# Gravity (2013)



## alchemist (Oct 3, 2013)

This looks useful.

Gravity - Official Main Trailer [2K HD] - YouTube

Out October/November, depending on reports.


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## lauren$77 (Oct 3, 2013)

Okay that gave me a fright when the ship blew apart - I think my sound must be turned up way too high. Lots of Sandra Bullock gasping and panting, and not sure why you'd leave you're kid to go into space anyway.


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## Mouse (Oct 4, 2013)

I love Sandra Bullock.


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## lauren$77 (Oct 4, 2013)

She scares me she always looks the same! does the woman not age! Plus I prefer her in the comedy type roles


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## biodroid (Oct 4, 2013)

I like Sandra Bullocks gasping and panting.  i also heard its a good movie


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## Glen (Oct 13, 2013)

lauren$77 said:


> Sandra Bullock gasping and panting



I'm with biodroid on this.

I saw Gravity yesterday. It has been hyped to the max in Aus with every film critic (the weasels) loving it. 

I think it's a great movie. It's about survival, a testament to the human spirit in adversity. But I wouldn't class it as sci-fi. If this is sci-fi, then so is White House Down. It is an alternate reality story, I guess, in that this never happened while the space shuttle was being used etc, but other than that it is just about humans in space. No aliens, no time travel, no other sci-fi stuff.

So. Gravity is not sci-fi. Discuss.

PS. It's still a great movie.


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## clovis-man (Oct 28, 2013)

lauren$77 said:


> ...not sure why you'd leave you're kid to go into space anyway.


 
The kid is dead. 

Just saw this this weekend. I had high hopes based on reviews. My main quibble is that the soundtrack is highly intrusive and did not add much to the movie. Otherwise, most of the "reality" elements were pretty well done. Sandra Bullock's oxygen starved breaks from that reality were also well conceived and added to the depth of her character and her motivation to succeed. The transitions from shuttle to ISS to Soyuz to Chinese station were nerve-wracking and highly unlikely, but certainly kept the viewer's attention.

All in all, pretty good. But not perfect, as Neal deGrasse Tyson has pointed out.


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## Dave (Oct 28, 2013)

Glen said:


> ...I wouldn't class it as sci-fi... ... It is an alternate reality story, I guess, in that this never happened while the space shuttle was being used etc, but other than that it is just about humans in space. No aliens, no time travel, no other sci-fi stuff.
> 
> So. Gravity is not sci-fi. Discuss.
> 
> PS. It's still a great movie.



You _can_ have good Sci-Fi without aliens, time travel, FTL, clones and all those fantastical elements, but, although I haven't seen this, this looks like is something that might have happened 20-years ago with the technology we had then, but didn't. So, is it not some kind of _Steampunk_?

I haven't watched it because of the comments that nothing much happens except for Sandra Bullock swinging around on a rope. In many ways it sounds more like one of those mountain rescue films i.e._ Vertical Limit (2000)
_

Feel free to tell me that I'm wrong, but the fact that it has quickly gone to DVD and pay-to-view says a lot to me.


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## Rodders (Oct 28, 2013)

I like the look of it and will probably see it at the cinema. I bet it'd be glorious in IMAX.


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## clovis-man (Oct 28, 2013)

Dave said:


> I haven't watched it because of the comments that nothing much happens except for Sandra Bullock swinging around on a rope.


 
There's a lot more to it than that.


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## Nerds_feather (Oct 28, 2013)

Loved it, though the script was corny at times and some of the physics a bit improbable.


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## lauren$77 (Oct 29, 2013)

Well then maybe I'll take out the dvd.... and hope not to be disappointed by Sandra swinging on a rope panting! 

Improbably physics don't bother me, I wouldn't even notice that stuff and if Clovis-man says there's good depth of character and motivation to survive - I'll give it ago.


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## Nerds_feather (Oct 29, 2013)

I'd recommend splurging for 3D cinema tickets. This is the first film I've seen that really taps into the potential of 3D.


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## Velocius quam lucem (Oct 29, 2013)

clovis-man said:


> There's a lot more to it than that.



Glad to hear it. I hope to catch it at the cinema. 

