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Gravity

Started by Noodle Lizard, October 08, 2013, 10:03:51 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

Head Gardener

am going to see it tomorrow night, here is a good review

Retinend

Can we be clear about whether we watched it in 3D or 2D? I watched it in 2D so I didn't get the full effect of the visuals and I felt that the film, which I watched as a film and not a "visual experience" was completely uninvolving. Cloony's character I thought was loathsome, inhumanly dulled to emotions like doubt or stress, and only there to provide a worldly yet goofy daddy figure for Ryan. He listens to country LOLZ.

I thought Prometheus was a lot better, even the visuals were more fascinating to me for their content and they weren't much less detailed or seamless.

Pancake

Where: Hackney Picturehouse, 3D

Looks: stunning throughout

Plot: serviceable. I liked the suggestion that Cold War hostilities
Spoiler alert
had re-opened, and the idea that if they had, in space, all that doesn't matter as the Russian and Chinese facilities are yours to use if you need them
[close]

Dialogue: again, did a job, but personally would have cut the
Spoiler alert
crying and shit, and the bit where she's tries to kill herself. As soon as that comes into the equation, all the gotta-get-home tension's lost
[close]

Summary: LOVED IT, in spite of the flaws

Additional notes: MUST be seen at the cinema in 3D, as it won't work on television

onthebeach

I watched it in 2D because my friend has vision issues that make the poor guy ill watching 3D. But I felt very involved and got a lot of the effects (though you can see bits that would just work better in 3D). I really am tempted to go back at watch it in 3D.

I quite liked Clooney but neither role was special to the actor I think, I could've imagined other people playing them. Bullock was good nevertheless. Country music thing was annoying, I think that's an astronaut trope isn't it? Maybe it was a homage.


Pancake

It's probably because hardboiled old school astronauts are all razor-cut down-home USAF flying aces from Texas, at least they are in the movies

Johnny Textface

I loved the zero-g striptease. Bullock at 50 or whatever is the shiz.

Head Gardener

I thought it was great, one gripping calamity after another but little emotional attachment, my only disappointment
at the end was
Spoiler alert
there were no apes on horseback galloping up to meet her as she climbed out of the sea
[close]

Shoulders?-Stomach!

QuoteI thought Prometheus was a lot better

Jesus wept.

Not even going to argue or discuss this, just going to leave.


Head Gardener


Sam

I'll be watching it in IMAX 3d on Sunday. Primed to like it, but you never know...

Junglist

I absolutely loved this. The spectacle, the ride, the visuals. Sure, the script is perfunctory, and there's a few cliches (oh no, however will we cope with cliches!). Its not some bloody arthouse wankery a lot of you seem to rub your giddy little tits over, I agree, go watch The 400 Blows or some such. I do hate the modern ideal of everything has to be critiqued to the maximum degree, can't people just go in, maybe switch the brain off a tad, and just enjoy something? NO. The 3D, to me, was subtle enough, the set pieces were WOAH FUCK (caps means excitement!), its just wonderful.

So there. Shoulders, high five bro. Noodle and others, go step on some Lego.


Shoulders?-Stomach!

It grips your senses and shakes them, I'm not sure something so immediately arresting can be considered brainless. Having so little character backstory immediately makes you turn inwards and reflect. Going to see it at the IMAX tonight. Yee-ha!

madhair60

I don't think you could pay me to watch a "big" movie like this.  Same sort of thing with Inception.  I don't have any opinion on its quality, and am in no position to argue that it's not awesome, it probably is, it's just the type of movie that I'm repelled by.  It's a shame because it would be nice to enjoy things a lot of people like.

QuoteIts not some bloody arthouse wankery a lot of you seem to rub your giddy little tits over

If this is used as praise for a film, that's like, no thanks.  I won't like it if you're the audience.  The kind of people who get angry when a film is criticised, like the people who are furious when I explain my disinterest in Batman.  It's like that, right?  It's a film you already have to like, and if you don't then you're a pseud, or pretentious, or whatever.  There's just no way.

Junglist

Mate my film of last year was Amour, I love European cinema, I fucking hate Batman. You've more than likely misread me, but kudos on it.

Junglist

Quote from: Shoulders?-Stomach! on November 16, 2013, 06:39:57 PM
It grips your senses and shakes them, I'm not sure something so immediately arresting can be considered brainless. Having so little character backstory immediately makes you turn inwards and reflect. Going to see it at the IMAX tonight. Yee-ha!

Its not brainless, no, but its not thought provoking. I did have to 'process' some of it coming out of there, but the themes and ideas are fairly straightforward.

