Review of Alfonso Cuaròn's "Gravity"

One of my most anticipated movies for this fall was Alfonso Cuaròn's space thriller "Gravity." Previously, Cuaròn had made "Children of Men" and the third Harry Potter film which are both excellent and favorites of mine. 

I'm not going to waste a lot of time summarizing the movie (plus I don't want to spoil anything if y'all decide to go see it--which you should), but it is essentially about two astronauts being separated from their space station after a field of debris destroys it, leaving them stranded hundreds of miles above the earth's surface.

George Clooney basically plays George Clooney in a spacesuit, but Sandra Bullock gives an Oscar-worthy performance and definitely hand a large hand in making this film successful.

Getting hurled into space sure is a bummer.

The first thing that impressed me was the continuous twelve minute shot that began that movie. The camera so masterfully floats about the space station, giving you the impression that you are floating right next to it, and a stunning view of earth slowly but noticeably rotating in the back ground. Just as this shot ends, tragedy strikes.

The destruction sequences were amazing. Cuaròn stays true to the fact that sound does not carry in space, so every sound that we hear is within the characters' helmets. Watching a multi-billion dollar space station silently destroyed was very visually impressive, but it also created an intense atmosphere that reeked of anxiety, hopelessness, and isolation.

While "Gravity" is not much more than a popcorn flick (as it really doesn't offer much more than a series of atmospheric shots and "action" sequences throughout), you feel a real sense of terror for the protagonist. Her fears and hopes and disasters and triumphs become yours, and you can't help but root for her by the end of the movie. In fact, I was practically jumping in my seat the entire time from how involved I was in this movie.

So, yeah, definitely go see it. Amazing visuals, great acting, and incredible story telling.

Your homework? It can definitely wait until after the next showing at the Huntington 7.