Always tell people where you're going

"127 Hours" is a kinetic motion picture where the main character is physically trapped in one position for about an hour of screen time. This new film by Danny Boyle tells the story of real-life adventure-seeker Aron Ralston (played here by James Franco) who has his right arm trapped under a boulder while exploring a vast nature reserve. One shot shows you exactly how far removed Ralston is from possible help  - there is no-one to be seen for miles. And that's the film: Ralston's alone, he's trying to figure out a way to get out of this life-threatening situation, and he revisits key memories pertaining to a lost love.

This description may not make it sound like "127 Hours" is much of a film, but that's not the case. As is typical of his visual and aural approach, Boyle's storytelling is again infused with an incredible energy. This often works (as in his seminal "Trainspotting") and sometimes falls flat (in the overrated and excessively edited "Slumdog Millionaire"). Here, it's this audio-visual kinesis that keeps the film - and, in a way, Ralston - alive. The film manages to mine this energy from its opening scenes, which frames Ralston as one of millions of persons going about his own business; on that fateful day, he was the guy something unfortunate happened to. It is to the film's credit that even though you probably know how everything comes to pass, as I did, the buildup to the climax and equally tense denouement remains riveting.

"127 Hours" was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar, and Franco for Best Actor.