Gravity


"Listen, do you wanna go back, or do you wanna stay here? I get it. It's nice up here. You can just shut down all the systems, turn out all the lights, and just close your eyes and tune out everyone. There's nobody up here that can hurt you. It's safe. I mean, what's the point of going on? What's the point of living? Your kid died. Doesn't get any rougher than that. But still, it's a matter of what you do now. If you decide to go, then you gotta just get on with it."   - Kowalski


release year: 2013
genre: space drama/action
viewing setting: home Bluray 11/12/16

synopsis: After debris destroys her shuttle and the International Space Station, a lone astronaut has to figure out a way to survive and get home.

impressions: A surefire way to keep me from watching something is to critically acclaim it and nominate it for a bunch of awards. That's what happened here. I like space movies and I like astronaut movies, but I don't like excessive drama in space. Anyhow, as so often happens, this one's price dropped and dropped until I was able to get it on Bluray for less than the cost of a movie ticket, and so here we are. I'd say it was good but not great, acting-wise (there's pretty much only one character in the majority of the film, and she doesn't have much to do beyond talking to herself, and some of what she says is nonsense.) Where this film succeeds - and boy does it succeed - is in making you feel like you're right there, trapped in space. I got sweaty palms several times, and I can only imagine what it would have been like watching this in an IMAX and/or 3D theater. This movie is a triumph of editing and special effects.

acting: Sandra Bullock does a good job acting without anyone to act with; most of her lines are there to establish her character or to let the audience know what astronaut-like thing she's about to do. Some of the non-critical lines are silly, and in my opinion there's not enough here to merit Oscar consideration for acting, but then again they don't ask me. George Clooney is around for some of the key parts, but his role really isn't that big.

final word: Good realistic space disaster drama.

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