded me of CSI:Miami...
This is the movie of the year. I know the Best Actor Oscar probably goes to Colin Firth (not a bad thing, the bloke can act!) but I'm still hoping James Franco will get it. Just because of the scene where Aron interviews himself on camera. As I said, absolutely beautiful.