Gravity (2013)

A ridiculously visual movie. The photography is astonishing. Astonishing. Add to that a story that never relents with suspense and emotional intensity and you have a remarkable movie.

The idea of being under constant stress, worrying for your main characters, should not be new if you know the director Alfonso Cuaron's previous major film, "Children without Men." And like that film, he works with his same cameraman, Emmanuel Lubezki, who has become a co-conspirator in his films. That's a good thing. This movie is a visual stunner. Yes, it has a lot of "effects" if you can call them that, but that have such visual coherence they remain logical and reasonable, even as they tip into the fabulous. It's an achievement.

Sandra Bullock is the main character here, even more than her co-lead George Clooney. And she's pretty amazing. You might think she doesn't get much room to stretch her abilities, trapped in space the whole time, but this is exactly where it shows how good she is. Even when she's talking to herself she makes it real, and moving, not a canned or cheesy sentimental or filler kind of moment. Clooney is also strong, playing the more experienced astronaut to a T, including his enduring calm in crisis.

Once you are done watching and leave the theater (or stand up from your couch) you might actually feel disoriented. Certainly in 3-D (and I saw it in the IMAX version) the effects are visceral. But looking back in the light of day you might also ask what the movie was about. Or rather, if it was about anything more than the one, relentless trajectory of surviving a series of near-death mishaps.

The answer is no. And that's a strength. It's definitely good that the writers (including the director) did not push the sentimentality too hard (there's a little). And there is no great sense of finding God or discovering your inner self. No, this is a survival film as gripping and down to earth (haha) as the vivid "Grey." No distractions here.

Except the visuals. Even in 2-D this must be something to marvel at. The 3-D was really really good, and this might seem odd to say given the theatrical mechanics of the camera and exploding spacecraft, but it's also really subtle. There are few moments (memorable ones, like Bullock's tears) where the dimensional aspects come forward. But the film basically uses the 3-D effects to enhance what is already there, nothing more. This of course, enhances a lot, but in respect to the story.

The photography is remarkable for the long takes at work, including the almost laugh- out-loud spectacular first long scene where Bullock and Clooney are doing spacewalks. The intelligence of how the camera pulls you into the scenes, with fluidity and without breaks (no edits, no cuts), is both beautiful and effective. There are even moments that are so virtuosic you wonder how they even thought they could do it, let alone then do and succeed.

The best example for me was watching Bullock spinning against the fixed starry sky, then the camera pulls closer and seamlessly starts to spin until the spinning becomes the same as Bullock's. The camera continues its approach, getting in on her helmet with reflections, and her face, and then finally her eye (yes that close), and with an incredibly deft wide angle swing we are in her head, looking out at the spinning universe, listening to her panic. Then the camera reverses and undoes all of this, step by fluid step. It takes a really long time, it happens without a single break (which means you are given no emotional escape), and it's both gorgeous and taut with terror.

There have been some questions raised about the feasibility of the various events--the different orbits of the real shuttle and space station, or the high speed of the spacewalker in a jetpack, or getting a visual on a space station 100 miles away--but you have to just let all that go. It doesn't really matter. It's not about likelihood on any level. And the movie is so accurate in so many ways it will seem very conceivable.

It's hard to imagine not liking this movie on one level or another. No, it isn't crazily imaginative like a Tarantino or Coen film, and it doesn't work its way into social or psychological significance, but what it deliberately does focus on is flawless.

a postscript: be sure to see the Cuaron directed parallel short film "Aningaaq" which is recently posted all over. Google it.

Truly epic in scale! Whilst 'Gravity' falls short against films like '2001: A Space Odyssey', it is a tense and visually stunning thriller from Alfonso Cuarón. Cuarón is one of my all-time favourite directors, and this CGI-heavy project just boasts skill and ingenuity from the director, DOP and VFX artist. The critics stated that you would be gripping to the edge of your seats, this is true in every aspect, the film is full of intense and thriller situations with amazing performances from Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. Just shy from winning Best Picture over '12 Years a Slave', 'Gravity' left the Oscars with 7 Academy Awards to its name, and it deserved each and every one of them. A masterpiece that allows the viewer to become immersed within the scene to often thrilling effect.

