I just poured myself a bowl of Lucky Charms, so I think I will be able to stay focused long enough to write something about Gravity while it's fresh in my mind.
Wow, what a ride! But in addition to being really entertaining, this was a really well-crafted film. I kept wondering throughout whether or not it was realistic. It felt so realistic, I was able to suspend my disbelief for pretty much all of the film. I still have't read the NY Times article Adrienne recommended, where a scientist says that most of it is possible, but I never felt like too much was being asked of me in that way while I was watching it.
It's kind of hard to know what to write about it, because the plot is pretty much not a plot. A woman gets lost in orbit and makes it back home. So what makes this movie compelling? Well, there's a lot of suspense--Cuaron's pacing is nearly perfectly balanced between moments of calm and moments of intense action. There's not really much middle ground. It's either really quiet or really intense. The part where ghost Clooney comes and gives her a pep talk borders on preachy, but by the time you get to the end of the scene it balances itself out.
The acting was great and it was beautiful to look at. It grabs you at your core--survival and life is beautiful and all that.
I honestly thought I'd have more to say about it. I think I suck at writing movie reviews.
The End.
P.S. I gave it 5 stars in Letterboxd, and I almost never give a film 5 stars that I've only seen once. That should tell you how good I think it is.
