No, no, no.... you said that it was better than 2001.
And since 2001 changed my life, I expect the same or more from this movie.
But keep in mind, that as great as 2001 is, I think it's overrated. Kubrick that man was becoming subvervient to the machines he created which is why the astronauts are bland as compared to HAL. I think that was a mistake---you need not only interesting characters, but characters played by good actors you can care about. THAT is why I say Gravity is better than 2001---but it will not change your life.
I would agree that deliberately keeping audience identification with the main characters limited was a bad idea. I would also agree that there are lots of science fiction movies that are more entertaining and engaging than "2001." But as a piece of filmmaking I would not call it overrated. I say this as somebody who usually has little patience with movies that are so into formal experimentation that they forget to tell a story. For "2001" I'll make an exception. Something about it is that compelling.
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2001 is a great film that should have won Best Picture. Anybody with half a brain knows that giving Oliver! Best Picture instead is one of the worst mistakes in the history of film. But as beautiful as the film is, there's still something about it which leaves me cold. I think a major reason is that whether I should be rooting for HAL or Dave, I don't care enough about either as much as I should. That isn't a problem in Gravity, and I have to give major props to both Sandra Bullock and George Clooney.
Speaking of HAL, has anybody seen Moon? I won't give away the plot of the movie, but there is a talking computer in the film along the lines of HAL, and it's voiced by Kevin Spacey. I didn't think it was physically possible for Spacey to deliberately voice a character as flat and unemotional as GERTY. And yet, in the end GERTY is a sympathetic character. I recommend renting it from NetFlix if you get the chance.
Last edited by (T)Eddy on Sun Nov 03, 2013 9:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
2001 is a great film that should have won Best Picture. Anybody with half a brain knows that giving Oliver! Best Picture instead is one of the worst mistakes in the history of film. But as beautiful as the film is, there's still something about it which leaves me cold. I think a major reason is that whether I should be rooting for HAL or Dave, I don't care enough about either as much as I should. That isn't a problem in Gravity, and I have to give major props to both Sandra Bullock and George Clooney.
And that's perfectly understandable. Something about the movie DOES leave one cold. Evidently Kubrick's movies were usually like that.
_________________ The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls who, when he found an especially costly one, sold everything he had to buy it.
I liked 2001, but I wouldn't want to watch it a lot, or maybe even again, in its entirety. It's just not that exciting, and I already know the story, so no surprises.
The realistic effects in Gravity set a new standard for space movies. It was truly overwhelming in IMAX 3D (in a good way). The plot is a little video-gamish ("OK, we got past that obstacle, what's next?"), but the tension keeps you on the edge of your seat. The writer-director includes a few visual and scripted references to earlier movies (especially "2001") as a nod to sci-fi fans. Fine acting by Sandra Bullock and George Clooney.
I plan on seeing it again today.
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Daphne had a good point about suspension of disbelief in this film. Realistically, I don't think that the space shuttle, the International Space Station, and the Chinese space station should have been that close to each other. Former astronaut Marsh Ivens has complained about some of the things she found unrealistic about the film, but I find it much easier to suspend disbelief in a good film than in a bad film. http://ideas.time.com/2013/10/02/astron ... s-me-down/
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Technically and visually, this movie was incredible. 10 out of 10 easy. Story wise.....did I mention this was a visual masterpiece? My wife had a hard time relating to Bullock's character. There wasn't enough backstory for her. I realize that this wasn't that kind of movie and taking breaks for the character's history would destroy the building tension. Where the movie lost me and TO was with overkill.
almost drowning was just too much. Torie and I startied looking for a crocodile or maybe a shark to attack her next. Torie guessed quicksand when she crawled out of the water and I went with lion or perhaps one last bit of space station hits her as she walks away. It was too much.
Overall, I'd give it a B. Great movie to see in 3D.
The "sink or swim" dilemma echoed scenes in The Right Stuff, Planet of the Apes, and The Empire Strikes Back, plus it sets up the final evolution analogy, borrowed from 2001 and Prometheus. Seeing the movie again on Saturday brought home to me just how many references to other movies are stuffed into this script.
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There really was no reason for Clooney to die. In space, just the slightest tug on her tether would have pulled him back. It seemed strange for them to miss something that big, to the point that it's a major story element.
There really was no reason for Clooney to die. In space, just the slightest tug on her tether would have pulled him back. It seemed strange for them to miss something that big, to the point that it's a major story element.
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