Gravity, t3h movie! Imax 3d.

[DeeBye]

I'll call you, and raise you one horror scene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxUKAHDIWOQ

A++ would click again.

[DeeBye]

I'll certainly defend DeeBye's differing informed opinion on Gravity. Though I don't quite share the disappointment in Cuaron . I did went in with very little hype before hand however.

I will say though if anyone is expecting 'Children of Men' ending, where it can be argued that it ended on a very bleak note. Or a happy one, since it was done fairly ambiguous way.

Gravity IMO is a pretty positive, almost upbeat movie. I'd say it was almost like a 'Humanity, F*&% YEEAAH!' at parts.

Cuaron copped out on a lot of things with Gravity in favour of atmosphere and effects. I might accept that if the sense of catastrophe in space hadn't already been done equally as well (if not better) with things like 2001, Apollo 13, or Sunshine. Instead, Gravity seemed to rely solely on "realistic space special effects!" and sacrificed everything else that made the aforementioned movies great. I wanted more character development. I wanted more story. In the first 10 minutes it was apparent that Gravity was only about Bullock's character surviving against all odds. The rest of the film was incredibly linear, with one or two very shallow plot twists.

Gravity wasn't a bad movie, but it could have been a lot better.

[shoju]

Sorry for the derail, but I just wanted to say

Alien, is the movie that made me love "scary" sci fi. I was but a babe when it came out, but when I was ~10 or so, my buddy "borrowed" it from his parents Beta Rack, and we stayed up and watched it one night. I didn't sleep right for days. And once I did, I fell in love with the idea that Science Fiction could embody both the fantastical (say.... Star Wars, which I love), and the terror inducing.

Color me a fan of both. I'd love to see a "well done" movie series that embodied both. Even with some of the problems inherent in the later Alien Movies I love them, because of the very clear, and present threat that these monstrous aliens have.

I also love Predator, and the various sequels / cross overs it spawned, save AVP2. That thing, should never have been made. How can you take such an amazing idea (a predator being the host to an alien spawn), and ruin it with such a terrible, terrible, story / premise. Ugh.

[Hammerskjold]

Cuaron copped out on a lot of things with Gravity in favour of atmosphere and effects. I might accept that if the sense of catastrophe in space hadn't already been done equally as well (if not better) with things like 2001, Apollo 13, or Sunshine.

Hmm, I think those 3 examples are much, much darker in tone. While they all involve space catastrophes. I personally would say that nearing the last quarter of Gravity, it can skew more metaphorical\allegorical. Now 2001, and Sunshine, and to a somewhat lesser degree Apollo 13 has their own share of symbolic vs literal, I certainly won't dispute that fact.

I think it's more a difference of degrees, and tone. If I were to roughly compare it, I'd say Gravity was probably closer in tone to 'Moon'.

Gravity wasn't a bad movie, but it could have been a lot better.

You know, at times, I do feel like that in general as well.

But it is a bit of a conundrum isn't it, do you look at the movie as is, or some of the missed opportunities?

[DeeBye]

Hmm, I think those 3 examples are much, much darker in tone.

That's why I think Cauron copped out. I would have loved a darker tone with Gravity. I yearned for it. I wanted a reason to care that the fellow astronauts died, and a reason to actually fear that Bullock might not make it. The closest Gravity got was Clooney sacrificing himself, and even that wasn't very bleak.

I think it's more a difference of degrees, and tone. If I were to roughly compare it, I'd say Gravity was probably closer in tone to 'Moon'.

Moon did a million times more character development. While similar, I'm not sure that the tone is even on the same level.

But it is a bit of a conundrum isn't it, do you look at the movie as is, or some of the missed opportunities?

I look at it as a whole, warts and all. Most of the time, the warts are a minor annoyance and are easily overlooked. Sometimes the missed opportunity warts can ruin it for me, like the ending of Law Abiding Citizen.

[Hammerskjold]

That's why I think Cauron copped out. I would have loved a darker tone with Gravity. I yearned for it. I wanted a reason to care that the fellow astronauts died, and a reason to actually fear that Bullock might not
make it.