Visually stunning. A real first in the technical department and presumably that was the extent of its intent. None of the great themes of Kubrick's 1968 masterpiece "2001: A Space Odyssey", are present here. This is a superlative, 90 odd minutes of remarkable beauty but the 90 odd minutes become really long because, just like the heroine we have so little to cling on to, story wise. It seems petty to criticize a film of this kind for whatever it doesn't accomplish because what it means to accomplish, it does in spectacular fashion. I just felt that I was served a glorious appetizer without a main course. Two huge stars in space Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. Why? If the idea was to dazzled us with something we had never seen before, great unknown actors would have added an extra something. Kubrick used Keir Dullea in "2001: A Space Odyssey", yes, Keir Dullea, or as Noel Coward put it, Keir Dullea, gone tomorrow. We know that if Sandra Bullock was in charge she, one way or another, will land safely. She's terrific, don't get me wrong, but I wasn't as worried about her as I should have been. The last problem was the score. Why? A standard horror/action flick musical score with cheap shots here and there. I think the purity of the work needed to be extended on every department. Now, putting all that aside, director Alfonso Cuaron must be applauded and I strongly recommend you to run and see it in the biggest screen you can find and in 3D.

You've been floating round the Earth outside the bubble, making repairs to telescope whose name is Hubble, and then proverbial hits the fan, deviating from the plan, before you know it, you're cast adrift, in lots of trouble. Matt Kowalski reaches out to gather in, you make your way with him to station that's within, but it's battered and quite bruised, you're frustrated and bemused, and the air you breathe is getting rather thin. But the cards that you've been dealt may just play out, although there's not insignificant, amounts of doubt, in fact the chances are quite low, that you will find a place to go, though a trajectory has been set, somewhere about.

The visuals for this movie are impressive. The story line is enjoyable, and it leaves you appreciating your place on Earth. The characters also provide some good laughs.

It was one of the better 'space' movies. However, as a geek (I know, I know it's a movie) the orbits are all wrong for some of the events to even remotely take place. So if you know anything about space travel, as usual suspend disbelief for the moment. It at least stayed largely true to the no sounds in space thing, and provides some good lessons about linear and angular momentum. The fact I even get to bring this up, means I give the film makers some serious props... I wouldn't go so far as some of the reviews where they says the movie is creating a whole "new genre". The reviewers and movie makers just never realized, until now, what us geeks knew all along... space is much more awesome and frightening if you portray it more realistically.

Hopefully the movie also provides a good reminder about how special this little rock is, and how unforgivable the rest of the universe is. Let's try and keep our planet that way! At least I was reminded of this when I left the theater.

It's pointless to talk about the technical and artistic values of this movie. It's obvious, and it's inevitable not to be amazed by it, from photography to acting (kudos for Sandra Bullock, especially). What I would like to point out is the movie's meaning. I just got out of the theater and I'm still in awe, and what really got to me, beneath all the visuals and everything, is that this is the ultimate movie about nature. It's a celebration of the complexities of nature, about how we, as human beings, are so insignificant and weak facing it. We are a tiny little thing among a vast system that's beyond our control. This movie is a study on the humanity's place in the universe, so it's a call for us to face the "larger picture" humbly, and see how our lives, our societies, our achievements and our problems are NOT as important as they seem to be. Look further, your life will seem very fragile. At the same time - and that's the brilliance of the movie - Gravity is a celebration of the human being, because even though we are in fact very insignificant, it is our will to life, and our effort to make our lives meaningful, that make us matter. This is now my favorite movie ever, because it's so rare to find a movie, especially a Hollywood one, that can speak so deeply, so poetically and so subtly about life, the universe, and everything, in 91 minutes with such astonishing grace and artistic honesty.

The more I watched the trailer the less I was sure I wanted to spend the money to see it. I am glad I went but it is not something I would see again.

The visual is very good. If you go see it you must see it in IMAX 3D or don't see it at all. It is great to see views of the earth from space and also nice to see extreme closeups of the Hubble, the shuttle and the ISS both inside and outside. The 3D was so realistic I blinked a few times as things came flying toward the screen.