Good Trailer. I wish I could make a girl gasp and pant that much - without gravity helping. If the title were based on that scene, they should've called it "Angular Momentum".


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## monsterchic (Oct 29, 2013)

I loved the movie!  I was not so sure purely based on the trailer, but it was awesome  Really loved the scene where**Spoiler Alert**

where she's in the ISS and they show her going into the fetal position...one of the best scenes/shots in the entire movie in my opinion.

Fantastic movie, very imressed


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## lauren$77 (Oct 29, 2013)

Velocius quam lucem said:


> Good Trailer. I wish I could make a girl gasp and pant that much - without gravity helping.



Bring a girl with you to the cinema, tell her your late and make her run to get there - mission accomplished!


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## alchemist (Nov 9, 2013)

In a word: 


Wow.


In more words:

See this film.


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## Mouse (Nov 9, 2013)

I want to see it, but nobody wants to see it with me.


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## Jo Zebedee (Nov 9, 2013)

alchemist said:


> In a word:
> 
> 
> Wow.
> ...



Right. Must find babysitter. 



Mouse said:


> I want to see it, but nobody wants to see it with me.



I would. 

Just watched the trailer, though and not sure I'm keen on the girly being panicky and talked down by the bloke (even if I should totally get that). Um - is that a theme? If so, I think I'd hate it.


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## Mouse (Nov 9, 2013)

From what I gather, she's not panicky because she's a woman, but because she's not actually a proper astronaut.


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## Jo Zebedee (Nov 9, 2013)

Mouse said:


> From what I gather, she's not panicky because she's a woman, but because she's not actually a proper astronaut.



Hmmm. So why not have Clooney shrieking in a space suit and her talking him down. It might set my teeth on edge too much; it possibly already is.


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## alchemist (Nov 10, 2013)

springs said:


> Hmmm. So why not have Clooney shrieking in a space suit and her talking him down. It might set my teeth on edge too much; it possibly already is.



Because then the main character is male and people say "why can't the main character be a woman?"


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## Jo Zebedee (Nov 10, 2013)

alchemist said:


> Because then the main character is male and people say "why can't the main character be a woman?"



But is she all girly and shrieky or have they just been selective in the trailer? A night out in this house and a rare childminding favour is a serious spend of good-will. 

No pressure, Alc.


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## alchemist (Nov 10, 2013)

She's an intelligent, brave, emotional main character. Honestly, if your space shuttle had just been hit by debris and you were spinning around attached to a mechanical arm, you'd be shrieking too!


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## Jo Zebedee (Nov 10, 2013)

alchemist said:


> She's an intelligent, brave, emotional main character. Honestly, if your space shuttle had just been hit by debris and you were spinning around attached to a mechanical arm, you'd be shrieking too!



As if... ok, you're selling it now. If I could just get Clooney in my xmas Chronners' cards then I'm completely there.


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## Abernovo (Nov 10, 2013)

alchemist said:


> In a word:
> 
> 
> Wow.
> ...


It's coming to a cinema almost-near me. So, I'll do my best. Really would like to see it.


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## Dr Zoidberg (Nov 10, 2013)

Mouse said:


> From what I gather, she's not panicky because she's a woman, but because she's not actually a proper astronaut.



And of course because everything has gone badly to *****.
Seriously though, her behaviour didn't seem at all unrealistic to me, and it's an excellent film IMO. Go and see it on the biggest 3d screen you can find.


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## Extollager (Nov 10, 2013)

Interesting comments here:

Gravity's Rainbow - Front Porch Republic


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## Moonbat (Nov 16, 2013)

I absolutely loved this film. It is one (if not the) best film I have seen this year. The visuals are stunning. I was a little non-plussed by the oversentimental story particularly the end, but the whole thing was brilliant.

There are a few scientific flaws in the film, only 1 or 2 that bothered me whilst I was watching it, but this is a seriously well crafted film.
I would argue that it is Sci-fi as it is based in space and is fiction, you might argue that the science is already with us but I don't think that makes it not sci-fi. The film isn't just a sci-fi flick for boys though, it has depth and a human story.

Spoliers...


Below...



