Skip to main content

Ryan Reynolds vs. James Franco

One tale features a man buried alive, the other, features a man trapped by his own appendage. One is receiving awards play, the other is barely talked about. So why the difference?

Paul's (Ryan Reynolds) encounter with death is a far different take than Aron Ralston's (James Franco). Granted, both are initially frantic but there is a zen-like quality to Ralston's that never appears in Buried. And for good reason. Ralston's predicament is - and Ralston admits as much himself - his own fault. Had he deemed it a good idea to tell anyone of his location his journey could have ended with both arms intact. Paul Conroy wakes up six feet under at an undisclosed region of the desert armed with only his phone, writing and a lighter. He has a timetable for his escape whereas Ralston had as much time as his supplies allotted.

We are a nation of the insured, so it comes to no one's surprise when Aron Ralston comes along, throws caution to the wind and ends up captivating the entire world. A story of a government contractor being held hostage brings no elation at the end of the film, only dread. Perhaps therein lies the reason why 127 Hours has played to so many positive reactions. His escape is a celebration of life where Paul Conroy's story is mostly a fear of death.

So come Oscar time, warranted or not, Franco will be the one hearing his name at the podium when the nominees are announced while Buried languishes at theatres.

Popular posts from this blog

The Best of the Decade

Over the last ten years, the cinema has given us a great deal to be thankful for: a rebirth of the Batman franchise, a series of examinations of what it means to live in this particular decade, and a mass of character studies whether they be animated or popcorn thrillers. As much as I have enjoyed the offerings, a list must be culled together for the end of the year. Except this year is different, this year ten films must be selected from hundreds. Below are some of the best of the aughts. Enjoy! 10) There Will Be Blood Paul Thomas Anderson's magnum opus, a scathing look at extremism in America and the evils of greed and profiteering from religion. It also features the best performance of the decade with Daniel Day-Lewis as oil-man Daniel Plainview. 9)  Up A beautiful tale that entrances all ages,  Up managed to captivate children and tell a tale that adults cherish as well. 8) The Dark Knight Maybe just a comic book film, but it is the best comic book film

Paprika vs. Inception

Months before Inception hit the theaters forums were alive with rumors that Christopher Nolan either accidentally or intentionally stole some details from another film, the Japanese anime Paprika. The biggest point of comparison for some bloggers and forum runners was the fact that both of the films featured a device that allowed a person, or people, to travel into another’s dreams and delve into their subconscious. Minor points of comparison include scenes in Paprika where the character Paprika breaks through a mirrored wall by holding her hand to it, as well as a scene where a police detective falls his way down a hallway. Claims have been made that Inception abounds with imagery similar to or exactly like the anime movie, but with the recent release of the film on DVD and Blu-Ray, and with Paprika available for several years now, an examination of the two plots can be made more fully. Let us begin with the primary claim— Inception stole the idea of a dream

Armond White's Top Ten Films on Flickchart

Armond White is film criticism’s most famous contrarian. At one moment he writes  a review declaring  Toy Story 3  to be the most obscene excuse for toy commercials  he has ever watched, and then two weeks later types out  a glowing review of  Resident Evil: Afterlife . He is of split-mind for sure. But what does his Flickchart look like? Read the rest at Flickchart !