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GRAVITY |OT| - From Director Alfonso Cuarón

This is the best film I have ever seen. This is what filmmaking is about. Space is impossible for most of us to go to, but god damn, I was transported to space for 90 minutes... The film is riveting. Intense. And highly emotional.

I don't usually cry in movies, and when I do it's usually tears of sorrow. But in this, for the first time I shed tears of joy!

The film made me re-evaluate whats important in my life. It made me appreciate the short lives we have. This is it guys, this is what a hundred years of film and storytelling have tried to achieve.

Simply outstanding.

What a post. Nailed what I loved about the movie too.

....why shouldn't my brother take my 4 year old niece to see this? Like examples but not spoilers. :x thanks.

BAD SHIT HAPPENS. He will scar your niece for life if he takes her to this. There's only sparingly few bad moments but they make this a real hard PG-13
 
Saw it last night. Fucking incredible. Outstanding. If this is what can be achieved with 3D and CG, I guess I'm back on-board. Although I think no one is going to top this for a long, long time indeed.

My only complaint:
the two 'inspirational' moments where Bullock is talking to herself and there's the inevitable musical crescendo. Not necessary, and odd given that Cuaron hasn't afforded himself such luxuries in the past. Soundtrack was great except for that bit and the ending.

Other than that, it's pretty damn close to perfect.
 

Talka

Member
Probably my favorite movie of the year so far. Two scenes in particular are going to stay with me for a long time:


  • The initial 15 minute single-take shot. I'm sure it wasn't actually filmed in a single take, but that whole sequence was a thing of beauty.
  • When the ISS explodes, it's just so amazing visually. I can't describe it. Just too intense.
 
I will say that I love Ed Harris is the voice of NASA here. After The Right Stuff and Apollo 13, I always link him with cinematic astronauts, so I was glad to hear him again.
 

Dereck

Member
Sandra Bullock ever so slowly assumes a fetal position in front of a window with the sun in the background while some cables form an umbilical cord directly to her belly button
was seriously dumb, useless, way too long and again DUMB.
It was literally "MUH SYMLBOLISM" for idiots.
Yeah, I found that a bit silly, even though she looked hot as fuck in that shot.
 

Prologue

Member
Saw it last night. Fucking incredible. Outstanding. If this is what can be achieved with 3D and CG, I guess I'm back on-board. Although I think no one is going to top this for a long, long time indeed.

My only complaint:
the two 'inspirational' moments where Bullock is talking to herself and there's the inevitable musical crescendo. Not necessary, and odd given that Cuaron hasn't afforded himself such luxuries in the past. Soundtrack was great except for that bit and the ending.

Other than that, it's pretty damn close to perfect.

The ending with the soundtrack was the best part!
 

duckroll

Member
Outlets need to stop referring to this film as a Sci-Fi.

I mean, people are aware that space exists, right?

Well, I think the movie is Science Fiction in the same way as Gladiator being Historical Fiction. The events in the film are fictional and the setting is scientific in nature!
 
Outlets need to stop referring to this film as a Sci-Fi.

I mean, people are aware that space exists, right?

Its definitely not sci-fi by either major usage. It doesn't posit altered variables as a thought experiment on the human condition (purist usage...like The World's End or Moon!), nor is it high fantasy with a pseudoscience veneer (common usage...like Star Wars or John Carter of Mars!). It's a thriller involving existing technology and infrastructure.
 
Well, I think the movie is Science Fiction in the same way as Gladiator being Historical Fiction. The events in the film are fictional and the setting is scientific in nature!
No no no no ducky. Don't go down that road. Otherwise everything that suddenly becomes fiction/fantasy because it didn't really happen and you've got Argo next to LotR at the video store.
 
Its definitely not sci-fi by either major usage. It doesn't posit altered variables as a thought experiment on the human condition (purist usage...like The World's End or Moon!), nor is it high fantasy with a pseudoscience veneer (common usage...like Star Wars or John Carter of Mars!). It's a thriller involving existing technology and infrastructure.
Huh? The whole causation for events *depends* on altered variable!s! It assumes that in the future, the
Chinese will have their own space station, we will get a shuttle program up and running again, and for these events to take place all the space stations have to be in the same relative orbit. In reality they're not, and it'd be dangerous to have them all orbiting within the same plane.

You have to move all of these factors together in order to explore the human condition of what it's like being alone and helpless in space.
 
