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127 Hours

So what could possibly be next for the inventive and eclectic director? A musical? Western? Neither of those would be surprising. Instead, Boyle's next feature will be his first that is based on a true story. The contained drama will focus on Aaron Ralston, a mountaineer who, in 2003, was hiking in Utah when a massive boulder crushed his arm, pinning him there for, presumably, 127 hours. James Franco is set to play Aaron in a movie that on paper, seems like a cross between Saw and Cast Away. It's easy to wonder how this one-man show will remain entertaining for the length of an entire feature film, but, as we've learned with Boyle, almost all of his movies are more than their basic loglines.

Boyle has a good habit of re-teaming with collaborators with whom he has found success in previous projects. He has thrice worked with the actor Ewan McGregor, twice with Cillian Murphy, and twice directed features that were written by Alex Garland. This newest feature is proving to be no exception as Simon Beaufoy, the writer for Slumdog, is co-writing 127 Hours with Boyle. Together, it's likely that they'll add some unexpected dimensions to what is, on the surface, a very simple (if mildly disturbing) story.

It is quite possible that 127 Hours will attract a larger opening weekend audience than some of Boyle's other efforts because of Slumdog's previous breakout success. Hopefully, audience members will remain open to what is certainly going to be another adventurous Boyle production. After all, Boyle's greatest talent is his ability to mold his technique and apply it in exciting and unexpected ways across multiple genres. In many respects, this strength is also what prevents him from ever gaining a mass following. After watching a library of his movies, it is impossible to tell they are all from the same filmmaker as there are no common or defining characteristic of a Boyle film. Their one unifier is that they are different in every way. As an audience member, this unifying quality is what makes Boyle one of the most interesting directors working today.

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