Go see Gravity. Not impressed by this space cowboy flick

Rating: 2/10 (29 November 2014)

I had a lot of science-loving friends tell me this was a cool movie with lots of cool science in it. So there's one opinion.
Rebuttal: This movie has a lot of theoretical science in it. We're not talking about lab-tested, data-driven, peer-reviewed, researched, non-sexy, "Go NASA!" science. We're talking maybe this could work based on quantum physics, postulate, postulate. Maybe I've read too much science fiction based on these concepts, but I was not impressed. Rather, increasingly mystified and annoyed.
Really? Really?!
And, what this movie severely lacks is any kind of sense-making story.
I, like the protagonist's daughter, never got over the fact that this single Dad thought it would be more fun to play space cowboy than to try to help his kids contend with life on a dying planet. What an asshole.
The movie clearly points out (in dialog by the protagonist) that it makes no sense for this guy to be the one to be called into space. His qualifications, as far as we know, include crashing a plane.
But, he's the one who has to save the world. And he's game (a lot more fun than farming). How convenient.
It all felt very heartless. It's great if you happen to be that one pivotal guy (pick me! pick me!) and sucks to be everybody else.
Also, despite the fact that the movie has two smart women scientists in it, it barely passes the Bechdel test (does talking to a recording count?).
One of the women is there to be our protagonist's love interest. And the love of her life dies. How convenient.
I also admit to a personal pet peeve when stories venture too far out into space, when the "science," enters into the territory of science fiction and we don't get any aliens. Seems like a failure of imagination to me.
Meanwhile, we (humanity) just landed on an asteroid and we're on our way to explore Pluto at the farthest edges of our galaxy! IRL! This exploration based on and made possible by nuts and bolts, measure test, measure test, science blows anything that happened in Interstellar away.
Strongly prefer "Gravity" for a good space movie. Maybe it didn't get all the science right, but it looked cool AND told a great story.
I recently read Mary Robinette Kowal's novella "The Lady Astronaut of Mars." This awesome story — which also involves a choice between personal dreams and the excitement of space exploration and staying behind and supporting loved ones — would make a fantastic movie and it has a lot of heart.