Hot damn, you guys. Saw it last night, and my god, what a film. Truly something that everyone has to see. Even if the acting and plot pacing weren't great (which they are), it's worth seeing alone for how amazing it is visually.

Based Cuaron. I can't wait to see what he does next. Easily the best thing I've seen in years.
 

Not a Jellyfish

but I am a sheep
Saw it in 3D IMAX last night, beautiful visuals and direction but that was about it for me.

Didn't feel the tension it was trying to convey and story elements seemed weak to me.

Overall I did enjoy it but was not wowed by it at all except for its visuals.
 

Ridley327

Member
Don't forget about Del Toro and Iñárritu. Game recognizes game?

They're best friends, and they even have their own production company that they set up together.

IIRC, Cuaron and Del Toro have known each other the longest, since they both worked on the same TV show back in the 80s.
 
It is.
The Chinese don't have a space station yet.
It's not. It's presenting a fictional story where
the Chinese do have a space station.
Something which is entirely possible.

The Fed Ex flight that takes off and strands Chuck Nolan on a remote island in Cast Away didn't exist either. It's not Sci-Fi.
 

ron_bato

Member
I just saw this today in imax and wow! This just blew me away. Makes me happy that i bought a 3d tv this year so i can experience this again from my home. One of the scenes that stuck out for me was:

the scene where ryan just wanted to give up and commit suicide, then george clooney appeared. And im like, wow, that is such a cop out making clooney survive. I was disappointed at that moment because i thought they took the easy way out. But then you realize that it was just in her head. Wow. It was so well done that i was floored for a while (btw gave me a dead space vibe -- like isaac seeing nicole in dead space 1). Made clooney's death more impactful for me, and seeing ryan just pick herself up after that was awesome.
 
Watched it last night. It was a great film for what it set out to achieve, I think, but I was left feeling a little indifferent toward Ryan's character. I liked her well enough in that I thought she carried her character convincingly, but even by the end I didn't really care too much about her fate.

Honestly would have preferred a somewhat darker ending, but that's just me.
 
Wow. Didn't know a movie would challenge Prometheus so soon for the best looking visual space related film. Or film period for that matter. Wow
 

Merino

Member
I just saw this today in imax and wow! This just blew me away. Makes me happy that i bought a 3d tv this year so i can experience this again from my home. One of the scenes that stuck out for me was:

the scene where ryan just wanted to give up and commit suicide, then george clooney appeared. And im like, wow, that is such a cop out making clooney survive. I was disappointed at that moment because i thought they took the easy way out. But then you realize that it was just in her head. Wow. It was so well done that i was floored for a while (btw gave me a dead space vibe -- like isaac seeing nicole in dead space 1). Made clooney's death more impactful for me, and seeing ryan just pick herself up after that was awesome.
I had the exact same experience as you with that scene. I also felt it gave his death more impact. It's also one of the few fake outs in movie history that can clearly be identified as an hallucination from the outset (due to it being impossible in scientific sense) but where you're just so happy to see Clooney back helping Ryan that you are willing to forgo reason for a second and accept whats happening. Then when you realize its a dream it also hits you that Clooney will actually never come back and that he's gone for good.
 
Here you go Dax. 30 seconds in. http://youtu.be/fLY4k7JrUMg

So you're criticizing me for not knowing information that wasn't given in the film? You're faulting me for thinking that, because
the Chinese don't have a space station up yet
, I assumed it was set in the future?

And you're saying a movie, set in space, which explores the human condition of being isolated by utilizing fictional elements and altering the variables isn't science-fiction? Especially with overt references to 2001:
the fetus scene and Ryan learning how to walk again once she got on Earth
? The film definitely had a science-fiction vibe to me.
 

firehawk12

Subete no aware
Outlets need to stop referring to this film as a Sci-Fi.

I mean, people are aware that space exists, right?

The shuttle doesn't. In fact, as discussed a few pages earlier, there's a lot you need to just ignore for it to work. lol

That's not really a complaint for me, just that there is quite a bit of suspension of disbelief. It just seems much more realistic than say, Oblivion or Star Trek or whatever else came out this year.
 
So you're criticizing me for not knowing information that wasn't given in the film? You're faulting me for thinking that, because
the Chinese don't have a space station up yet
, I assumed it was set in the future?
Whoa whoa. Hold on there, cowgirl. I'm not criticising you at all. I was just pointing you to a relevant video to give Cuaron's take. We're all friends here.