The Science flaws that I noticed whilst watching were:

Sandra Bullock cries and the tears come off her face to float around, I'm pretty sure the surface tension of water would keep them as a film across her eye.

The most annoying one was

MAJOR SPOILER!!!!

When George Clonney has to 'let go' of Sandra to ensure that they don't both float off, even though they have stopped and she could give him a small gentle tug and bring him back into the ISS. It was pretty poor at the that point, I know why they had to kill him off, but still they should have had something else happen. Actually I think the problem was the traditional slow moment, when people die in the iflms and yet everything seems to pause for 30 seconds whilst they smile and say goodbye, it meant that they needed to have slowed down enough to talk and him to explain his sacrifice, but it didn't work.

Also, I didn't know this but when she uses the jets from the ISS escape pod to catch up to the Chinese Space station orbital mechanics says that her increased speed would raise her orbiting altitude and then she would actually orbit slower and so fall further behind the station, she should have slowed down slightly, then sped up once her lower orbit had caught up, but that would have been too counter-intuitive for anyone who doesn't know these things (like me until I read up on it)

Also, it takes about 30-60 mins to get out of a space suit not the 2 mins she manages it in.


Spoilers over.


Wow, what a FILM!! Loved it.


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## Jo Zebedee (Nov 16, 2013)

We wanted to go and our teen would like to see it but I can't see it holding my 8yo's interest, so we might be waiting for the dvd launch.


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## Moonbat (Nov 16, 2013)

It's such a simple story - people in space, disaster happens, the survivors are trying to get home. I think this film would hold anyone's attention.  Seriously tense and gripping.  I'd recommend trying it as to see it at the cinema in 3D is the only and best way to see it.


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## Anthony G Williams (Nov 23, 2013)

I am seriously irritated. I rarely visit a cinema, and even more rarely an IMAX, but I really wanted to see this film on the big screen since all of the reviews I've read say you do need that to gain the full visual impact. Unfortunately, I couldn't go in the first couple of weeks due to travelling around, and on the one night I stayed in London the Waterloo IMAX was fully booked. So I've just tried to book for next week in the local Manchester IMAX only to discover that it's no longer showing - only on the standard screen. Why give it such a short run on the IMAX? Having missed the big-screen experience, I really can't be bothered with seeing it on a standard screen. Very disappointing.


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## J Riff (Dec 13, 2013)

\impressive \fx, which is no longer really very impressive... it turns into a waiting game, waiting to see her make it back to \earth, alive, which she does, hoop hurray. \good \fx tho. \really spacy.


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## Scorpiuscat (Dec 30, 2013)

This is my best film of 2013 hands down, what a fantastic film!! 


This film should win best actress, best FX, best cinematography, best score...IMHO


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## Starbeast (Dec 30, 2013)

Well, I'm sold. I'll see it when I can. Sounds great.


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## A. S. Behsam (Feb 5, 2014)

So I loved it so much that I painted one of my favorite scenes...







MUST win best motion picture, best actress, best cinematography, best visual effects, best score.


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## Moonbat (Feb 6, 2014)

Not sure about best actress, I expect Blanchett will win, but it should win the rest, and Best Film, Best Director.


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## Anthony G Williams (Feb 6, 2014)

I haven't seen any of the contenders but from what I've read of the opinions from the film world there is some strong competition, so *Gravity* will be doing well if it gets much beyond the Visual Effects award.


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## barrett1987 (Feb 6, 2014)

This film actually makes me sweat when i watch it. Buried wih reynolds did the same. Something about being in a situation beyond control like space or drowning brings it out in me. Great movie and well worth the watch.


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## alchemist (Feb 6, 2014)

A. S. Behsam said:


> So I loved it so much that I painted one of my favorite scenes...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



"This is why we need a Thanks button," as we often say.


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## Brian G Turner (Mar 9, 2014)

Just watched this last night - a superb film.

What I especially enjoyed was how different the film was - the treatment of space as a unique and disorientating medium - which the film then played up to. 

And, like all great sci-fi, it's a human story. Except that instead of space being a background feature, it was at the fore of the story.

Wonderful, new, experience.


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## Nick B (Mar 9, 2014)

I also enjoyed Gravity, it was better than I expected, though I have one gripe... Physics.

