space junk alludes to Earth junk

Rating: 9/10 (9 March 2014)

Alfonso Cuarón's "Gravity" comes across as a metaphor for our own world. The debris that strikes the astronauts isn't that much different from the problems that we see on Earth, whether physical (pollution) or personal (stress). But in the end, we - like the astronauts - must face the problems directly.
The movie deserved its Oscar wins for the technical categories and Cuarón's direction*. It creates a chilling feeling of isolation, much like "2001: A Space Odyssey" did. But the bulk of the praise goes to Sandra Bullock as the embattled medical engineer: the character is the perfect balance between terror-stricken and persevering in the face of a seemingly insurmountable challenge. It's a movie that you have to see to believe. I also recommend Cuarón's movies "Y Tu Mamá También" and "Children of Men".
*I haven't seen "12 Years a Slave", but it sounds as though that one has a much more important story. As for the ones that I've seen, "Nebraska" and "The Wolf of Wall Street" are really good.