Gravity

Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity is that rare kind of cinematic technical achievement we rarely see.  Remember the first time you saw the grand dinosaurs in Jurassic Park?  Or how about Gollum in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy, and how he single handedly pushed the art of motion capture into the forefront?  In the 90 or so minutes that Gravity runs, we are watching something totally extraordinary, and not just in a technical sense.  As a harrowing tale of survival, there's really been nothing quite like it on the screen.  This is the rare movie that needs to be seen on the biggest screen possible, and in 3D.

Yes, the guy who has frequently gone on the record of calling the recent 3D boom the biggest cinematic scam of the 21st Century, is recommending that you see this in 3D.  That's because there's never been a film that has used the technology to this subtle, yet necessary, effect.  Pick any of the recent films that have pushed the current 3D effects to its current heights (Avatar, Hugo, Life of Pi), and Gravity meets or exceeds them.  And yet, this is not really a movie that throws its special effects and technological wizardry in your face.  Though set in space, it is not science fiction.  It is a simple story that is not even really plot driven.  It is instead driven solely by the main character's struggle to survive in the vast vacuum of outer space.  It features two big stars above the title, but this is not a star vehicle, nor is it an ego-driven vanity project.  It is an experience where for the entire running time, we are transported into the situation up on the screen.  You can hardly hear a breath from the audience around you.  You are immersed.  And that is the beauty of the film's simplicity.

That simplicity comes from the fact that while you are watching it, you're not constantly reminding yourself that you are watching special effects.  When I see towering robots smashing their ginormous fists through a building, or an army of computer generated zombies chasing after a fleeing victim, I find myself immediately in the mindset that I am watching something artificial that was created on the computer.  When you see so many spectacles, it can sometimes take a lot to truly impress.  Watching Gravity, I never once had that feeling that I was watching something computer generated.  The movie is so encompassing, and the events flow so naturally, I truly want to believe that Warner Bros. somehow ponied up the money to shoot the cast and crew into space, and film everything that happened to them.  For once, I don't want to know how they did it.  Give me the illusion.  What I will believe is that years of hard work went into this film, and it's all up there on the screen.

Even the way the film unfolds is in an organic and unforced way that feels like everything is happening in real time.  When we first see veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) and the inexperienced Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) performing a space walk on the outside of their craft that slowly drifts into view in the stunning opening sequence, we are immediately transfixed.  We hear their banter as they try to repair a problem on the outside of their ship, and it simply sounds and feels real.  The actors are able to create their characters within this simple yet spellbinding sequence.  Clooney is cool and confident.  He's done this many times, and he loves it.  Bullock's character is more restrained about being in space.  This is her first time, and she's not really enjoying it.  They talk, and cooperate with each other on the repair mission.

Just then, an urgent call comes from Houston Command.  A Soviet satellite has exploded, and the debris is headed for them.  They have to get inside the ship before the debris hits.  Matt tries to hurry Ryan inside, but she wants to finish the task.  The debris hits moments later, destroying their ship, and sending them both hurtling into the vastness of space.  The way that the movie (and the 3D effects) throw us right into the middle of the situation is mesmerizing.  There is an intimacy to this film that makes the situation so harrowing.  Whether the characters are running low on oxygen as they drift through space, or they are struggling just to reach a nearby scrap of metal that can be the difference between life and death, Cuaron's directing style puts us right there every step of the way.  It is this intimacy and sense of immersion that makes this a different kind of blockbuster.  We're not focused on how much money is being burned up on the screen, we are simply enveloped into the story and the situation at hand.

The performances of the two stars naturally draw us in further.  Not only does Sandra Bullock deserve a second Oscar nomination for this role, she deserves a second Oscar win as of this moment.  I'm sure as the big Fall movies continue to role out, there will be some strong competition from other actresses, but for now, Bullock's in the front running with me.  As for Clooney, his brave and cool demeanor in the face of even the worst situation ends up being a relief for the audience almost as much as it does for Bullock's character.  This is a very intense movie, and were it not for Clooney, parts of it might be a little too much to take.  He's not just there to take the edge off the film every once in a while, he's there to take the edge off the audience as we become drawn deeper into the events up on the screen.

Gravity is the rare film that truly needs to be experienced on the big screen.  Watching it at home is almost certain to lose a good part of its effectiveness.  This is truly a seldom instance where you can get an experience unlike anything you've seen before, and the extra surcharge to watch it in 3D is more than worth it.  It goes without saying, but see this movie.

See the movie times in your area or buy the DVD at Amazon.com!

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