SPOILER ALERT if you havn't seen it, don't read this next bit.

When Clooney is hanging on to that cable, he wouldn't have been left behind when he let go as he had already attained the same velocity as the debris they were clingning to, so would have simply followed at the same velocity.
Unless the debris was accelerating, which it wouldn't have been.


Other than that, it is a really good film.


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## DigitalRain (Mar 9, 2014)

Quellist said:


> I also enjoyed Gravity, it was better than I expected, though I have one gripe... Physics.



There's more:

SPOILER ALERT (skip the boxed section if you haven't seen the movie)


> SPOILER ALERT!
> The entire premise of the movie rests on the debris coming round every 45 minutes. Whilst that orbit timing is true, _everything_ in orbit moves at the same velocity, _including _Clooney and Bullock's space crafts.
> 
> In other words, the debris couldn't have hit them as they'd all be travelling together at the same speed. So no debris disaster means no story.



That said, I enjoyed the movie a lot, and Sandra Bullock and George Clooney did a fantastic job imho.


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## chrispenycate (Mar 15, 2014)

Was dragged out (pre-birthday treat) by sister and partner to watch this in 3D.

Very impressive special effects, considerable ignorance about orbital dynamics, an assumption about standardisation between different space authorities that has certainly not been evident until now - but mostly, lack of plot. It felt like one of my stories, with lots of neat technical details and clever bits, some action but the actual story trimmed down to a fairy tale for a five-year old.

Ah, well. 'Twas fun. Since it was not (apparently) adapted from a novel I can't feel upset about Hollywood ruining anything.


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## Mouse (Apr 6, 2014)

Moonbat said:


> I think this film would hold anyone's attention.



Didn't hold mine!

I'm going to be the odd one out by the looks of things. I thought it was dull as all hell. Within about three minutes of the film starting, my mum said 'this better buck up in a minute' and I said 'yeah it will.' No. No it didn't.

We kept it on anyway. Mum was piddling about on her phone half the time and I was writing emails. 

Even Sandra Bullock (who looked _hot_ with that hairstyle) couldn't hold my attention. 

Spoilers follow...

I just didn't get the whole George Clooney thing. Like anybody would do that, just let her go and say 'ok, it's fine, I'll die. Bye!' and off he floats. He didn't show any sign of fear or of even caring that he was gonna die! 

And so at the end... she's just on a random island somewhere. What if she's stuck there forever now?

Anyway. Luckily, it wasn't on for too long.


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## Dave (Apr 14, 2014)

Finally saw this (mostly because of the comments here actually, rather than the Oscars) but I still wasn't impressed greatly. It must have won the Oscars for the special effects.


I said:


> And, like all great sci-fi, it's a human story. Except that instead of space being a background feature, it was at the fore of the story.


I'll give you that, but Clooney told us how she would get down to Earth and although all didn't go exactly to plan, that was precisely how she managed it. I like to have a few unknowns. Even as it was, it must be one of the shortest films in years.


chrispenycate said:


> Very impressive special effects, considerable ignorance about orbital dynamics, an assumption about standardisation between different space authorities that has certainly not been evident until now - but mostly, lack of plot. It felt like one of my stories, with lots of neat technical details and clever bits, some action but the actual story trimmed down to a fairy tale for a five-year old.


I knew there would be nitpicks about the science and orbital dynamics, but I didn't expect the gaping holes that have been shown in this thread. Still, it was at least exciting in all those parts in which they did those impossible things.


Mouse said:


> And so at the end... she's just on a random island somewhere. What if she's stuck there forever now?


Yes, I watched it through the credits because I felt sure there must be more. They filmed it in Arizona, but it could have been anywhere on Earth, and I thought "surviving all that only to die in your underwear, forgotten in a desert!"


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## RCynic (Apr 17, 2014)

I watched it........meh


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## kythe (Apr 25, 2014)

I just saw Gravity in 3D.  It was visually very impressive.  I love the impression of actually being weightless.

But the actual story came across as an action thriller set in space, and rather superficial.  Ender's Game was a much better story, and the graphics were just as good.

