Because of the unanimous A+ reviews, this was the first pic my wife and I were
able to break away to see in months after we found a "sitter" for my rapidly
deteriorating Alzheimer's-ridden Dad.
I hate to be the sour in the drink, but I left the theater ambivalent. Loved
the immersive "you are there" 3D IMAX and the feeling of helplessness conveyed
by the awesome effects. But given the raves, I expected a minor masterpiece.
Anything universally lauded is bound to disappoint. My only worry was whether
Bullock would live or die. (I had a similar complaint with "Argo," i.e., the
only emotion the actors expressed was whether they'd live or die.) Bullock
gets weepy, but the stuff about her daughter didn't add enough depth. If
you're gonna start as an existential pic with big questions, then stay that way
- and I'll complain less about a script (e.g., conversely, see raves for
Redford in the minimalist "All is Lost," which I haven't seen). BECAUSE
"Gravity" starts big - but transforms into a standard survival thriller (Apollo
13 did it better) - I demand more from a script that has (to me) an emotionally
flat ending.
But hey, I thought Bullock's 49-year-old legs were an A+.
"Gravity" to me was still a strong "B" but I wouldn't pay $18 to see it again -
and to me, this is my true test of a film's subjective value, i.e., would YOU
pay to see this pic repeatedly? I admit I'm a dunderhead because if a pic
begins as a challenge, e.g., see Malick's wonderful "The Tree of Life" from
2011 - or even Kubrick's "2001" or hell, even Stanley's cryptic "The Shining" -
then it has to express something new. If a pic starts with big questions and
ends with standard thriller-stuff, then I MUST be emotionally moved when the
end credits roll. -d.
Date: Sat, 26 Oct 2013 14:28:26 -0400
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: GRAVITY
To: [email protected]
Wonderful, Kirby!
Sent from my iPhone
On Oct 26, 2013, at 7:22 AM, Kirby McDaniel <[email protected]> wrote:
Too much character development can distract in a certain type of film and I
think that GRAVITY doesn’t need it and doesn’t have it. I am perfectly content
to think that it’s Clooney and Bullock themselves in those suits. There was a
third person up there and it was me.
On Oct 26, 2013, at 1:32 AM, Toochis Morin <[email protected]> wrote:Funny
Chris! Good one!!!! The only unbelievability factor for me was a med doctor
working on the Hubble and that her hair didn't stand up in zero gravity. Other
than that, I was on the ride and loved it.
Toochis
From: Chris Quarles <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Friday, October 25, 2013 7:28 PM
Subject: Re: [MOPO] GRAVITY
I had real problems with the believability factor. There is no way Clooney
would have spent that much time talking to a woman Bullock's age! #SNL
Chris Quarles
Sent from my iPad
On Oct 25, 2013, at 1:23 PM, Doug Taylor <[email protected]>
wrote:Nothing seen out a door in Texas is reality. Everything is “bigger”
there, don’t you know? Regards, DBT
From: MoPo List [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Kirby
McDaniel
Sent: Friday, October 25, 2013 12:37 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [MOPO] GRAVITY Picky Picky! All movies are unbelievable. That’s
the reason we like them. If I want believable, I can look out the front door!
And I disagree with you about the score. There is anappropriate time for loud
and this was it.
Kirby On Oct 25, 2013, at 10:52 AM, Wim Jansen <[email protected]> wrote:
For the first hour it was really nice, looked beautiful and for the first time
I had the feeling that the IMAX 3D worked. It gave great depth and stilness.
Really appreciate the director's reconciliation with the simple plot, not
overelaborating it and sticking to the 90 minute-format that should be enough
for every character's emotional turmoil. However from the moment Bullock is
alone, time is running out for the story-line and even the clever trick with
The Kowalski-vision does not stop the inevitable decline into unbelievability.
The ending is silly (pretty sure there's a director's cut in the offing) and
the musical score towards the ending unforgivably loud and predictable. In the
end a pleasurable watch and one and a half thumbs up. WimOp 25 okt 2013, om
16:33 heeft Douglas B Taylor het volgende geschreven:
I was truly surprised by the level of suspense generated from start to finish.
I really expected this to be a lonely exploration of mental anguish and
isolation, with little real tension, but I was dead wrong. Regards,
DBT From: Kirby McDaniel
Sent: Friday, October 25, 2013 4:53 AM
To: MOPO Totally agree with you, Doug. I do think she’s been on a roll
recently. But this movie
is more than just her, even though I think she is spectacular. This is
exciting filmmaking.
K.
On Oct 24, 2013, at 10:49 PM, Doug Taylor <[email protected]> wrote:
IMAX 3D is a must for that film.
It really is surprising...and what a role Sandra Bullock. I'm not her biggest
fan but that film is as close to a one-person tour de force as you might get.
Regards,
DBT
-----Original Message-----
From: MoPo List [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Kirby
McDaniel
Sent: Thursday, October 24, 2013 11:39 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [MOPO] GRAVITY
We went to see GRAVITY tonight. For all my Facebook buddies: Get to the
biggest, baddest 3D screen you can find and see this movie. Do not see this
film in 2D, because it is the most astounding 3D film ever. A real ride! And
full of surprises. Don't wait for video. See this big and in 3D. The stereo
photography performs the function of an actor, really, layering content upon
content. An achievement. This experience resonates with seeing 2001: A SPACE
ODYSSEY in Cinerama -- and I was there for that! It may be showing in IMAX in
your area. That would be a good choice. Worth every penny!
