by Anamika Sengupta
Masterful direction?-check!
Awe-inspiring acting?-check!
Stunning graphics & imagery? - Check! Check! Check!
Awe-inspiring acting?-check!
Stunning graphics & imagery? - Check! Check! Check!
"At 600 km above planet Earth the temperature fluctuates between +258 and -148 degrees Fahrenheit. There is nothingn to carry sound. No air pressure. No oxygen. Life in space is impossible."
Gravity, one of the most critically acclaimed films of 2013, begins with the above preamble and then thrusts the audience into sudden silence. We float serenely in the dark, above our precious Earth till the Hubble Telescope comes into focus. Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) one of the three astronauts, who is also the mission commander, is seen enjoying his last space tour. Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) comes in as the intelligent medical engineer, aiming to fix the Hubble, but finds the space mission quite daunting, as she isn’t a high flying astronaut but merely a space novice.
A sudden warning from their controller back at Houston informs them of potential danger from a Russian satellite destroyed by a missile. Shards of debris are literally hurtling towards them at terrifying speed, at that very instance. And finally, disaster strikes. The jarring impact causes Dr. Ryan to be thrown out, tumbling right into space. We see Sandra Bullock beautifully portraying a panicked and disoriented Dr. Stone. Then comes the ‘knight-in shining armor’ moment, when Kowalski comes to rescue our damsel in distress. (Women everywhere were spotted nodding vigorously in happy agreement to the perfect choice for a knight! :P)
A lone space station looming in the distance is the only thing that can help them. After this, the movie is reduced to a turbulent struggle of survival. What happens finally?....well you gotta watch the movie to find out! (Don’t just google it! -_-)
A sudden warning from their controller back at Houston informs them of potential danger from a Russian satellite destroyed by a missile. Shards of debris are literally hurtling towards them at terrifying speed, at that very instance. And finally, disaster strikes. The jarring impact causes Dr. Ryan to be thrown out, tumbling right into space. We see Sandra Bullock beautifully portraying a panicked and disoriented Dr. Stone. Then comes the ‘knight-in shining armor’ moment, when Kowalski comes to rescue our damsel in distress. (Women everywhere were spotted nodding vigorously in happy agreement to the perfect choice for a knight! :P)
A lone space station looming in the distance is the only thing that can help them. After this, the movie is reduced to a turbulent struggle of survival. What happens finally?....well you gotta watch the movie to find out! (Don’t just google it! -_-)
‘Gravity’ is primarily a sci-fiction thriller but it has none of the clichés that always seem to accompany movies of that genre. No freaky extraterrestrials, no scary plot to hijack life on Earth, no hilarious theatrics by arrogant Homo sapiens. No. But in it’s place there is the troubling silence of isolation, the desperate attempts to reconnect and of course, the great spectacle, that is space. The entire movie revolves around George Clooney and Sandra Bullock . And Amen to that! Watching them on the silver screen is always a treat. Watching the direction of Alfonso Cuarón was exciting as well. But it is Tim Webber who is the true sorcerer. His ground breaking visual effects weave magic and create a magnificent vista that manages to impress one and all.
One hour and 31 minutes of excellent craftsmanship resulted in a whopping 10 Academy Award nominations and 6 awards. Apart from Best Director and Best Score, Gravity won almost all of the technical categories, including Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing, Best Cinematography and Best Visual Effects.
I hoped Sandra Bullock had won! In an interview director Cuarón said: "She’s in these murky waters almost like an amniotic fluid or a primordial soup. In which you see amphibians swimming. She crawls out of the water, not unlike early creatures in evolution. And then she goes on all fours. And after going on all fours she’s a bit curved until she is completely erect. It was the evolution of life in one, quick shot". Impressive? Hell Yeah!
So all those who haven’t given Gravity a shot, because it didn't seem like your cup of tea…do give it a chance. It will surely be a happy surprise =)
I hoped Sandra Bullock had won! In an interview director Cuarón said: "She’s in these murky waters almost like an amniotic fluid or a primordial soup. In which you see amphibians swimming. She crawls out of the water, not unlike early creatures in evolution. And then she goes on all fours. And after going on all fours she’s a bit curved until she is completely erect. It was the evolution of life in one, quick shot". Impressive? Hell Yeah!
So all those who haven’t given Gravity a shot, because it didn't seem like your cup of tea…do give it a chance. It will surely be a happy surprise =)