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by Mary Anne Butler, Reporter/Photographer
Silence. Complete and stunning silence. Until some ass in the front of the theater rustles around for his candy and makes a snide comment. I shush him. He stays quiet, mercifully. It’s very rare the commotion of so many bodies in one room during a film bothers me, I’ve come to tune out the mostly disrespectful movie-goers for the most part. But this time….there was no denying the need for quiet. I’m going to do my best to NOT give spoilers, and I’ll say that I’ve been avoiding all the “extended” trailers because I wanted to go in to this with zero expectations.
One of the main things that draws me in and keeps my attention in film is the sound and foley artistry. In something about outer space, such as Gravity, you expect the obligatory bleeps, boops, and “science” sounds we’ve come to know. You feel a bit of a disconnect at first, when things are colliding near our main characters (played by George Clooney and Sandra Bullock) and there is NOTHING but their breathing and radio communications with each other. The choice to do the complete opposite, and REALLY make the audience get the “In space no one can hear you scream” point will stay with me for awhile.
Apart from the fact the first scene is essentially a slightly under 20 minute single take with zero cuts, I was seriously impressed. I got to see it in 3D, and I want to see it in again in the regular format to see how much of the beautiful visuals differ in rendering. The textures of the reflections in the visors, the vistas of light and Earthscapes, all breathtakingly beautiful.
Performances. I’ve never been a Bullock fan, appreciative yes, but I’ve never understood how she gets cast as light and fluffy romantic lead so often when she’s capable of such strong and stirring roles. It’s that rule that when comedians play serious, they PLAY SERIOUS. Did I think her character could make it past basic training let alone make the cut for a mission? HELL no. There are a few minor things that made me purse my lips in my disbelieving Harley face, but they weren’t enough to pull me from the film it’s self. And there was her WALLe moment that made me smile, but you’ll know it when you see it. Clooney as an astronaut? Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh ok. I guess? The bravado is there, the cheek, but over all, I like to imagine this is the route Dr. Doug Ross took after he left Chicago.
I’m struggling to describe this film without too many details. There are serious themes of birth, rebirth, and of all things evolution. Or at least that’s what I took from the final scene. I told a friend of mine tonight who asked about it to “See it with as few people as possible, unless you know they’re not mouth breathers, fidgeters and talkers. It WILL pull you out of the moments,” and that’s really the best advice I can give.
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