127 Hours (2010)

It was just a matter of time for me to put the movie in this blog. I was afraid that it's going to be surviving movie that focused on the pain leading to frustration in the end making the viewers depressed, much like Into The Wild's pitied story. As I read that the director, Danny Boyle, has directed Slumdog Millionaire, no wonder it has the same fast paced time movie and not at all boring.
 
127 Hours is the true story of mountain climber Aron Ralston's remarkable adventure to save himself after a fallen boulder crashes on his arm and traps him in an isolated canyon in Utah. Over the next five days Ralston examines his life and survives the elements to finally discover he has the courage and the wherewithal to extricate himself by any means necessary, scale a 65 foot wall and hike over eight miles before he can be rescued. Throughout his journey, Ralston recalls friends, lovers, family, and the two hikers he met before his accident.

Many of things in this movie are magnificent. The editing is top notch to me, all the effects and the pacing. Almost every little detail plus James Franco's frustration looks very real. It feels we've been invited to watch Aron Ralston's real life event. But I'm glad that the scenes were mixed with his imagination and what's his thinking. The combination of the images in his head blends perfectly with the sound effect. Even the sting he feels when he's in pain. I also very much adored the 'small' angles in his water bag's pipe and the paleness falter video in his handycam. The shots were pretty and clean. Not to mention the beautiful background of canyons.

Although they said that the scenes where in the beginning Aron shows the two girls a hidden pool were a add-up from the real story (Aron originally just show them climbing techniques), I guess it is necessary to make the movie more colorful. The real Aron said besides that the movie are very similar to the real incident.

So what is the message behind the story? I never have that kind of courage to go alone in the woods or canyon. So I admire the

independence of someone who did. Many of guys who has that kind of hobby attracted many girls. It is somewhat give an image of an macho-independent and free-spirited type of guy. But it seems usually this type of boys likes to do things on their own, often not giving someone to 'meddle' their way of living. Of couse, I chose the word 'usually' so probably not all of them.

I have a friend who likes to go fishing far from the city. He did not bring his cellphone and sometimes when he needs to be alone he go fish. I can relate to the fact that someone needs to clear his head by doing similar things. But I'm guessing my friend always tell his wife and kids where he goes.

No matter how expert you are in something, if destiny wants you to slip then you will slip. Usually this 'slip' is necessary for us to take because we need the 'slip', as in need to fall to give us some lesson. I guess if we do run a good life of our own for a while, we tend to forget that we did not live in this world alone. Our closest people will be needing our help and we will need them eventually. Doing things all by yourself without any help of others are sometimes could be included as selfish. We tell ourselves that we can do it on our own with pride. What we didn't realize is our presence and participation in others makes the ones who care with us a relief and joy. There's a higher power that determine what we do.