Movie Review #56 Gravity (2013)

- “f=(gm1m2)/d2”

Ah, the science fiction-y movie for the Oscars. The rare genre for Best Picture. I certainly consider Gravity (2013) one of those movies where you get a lot of viewership of the movie over some of the other contenders as the market for science fiction is the same market for people who more often than not go see movies (and multiple times). For most of the nominations that Gravity received, I completely agree with. I do think it should be up for best picture, it won't win; I don't think it has the strong emotional lasting appeal that the 'Best Of' should have, nor does it have a strong enough story, but it's good and probably the best science fiction movie of 2013 (unless you're looking for fantasy science fiction, where Star Trek Into Darkness should win). I suspect the movie will grab a lot of the technical ones. Visually the movie is stunning from start to finish, which no exceptions. On technical visuals alone the movie is just darn perfect.

In space, nobody can hear you scream, something I wish the movie had done. Throughout the movie I felt there should have been more silence. It starts simple enough a small crew up in space fixing things on their little spacecraft when a terrible thing happens and then another... and then another. It's really just a plethora of terrible things happening and you the viewer have to sit as the helpless viewer as tragedy befalls the cast for 90 minutes. It's pretty stressful if you can get fall into the movie (pun intended). It's a simple story, I really did sum it up in a neat little package up above, but don't let that fool you. It's still got a lot going for it, even though I do have a gripe about the film. Lets get right into that...

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What bugs me about this film, and this really is the cornerstone of my problems for the movie is the character Ryan Stone (played by Sandra Bullock). I'm sad to say, I do not see what everyone else sees in Bullock. I mean don't get me wrong she isn't a bad actor in the strictest definitions. But the roles she takes just aren't for her. I sat for most of the movie going “They'd never let this woman into space” Stone just isn't mentally strong enough. Movies need to make me believe that the heroine was put in this bad situation and that they need to rise up. While in this movie Bullock made me say “Nobody at NASA would let her go up there” I suppose in a way for a positive spin, I thought that Bullock did too good a job at looking meek and fragile. It was a point of contention for me the entire movie that I never got over. Something that if you can look over I completely coincide you will enjoy this movie immensely. While Stone's guide for the movie Matt Kowalski (played by George Clooney) was top notch. Pretty quickly you are shown what kind of man he is, up in the terrifying silence of space and I believe he's a guy they put up into space. It certainly doesn't hinder that Clooney just always appears to be that kind of guy anyway. He never fails to impress me and absolutely positively knock the socks off me in the roles he plays. I've always thought that was his gift as an actor. Believability.

Believe!

I really enjoyed Gravity for its visuals. I thought the story was a bit undertold. Certainly terrifying to those who fear the emptiness of space, and they do a great job of portraying loneliness but Bullock's character irked me and I felt the movie could have done wonders had the last 30 minutes or so been in complete silence. Not that I'm sexist and want Sandra Bullock to shut-up. Just that it would have driven the home the points of emptiness and silence that much more.

I still give it a 8/10

PS: If you have seen this movie, I believe it to be rather important you watch this short that director Alfonso Cuarón made as a companion to Gravity. It's called Aningaaq (2013) (Warning, graphic suggestions; nsfw)