Hey all, Mozeus here. This past weekend I saw the film Gravity, and was so impressed, I wanted to write a little about it. The film, directed by Alfonso Cuarón (Children of Men, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban), stars Sandra Bullock (Crash, The Blind Side) and George Clooney (The Descendants, Oceans Eleven).
First off, I think it’s important to be seen on IMAX 3D. The vastness of space, along with its depth of field (with what is going on in the foreground, against the background of the stars and earth) is truly magnificent. If you can’t catch this on IMAX, then make sure when you do watch in some home theatre, its with the best, biggest, 3D TV a friend can have (or if you actually have your own). That being said, I am curious to see how strong this films holds on its own, without the greatness of the image to intensify it… I hope it still carries its own wait, as the emotional aspect was quite intense to begin with; I guess we’ll see. Gravity’s quality as a film is not only its emotional pull (pun intended) towards the instinct to survive, nor only its strong representation of the human spirit; the greatness of the film also derives from the intertwining of the story with an amazing visual display that represents both the element within which the story takes place, and the fragility of the human being. Sandra Bullock‘s performance is phenomenal – and that is a difficult thing to pull off in a mostly one-man-show (or in this instance, one-woman-show). There is a moment in the film where you start laughing lightly, only to realize the graveness of the situation, and then it feels like you should be crying. George Clooney also carries a strong presence on the film, albeit secondary to Bullock’s. With such a big actor on screen, you would expect him to actually have the “leading” role; but he so masterfully, and almost respectfully, steps out of the limelight for Bullock, the act in its own way deserves him credit as an actor for that alone.
The movie as a whole, which ironically takes place in space, can be looked upon in the same way. By that I mean, despite the magnificence and greatness of space, it is easily described in a few words: dark… empty… vast. Though I am not sure what particular words I would use for the film (and in this case, each viewer might have his/her own), it has that same “simple” feel. In fact, “simple” might be the most appropriate word. By no means is the story complicated. By no means is this the most intricate acting performances ever. And though the visual effects are amazing, we live in an age where dozens of movies wow us every year with amazing images. But what creates the magic of the film is how simply these aspects have been put so well together. The film is, in all aspects, an artistic work of a genius mind.
Overall, what makes the film excellent is that it is not only just a film, but an intense experience that leaves you enthralled, shaken and relieved. If there was one movie you needed to watch on the big screen (over waiting for the blu-ray/dvd), it would be this. Catch in on the IMAX if you can. You will not be disappointed.
~mozeus
