Visually Stunning, Laughable at Times

Rating: 7/10 (26 March 2014)

Gravity is a beautiful film! It shows how far we've come in special effects. It portrays itself as a realistic film, that is, with realistic images of floating in space, flying through the atmosphere, etc. I can't decide whether this film is a 7 or 8.I think 7.5 just for the images in space, the curve of Earth, the space stations, the reflection off the glass, Sandra's breathing condensing on the glass, Sandra's effortless floating glide through the Russian and Chinese stations. Quite visually beautiful.
But really, it is more fantasy than science fiction. I think I would have rate this higher (8.-8.5) if I knew to expect a fantasy film. But I feel a bit disappointed as many others. Almost none of the physics are real and it defies what really happens in space and defies NASA protocols. For accuracy, here's an astronaut's comments:
http://www.vulture.com/2013/10/astronaut-fact-checks-gravity.html
The script from minute one was just bad at times. George Clooney trash talking and zipping around without a tether. He'd be released from NASA, never be allowed in space again. Acting by Clooney was actually better than acting by Sandra Bullock who more or less played herself. She is a bit kooky and she has a bit of her Miss Congeniality in her. George also played himself but somewhat had more charm than Sandra. Too much testosterone. However, the best moment was when Ryan Stone (Sandra) drifts off into unconsciousness and she imaginesor is it communication from the dead? It is a well-crafted touching scene with Clooney and Bullock talking. And then she talks about her daughter. The girl with one shoe, I believe she said. A statement on our mortality. Perhaps the best drama scene in the film.
Definitely this film deserves the Oscar and BAFTA for visual effects and cinematographyand maybe a couple more. But Best Director? or nomination for Best Actress? It's an empowering film for a female lead. It empowers Sandra Bullock. And inspires many young girls to be an astronaut perhaps. Liberating and uplifting. But really, if you check the URL above, almost nothing would have happened. As pointed out, Sandra's character, Ryan Stone, would have never been trained in a simulator. Worst, Sandra doesn't quite portray a woman of confidence or science. Rather she relies on the manly Clooney coming to the rescue. Dr. Stone is more like Dr. Claustrophobic and Ms. Panic. She's not the composed, strong woman that a real astronaut probably would be in space. Matt Kowalski played by George Clooney would have never let go and leave her alone. There is no gravity acting on Matt in the scene where she is caught in the lines and he is holding on. It therefore kind of resembles joyride of "Armageddon". Yet Gravity is a better film.
Gravity is a dramatic movie with little realism, but still plenty of fun. It actually reminded me of another extract-yourself-from-the-debris action movie, Daylight, with Sylvester Stallone. But Daylight has a remote likelihood but Gravity lacks most realism. That is why I laughed at Ryan Stone's eight or ninth time she should have died. Perhaps she is a Terminator? Never dying. A superhero. She needs a cape.
Gravity ranks among the best films based in space but it clearly isn't 2001 or Contact. The latter film with Jodie Foster is much superior in script, acting, direction and even comes close with nice special effects. Gravity is a 7-7.5 and Contact might be 8.0-8.5. Gravity has nine lives. It's your day, Dr Stone.
I wonder if Cate Blanchett or Julianne Moore might have been a more credible, calmer Ryan. I would have like a stronger woman in charge, more convincing as an astronaut. Just that the opening scenes and Ryan's goofy inexperience in space make her reminiscent of Miss Congeniality.
Gravity might have been the best science fiction/fantasy film of the year. If only the plot was more realistic and script were better. Then it might deserve a spot as one of the best space films. But even with flaws, the visual effects rank it high among the very best if that's your piece of cake. For space films, it deserves a top 10-12 rank. For fantasy/scifi, top 25. But that many Oscars? Yes, we will be all asking that question ten years from now as there were many better movies in a strong 2013.