Junglist

Quote from: madhair60 on November 16, 2013, 07:03:00 PM
If this is used as praise for a film, that's like, no thanks.  I won't like it if you're the audience.  The kind of people who get angry when a film is criticised, like the people who are furious when I explain my disinterest in Batman.  It's like that, right?  It's a film you already have to like, and if you don't then you're a pseud, or pretentious, or whatever.  There's just no way.

Also harking back to this, I'm fine (despite my fairly tongue in cheek post but eh ANGER is the thing on here) with someone disliking a film, I've no problem with that. Its seemingly every film being judged on exactly the same basis that bothers me somewhat. Its not really this place, but elsewhere, such nonsense as the physics ain't right so its SHIT, there's some cliches so its SHIT, that kinda mundane nonsense.

Its a wonderful spectacle, it doesn't outstay its welcome, the 3D is very effective and put to exceptionally good use, Bullock pulls a performance right out her arse and does superb. If its not for you, or others, fair enough. But then I'm not the best at putting my thoughts re: film into words, so really very really sorry if my saying what I did bothered you so. Hugs and that.

madhair60

Quote from: Junglist on November 16, 2013, 07:31:47 PM
Also harking back to this, I'm fine (despite my fairly tongue in cheek post but eh ANGER is the thing on here) with someone disliking a film, I've no problem with that. Its seemingly every film being judged on exactly the same basis that bothers me somewhat. Its not really this place, but elsewhere, such nonsense as the physics ain't right so its SHIT, there's some cliches so its SHIT, that kinda mundane nonsense.

Its a wonderful spectacle, it doesn't outstay its welcome, the 3D is very effective and put to exceptionally good use, Bullock pulls a performance right out her arse and does superb. If its not for you, or others, fair enough. But then I'm not the best at putting my thoughts re: film into words, so really very really sorry if my saying what I did bothered you so. Hugs and that.

It's alright!  I wasn't really bothered, and odds are I wouldn't have seen it at any rate because it just doesn't look up my alley.  I agree with you regarding all that physics, clichés drivel.  I'm also bad at expressing my thoughts.  Let's continue to mutually deceive each other by accident.

Shoulders?-Stomach!

Quote from: Junglist on November 16, 2013, 07:27:53 PM
Its not brainless, no, but its not thought provoking. I did have to 'process' some of it coming out of there, but the themes and ideas are fairly straightforward.

I found it thought provoking. The themes and ideas dont need to obscure or oblique to be thought provoking. It does depend on the delivery of tuem as to how it affects you. Already said my piece on that score so I'll leave it.

At least we agree its better than Prometheus.


madhair60

I've not seen it or Prometheus, but yes, it is better than Prometheus.

Shoulders?-Stomach!


Shoulders?-Stomach!

Loved it again tonight. Sandra Bullock announcing 'I'm ready', it's just so bloody exhilarating, grinning and fucking loving what could be her last moments. The end scene still floored me, that slight giggle as she at first fails to get to her feet. There's a lot about the film that defies the hollywood convention despite holding on to some mainstream aspects.

But of course she is wearing tight shorts which could mean the film undermines feminism if you weren't paying attention to, well, everything.

ZoyzaSorris

Im one of the only ones here who quite enjoyed Prometheus and copped a fair few negative karma for my troubles. But it can't be compare to Gravity in any shape or form.

Garam

The cliches are a big deal. In terms of the effects, this seems a real milestone for cinema. It was a hell of a ride to sit through, the only time 3D has seemed worthwhile to me. This should be a classic, but instead it becomes relatively disposable because of the terrible script. They spent 7 years working hard on everything else, and it shows, beautifully...so why couldn't they have put more effort into the writing, avoided stupid tropes and made it a total package?


I had a great time watching this at the cinema, but the cliches will stop me from ever watching it again. I doubt i'm the only one. That is a big deal. It's the difference between it still being relevant in 50 years and it just being a curio from the past. Good scripts don't age. Citizen Kane would not still be held up to such a standard today if it was just about the camerawork. This movie will fade, and that's a real shame, since it was so easily avoidable.

ZoyzaSorris

I think, as far as the rich tapestry of human creations go, a mere 'one of the most spectacular things most people seeing it will have seen through their eyes to date' is not the most dispiriting epitaph.

Sam

It was stupendous. I saw it in IMAX 3D, though.

If you don't think it's a great film and wouldn't recommend it then you should be banned from watching films, they're not for you. I am as shocked by the negative comments it's received as I was by the orgasmic viewing experience. You'd have to be supremely jaded to think this is not up to snuff.

Anyway, more thoughts later...

madhair60

Quote from: Sam on November 17, 2013, 04:39:18 PMIf you don't think it's a great film and wouldn't recommend it then you should be banned from watching films, they're not for you.

Ahh.  Yeah, it's a Batman/Coen Brothers/Empire magazine situation, then.  Pass.

