127 hours - an amazing story.

I've said it before, but I think that the movie "Touching the Void" should be compulsory viewing for High School boys because I don't believe there is a story that better emobodies the power of never ever giving up. I love that movie and think of it often in my every day life.

Another similar movie is the Sean Penn directed "Into the Wild" which I absolutely love (except that Chris McCandless was truly stupid and did not make it through his ordeal).

And now, 127 hours gets added to my list of must see films for boys.

Director Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire, 28 Days later) tells us the story of Aron Ralston, an "action guy" who becomes trapped under a boulder while canyonnering in Utah, and cuts his arm off with a blunt pocket knife in order to free himself.

Sounds morbid, and doesn't sound like it would be a good movie to watch. The movie is basically set in 1 location with 1 actor, and you already know the outcome (he cuts his arm off and he lives. Why would anyone want to see that?

At the start of the film, we see Aron setting off on his latest adventure - ill planned = he does not tell anyone where he is going, and not anticipating any issues, does not bring enough water, or equipment - he brings a crappy $10 multi tool thing instead of his good Swiss Army Knife that he cannot find.

He has a good time, rides his bike, meets some girls, swims in a cave - all good. Until he slips, and gets his arm caught under a boulder in the middle of nowhere and cannot get free. No one knows where he is, no one will, no one can hear him, it starts to get dark, he tips his water bottle over. A nightmare.

The film really starts from this point, and we see the sheer determination of this amazing man, as he tries one unsuccessful thing after another to free his arm. What we do not see however, at any point, is Aron giving up hope, or losing focus or waiting to die. This is a man who chooses to live, and does something very drastic in order to do so. I don't know that I would have had the strength to cut my arm off with a very blunt pocket knife. Just incredible.

The waiting for the inevitable for the viewer however, does not simply include Aron attempting to get out of his predicament. Through flashbacks, we see a young man who is self absorbed, an adrenaline junkie, disconnected from his family, not returning his mother's phone calls. And I really do believe that thoughts and memories and the pull of his loved ones got him through his experience, and I am sure that he left the adventure a much better man than when he started..

This was a tough movie to watch, but it was gripping, incredible sad but triumphant at the same time. Danny Boyle did this with Slumdog Millionaire and he does it here. He manages to beauty and hope where there should be nothing but despair. This movie just whizzed by for me, I have nothing but the utmost respect for Aron and I really want my sons to watch this, and to tell them, that hope springs eternal, and that they should always, no matter what, keep trying.... Life is worth the effort.

James Franco is just brilliant in this role. Easily his best performance ever.
4/5