Title – Gravity (2013)
Director – Alfonso Cuaron (Children of Men)
Cast – Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, Ed Harris (voice)
Plot – Gravity provides for us mere mortals the chance to experience space as life like as we’d ever had hoped. Pitting the viewer alongside lost in orbit NASA workers Ryan Stone (Bullock) and Matt Kowalski (Clooney), Gravity follows their journey as they try and get back to earth after space debris destroys there shuttle.
“Don’t let go!”
Review by Eddie on 8/10/2013
Disclaimer – This review was based on an IMAX 3-D version of the film.
If you’re reading this review and have yet to take off into orbit with Gravity you should stop reading now and find the biggest screen available (in 3-D) and partake in what is likely to be one of if not the most technically flawless films ever made – for Gravity make no doubt about it is an experience literally out of this world and a cinema experience that will perhaps forever rank as one of the best I have been lucky enough to partake in.
Any regular to J and E would be more than familiar with my advance hype and keenness for Gravity to hit our cinema screens so without further ado I can say this – I told you so! (I don’t get to say that to often so allow me my indulgence there) and as a repeat – go see Gravity now on the biggest screen available to you.
It would be possible to rant on for hours on end about just how marvellous Alfonso Cuaron’s space thriller is as a film making achievement and CGI touchstone – the computer generated imagery on display here is scarily realistic! Gravity open’s with one of the most audacious and spectacular tracking shots ever committed to film and from there it continues to push the boundaries of what has been done on screen before. It’s clear that many pain staking hours of thought and commitment went into every minute and every shot of this film, from the construction of space tears through to every star in the vast open universe. It really is a joy to behold and no doubt a benchmark for filmmakers to now take off from.
All this technical wizardry would have fallen somewhat by the way side if Cuaron could not get a team to hold the movie together but thankfully his duo of Bullock (in a role that will be featuring in awards season) and the ever charming silver fox George Clooney deliver. Clooney offers his usual roguish charm and ever calm demeanour but it really is Bullocks film when it comes to the acting stakes and she really does give it her all. Bullock’s performance gets under your skin so that every bump, near miss or floating through a shuttle will slowly feel like it is you the viewer experiencing these things which in all honesty can be a pretty scary thing when you are hurtling towards a space station at the speed of a bullet!
With 3 paragraphs of praise behind me it now must be said that while Gravity as a technical point of view could be graded at nothing short of a perfect 5 stars there is something amiss in the film that stops it from reaching absolute perfection despite it being just to tough to pinpoint as a definite what that is. It could be any range of things from some script conveniences through to some misguided character driven scenes but really these are slight missteps in a movie universe that is totally and enthrallingly enjoyable for every last minute of its running time.
Gravity upon conclusion is one of the year’s best movies, a film that will undoubtedly live long in the history of film and filmmaking. You have to be willing to take the ride with the film but it’s a ride that you’ll want to go on again and again and with that, Gravity deserves every last award that will come at it like hurling space debris come this awards season.
4 and a half fire extinguishers out of 5
Related articles
- Gravity (captainklerk.wordpress.com)
- Gravity makes out-of-this-world profit (theguardian.com)
- Alfonso Cuarón Comments on the Sound Design of GRAVITY (collider.com)
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys) 
Interesting and rewarding film. I especially love the final shot. Publishing my own take in a matter of hours if you care to have a look. ML
Will stop by for sure Mark, very keen to hear as many people’s thoughts as possible on this particular experience.
Eddie
What did you make of the dream sequence? I thought it was an effective moment, and particularly shattering when it reveals what you suspect all along, but I think it also halted the otherwise perfect pacing of the movie.
I would agree with that Dave – it was obviously an important plot point to drive the story forward but it did feel somewhat contrived or out of place.
Eddie
Great review Eddie. Completely agree, i thought this was such a rare film. Glad to see 2013 can drop a stunner like this. the Oscars just got that much more interesting.
