Tag: 127 hours

Blu Monday: March 1, 2011

Your Weekly Source for the Newest Releases to Blu-Ray

Another big week for Blu-Ray, this time loaded with fresh new films. Danny Boyle’s Oscar-contender 127 HOURS debuts and is certain to have viewers cringing, but also feeling incredibly uplifted. Disney’s beloved animated classic BAMBI steps out from the woods and into your home viewing library; and Steven Soderbergh’s adaptation of Elmore Leonard’s OUT OF SIGHT is now visible. Cher and Christina put on the glitz and get risque in the hit musical BURLESQUE, and if you’re a big fan, go to Best Buy for their exclusive version including Burlesque corsets. Blue Underground is giving Harry Kumel’s stylish 70’s vampire flick DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS a Blu-Ray day pass, while the PIRATE OF THE CARIBBEAN unite to bring force in numbers to your home-viewing experience.

Blu-Ray for Tuesday, March 1st, 2011

  1. James Franco in Danny Boyle’s 127 HOURS (2010)
  2. Disney’s BAMBI (1942)
  3. Cher and Christina Aguilera in BURLESQUE (2010)
  4. Jim Carrey in THE CABLE GUY (1996)
  5. Richard Martini’s Hollywood spoof CANNES MAN (1996)
  6. DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS (1971)
  7. Dwayne Johnson and Billy Bob Thornton in FASTER (2010)
  8. GENIUS WITHIN: THE INNER LIFE OF GLENN GOULD (2009)
  9. Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway in LOVE & OTHER DRUGS (2010)
  10. A MARINE STORY (2011)
  11. Stephen Soderbergh’s OUT OF SIGHT (1998)
  12. PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL (2003)
  13. PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN’S CHEST (2006)
  14. PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD’S END (2007)
  15. PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN Trilogy: 7-Disc Set
  16. WAITING FOR DUBLIN (2007)

DVD for Tuesday, March 1st, 2011

  1. 420 HIGH DESERT WAY
  2. 8.5 HOURS (2011)
  3. ANNELIESE: THE EXORCIST TAPES (2010)
  4. Bai Ling in A BEAUTIFUL LIFE (2008)
  5. Vinnie Jones and Michael Madsen in THE BLEEDING (2009)
  6. Richard Martini’s Hollywood spoof CANNES MAN (1996)
  7. DR. BLACK, MR. HYDE: 35th Anniversary Edition (1976)
  8. Dwayne Johnson and Billy Bob Thornton in FASTER (2010)
  9. GENIUS WITHIN: THE INNER LIFE OF GLENN GOULD (2009)
  10. Claude Chabrol’s JUST BEFORE NIGHTFALL (1971)
  11. Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway in LOVE & OTHER DRUGS (2010)
  12. Claude Sautet’s MADO (1976)
  13. MY GIRLFRIEND’S BACK (2010)
  14. Melissa Joan Hart in SATIN (2011)
  15. Alex Kingston and Emily Blunt in WARRIOR QUEEN (2003)

AFI Announces Top Ten of 2010

While every online and print source of motion picture industry news and criticism puts out a Top Ten list this time of year (yours truly not an exception, look for it soon), some may say the “definitive” voice is the American Film Institute. For better or for worse, they’ve announced their list of the top ten films of 200… and, personally, I am quite pleased. None of these films are anything short of spectacular.

“Black Swan,” directed by Darren Aronofsky
“The Fighter,” directed by David O. Russell
“Inception,” directed by Christopher Nolan
“The Kids Are All Right,” directed by Lisa Cholodenko
“127 Hours,” directed by Danny Boyle
“The Social Network,” directed by David Fincher
“The Town,” directed by Ben Affleck
“Toy Story 3,” directed by Lee Unkrich
“True Grit,” directed by Joel & Ethan Coen
“Winter’s Bone,” directed by Debra Granik

BLACK SWAN continues it’s remarkable tsunami of critical acclaim, while WINTER’S BONE is still (thankfully) proving small films are capable of competing with the big dogs.

Source: AFI

Win Passes To See 127 HOURS

James Franco has been in some great movies lately, and we are giving away passes to an advanced screening of his latest movie, 127 HOURS on November 23rd at the PLAZA FRONTENAC at 7pm.

OFFICIAL RULES:

1. YOU MUST BE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA THE DAY OF THE SCREENING.

2. FILL OUT YOUR NAME AND EMAIL ADDRESS BELOW.

3. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION: What is your favorite James Franco character?

WINNERS WILL BE CHOSEN THROUGH A RANDOM DRAWING OF QUALIFYING CONTESTANTS. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. PASSES WILL NOT BE SUBSTITUTED OR EXCHANGED.

