Gravity

How many screenplays do you know of that are written by a father and son team? If anyone out there knows the answer, do let me know.  My research shows that Alfonso and Jonás Cuarón have achieved a first of its kind.  Whats more, they could not have a better job.  Although the rest of the world seems to be panning the script, I thought, it was well written and effective (but then I am just a lowly amateur).

I wanted to see Gravity ever since I saw the trailer a couple of months back.  The concept of watching 2 people stuck in space thanks to an accident that leaves them untethered and floating in space, trying to find their way back was just too tempting.  The only question on my mind was about what Alfonos Cuarón could show us that we had not seen in the trailer.  What I saw eventually just blew my mind away.

Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and Mission Commander Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney) are a few hundred miles away from Mother Earth.  They are part of a mission to make a few minor changes to a satellite.  A few 100 miles away from them, a defunct Russian satellite is blow to bits by a missle strike. The satellite debris, unfortunately, heads right towards them at speeds in excess of 20K miles per hour.

Gravity has been described by many – most importantly James Cameron – as the best space movie ever made.  For what it is worth, I could not agree more.  It grabs you from scene one that shows some boring work taking place on a satellite.  The visuals are stunning and the views that are on display are simply superb.   Shots of the sun rising or The Pacific or The Himalayas – all of them make for a great visual treat.

Sandra Bullock’s portrayal as someone who is in space for the first time is superb.  She displays an array of emotions ranging from happiness to fear to anger to exasperation to desperation to anxiety to ….  I am out of emotions.  George Clooney on the other hand does what he is best at.  Playing a devastatingly handsome and cocky astronaut whose sole aim seems to be to break the space-walk record.

I must warn you that Gravity is made so well that in the first few minutes you may experience feelings from complete awe to utter nausea – more the latter because you actually feel that you are walking in space.  If only the projection technology in this part of the world was better.  It may have caused a few people to faint like they would on a roller coaster but that’s where the fun is.

The only thing I could find a bit wrong about Gravity was the slightly melodramatic end.  But, then as a close friend put, “If one were to nitpick, we could do that for even The Godfather or The Shawshank Redemption”.  I don’t know if Gravity is the best movie of the year.  I am currently caught between Rush and Gravity for that position as of now. 8.5 on 10.  Watch it on IMAX only.  Regular 3D may just ruin the experience.

Watch the trailer on http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2340006169/?ref_=tt_ov_vi and don’t miss out on the website http://gravitymovie.warnerbros.com/