Gravity, a force to be reckoned with!!! Possibly the best film you'll see this year! Read on to find out why!

Rating: 10/10 (17 October 2013)

When was the last time you saw a movie that was receiving rave reviews all around and then you saw it and it somehow exceeded all your expectations? I don't know about you, but I can't remember the last time that happened to me. I know some of you will talk about the Dark Knight movies but they never really did it for me. Gravity, on the other hand, wow! Simply, wow!
I was like a lot of people, I saw the trailer, I saw Sandra Bullock spinning round and round in space and I couldn't help but wonder how they could possibly make a whole movie about that. I actually thought it looked kinda lame. To compound things further, I've never been a fan of Sandra Bullock. She was amusing in Demolition Man, did what she had to do in Speed, but then fell into meaningless movie obscurity all they way until her Oscar for The Blind Side in 2009. I am now happy to say, after watching Gravity; I am a full Sandra Bullock convert! 100%! She completely owned this movie!
Dr. Ryan Stone (Bullock) and Matt Kowalski (Clooney) are doing their last spacewalk to service the Hubble Space Telescope when they receive news that high-speed debris is coming their way. What ensues, as can be seen in the trailer, is more like a military missile attack throwing our leads out into space. Thankfully, the plot isn't about Sandra Bullock spinning around in space for 2 hours while helplessly calling for help, not at all. It's about the human spirit, the value of life, and our resilience in the face of adversity.
What ensues is probably the most tense and gripping hour and a half of cinema that I've every experienced. It's literally nail biting, sweat and palpitation inducing stuff.
Revealing anything more would really risk spoiling the experience for you. All I can say is that Sandra Bullock absolutely blew me away with her performance. If her performance had been weak then this movie simply would not have worked, but thankfully Bullock hit the nail on the head. Clooney is likewise; pretty much pitch perfect in his role as the veteran astronaut.
Even though she was frequently the only person on screen, I actually forgot I was watching Bullock because I was really so engrossed in what was going on. This is an acting masterclass. Dr. Stone exhibits uniquely human qualities we can all empathize with, her combination of strength and fragility, intelligence yet helplessness. It forces you to wonder what you would do if you were in that situation, whether you would just give up or whether you would keep on fighting. It's one of those films that makes you feel grateful to be alive, makes you want to live your life to the full and really cherish those that you love. I found myself thinking that I never ever want to go into space! Haha!
Gone was the usual audience chatter which is audible at the beginning of most movies seen at the cinema, instead the whole auditorium was hooked and silent from start to finish. The tension and suspense never relents, for which I'm sure a lot of the credit goes to director Alfonso Cuarón (Y Tu Mamá También, Children of Men, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Askaban). The first disaster scene is one long continuous shot, which is really testament to the directors' skill and vision as it really grabs you and never lets go.
Everything is just so damn fragile in space, every movement is so hard to make, just moving from one place to another and not being able to stop yourself from floating past at the risk of flying off to your death, it's all palpable thanks to expert directing, tremendous acting, perfect special effects as well as impressive 3D.
I loved the way they really stuck to the real world physics of the situations. Gone are the sounds of explosions, instead we have eerie large-scale destruction which is silent. It's surprisingly haunting and more so thanks to the compelling soundtrack.
This is an outstanding movie; I really can't recommend it enough to everyone, even if it's not the kind of film you normally go for. I thought that perhaps it would have limited replay value but, actually, I'm already looking forward to watching it again.
Gravity deserves all the praise it is receiving, Bullock deserves all the recognition she's receiving and this movie deserves to be watched by you.
Best film of the year and one to add to your list of movies to watch before you die.
Rating 10 out of 10.
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