Credible Credits
Year: 2013
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Starring: Sandra Bullock and George Clooney
Tagline: Don't Let Go
Synopsis: An accident in space leaves two astronauts adrift.
Synopsis: An accident in space leaves two astronauts adrift.
Review
For me, the true mark of a good movie is that it sticks with you long after the credits roll (the same can be true of a terrible movie, but that is beside the point). This was such a movie. Movies like Gravity are why I became a film student and why I remain an avid film connoisseur. Is it the best film ever? No. But that doesn't make it any less brilliant, less beautiful, or less inspiring. This film deserves to be the critical and commercial success that it is.
First off, Gravity is visually stunning. Even without the 3D (which I avoid for various reasons), it was breathtaking. I spent much of the movie thinking, "how on earth did they film that" (irony intended). Because really, it feels like they filmed it in space. The views of Earth are incredible. The zero gravity moments are believable. And director Cuaron deftly knows when to move in close and when to pull back. One moment you feel claustrophobic in a space suit or escape pod and the next you feel agoraphobic at the sheer immensity of space the main characters are adrift in.
The sound design was also brilliant (and certainly deserves an Oscar nomination, at least). The use of sound, and the lack of sound, lend themselves to the tension and emotion. At times, all you can hear is Sandra Bullock's panicked breathing. Dear Hollywood, silent carnage can be just as effective as (at times more effective than) ear-numbing explosions. I also thoroughly enjoyed the musical score. It was eerie when it needed to be eerie and triumphant when it needed to be triumphant.
Ultimately, the story is one of survival. It is about facing fear and finding hope. The tagline is "Don't let go," and it is as much metaphoric as it is literal.
On a side note, I loved that at one point Sandra Bullock's character uses a fire extinguisher to propel herself through space a la Wall-E. Nice touch.
Anything else I have to say would be a spoiler. So just go see it.
First off, Gravity is visually stunning. Even without the 3D (which I avoid for various reasons), it was breathtaking. I spent much of the movie thinking, "how on earth did they film that" (irony intended). Because really, it feels like they filmed it in space. The views of Earth are incredible. The zero gravity moments are believable. And director Cuaron deftly knows when to move in close and when to pull back. One moment you feel claustrophobic in a space suit or escape pod and the next you feel agoraphobic at the sheer immensity of space the main characters are adrift in.
The sound design was also brilliant (and certainly deserves an Oscar nomination, at least). The use of sound, and the lack of sound, lend themselves to the tension and emotion. At times, all you can hear is Sandra Bullock's panicked breathing. Dear Hollywood, silent carnage can be just as effective as (at times more effective than) ear-numbing explosions. I also thoroughly enjoyed the musical score. It was eerie when it needed to be eerie and triumphant when it needed to be triumphant.
Ultimately, the story is one of survival. It is about facing fear and finding hope. The tagline is "Don't let go," and it is as much metaphoric as it is literal.
On a side note, I loved that at one point Sandra Bullock's character uses a fire extinguisher to propel herself through space a la Wall-E. Nice touch.
Anything else I have to say would be a spoiler. So just go see it.
Quotable Quotes
- "Clear skies with a chance of satellite debris." -- Dr. Ryan Stone
- "Houston, I have a bad feeling about this mission." -- Matt Kowalski
- "I hate space!" -- Dr. Ryan Stone
ISFS
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