Let me ask you a hypothetical. What if, Cuaron did this on purpose? The less than completely bleak tone I mean. Here's my reasoning for asking that question. He made a pretty big splash with 'Children of Men' IMO. But before that, he also made 'Y tu Mama Tambien'. Myself, I didn't even put the two together (that it was by the same director) when I first saw 'Children of Men'.

So while I can understand your different yet informed opinion, I don't necessarily share it to the same degree. I guess the short version is I give Cuaron more leeway because at least to me, he has proven that he can handle a pretty wide palette.

The closest Gravity got was Clooney sacrificing himself, and even that wasn't very bleak.

I'm a big believer of the concept of 'truth telling via fiction', but I also know it's limitations.

IMO it's outside of the scope of this thread, but how bleak do you want your film to be, on a particular mood? For super bleakiness, you may have to turn to documentaries. I'm saying that with all due respect here.

I saw one this summer that was darkly humorous, abysmally bleak, powerful, and gut wrenching. IMO I recommend it to everyone who wants to understand why and how humans can kill other humans. But it's so bleak, that I could only watch it a few times. (N. American release, and the directors cut.)

Moon did a million times more character development. While similar, I'm not sure that the tone is even on the same level.

Well here's my reasonings on why I saw more similarities between Moon and Gravity. Tone wise, and how it handles symbolism. 2001, Sunshine, also had those, but I'm talking about more about the less than bleak tones (at least IMO) of Moon. Apollo 13, is a bit more difficult since it's probably closer to 'Dramatized History', so there's little to no room for 'truth via fiction'.


Spoiler warnings etc.


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Moon IMO, started out with one premise. The 'lone' astro miner harvesting He3. Gravity, starts out with a 'routine' space walk repair.

Nearing the end, both movies brings either another, and\or symbolic things. Moon started with lunar mining, then brings in the issue of slave labour, bio-ethics etc. Gravity started with a space walk, then brings in the issue of re-birth, accepting death as a part of life etc. Both can raise subtle questions about humanity\human condition. (You know, english lit stuff.)

But that can be argued as techniques and concepts, but not overall tone. Fair nuff. I still say both Moon and Gravity is more similar in tone, because Moon ended on a relatively happier note.

If we're going really bleak, Sam could've been easily killed by GERTY at many points. Instead of the news fadeout that there is a scandal\controversy, because 'Sam's' existence sorta proves the point. It could've ended at Sam greeted by a bullet on landing. Or a missile interception. 'A malfunctioning satellite falling out of orbit, was shot down today by the space force, sparing millions of earthicans from deadly debris. Sports highlights are up next!'

Gravity could have ended with Bullock's character pod just burning up on re-entry. Half a scream of an obviously dying and on fire Bullock, jump cut to black...Title Card! But it went into the atmospheric re-entry\rebirth\symbolic evolution of life in a few minutes scene.

So long story short, Gravity did have a relatively upbeat ending. At least for her character. I understand if someone was not in the mood for that. But in their universe IIRC 2 space stations went kablooie, a shuttle, numerous astronauts, not to mention there may still be the danger of fallout from space debris. And I would guess their NASA and other space agencies would have a serious problems with the question of, is -any- further space projects worth it?

So there's probably still some bleakness if you want to look for it.

(edited for quote tag mistakes)

[DeeBye]

IMO it's outside of the scope of this thread, but how bleak do you want your film to be, on a particular mood? For super bleakiness, you may have to turn to documentaries. I'm saying that with all due respect here.

Don't get me wrong. I don't hate on Gravity because it didn't end with tragedy. I like a happy ending too. I just think it glossed over the tragedy that did occur, without fleshing it out more. That's why I made the comparison to Sunshine, because all of the deaths in Sunshine were 'real' to me. The emotional connections to the characters were made. Even the unlikable characters' deaths had impact. Gravity could have spent maybe 10 minutes more at the beginning to solidify attachments between the viewer and the characters in peril. That would have made the rest of the journey much more dramatic and engaging. It would have given me more of a reason to cheer on the survivor.

[Alram]

I just saw the movie today with my wife. We both enjoyed it. The special effects were outstanding. The story line was simple but effective. Perhaps everything was not realistic; I don't know. I am a physical therapist; to date I have not seen physical therapy depicted in a truly realistic manner. But, that fact never made me dislike the movie.