Gravity

[madmarva]

Gravity is excellent. I got to see it in an IMAX theater, a treat for me, and it was much better than I expected. Best movie of the year in my opinion. It has many layers. It's great as an adventure film, but it's also a meditation on how alone we are and aren't in the universe. Love the symbolism of the ending. I think people will imprint whatever their own world view - Christian, humanistic, whatever - is upon the film.

It's the type of movie that really begs to be seen on the big screen.

[browboy71]

I agree! a really excellent movie that you can watch for just the surface adventure or the deeper meaning. Also at 90 minutes it moves really fast. So go see it this weekend if you can!

[Hector]

I loved this movie as well, not keen on 3D viewing much, but if there's an occassion and reason to watch at least one movie in 3D, this is the movie.

Yes, gotta watch it on IMAX for sure.

Alfonso Cuaron is a great director, and this is Sandra's Bullocks best performance ever, watch out Oscars.

My only question, why is this in the Sci-Fi forum?

[spacecaps]

I don't like Sandra Bullock at all. Her best movie was the one where she played the drunk in rehab with Viggo Mortensen. (I can't even recall the name of it.) I like George Clooney, as a charismatic person but he doesn't make any movies that interest me. Ever. The last time he wore a space helmet was in the unbelievably bad, "I watched the whole thing and have no idea what I just saw" Solaris. And the there's Alfonso Cuaron who directed Children of Men, one of the most overhyped and overrated sci-fi movies I've ever seen. He also directed Prisoner of Azkaban which was by far the worst of the Harry Potter films. So 0-3 in the creative department.

Despite all that this movie was amazing. 90 minutes flew by. It's nonstop intensity and the cinematography is just spectacular. When's the last time a movie had you talking about special effects? This movie makes you believe they're actually in space. By far it's the best non-sci-fi space movie ever and for a film with only five people in it, the story in unbelievably compelling. I took my son to see it and he was into it beginning to end too. Guess what he wants to be for Halloween now? Yup, an astronaut.

I would imagine this would win a few Oscars for visuals and it should win best director come March but if it doesn't win best picture that would be a shame, because that's exactly what this movie is. The best movie I've seen all year. Nothing else comes close. I don't buy movies to own anymore (the last one I bought was Ted and I never even opened it) but I would seriously consider purchasing this one to have in the house it was that good.

[Hector]

By far it's the best non-sci-fi space movie ever

I can accept you saying it's the best...but BY FAR? Eh, nah.

Ron Howard's Apollo 13 still is number one in my book, I never get tired watching it, you get that nostalgic Apollo program which Gravity (set near the present) lacks.

I do have to admit Gravity is one incredible visual film, but to me, it lacks the overall old fashioned adventurousness of Apollo 13.

Both films rules regardless of which one you think is better.

[madmarva]

I get jazzed about a good movie and sometimes get caught up in it, but Gravity really is excellent. Not may movies can make leave you awed by the vastness of space and the next have you claustrophobic because of the loss of oxygen in the space suit and cramped space of a capsule.

I can't say anything bad about Apollo 13, but I think Gravity is the superior film. It's obviously a subjective t

I think Gravity is going to be a film that's going to be written about for years. It has the depth of Terrance Malick film, but is also a revetting human adventure. Mud is a really good film, too, and I liked Rush quite a lot.

I can see Cuaron, Bulloch and Clooney all getting Oscar nominations.

[Hector]

As I said, Gravity has spectacular visuals, that's it's major strength...it's amazing to watch, especially in IMAX 3D...but it suffers from a thin script in my humble opinion...it plays more like one of those planetarium's IMAX experience documentaries, not a conventional movie...but no doubt, it is indeed artistic...but to me...it's not a flick I wanna watch over and over again like Apollo 13...that one has more of a fun factor for me....and of course...nostalgia gathered from real life events.

Gravity is like 2001: A Space Odyssey....Apollo 13 is like Star Trek...

[Hector]

Now, don't get me wrong, I LOVED Gravity, great movie (despite its thin script [IMO], but who cares, visuals are tremendously beyond stunning)...but if it's compared to one of my all time favorite movies (Apollo 13), well, it's not gonna win...I'm biased...

[Hector]

Both Angelina Jolie and Natalie Portman turned down the role...also, Marion Cotillard tested for it...and Scarlett Johansson and Blake Lively were also said to be in the running...but it eventually went to Sandra Bullock...I think she was the perfect choice in the end.

