Gravity is about a scientist played by Sandra Bullock and an astronaut played by George Clooney and for reasons that I will not delve into, they have to work together to survive after an accident leaves them adrift in space.
After seeing the trailer, (and then re-watching it 20 times) I was completely amazed by the visuals, but puzzled how a premise like that could be stretched out to fit a motion picture? Even though the film only ends up with a 90 minute run-time, It didn't feel short at all.
Alfonso Cuaron, the director of this film, had been working on Gravity for years. He wanted to make this film sooner, but he had to wait until the technology to be far more advanced and progressed to meet what he needed. But luckily in 2009, James Cameron made a movie called Avatar that supplied Cuaron with what he needed. And did it pay off in the end? It was without a doubt worth the wait.
The visuals are jaw-dropping. Everything looked immaculate. It actually looked like some of the move was shot from space. The weightlessness of the astronauts looked so flawless that I can't even comprehend the technology it took to make this! With all of the floating and spinning that happens, I actually felt a bit sick it was so realistic!
This movie is going to get nominated and most likely win Oscars for visual effects, cinematography, editing and possibly even director. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if it got nominated for Best Picture. Maybe even for the acting categories. Which lead me to the performances.
George Clooney plays exactly what I imagined George Clooney as an astronaut would be. He's a veteran spacewalker who handles everything thrown at him with ease. He's charismatic, suave and at times pretty funny. Sandra Bullock on the other hand is new to the whole astronaut business. She's a scientist who was hired to work on the technology. The two of them play off each other very well. With the exception of the first 15-20 minutes or so, Sandra Bullock carries the film and I would not be surprised if an Oscar nomination is in her future. She deserves it considering she underwent six months of physical training. The voice for mission control is played by Ed Harris. Wait, I'm having the weirdest sense of deja vu......
I was completely flabbergasted by how few cuts there are in the film. The film begins with an opening shot of the earth and I kid you not, up until Sandra Bullock gets cast away, there was not a single cut. I wasn't keeping track, but that scene must have lasted a good 10 minutes. Editing has most often been used to keep the audience interested. Some filmmakers believe that the more cuts in a film, the more entertaining it is. Well that logic is not true. It ends up confusing the audience, it looks terrible and it is hard to tell what is going on. With Gravity, the single shot style adds to the realism and shows the audience what is actually happening because things happen very quickly.
The score is very subtle and comes into play to enhance particular moments, whether they be emotional or to signal that something horrible is going to happen. That might even end up earning Oscar gold.
Final Report: James Cameron really wasn't messing around when he said that Gravity is the greatest space movie ever. What he said is true. Gravity is a movie that is like no other. An experience that must be witnessed on the biggest of movie screens. Films like this are the reason why I love movies. Gravity is one of the most incredible movies I have ever seen. A true masterpiece.
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