As for the story, don't even both paying much attention. Just sit back and watch the visuals and ignore the story. The believability is not even in the near vicinity of this universe. There is almost nothing about this movie that is any way related to how things like this would happen in space. I would go so far as to say you could take along earplugs and not listen to the story. Just watch the visuals.

Indeed the best space film ever done. This film transports you to space in every cinematic way possible. The visual effects are so brilliantly executed it makes you wonder if they shot part of it in space. Incredibly effective long takes throughout the film bring the realism and suspense that none other space film has ever done before. The acting is subtle and engaging. Sandra Bullock deserves another Oscar after this as well as best director for Alfonso Cuaron and Cinematography for Emmanuel Lubezki. I can't recommend this film enough. Ground breaking, beautiful and technically perfect. Film schools will be studying this film in the future.

Arguably the best tagline for a movie EVER, "In space no one can hear you scream" Alien's "In space no one can hear you scream" tagline is arguably the best tagline for a movie of all-time. That same tagline could easily be effectively utilized for Alfonso Cuarón's latest thriller, Gravity.

Starring two unknowns by the names of George Clooney and Sandra Bullock, Gravity puts the two A-listers together as a medical engineer and an astronaut that must work in tandem to survive once a freak accident leaves them adrift in space.

Their struggle takes place after debris from a Russian satellite comes speeding through their orbit ripping their space shuttle to shreds causing Dr. Ryan Stone (Bullock) to float untethered in space. Coming to her aid is astronaut Matt Kowalsky (Clooney) who estimates that the debris will again circle the earth and again zip past their location in approximately 90-minutes. Their mission quickly changes into a race to survival 600km above the earth where help from anyone outside of each other is impossible.

Alfonso Cuarón is chiselling himself quite a career. He was last behind the camera for Children of Men (2006) which was nominated for three Academy Awards and he was also responsible for the best film in the Harry Potter film series with Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004). But Gravity is his best work to date.

Bullock carries the film (expect some murmurs for a Best Actress nomination) and Gravity centers on the two main characters only. There are no other developed characters. Two other astronauts and a radio voice from Houston, Texas are the only other character influences and their parts wouldn't amount to 2 minutes if strung in order.

With only two actors to carry the entire 90-minute runtime, the movie relies heavily on its visuals of space and the various orbiting stations with the earth always prominent in the background. And the visuals are fantastic. There are no side-stories, sub-plots, unnecessary fluff or sexual tension between the characters. Just a desperate attempt to make the most of the oxygen they have left.

Gravity is the best 3D film ever. Ever. Add to the mix the incredible visuals and perfect sound (both loud and quiet) and you have a faultless mix. Gravity will contend for Oscar's in Visual Effects, Sound and Editing.

Cuarón incredibly is able to give his audience a sense of claustrophobia whether his cast are inside an orbiting capsule or in the vast darkness of space. And as the astronauts deal with each new developing tragedy, the audience will themselves be gasping for air rooting for the character's success in each new attempt at survival.

With still a few months left in the year, it's too early to call a film the year's best. But Gravity will definitely be there on many lists at the year's conclusion. It's that breathtaking. It's that good.

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Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) is a medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) in command of his last flight before retiring. But on a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky completely alone, tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness.

I watched this on release in the cinema and I truly loved it. 2 of my favourite actors, in my favourite genre of film, with a breathtakingly exciting story. We need more space stories to get people excited and inspired about a future civilisation of humans living off-earth. It has to come as there is no alternative. However, it was only while watching it again, on DVD a year later, that I recognised just how many holes there are in the plot. I still love the film, but I see too many plot holes these days.

