ALL ALONE - A MOVIE REVIEW OF "GRAVITY"
In this age of "been there, done that" and "seen it all," it takes an extrodinary movie to knock us on our socks. I mean by now, we have just about seen it all, right? Director Alfonso Cuarón knew this couldn't possibly be true and set out to put the wonder back in watching a film. And boy, has he done it. If I didn't know better, I would SWEAR that parts of GRAVITY was actually filmed in space. Thus is the wonder of this film. Sandra Bullock plays Dr. Ryan Stone, a brilliant medical engineer who's aboard her first shuttle mission. She's joined by Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney), an astronaut who has been on mission after mission. When the film begins, they're enjoying the incredible view of earth (as are we, especially if you're seeing it in IMAX 3D) but suddenly disaster strikes and both need to work together to save not only the mission but each others lives. And that's it. No backstories, no other characters. Just Ryan, Matt, the shuttle, and the cold vortex of space.
The true beauty of Gravity is in its simplicity. Ryan does have some demons haunting her when she boards the shuttle, and we do learn about them, but from her, not a flashback or images of her life. You are placed in the very present NOW and have to deal with everything as they do. And it's heartstopping. Bullock gives an incredibly powerful performance as a woman who feels WAY in over her head and still continues to fight. Clooney pulls in a strong support as her wisecracking veteran partner, who also ends up being quite a comfort for her. I'm not usually a fan of every movie going to the 3D or IMAX format, but what a sight to behold here. Alfonso Cuarón brilliantly uses the technology to make us feel utterly weightless and brings us the closet to outer space that a film ever has. Stunning in its setup and followthrough, anchored by a showstopping turn by Bullock, Gravity is truly a groundbreaking masterpiece.
MATEO'S GRADE: A
Directed by: Alfonso Cuarón Written by Alfonso Cuarón & Jonás Cuarón Starring: Sandra Bullock, Geogre Clooney
BOTTOM LINE: Simply stunning, breathtaking, and a visceral experience that you won't shake.