2013 - 91 minutes - Drama/Sci-Fi/Thriller
Director: Alfonso Cuarón
Country: United States
IMDB: 8.7
Metacritic: 96
RT: 98%
CinemaChagrin's Rating: 10/10
EpicEnthusiast's Rating: 10/10
(a few minor spoilers below...)
Hey guys, EE here. Today CC and I are going to talk about Alfonso Cuarón's new beauty, Gravity. I'm sure you noticed the extremely high scores above, and as we'll discuss below, we believe them to be entirely accurate. I'd like to preface by saying that this film is one that really needs to be seen in a 3D theater. Personally, I'm not a fan of 3D films, but this was like nothing I've ever seen before. It put a whole new meaning to what a 3D movie can be. As of October 14th, 2013 it's still in theaters, and should be for some time longer. Do yourself a favor and go check it out. So with that, let's talk about Gravity.
CC: I'd like to begin by just reiterating how highly I'd recommend seeing this film in theaters in 3D (and IMAX if you get the chance). Like EE, I tend to be skeptical of 3D pictures - I've found that in many movies 3D effects are used for gimmicky or flashy purposes. The 3D effects in Gravity are breathtaking yet subtle. The film does contain a few instances of the classic 3D cliche "object floats towards the audience," but they were very well done (for example, George Clooney reaches towards the audience at one point to retrieve a drifting bolt that has come loose from the Hubble Space Telescope). However, the use of 3D in Gravity goes far beyond these simple moments. The 3D layering effects help to immerse the viewer into the film - coupled with Cuarón's fluid and constantly-moving camerawork, one could even imagine that they are in space with the two protagonists. All of the objects in space - from the ISS to the Soyuz spacecraft to the spacesuits - looked incredibly full and realized, thanks in large part to the refined and convincing 3D effects.
EE: Totally agree with you CC. I never felt overwhelmed or jarred by the 3D effects, and in this case, they really added to the film. One shot that stood out to me was an action scene in which debris from a destroyed satellite was flying around. Some was coming towards the audience and made me flinch. It wasn't annoying or overdone though, and actually made me feel like I was in the middle of the chaos. Cuarón did an excellent job 0f choosing when and when not to use the 3D effects.
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| Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) in Gravity |
CC: I can’t emphasize enough the sheer visual magnificence of Gravity. From a technical standpoint,
it's a wonder how the film was made at all. The technology used in the film
had not been developed in 2009 when the project began. Director Alfonso Cuarón
and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki have created a camera that glides and
flies through space, following the protagonists in a smooth and steady motion
while capturing all of the action. Cuarón, known for his extensive use of long
shots in his previous works (most notably in the 2006 post-apocalyptic film Children of Men), has outdone himself
here once again. The opening shot, an incredibly beautiful and thrilling
combination of exposition and action, lasts an astounding 13.5 minutes! It’s
difficult to wrap one’s head around how that is even possible, but the fluid
motion of the camera always ensures that the viewer witnesses everything important
happening on screen. The rest of the film features several more long shots,
excellent editing, and some incredibly engrossing first-person sequences which
(coupled with the 3D effects) immerse the viewer even further in the
experience. Beautiful shots abound throughout the entire film, from gorgeous
vistas of the curvature of the Earth with the sun breaching the horizon to
detailed reflections on visors and even teardrops. At several points in the
film, recognizable geography passes under the astronauts (oh hey – there’s the
Nile River and the Sinai Peninsula!) while the Northern Lights dance across the
Arctic Circle.
EE: It was definitely awesome to see landmark features of the globe from such a unique perspective. I'd also like to point out another one of Cuarón's films, Y Tu Mamá También . Although a totally different genre, (and certainly more risque) it's another gorgeous film. He certainly has a way with a camera, and Gravity is undoubtably his masterpiece. I'd seen photos of earth from space, but could never grasp the actual beauty of it. In Gravity, the planet came to life. Polished and silent aerial shots of oceans, clouds and mountains. Absorbing shots of the atmosphere swallowing debris whole. The physical appearance was one of many beautiful aspects of the film, and I could have floated above the earth with Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) for hours. I was awe inspired from the opening seconds to the final shot.
CC: I wholeheartedly agree with you on that point. Gravity is definitely a visual powerhouse. It looks so real that I wouldn't have been too surprised if they had actually filmed the whole thing in space! But aside from the visual strengths of the film, Gravity also featured wonderful storytelling and a truly gripping tale of personal perseverance and survival.
EE: That's another aspect of Gravity that really stood out to me: the story structure and natural dialogue
between Stone and Kowalski.
I’ve read a few things claiming the script was immature and out of place, but I
think those comments are missing the point. In the midst of a detrimental space
accident, I don’t want clichéd reactions or space engineer/astronaut jargon. I
want raw human emotions, and natural conversation. I think Cuarón
and his son Jonas did a phenomenal job of this with their screenplay. I
never had thoughts of “no one would say that” or “well that’s a bit much” and
in fact, I thought nearly all the dialogue was incredibly plausible. It was a
constant portrayal of real and understandable thoughts that really connected
you to the characters.
CC: Once more, it seems like we agree (such a rarity at times)! I found the dialogue to be quite realistic (barring a few minor technical discrepancies, like the mixture of the metric and customary measurement systems). Aside from the great dialogue, Gravity also featured excellent acting from both its leads. One critic noted that George Clooney plays "George Clooney in a space suit," an apt observation. Clooney brought his trademark wit and warmth to the film, but the screen definitely belonged to Bullock. Her austere and understated performance hit just the right combination of vulnerability, strength, and perseverance. Bullock's character is not a confidant, experienced veteran of spaceflight, but instead an inexperienced newcomer to zero-gravity. This makes her journey and personal growth that much more gripping and powerful. Given all of the trials and difficulties that her character overcomes over the course of the movie, it's impossible not to root for her.