And yes, it introduces fictional elements, but imo the nature of those elements don't make it Science Fiction in the narrative sense any more than any other fictional story that re-cognises the real world of today to adapt to the narrative does.
 

ron_bato

Member
I had the exact same experience as you with that scene. I also felt it gave his death more impact. It's also one of the few fake outs in movie history that can clearly be identified as an hallucination from the outset (due to it being impossible in scientific sense) but where you're just so happy to see Clooney back helping Ryan that you are willing to forgo reason for a second and accept whats happening. Then when you realize its a dream it also hits you that Clooney will actually never come back and that he's gone for good.

i know, at first i was like -- naw that cant be clooney. No way, he's gone, no way to -- lol yeah clooney with his one liners and being charming and drinking the vodka, so okay i can rest now -- to this is bs, he should be dead, that's pretty cheap to make him survive -- to holy shit that just happened.

Really great scene.
 

firehawk12

Subete no aware
Whoa whoa. Hold on there, cowgirl. I'm not criticising you at all. I was just pointing you to a relevant video to give Cuaron's take.

And yes, it introduces fictional elements, but imo the nature of those elements don't make it Science Fiction in the narrative sense any more than any other fictional story that re-cognises the real world of today to adapt to the narrative does.

It's hard science fiction. That doesn't mean it's still not science fiction.
 

Not a Jellyfish

but I am a sheep
Watched it last night. It was a great film for what it set out to achieve, I think, but I was left feeling a little indifferent toward Ryan's character. I liked her well enough in that I thought she carried her character convincingly, but even by the end I didn't really care too much about her fate.

Honestly would have preferred a somewhat darker ending, but that's just me.

I strongly agree with this posters opinion.
 
Whoa whoa. Hold on there, cowgirl. I'm not criticising you at all. I was just pointing you to a relevant video to give Cuaron's take. We're all friends here.
Must've misread you then. You just seemed to be getting on me for that. :p
And yes, it introduces fictional elements, but imo the nature of those elements don't make it Science Fiction in the narrative sense any more than any other fictional story that re-cognises the real world of today to adapt to the narrative does.
That's a good point, but in order for you to say something isn't science-fiction, we should first establish what is science-fiction. As that would be difficult to nail down, this makes the discussion difficult. Exploring the human condition in space is one of the defining hallmarks of science-fiction – this is just one of the more realistic entries.
 

duckroll

Member
Lol, I see the loser culture of quoting posts and going "this x9000" has started in this thread too. Guess it couldn't stay cerebral for long!
 

firehawk12

Subete no aware
That's a good point, but in order for you to say something isn't science-fiction, we should first establish what is science-fiction. As that would be difficult to nail down, this makes the discussion difficult. Exploring the human condition in space is one of the defining hallmarks of science-fiction – this is just one of the more realistic entries.
This is easy though.

Gravity = science fiction.
Apollo 13 = historical fiction set in space.

Lol, I see the loser culture of quoting posts and going "this x9000" has started in this thread too. Guess it couldn't stay cerebral for long!
+1
 
Must've misread you then. You just seemed to be getting on me for that. :p

That's a good point, but in order for you to say something isn't science-fiction, we should first establish what is science-fiction. As that would be difficult to nail down, this makes the discussion difficult. Exploring the human condition in space is one of the defining hallmarks of science-fiction – this is just one of the more realistic entries.
It's 3:40am, I'm on my phone and my girlfriend is snoring next to me, so needless to say I can't type up a huge post. What I will say is that many different genres explore the human condition, and I don't think taking place in space is a big enough requisite for something being classified as science fiction - though I am I huge Sci-Fi fan and readily agree that the best sci-fi often explores the human condition.

I guess what I'm saying is:

Sci-Fi narratives commonly explore the human condition and are set in space, but exploring the human condition and being set in space are not the criteria for something being sci-fi.
 

duckroll

Member
Here's a more interesting discussion than whether Gravity is "scifi" or not:

Have they mentioned if there are any plans for nice home video extra features? It would be amazing if they mastered an audio track without the score. :)
 

kewlmyc

Member
God this movie was fucking amazing. I'm glad I got dragged to see it.

This movie also killed any childhood dreams of being an astronaut. Fuck that shit.
 

Not a Jellyfish

but I am a sheep
Lol, I see the loser culture of quoting posts and going "this x9000" has started in this thread too. Guess it couldn't stay cerebral for long!

Sorry about that?

I didn't know post like that were a problem or that they were part of any "culture", the post just summed up my thoughts on the film very well.
 
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