Synopsis:

127 HOURS is the new film from Danny Boyle, the Academy Award winning director of last year’s Best Picture, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE. 127 HOURS is the true story of mountain climber Aron Ralston’s (James Franco) remarkable adventure to save himself after a fallen boulder crashes on his arm and traps him in an isolated canyon.

127 HOURS will be in theaters on November 24, 2010.

127 HOURS Gets A New Trailer & Poster

From the director of the magnificent SUNSHINE, comes the newest trailer for 127 HOURS, starring James Franco and directed by Danny Boyle! Oscar pundit Scott Feinberg says Franco’s Aron Ralston is, “One of the greatest performances of all time.” Even the daring, new poster has me a little worried.

Synopsis:

127 HOURS is the new film from Danny Boyle, the Academy Award winning director of last year’s Best Picture, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE. 127 HOURS is the true story of mountain climber Aron Ralston’s (James Franco) 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 is finally rescued. Throughout his journey, Ralston recalls friends, lovers (Clemence Poesy), family, and the two hikers (Amber Tamblyn and Kate Mara) he met before his accident. Will they be the last two people he ever had the chance to meet? A visceral thrilling story that will take an audience on a never before experienced journey and prove what we can do when we choose life.

From Fox Searchlight Pictures, 127 HOURS will be in theaters on November 5, 2010.

Visit the film’s official site here, on Facebook here and on Twitter here.

127 HOURS Trailer

The first trailer for Fox Searchlight’s 127 HOURS has made it’s debut.

The beautiful cinematography is from Enrique Chediak (CHARLIE ST. CLOUD) and Anthony Dod Mantle (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE.) How does an actor carry this type of film by himself? Anne Thompson of indieWIRE/Thompson on Hollywood wrote:

Heroic survivor tales are not new. But this one—much like the Tom Hanks vehicle Castaway—requires an actor to hold the screen alone for much of his screen time. In this case, Danny Boyle told me, only a few actors could pull this off. James Franco beat out Cillian Murphy and Ryan Gosling.

Synopsis:

127 HOURS is the new film from Danny Boyle, the Academy Award winning director of last year’s Best Picture, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE. 127 HOURS is the true story of mountain climber Aron Ralston’s (James Franco) 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 is finally rescued. Throughout his journey, Ralston recalls friends, lovers (Clemence Poesy), family, and the two hikers (Amber Tamblyn and Kate Mara) he met before his accident. Will they be the last two people he ever had the chance to meet? A visceral thrilling story that will take an audience on a never before experienced journey and prove what we can do when we choose life.

Rated ‘R’, 127 HOURS premieres next month in Toronto and will be in theaters on November 5, 2010.

James Franco Spends 127 HOURS With Danny Boyle

Take a good, long look at that man you see in the picture above.  He has just signed on to star in JACKASS 3-D, where, in which, he will be cutting off his own arm.  What’s more, none other than Danny Boyle has signed on to direct.

Okay, part of this is true, as Production Weekly announced on their Twitter feed that Franco has signed on to star in Boyle’s next film, 127 HOURS.  Franco will be playing the role of Aron Ralston, a mountain climber who, in May of 2003, found himself pinned under a boulder in the Utah mountains.  Ralston was forced to amputate his lower right arm with a dull knife in order to survive.

I remember mentioning back when this project was first announced that Boyle and crew would need an actor who could dominate the screen by himself for a majority of the film.  Franco, who has found himself in eclectic roles of varying degrees over the past, few years, is a prime contender to break onto the dramatic scene with this film.  If he can pull it off, there are surely to be awards coming his way in the next year or two.

Filming is set to begin in early March in Utah.

Danny Boyle Getting His Mountain Climbing Gear on For 127 HOURS

danny boyle

Director Danny Boyle is going to have to trade that Oscar in for a  pickax, and, if I had any skills in Photoshop, whatsoever, I would’ve replaced it myself.  Variety is reporting that the now Academy Award winning director has officially signed on to direct 127 HOURS for Fox Searchlight.  With Simon Beaufoy on hand to script and Christian Colson producing, this means a return of the creative team behind SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE.

The film will tell the harrowing story of mountaineer Aron Ralston, who, in 2003, got his right forearm pinned under a boulder.  He spent five days trapped while slowly amputating his arm with a dull knife.  After freeing himself, he climbed a 65-foot wall and was later rescued by helicopters.

I remember hearing about this story, and, if Boyle and crew are to pull it off with any success, they are going to need an actor who can foot the bill.  That bill being a whole lot of screen time alone and the physical and psychological challenge that comes with the story.  Granted, there may be flashbacks throughout, but, if anyone can pull this off without running into signs of  boredom, it’s Boyle.  Also, unless there are a lot of closeups of the actor’s face, I’m guessing this one is getting a pretty solid R rating.

Production is set to begin next year for a release in late 2010.