Brendan J. Anderson
From the Opening shots of Gravity you know you are in the hands of great filmmaking. I am very happy to report that this has not been uncommon in 2013 but what makes Gravity special is that it truly feels unique. Gravity tells the story of two astronauts who are detached from their shuttle and who must struggle for survival. The astronauts are played by George Clooney and Sandra Bullock. This simple premise is perfect for what follows and what follows is simply pure cinema.
Pure cinema was a term coined by the great director Alfred Hitchcock to describe experiences that you can only have in a theater. In a sense experiences that rely mainly on the visual to gain their art. Gravity is one of these experiences that you need to have in theaters and in the largest theater possible. It is also an experience that needs to be in 3d in order to get its full impact. why? because Gravity is all about immersion. It's about being in the shoes of these astronauts and experiencing the terror and the beauty of the situation. this is a unique film because all of these filmmaking methods of immersion, which are usually only used to sell more tickets, here play an integral part in the experience of the story.
The script takes this simple presence and really uses it to explore many large ideas. This gives Bullock and Clooney some real material from which they can act. I think it is the simplicity of the premise that allows Gravity, unlike so many of its counterparts in the forms of blockbusters and space operas, to focus on the human sorry and really say something deeper. It's a film that I could see myself watching again, not just for the thrill, but for the story. I've never been a George Clooney fan but here I really thought his performance was exceptional and Bullock deserves a best actress nom.
What makes those performances even more powerful is that they were somewhat unlikely. This is because Gravity has some of the greatest spectacle I have ever seen. It really shows how well today's computers can create a realistic world. You will truly believe you are in space. It is a testament to the script and direction by Cuaron that Gravity works so well and stays so human. It is also a testament to the cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki that the film really makes you feel like you are in space. Gravity will be remembered for years to come and is certainly an early Oscar contender 5/5!
Pure cinema was a term coined by the great director Alfred Hitchcock to describe experiences that you can only have in a theater. In a sense experiences that rely mainly on the visual to gain their art. Gravity is one of these experiences that you need to have in theaters and in the largest theater possible. It is also an experience that needs to be in 3d in order to get its full impact. why? because Gravity is all about immersion. It's about being in the shoes of these astronauts and experiencing the terror and the beauty of the situation. this is a unique film because all of these filmmaking methods of immersion, which are usually only used to sell more tickets, here play an integral part in the experience of the story.
The script takes this simple presence and really uses it to explore many large ideas. This gives Bullock and Clooney some real material from which they can act. I think it is the simplicity of the premise that allows Gravity, unlike so many of its counterparts in the forms of blockbusters and space operas, to focus on the human sorry and really say something deeper. It's a film that I could see myself watching again, not just for the thrill, but for the story. I've never been a George Clooney fan but here I really thought his performance was exceptional and Bullock deserves a best actress nom.
What makes those performances even more powerful is that they were somewhat unlikely. This is because Gravity has some of the greatest spectacle I have ever seen. It really shows how well today's computers can create a realistic world. You will truly believe you are in space. It is a testament to the script and direction by Cuaron that Gravity works so well and stays so human. It is also a testament to the cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki that the film really makes you feel like you are in space. Gravity will be remembered for years to come and is certainly an early Oscar contender 5/5!