EE: Absolutely. Bullock gave the performance of her career, and totally dominated the screen. The acting was top notch from a minuscule cast, and I also think the characterization in the film was masterfully done. Many movies fall victim to over emphasizing certain character traits that may or may not pertain to the story. Or some films don't give us enough background, and we're left wanting to know more. Gravity gave us just enough. Small, yet powerful details give us insight to the characters, and we gradually feel more and more for them. In some instances, the amount of development may be considered small, but in a lot of ways this story isn't even about the characters themselves. It's a about a journey of fear, hope and, survival. We follow the characters through space and get attached to the thought of them making it out alive. We can relate to their thinking and their actions, and because we're so immersed in the film, we feel the fear ourselves. We feel the lonely and empty silence. Cuarón did something special in that he attaches us to the characters and their surroundings. Couple the two and you have one incredible thriller.
CC: Agreed - Gravity is one heck of a thrill ride of a movie, visually stunning with compelling characters. Many observers have pointed out certain scientific inaccuracies in the film (and Cuarón has acknowledged that he took some liberties with physics for dramatic effect), but that is beside the point. Gravity is not meant to be a perfect representation of space, but instead is meant to instill a certain sense of wonder about what lies beyond our frail little planet in the wide expanse of the universe. Gravity is not just a film, it's an experience. From the astounding visual effects to the wonderfully-realized characters, Alfonso Cuarón's work is a masterpiece in this regard. I'd like to close my comments with a brief quotation from former US Astronaut Mark Kelly, weighing in on Gravity:
"But the truth is, most of this [scientific inaccuracy] doesn't matter. Cuarón has given us a glimpse of the awe that is the universe beyond our atmosphere. And physics aside, he does it remarkably well."
EE: Great stuff as usual CC. I really hope this discussion made you guys want to go check the film out. Rarely do I even go to the theater to see a movie anymore, (let alone in 3D) but Gravity is one I'll probably go see again. I'd say it's just about as perfect as a Sci-Fi thriller can be. An absolute gem of a film that will be remembered as one of the best ever produced. I can guarantee two things: You won't be disappointed, and you'll have never seen anything like it before.
- EE & CC
If you haven't already seen a trailer for the film, check out this visually astounding clip below:
EE: It was definitely awesome to see landmark features of the globe from such a unique perspective. I'd also like to point out another one of Cuarón's films, Y Tu Mamá También . Although a totally different genre, (and certainly more risque) it's another gorgeous film. He certainly has a way with a camera, and Gravity is undoubtably his masterpiece. I'd seen photos of earth from space, but could never grasp the actual beauty of it. In Gravity, the planet came to life. Polished and silent aerial shots of oceans, clouds and mountains. Absorbing shots of the atmosphere swallowing debris whole. The physical appearance was one of many beautiful aspects of the film, and I could have floated above the earth with Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) for hours. I was awe inspired from the opening seconds to the final shot.
CC: I wholeheartedly agree with you on that point. Gravity is definitely a visual powerhouse. It looks so real that I wouldn't have been too surprised if they had actually filmed the whole thing in space! But aside from the visual strengths of the film, Gravity also featured wonderful storytelling and a truly gripping tale of personal perseverance and survival.
 |
| A brief moment of respite in Gravity |
CC: Once more, it seems like we agree (such a rarity at times)! I found the dialogue to be quite realistic (barring a few minor technical discrepancies, like the mixture of the metric and customary measurement systems). Aside from the great dialogue, Gravity also featured excellent acting from both its leads. One critic noted that George Clooney plays "George Clooney in a space suit," an apt observation. Clooney brought his trademark wit and warmth to the film, but the screen definitely belonged to Bullock. Her austere and understated performance hit just the right combination of vulnerability, strength, and perseverance. Bullock's character is not a confidant, experienced veteran of spaceflight, but instead an inexperienced newcomer to zero-gravity. This makes her journey and personal growth that much more gripping and powerful. Given all of the trials and difficulties that her character overcomes over the course of the movie, it's impossible not to root for her.
EE: Absolutely. Bullock gave the performance of her career, and totally dominated the screen. The acting was top notch from a minuscule cast, and I also think the characterization in the film was masterfully done. Many movies fall victim to over emphasizing certain character traits that may or may not pertain to the story. Or some films don't give us enough background, and we're left wanting to know more. Gravity gave us just enough. Small, yet powerful details give us insight to the characters, and we gradually feel more and more for them. In some instances, the amount of development may be considered small, but in a lot of ways this story isn't even about the characters themselves. It's a about a journey of fear, hope and, survival. We follow the characters through space and get attached to the thought of them making it out alive. We can relate to their thinking and their actions, and because we're so immersed in the film, we feel the fear ourselves. We feel the lonely and empty silence. Cuarón did something special in that he attaches us to the characters and their surroundings. Couple the two and you have one incredible thriller.
 |
| Stone (Bullock) and Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) in Gravity |
"But the truth is, most of this [scientific inaccuracy] doesn't matter. Cuarón has given us a glimpse of the awe that is the universe beyond our atmosphere. And physics aside, he does it remarkably well."
EE: Great stuff as usual CC. I really hope this discussion made you guys want to go check the film out. Rarely do I even go to the theater to see a movie anymore, (let alone in 3D) but Gravity is one I'll probably go see again. I'd say it's just about as perfect as a Sci-Fi thriller can be. An absolute gem of a film that will be remembered as one of the best ever produced. I can guarantee two things: You won't be disappointed, and you'll have never seen anything like it before.
- EE & CC
If you haven't already seen a trailer for the film, check out this visually astounding clip below:
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