Sam

I was very ready to have a problem with the cliches and dialogue but they were way less intrusive than I expected. Compare it to the Avatar script which is knuckle-chewingly shite and it's a masterpiece. Actually it trumps Avatar on every level:

3D in avatar unnecessary/in Gravity indispensable.
Gravity 90 mins/Avatar 17 hours.
Technology used to tell human story in Gravity vs used to show giant blue twats prancing around.

Gravity is event cinema, a once in a decade viewing experience and it does it with a nice degree of restraint and realism.

Can people give examples of the cliches they are angered by?

The story arc itself has been well justified by Shoulders and others.

But I think the script knew full well it's cliched. The 'I've got a bad feeling about this mission' was subverted by it being used repeatedly with a different 'reminds me of the time...' story. Seemed like exactly the kind of in-joke you'd have to counter the tediousness of the job.

The other cliche was Clooney's motivational speech 'Stand on your own two feet' etc. Again, this doesn't matter because the whole thing is such an obvious dream sequence. I mean, he opens the hatch door without her space suit on for fuck's sake. Might as well have been a harp doing a whole-tone scale glissando! Hallucinations of dead characters don't need to say complicated things, the whole reason they're there in the first place is to provide a turning point and shunt the plot along. It's functional stuff.

I liked the brevity of the 'had a kid/she fell over' backstory. It would have been worse, cheesier, to refer to it more or do longer speeches.

For me the first half, was great but the second half was better and after Clooney's floated off it just built and built.

The gripe of showing the same scene twice (debris x 2)

When Ligeti's 'Atmospheres' was first performed it got an immediate encore from the audience. This is unusual for a piece of avant-grade contemporary music. Do you think there was someone sitting in the audience thinking 'I don't need to hear it again, this is boring'. No, more than likely they were enraptured. Why did they want to hear it again? Because it was an arresting, new and audience pleasing bit of art. How fucking jaded and impatient do you have to be to not want to see something amazing twice in such a short period of time. 'Yeah yeah, Cuaron, seen than shit show me something different'.

Another anecdote: I was standing in a zoo, near a one million pound snow leopard enclosure. They're one of the most important breeding pairs in the world and there were two beautiful cubs, no mean feat getting them to breed. Near that were some beautiful Siberian tigers, an a million pound giraffe enclosure, all in tranquil settings. I heard a couple say 'This is shit, it's way better at X zoo'.
That moment has stayed with me for a long time and serves as a powerful reminder of how people can't appreciate what's already great and right in front of you,  and just think that the next thing coming should be better and even more instantly gratifying.

There's a certain irony to being apathetic about Gravity as the message of the film (such as it is) is that you should appreciate life and hold on to it because you never know when it's going to be over. Clooney kept mentioning the beauty of the Earth and although it was a little easy-come-easy-go the way he accepted his fate (almost had a Python or Blue Jam quality....just need a monged out 'byeeee' as he floated off), note how he was mentioning the Ganges near the end. Bullock was so inured to everything that she wasn't bothered about the spectacle of the earth from space, something most people would be blown away by. That's what makes the final scene on Earth so damn powerful.

As a viewer what kind of person are you? Bullock numbed in space or Bullock electrified by life, on land?

I have to say, the final scenes when she started her descent through the atmosphere to the end were genuinely euphoric, ecstatic, epic FUCK ME LIFE stuff. Loved loved loved the music at this point, the wide shot of the different 'comets' burning up, knowing one of them had her in it, beautifully combined the macro/micro dichotomy.

Actually, throughout the music was ace. A good contrast between gentle piano mixed with whirrings and beepings (very 'Memories of Green' from Blade Runner score) and more traditional blockbuster bombastic stuff.

But, yeah, why complain about minor cliches that are tiny elements when the whole film itself, concept and execution, is the opposite of a cliche. There has never been a film like this, there's nothing similar you can see right now. To me it's a piece of groundbreaking originality.

Going from space, to the earth, from the bottom of the sea to the surface, to tentative steps onto land is a lovely metaphor for evolution. I loved the cinematography of this bit. Extreme angles and close up, natural light, washed out sky, character blocking out the screen, no wide shot. Very 'The New World', not just in style but also in theme: you feel the sheer elemental tangibility of the environment.

I also couldn't disagree more about the suicide thing taking the drive out. It's the opposite. She's made peace with existence and doesn't care if she lives or dies in an entirely different way to before. Her reckless laughter as she burns through the atmosphere is joyous and makes her success all the more fist-pumping.

Thomas

You lot have convinced me. I think I'll wander into a cinema this week and watch it. In 3D, no less.

CaledonianGonzo

The clunky exposition is - what? - 3 lines of dialogue in an otherwise flawless symphony of light and magic, a maelstrom of experience, a triumph of total, immersive cinema.