Spectacular celestial existentialism !!!!

Rating: 10/10 (9 December 2014)

I have always been a fan of Alfonso Cuarón. Whenever he directs a film, you can rest assured that the movie will not be superficial and will have deeper undertones.
Gravity on the surface is a survival film about two astronauts(Bullock and Clooney) hopelessly stranded in the emptiness of space and their unrelenting attempts at an improbable survival. But it is thematically much deeper. Some people have criticised the film in the context of making errors related to the science of space missions and physics. But I will argue that this is actually not a film about space. The film is about letting go of the past no matter how tough it is to do that and getting reborn and starting your new life in a fresh manner. Some have said that the dialogues in the film are cheesy and a forced attempt to make the viewer have empathy for the characters. But for me, after considering the themes the film is dealing with, it seems those dialogue exchanges were essential and very relevant.
The visuals in Gravity are groundbreaking. The cgi work in the film is probably the best I have ever seen in any film. Cuarón successfully makes the viewer experience the horror of the situation that the characters find themselves in. The camera effortlessly at times seems to glide inside Sandra Bullock's helmet and we are shown what everything looks like from her perspective. The explosions in space are violent and scary,but also inaudible. Along with the larger than life,grand visuals, we also get some calm, serene and surreal imagery which are thematically brilliant. There is a lot of visual symbolism throughout the movie.
Sandra Bullock is fantastic. This must have been a very challenging role and she knocks it out of the park. Clooney isn't given much to do, but his charm oozes in every scene he is a part of and his role is very important thematically.
Cuarón has made a film that is not only visually marvellous, but also thought provoking. After Y Tu Mamá También and Children of Men. Gravity cements his position in my mind as one of the very best directors working today.
On the surface, Gravity is an unforgettable visual spectacle and a thriller in space. But underneath its surface, it is a meditation on existentialism dealing with the challenge of overcoming a traumatic past and having the courage to start a new life.