"Gravity" - Your thoughts & reviews

[belelmo27cien]

It looks like they are holding screenings a lot lately, so I decided to make a thread for you guys to post your thoughts.

Please make sure you add "Spoiler" alert if you talk about the story, especially about the ending.

[snajper]

Ok, I saw "Gravity" today in advance screening in my city. I really LOVE this movie. It is amazing. The visual effect are incredible. Everything that You read about this movie is true. Sandy was incredible! The role was so deep and dramatic, She was really believable in it. You were routing for Ryan for the entire movie! And George role was bigger the I expected. I was watching this movie with my eyes wide open for the entire time. I couldn't hold my breath is severe moments! This film will be sci-fi classic. I will definitely see it again in cinema soon, maybe next week!
BTW: Sandy was in amazing shape!

[belelmo27cien]

Thanks for the first review and I'm glad to hear you liked it a lot. Did you see it in which format, 2D, 3D, or IMAX 3D? How was the reaction of the other audience?

Oh, I moved your post here as I had made this thread a couple of weeks ago.

[snajper]

Oh, sorry about that I didn't notice that.
I saw it in 3D, not IMAX. From what I saw everyone else was happy about the movie. The were moment in the movie when no one was talking, because we all were scared for Ryan, and sometimes few people was whispering to each other like "omg She is...." etc. Basically we all been really focus on the movie and routing for Ryan!

[kokoro]

Saw it last night in 3D because I wouldn't have been able to see it in IMAX this weekend and I really couldn't wait. I'll definitely be seeing it again, in IMAX, when I get the chance. Just... wow. I can't imagine that there's anything to say that hasn't already been said, but I'll give it a go.

It's a visual marvel, Alfonso Cuaron is a mad genius, and Sandra holds it all on her shoulders and keeps it glued together with a powerful performance. The effects are mindblowingly beautiful, but they never distracted me away from the human story, from the intense amounts of anxiety I had on the character's behalf. Alfonso resists the urge to show off and makes sure the focus stays where it needs to be: on this woman and her fight to survive. The weakest part of the movie is probably its dialogue, but Sandra (and George) sells it so well that I didn't even really think about it. In fact, I wonder if the cheesy dialogue might have been a bit purposeful; it's very Old Hollywood, and Sandra has some lines that you might hear right out of the mouth of the usual male action hero. Just allowing a woman to have those lines is kind of unique. While I personally might have preferred more thoughtful or minimal dialogue, I think what we got probably helps to keep it accessible to the general audience. "Gravity" is what I think it needs to be: revolutionary but uncomplicated. It's really a movie that everyone can love.

I'm actually excited for the awards season, because I'm 100% positive that this has nominations (and hopefully some wins) in the bag for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, all the technical, cinematography categories, and probably for the music as well.

Sandra’s probably having the most successful time of her career, and how awesome is that? “The Heat” did crazy good and with “Gravity,” she’s got another financial success AND a movie with near universal critical praise. That’s pretty much unheard of for her. It's probably wishful thinking that this will shut up the doubters who think she can't act or that she didn't deserve her Oscar, but wouldn’t it be nice? To be fair, I'm one of those people who think "The Blind Side" win was less about her performance (which was good) and more about other factors, but I've always known she's a fantastic actor who could turn in an Oscar worthy performance; she just rarely does movies and roles that the Academy acknowledges. But this is one that most assuredly deserves recognition.

I've yet to see any of the other performances that are up for discussion as potential nominees, but from what I've read about the process of making "Gravity," I wouldn't be surprised if technically, physically, and emotionally, Sandra needed to put more work into this performance than the other ladies who will be nominated needed to put into theirs. Based on that alone, I think she deserves to take home the gold man. And if she hadn't already won, she'd probably be the guaranteed winner.

I also have hopes that “Gravity” and its financial and critical success could maybe help bring about some changes in Hollywood. Like making producers more willing to back female led genre fare and more willing to give big budgets to auteur passion projects and also getting critics to stop their kneejerk sneering at sci-fi pictures and to see them as respectable award contenders and, wonder of all wonders, maybe even getting Hollywood to put real effort into producing good 3D movies instead of the crap we've been getting. But that's probably a bit too optimistic.

All that said, go see this movie on the best and biggest screen you can. It'll be well worth it.

[addicted]

I enjoyed reading your review! Thanks for that.

[belelmo27cien]

Thank you, kokoro, for your thorough review. I agree that her performance in "Gravity" (and what she has been proving since her Oscar win) will make people rethink about her. And I also agree that her Oscar win was more for herself than for her performance in "The Blind Side." That was a weak year I think, no other performances were strong enough to kill the momentum Sandy had. If any of those nominees did what Mo'nique did in "Precious," Sandy wouldn't have won.

