127 Hours

If you want a crime drama that treats its mystery as more than a puzzle, 127 Hours is available in Australia on Disney Plus and Stan, and in the US on Amazon Prime Video right now. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. With 8,149 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. James Franco anchors it, but the writing does the real work. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Disney Plus.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, 127 Hours earns its spot. The plotting in 127 Hours is tight enough that the twists feel earned rather than assembled. The true story of mountain climber Aron Ralston's remarkable adventure to save himself after a fallen boulder crashes on his arm and traps him in an isolated canyon in Utah. The writing gets a boost from James Franco and Kate Mara, who sell every scene they're in. It hit screens in 2010. The plot mechanics of 127 Hours never overwhelm the human cost underneath them. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Viewers who think they have seen every crime drama tend to find 127 Hours proves them wrong. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. James Franco carries scenes that would sink a lesser production. The resolution feels inevitable rather than arbitrary, which is rarer than it sounds.