I did enjoy Gravity though, and I'm glad I saw it.


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## Anthony G Williams (Sep 20, 2014)

I finally gave way and watched it on DVD. This is my take on it, from my SFF blog: http://sciencefictionfantasy.blogspot.co.uk/

When *Gravity* hit the cinemas I was very keen to follow the advice of the critics and see it not just in 3D but also on the IMAX screen. Even people who generally disliked 3D acknowledged that this was one film which was made for it, and that the visual spectacle should best be appreciated on the giant screen. For one reason or another I was unable to get to the cinema for three weeks, and when I eventually sat down to book my seats I was very disappointed to discover that the run at my local IMAX had just ended. I still can't understand the thinking behind this; the IMAX schedule wasn't exactly overcrowded (just one showing per day) and the film remained available on the ordinary screen in the same cinema for several more weeks, showing several times a day. However, I couldn't be bothered to travel to the cinema for a second-rate experience, so I didn't see it. Now that it's on DVD, I decided to watch it at home to see what all the fuss was about.

The plot of the film is of course very straightforward and with only two characters of significance it must be one of the simplest screenplays ever written. That enabled the director to focus on what the film was really all about – the experience of being in space. I did think that the plot was rather far-fetched – would the Hubble telescope, and the International Space Station, and a fictional Chinese space station, really all be so conveniently close together in matching orbits? And the debris storm was supposed to have taken out the communication satellites as well – but many of those are in geocentric orbits some 36,000 km up and would hardly have been affected by the same incident that hit the various stations at around 600 km. However, had the plot been realistic the film would have been very short with an unhappy ending.

It isn't the plot that's realistic but the depiction of being in space; the silence, the awkwardness in a bulky space suit, the disorientation of having no "up" or "down", the sharp clarity of the stations in the airless sunlight, the jaw-dropping views. Even on the small screen in 2D this came through very strongly. Clooney isn't exactly stretched in giving a wisecracking hero performance so the attention is very much on Sandra Bullock, who does a good job as a "space virgin" who has to overcome her panic when disaster strikes and demonstrate the Right Stuff to stand any chance of getting home.

I found the film to be edge-of-the-seat gripping, especially in the early part before the improbabilities started to pile up, and well worth watching. However, I agree with the critics: if it looks good on a small screen, it must have been truly spectacular at the IMAX.


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## Brian G Turner (Jan 10, 2016)

Just watched this again - even the second time around I thought it was a fantastic film. The visuals are second to none.

What it really accomplishes - in a way no other film has ever done - is to create a real sense of being in space. Whenever we have shots following Bullock and Clooney in space, the camera constantly moves and drifts and revolves - creating a sense that there is no up or down, and a sensation of floating for the viewer. That is wonderfully clever.

I also like the emotional development angle. I know it's kind of cheesy, but in context of space and being alone, I thought it worked with an extra edge and sharpness. Also, at the end, when she gets back on land, it's like she's been reborn, and learning to walk again - great imagery.

Short, sharp, and sweet. 

It no doubt has its flaws, but IMO it makes for an intense journey, and the only film to date to give a truly authentic sense of being in space.

2c.


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## -K2- (Jan 16, 2020)

monsterchic said:


> Really loved the scene where**Spoiler Alert**where she's in the ISS and they show her going into the fetal position...one of the best scenes/shots in the entire movie in my opinion.



This ^^^... I must say after I enjoyed the film so much, I'm glad to see most here did too without all of the, "well you know, if we three-square the cosmic rays divided by the debris coefficient multiplied by the oxygen saturation over centripetal blah blah blah..." I enjoyed it thoroughly when I saw it, and would like to again. I felt the characters were played just right. 


Spoiler



Loved the scene where she's communicating with the Inuit, and loved the implication of her rebirth in the ISS, and crawling from the water like the first creature to leave the primordial ooze rising up through the evolutionary chain till standing. There was a lot of those kinds of things throughout which made it more than just an adventure movie.



On top of it all, considering current justifiable angst regarding the Starlink satellites, I loved how it demonstrated a total collapse of the space infrastructure we have all come to rely upon. Another great chance to remind folks of this site and ponder the possibilities: Stuff in Space

K2


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