Clooney's character was first offered to Robert Downey Jr...but eventually turned it down. I also think Clooney was perfect for the role.

[Hector]

I would imagine this would win a few Oscars for visuals and it should win best director come March but if it doesn't win best picture that would be a shame, because that's exactly what this movie is. The best movie I've seen all year. Nothing else comes close. I don't buy movies to own anymore (the last one I bought was Ted and I never even opened it) but I would seriously consider purchasing this one to have in the house it was that good.

You are right on all accounts here...it's the leading contender for Best Picture so far...and it's going to EASILY win for visuals...and Cuarón has a great shot for Best Director...Sandra Bullock as Best Actress as well....perhaps Clooney too (Supporting Actor perhaps?).

But, Dude, open that TED Blu-ray/DVD...that movie is funny as hell, lol.

[z3zep]

As I said, Gravity has spectacular visuals, that's it's major strength...it's amazing to watch, especially in IMAX 3D...but it suffers from a thin script in my humble opinion...it plays more like one of those planetarium's IMAX experience documentaries, not a conventional movie...but no doubt, it is indeed artistic...but to me...it's not a flick I wanna watch over and over again like Apollo 13...that one has more of a fun factor for me....and of course...nostalgia gathered from real life events.

Gravity is like 2001: A Space Odyssey....Apollo 13 is like Star Trek...

I agree it is visually amazing and in 3D, I actually felt a bit of nausea from the rotating. lol. However the script is a bit thin.

[spacecaps]

But, Dude, open that TED Blu-ray/DVD...that movie is funny as hell, lol.

Oh I've seen Ted 3 times. Great movie. I just bought it to own and never opened it.

I'm not sure why there's this backlash on a "thin" scrip for Gravity. It's a disaster movie. It jumps right into the action and ends when the situation is resolved. There doesn't need to be an Arthur C. Clarke-esque novel backing this movie up. The story is: We're on a space mission. Trouble. More Trouble! Lots of trouble!! Here's how we get out of trouble. Credits.

If anything there was too much story with Ryan's kid and not enough story with Kowalski. (I'd really like to hear the end of his 1986 Mardi Gras story) That's one of the best parts about this movie. It's not bogged down with character development or plot. It's a stunning visual with an edge of your seat adventure but other than Clooney being charming and Bullock being the fish out of water, the audience has zero connection with either character. I wouldn't have cared if Ryan lived or died at the end. The only thing trying to pull you in with her character is the sympathy plot of her dead kid and even that story isn't all that interesting. (She died bumping her head playing tag.) It's so vanilla that zero audience members can relate to that specific tragedy which is actually the one part of Ryan back story I did like. If they were really going for the heart strings they could have written in a drunk driver or a terrible disease but they went for the most bland and unrelatable tragic death in cinematic history.

The closest movie I can compare this to is Buried. I have no use for Ryan Reynolds in anything ever except Buried. he was awesome in that film and just like Gravity, the story starts In Medias Res and keeps you on the edge of your seat and holding your breath (literally) for the entire run of the movie and sometimes that's all you need to tell a good tale.

[madmarva]

Cuaron does more with a "thin" script in Gravity than most working directors could achieve with an encyclopedia. It could work well as a silent film it is so well told cinematically.

It amounts to an adaption of a short story rather than novel. Those criticizing the script are entirely missing the point. It's like criticizing Hemingway for a terse writing style. The film covers much of the same ground thematically that the bloated adaptation of Life of Pi did but more efficiently and deftly.

[z3zep]

I'm not sure why there's this backlash on a "thin" scrip for Gravity. It's a disaster movie.

I wouldn't have cared if Ryan lived or died at the end.

That makes it thin to me. I could have care less if she lived or died, but there was never a doubt in my mind that she would make it.

[jds1911a1]

I find the premise offensive.
First off the last shuttle flight was 2 years ago so by that alone it diminishes the gravitas (pun intended) of gravity. It's like they had to wait till the last one was in a museum before they even thought about making it (I know Endevor only ended up in California in January and it was probably shot last year blah blah blah) another special effects masterpiece with minimal plot
SECOND - if you want to make a space shuttle disaster film there are scripts waiting to be written to tell the story of Challenger or Columbia Real events we should never forget (and sadly I saw both of them), and if you want a triumph like Apollo 13 (historically and as a film) there probably are untold stories of scary events in the shuttle program that could be used as a basis for a script

the CGI may be better today but I doubt this film will be thought of the way Appollo 13 is 20 years later