WHO’S IN IT?
Sandra Bullock (The Heat), George Clooney (The Descendants), Ed Harris (Apollo 13), Orto Ignatiussen (Ikíngut), Phaldut Sharma (Children of Men), Amy Warren (Boardwalk Empire), Basher Savage (World War Z)
WHO’S BEHIND THE CAMERA?
Alfonso Cuarón (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban), director, writer, producer, editor; Jonás Cuarón (Year of the Nail), writer; David Heyman (Harry Potter), producer; Steven Price (The World’s End), composer; Emmanuel Lubezki (The Tree of Life), cinematographer; Mark Sanger (Playground Logic), editor
WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
Two astronauts, first-timer Dr. Ryan Stone (Bullock) and retiring veteran Matt Kowalsky (Clooney), are on a simple routine shuttle mission when a freak accident destroys their shuttle and leaves both of them stranded in the empty vacuum of space…
WHY SHOULD YOU BE EXCITED?
Chances are, by now, you may already be aware of the big screen experience known as Gravity. Debuting in the US to ecstatic reviews – the Tomatometer currently has it at 97% fresh – and larger-than-expected box office numbers, it’s safe to say that Gravity is the only thing people can talk about these days when it comes to film releases.
But how has such a relatively small film come into the mainframe in such a big manner?
It’s possible that it’s down to who’s in it. The only people we ever see on screen are Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, everyone else (including Ed Harris, in a possible nod to his role in Apollo 13) is heard through voiceover. Bullock and Clooney are two actors who are not only popular with the paying public but also are regarded highly as actual actors, both owners of an Academy Award and several commendable personal reviews. Casting them as the only two physical people in a film like Gravity was a smart move by the filmmakers, making the hope that their film will be seen by as many people as widely possible more of a reality.
However, the real reason may lie with the man in charge of it all. Director Alfonso Cuarón has not made a film since 2006’s Children of Men, and back then everyone was praising what an innovative and visual experience it was and were eager to see what he would do next. It has taken seven years of waiting around, watching the director’s backlog countless times – also including Y Tu Mamá También, Great Expectations, A Little Princess, and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – and now we have opportunities galore to see what he has taken his time in doing. And, from the sounds of it, it needs to be seen to be believed.
Thanks to cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, as well as a stunning team of visual effects artists, space has never looked so real. Input from some of the top scientists at NASA has also lent it some scientific accuracy, especially during its many scenes set in zero gravity. So much so that a reporter recently asked Cuarón what it was like to actually film in space, with all serious intent. It looks THAT good.
Gravity is one of the season’s most anticipated movies for good reason. The biggest possible screen is recommended for this one, preferably an IMAX if you’re near one, and it’s also another rare case where the film’s 3D actually enhances the movie rather than takes away from it. So, go ahead and see what everyone else can’t seem to shut up about. Just pray you’re not prone to motion sickness.