But this time, if she is nominated for "Gravity," at least nobody should compain about that. I still think Cate Blanchett will probably win, but it's heartening to see Sandy is becoming a regular contender in an award race. If "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" was critically & commercially success, she would have been nominated too.

[sbfanargentina]

So, I've seen Gravity today.. What an incredible film it is, I really really liked it! In fact, I wanna see it in the cinema again! I've seen it in 3D but not IMAX, there is only one IMAX theatre here in Argentina and it's not where I live!

There is not too much to say that hasn't been said it yet.. all that you read it's true, the visuals and the cinematography are stunning (in fact I don't know how they did to make it look so natural, it really seem to be filmed in space), the music is absolutely beautiful and match perfect with every scene (specially at the end and at the emotional scenes), it is by far the best use of 3D that I'd ever seen, it is not like you are seeing a movie, it is like you are living it, it is an experience of movie.

And, about Sandra, I fell in love with her character, she portrayed it PERFECT, definitely her best performance (followed by her performances in The Blind Side, Infamous and Crash, in my opinion). There is no way that Angelina Jolie or Natalie Portman could top her job here, she was the right choice!
She was amazing throughout the film, but there are a couple of scene in which she dazzled me, she showed all her potential as a drama actress, she made me cry and feel real sorry for her character. Those were my favourite scenes, along with the final 10 minutes! She definitely carried the film! George was amazing as well, I think his character contribute a lot!

As for the award season, I am 100% sure she will be nominated for best actress at the Oscar, the Golden Globe, etc! And I have my hopes up in terms of Sandra winning! I think it is absolutely possible, I know that is going to be hard because of Cate Blanchett's job in the "Blue Jasmine", but I can totally see Sandra winning. It is going to be between them, that's for sure!
In fact, I have my hopes up about the whole film, I have the feeling that it is going to be like "The Lord of the Rings 3" or "The last emperor", where these films won all awards they were nominated for! I hope to be right!

For me is a 10 out of 10! Not surprise it has 97%/9.1 on Rotten Tomatoes, 96 on Metacritic and it's #13 on IMDb top 250! It is on my top ten best movies of all time without a doubt.

[jorgeleewalker]

OK.
So I have seen the film for a second time and have liked it much than the first one.

Technically? Incredible. Amazing. The first 30 or 40 minutes leave you with your mouth open wide. You really experience you are in space. And the last shots you really feel you can touch what you see in the screen, which, for the kind of element we are seeing, its awesome. I know this sounds dull but I am trying to write it giving the least clues possible. See it in the biggest screen possible, and this advice comes from someone who hates big effects movies.

Soundtrack? Very good choices, it totally fits the movie. Perhaps I did not like too much the last song: not a bad one, but I think it was too topical to fit the epic it was pretended to reach. It reminded me too much of "Troy", but all the others tracks are really wel choosen.

The script? It might not a work of art penned by I.A.L. Diamond. Some lines seem to forced... as if they sound nice to read in a book but not the way someone talks... just like it happened in "Hope floats", for example. But, like happened in "Speed", you have a very simple idea that develops in almost a linear way but never leaves you bored. Theres always something happening on screen that makes you hold your breath. My personal impression is that the original script was more minimalist, subtle and darker, but they added some things to make sure that everybody (as in: we, the general ignorant masses who go to the cinemas) got the movie. After all, its an action thriller. Set in space and with a dramatic background and a MUCH better look that 99% of action thriller, but a thriller after all.

Direction? Cuarón is a genius. Period. I have read sompe articles stating how he avoided some of the advices from the studio, like not showing images from the control in Houston or things like that. Well done, mr Cuarón. He got a lot of credit with "Y tu mamá también", in 2001, remember? OK. That movie starred Maribel Verdú, a (very good) spanish actress who has had her ups and downs with the critics, because, for years, she has been in mediocre movies. Does it sound familiar with a certain actress we love? Hehehehe. So I think he is not only a good directos, but also a good actors directors, which bring us the next (and maybe most important?) question:

The performances? First time I saw it I though that it was Sandra Bullock in her usual performance. You know: doing "no" with her head after she cries for one second or two, stuttering some of her lines... I also felt she was channeling some of her previous charachters: Cassie from "Murder by numbers" (because of a cold charachters who looks in her work a refuge from a past that haunts her), Linda from "Premonition" (her lack of desire to fight a future she cant change), Annie from "Speed"... But I was wrong. She shows plenty of emotions and you really feel them. What a good actress this woman is with the right director. She shines in a film that, maybe, other actress would have only been a hot babe in danger (sorry if it sounded too sexit, not my intention). She is gonna shut plenty of mouths. She gives here the performance that justifies her Oscar (she was good ut not top notch in "The blind side", but, again, I will always believe it was a compensation for ignoring her two years in a row, in "Crash" and "Infamous"). I am quite sure she will get a nomination, but she not a win. But also prefer not to high my expectations. Clooney was good, destilating charm in a Old Hollywood leading man way. Sometimes you felt as if he was gonna offer you a cup of Nexpresso and say "What else?", lol. Her chemisty with Bullock is obvious, I did not think they were gonna work that well.