I think we are in for a much more interesting race than last year ( I really will never recover from Argo winning) my hot tip mate is 12 Year’s a Slave, it just looks fantastic on almost every level. Bring on awards season I say!
Eddie
indeed! 12 Years a Slave and this little movie called Her, look fantastic. bring it!
Good review. I’ll have my thoughts on it tomorrow night sometime at http://www.fastfilmjudge.com
Cheers mate, will check out your thoughts tomorrow 🙂
Eddie
Everyone is praising this movie! I must be missing out on something great
Yeh mate if you get the chance make the journey or is it not out yet where you are?
Eddie
It’s out here :]. I’m more of a gamer then moviegoer though
Mate I consider myself both, try get to Gravity couldn’t recommend it more.
Eddie
Definitely :]. This movie looks really good.
Gravity is just stunning. I went in expecting good things, but not the level of wonder I eventually felt. I’ve published my own take on it too, if you care to read it.
Will do Jialing, thanks for stopping by and we will check your take 🙂
Every review I have seen/heard (including my own) have said something to the effect of ‘drop what you’re doing and go see it’. Solid review, Eddie.
On a lighter note, anyone else immediately think ‘Hey, you stole that from Wall-E’ when she used the fire extinguisher to space-walk?
I never thought ofthat Wall-e similarity but that is pure gold
Eddie
Wonderful review! I absolutely loved the film and your take was great 🙂
Thanks heaps Areana you have a fab site we will def be keeping in touch.
Eddie
Excellent review and post as always! I love the movie and I haven’t been so “wowed” like that in a long time.
Other than that, I wanted to drop by and say that I nominated you guys for The Versatile Blogger Award.
You deserve it!
(You can check out the nom here: http://sublimezoo.com/2013/10/17/people-actually-like-us-the-versatile-blogger-award/
0
Thanks heaps Lex, very kind words and deeds. Good to hear Gravity wowed you to it seems to be working it’s magic the world over.
Eddie
Well said! It is an excellent movie, the thin plot notwithstanding.
I think the plot is deceptively so James, the more I think and read about it I believe that the truth.
Eddie
Mind if I ask what you mean?
I will try link through an article – I believe Cauron intended the film as a metaphor for life/birth. Many scenes such as when Ryan first makes it into safety represent that comfort of the womb (she is seen floating as though a baby does).
http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=7&ved=0CFwQFjAG&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2F2013%2F10%2F05%2Fjonas-cuaron-gravity_n_4049374.html&ei=i0JoUqiMNceViQfTyoCoDw&usg=AFQjCNG9f0gCiOAoEwVaDu-EIUUu5sEEOg&bvm=bv.55123115,d.dGI
and also –
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/thecrescat/2013/10/beautiful-space-beautiful-life-a-review-of-gravity.html
I don’t intend to get the whole thing but hopefully that offers up some interesting ideas mate 🙂
Eddie
Okay. I certainly caught that symbolism (in fact the obviousness if the fetal position symbolism was one of my least favorite moments in the film. I prefer symbolism be a bit more subtle than that). And I agree Cuaron accomplishes this path magnificently well, especially in the last shot when Bullock stands.
I’ll go read the links in a moment. 😉
That was an awesome review which clearly showed us all how much you liked the movie.
I have put up my review of Gravity at http://moviebore.wordpress.com/2013/10/21/gravity-an-out-of-the-world-experience/
Thanks for the kind words mate, glad you enjoyed the film to 🙂
Eddie
Pingback: Popcorn Bowl 15 – Gravity | swytla·
Pingback: The Best and Worst of 2013: Eddie’s Take | Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)·
Pingback: : Blue is the Warmest Color, Gravity, Thor: The Dark World | Gabriel Diego Valdez·
Pingback: 2014 Oscars – J and E’s Overview & Final Predictions | Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)·
Pingback: Gravity | He Said, She Said Movie Posters·
Pingback: The Revenant – 5 Reasons Why You Should Be Excited | Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)·
Pingback: Film Review – Roma (2018) | Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)·
Pingback: Film Review – Stowaway (2021) | Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)·