‘127 Hours’ Comes with Oscar Buzz for James Franco

After Natalie Portman’s “Black Swan,” another film that will arrive in theaters later this year is getting massive Oscar buzz: “127 Hours,” directed by Danny Boyle and starring James Franco.

“127 Hours” tells the story of Aron Ralston, who became trapped under a boulder in Moab, Utah and had to resort to almost unimaginable (in other circumstances) measures in order to survive, including to amputate his own arm.

The film just premiered at the Telluride Film Festival and, according to showbiz-i, it had such an impact on the audience that two moviegoers had to be taken away from the venue by ambulance.

That’s not to say though that the film is gory to the utmost or anything like it – but rather that it’s so good that it’s as if the events presented in it happen in real life.

“At its Telluride festival showing, the sheer intensity of Danny Boyle’s 127 Hours worked its magic, causing two people to be carted away by ambulance from the Galaxy screening room,” showbiz-i writes.

James Franco does a brilliant job as Ralston – so brilliant in fact that reports have it he may even win an Oscar for the scene in which he decided to cut off his own arm.

“There is talk that James Franco, who is rarely offscreen as Ralston, could get an Oscar nomination for this mainstay performance – particularly the harrowing and detailed ‘farewell to arm’ scene: Ralston himself was reportedly in tears during the second half of the screening,” the aforementioned e-zine writes.

“Boyle reports that 127 Hours is nearly ready for a print to be made; could be a lucky charm for the Brit director whose 8 times Oscar-winning Slumdog was also only just completed before Telluride,” the same report goes.

If what was screened at Telluride is any indication, “127 Hours” could turn out to be the film of the year but only under the condition an ambulance is always standing by outside the movie theater, showbiz-i also notes.

After Telluride, “127 Hours” will also be presented at the Toronto Film Festival on September 12 and at the London Film Festival on October 28.

It’s scheduled for theatrical release in the US on November 5. Below is the first official teaser trailer for it – enjoy.