Long story short: great movie that most people I know is enjoying, even Bullock haters (like some of my friends).


One last advice. Bel was really intelligent on that: try (not easy) to read as Little as possible about the film. I read too many things -even a detailed script description- and really regret that.
And please sorry for my writing... Im posting from my tiny cell pone and my big fingers might be typing the wrong key.

[belelmo27cien]

Thanks for your reviews, sbfanargentina & jorgeleewalker.

I agree with you jorgeleewalker about Sandy's Oscar chance. I think she'll get nomination but not win. And I don't want her to win actually. Her next Oscar win, my wish, should be from a straight comedy.

[snajper]

I have different opinion about that. I believe that She deserve Oscar for the performance in "Gravity". This role was so amazing, and deep. She deliver in every level. She was outstanding physically and mentally. She was there 100%!. From what I know it is between her at Cate from Blue Jasmin. I haven't seen this movie yet but I think that Sandy role was much harder to do, and I hope that Academy will notice that.

[belelmo27cien]

No, I'm not saying she doesn't deserve the Oscar. I'm just predicting based on the other people's prediction, reviews and all. It's almost impossible to decide who is "the best" you know. Every role is different. I'm also afraid of that bashing again in case she actually won.

But we'll know for sure, probably, when the Golden Globes chooses its winner as Cate and Sandy will be running in the same category, and at SAG and Critics Choice.

[sbfanargentina]

Oct 15, 2013 5:46:16 GMT -5 snajper said:

I think that Sandy role was much harder to do, and I hope that Academy will notice that.

I agree with this! She had to perform into a box, with hundreds of cameras and lights, under the water, in front of a green screen, without almost any human contact, in that "chair" that moved her and rolled her.. it wasn't the usual recording set!

[Gabi]

Oct 15, 2013 9:16:36 GMT -5 sbfanargentina said:

Oct 15, 2013 5:46:16 GMT -5 snajper said:

I think that Sandy role was much harder to do, and I hope that Academy will notice that.

I agree with this! She had to perform into a box, with hundreds of cameras and lights, under the water, in front of a green screen, without almost any human contact, in that "chair" that moved her and rolled her.. it wasn't the usual recording set!

^This. Not to mention she's claustrophobic and spent like 10 hours a day in that box.



I saw it last Friday. I’m such a lazy person it took me over a week to write a decent(still bad) review. The second time was Monday. it was in 3D both times (we don’t have imax here).
As some here warned, try to know as little as possible about the movie. I’m glad I did it. Every review, every post about the movie on social networks has a lot of spoilers. I won’t talk about any particularly scene because I can talk about this movie for days.

The movie was so intense, beautiful, dark, breathtaking! It was perfect!!!
It actually got me about 15 min to “get into the movie” (I blame the 3d glasses and the theater room for that). But once I got into it… it was “a hell of a ride”. I got out of the theater with my hands shaking.

Visually speaking, it was the most beautiful movie I’ve seen. The 3d fits perfectly. There were a lot of scenes with first person shot that make you feel like you’re in space with them.
The Acting: Clooney seemed to be just playing himself but he was so great doing that. There were moments I just wanted to grab him and kiss him(weird) lol. I feel really bad for wanting RDJ on the cast instead of George.

Sandra was so amazing! By far her best performance. She carried the movie. Ryan was such a deep character. And through the movie we get why Ryan was that way (her personality and actions).

Cuarón always touched me emotionally like no other director ever did (first Children of Men and now Gravity). Besides, he’s my favorite Harry Potter director. He’s a genius! I love the symbolisms at his movies and Gravity has plenty of them. The second time I saw it I thought maybe even a character was a symbolism.

I really want to see it at least one more time(maybe two). It's something that won't be so awesome to just see on tv.

Oh and about the audience. The first time it was on a Friday afternoon. It was holyday here but the theater was like 1/3 full.
The second time was in other theater on a Monday night. It was almost full. Mostly because the 3d ticket was really cheap.
People here seemed to not be much of a fan of this movie. They seem to be more into those Paranormal Activity or Transformers bull****. Sad.

About the Awards, I don’t know… maybe the Academy will pretend again that they’re open minded and will take that kind of movie seriously (not just give technical awards) for once. I think it will be the big winner(actress included) at the Golden Globes, though.

[belelmo27cien]

Thanks for your reviews.

I think once Sandy gets nominated, they will probably start showing more of the behind-the-scene footage, like how she performs to show how hard it was.