The main problem is the physics. I don't expect everything to be rigidly correct because, it's just a story. But I do expect things to be in the realms of reality. Almost all of the physics throughout weren't even in the realms of likelihood so that spoiled it a little for me. People who love Sci Fi will know exactly what I mean but for those who don't, do you really think a senior astronaut would be clowning around in his jet suit like Wall-E as Clooney does at the beginning? All the satellites would have been fine in the tragedy: All space craft are at different orbits. There's not a chance in hell that Kowalski could have found Stone after she first got blown away from the station. You can't just move through space and change orbits on a whim: It takes complex calculations and multiple thrusts to achieve that, you can't do it with a jet pack and certainly not with a fire extinguisher! The continual banging into things is laughable. Their bodies would be instantly broken if that happened in real life. Stone was down to 1% oxygen, yet still Kowalski keeps engaging her in conversation about trivial things. And Kowalski was saved the instant Stone caught his tether: Making him let go and somehow float off (which he would not do) was just silly. That's enough for now. There's another dozen screaming mistakes but I'll let you watch the film and spot them.

What was possibly more irritating than the plot holes was the music score. At first I thought we were going to experience the true hush of space. That would be a remarkable and wonderful thing. Instead Kowalski is constantly jabbering about nothing and playing awful music. Perhaps the most irritating role Clooney has ever done. Also there was a musical score over the film. It was supposed to (I think) excite your emotions. What it did was just spoil the film. Why do you need the racket of a full blown orchestra when someone is in space? That for me was a schoolboy error and was probably the main factor that I didn't rate the film as highly as I otherwise would have done.

In the end I still enjoyed it on some level, but it could have been an enormous blockbuster like Titanic. But ultimately it was just a good Sci Fi film. I gave it a 7 but it could have had the only 9 I am ever likely to give had it not been for the thigs I mentioned.

Gravity isn't just a movie, it's an experience. It's an experience of sight, it's an experience of sound and it's an emotional experience, as well. This film makes you feel like you are drifting among the stars, instead of just showing you a story set in space. The visual effects are unique, awe-inspiring and terrifying, and while the plot is simple, there is beauty in its simplicity. I've never seen a movie quite like Gravity.

Gravity is an outstanding visual film directed by Alfonso Cuaron, crammed with some lovely area views, and excellent 3D effects that were used in an appropriate manner to create an extraordinary CGI appearance. I enjoyed the movie but didn't find it to be one of the very best of the year. The problem with this movie is the story, technically it's a flawless masterpiece and the 3D is amazing with a strong performance by Sandra Bullock, but the story is thin and predictable. Bullock does give one of the better performances of the year and the 'man vs. nature' storyline is always a compelling one but this movie mainly works as an amazingly beautiful visual feast and little more. Overall, Gravity is technically sound and very likable, but looking back you might wonder what the movie was about. If you accept Gravity as pure popcorn-munching fun and nothing else, you won't go away disappointed

I rushed to see this film on the strength of the IMDb reviews. I left the theater wondering if I'd seen a different film. First off, the 3d visuals were absolutely spellbinding. That mitigated my disappointment with the rest of the film to a certain extent. However, the thin story and weak dialogue kept dragging me out of the action. Sandra bullock did her best with the on the nose dialogue that was laughably bad at times. She didn't seem to be the right fit for the role but I don't think she can blamed for bad writing and misdirection ( no one told the director that thirty minutes of hyperventilating might be unnecessary realism?) By all means go see this film for the spectacular visuals but don't expect a story to go along with the spectacle. Even Jim Cameron managed a decent story with Avatar. Sadly they missed an opportunity to create a scifi classic here.

Gravity pulled me in right from the start!! The cinematography of Earth and space is stunningly breathtaking!!! The CGI was flawless, lending the impression of actually being there. I can't remember ever being pulled into a film so completely and thoroughly.

Gravity is a film that takes place in space, but it is SO much more than just a space movie. I identified with Sandra Bullocks character on a couple levels and I felt like I was in her place at the final scene.

Gravity. It pulls us down. It places us solidly where we are. It defines us. There is no escaping the reality...although sometimes we try. Sometimes all we need to do is let go and let gravity bring us home...

Questions that the film conjured in me: Where do we escape? What causes us to awaken? How do we pick up ourselves against the weight of the world and learn to walk again? Who are we really when we are stripped down to our core?

To feel the pain, the fear, the loss of dreams amidst each breath. To try again. To never give up. To heal. To dare embrace life. To love...