'Gravity'?

‘Gravity’ - What Did You Think?

For years we’ve heard thatAlfonso Cuarón, director ofChildren of Men, wanted to make a space-set film like no other.Gravityhas been the subject of rumor almost from the start, about how it would feature a very long unbroken “shot” as its opening sequence, about how a mixture of practical photography and CG would be combined to create an immersive and realistic vision of being stranded in space.

Unlike most rumors, most of the ones about Gravity were true. The film follows two astronauts, played byGeorge ClooneyandSandra Bullock, and tracks Bullock’s character as a fairly routine spacewalk turns to disaster. It was shot with unusual methods and features an atypical soundtrack to create the sensation of being in space. And the general reaction to the 3D in the film has been very enthusiastic, especially when seen in IMAX. Our contributor Laremy Legelloved the film in Toronto, and now you have the chance to see it for yourself. So let us know; what did you think aboutGravity?

Normally this is where we’d talk about the film, but I haven’t actually seenGravityyet; I passed on a chance to see it at Fantastic Fest so I could experience it first on an IMAX screen in 3D. (I get to do that in about an hour.) That said, there has already been plenty of conversation about the film’s balance of spectacle and plot/characterization. The general sense I get is that the spectacle trumps everything else, and that the effect it has on audiences is so genuine that it doesn’t much matter of other more traditional character elements aren’t as impressive.

So let us know how you felt about that balance, and the performances from Bullock and Clooney, and the sum effect of Cuarón’s film. As always in posts such as these, spoilers are encouraged below.