Gravity

Director: Alfonso Cuaron

Genre: Drama/Thriller

Starring: Sandra Bullock, George Clooney

Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures

Release Date: October 4, 2013

My Rating: 9/10

I know that this film is a few months old but since it snagged the highest number of awards at the Oscars this year (7), I decided I would offer my take on it. I finally got around to seeing it the other day, so here it goes for all those of you who haven't had the pleasure of viewing it, or who have and just wanna know what I thought.

This is undoubtedly one of my favorite drama films in recent years. It tells the story of medical engineer Dr. Ryan Stone (Bullock) on her first space shuttle mission on board the Explorer. Joining her is veteran astronaut and Lieutenant Matt Kowalski (Clooney), the leader of the journey. The mission control base in Houston warns the two astronauts that a Russian missile strike has hit a dead satellite, which has caused a chain reaction forming a cloud of debris. Mid-orbit, the Explorer begins to be gradually destroyed by the debris, causing Dr. Stone to separate from the shuttle and start hurtling into space. She and Kowalski momentarily recover, and converse as they travel through the vast unknown. Stone reveals that she once had a daughter who died in a tragic accident when she was only four years old.

The pair then reach the International Space Station (ISS) located several hundred miles away in orbit, but eventually the debris returns and as Stone's leg gets caught in her parachutes' cords, and she grabs onto Kowalski's suit. Despite her protests, Kowalski detaches himself from the tether to prevent her from drifting away with him. Stone is pulled back toward the ISS while Kowalski tumbles away. After several failed attempts at establishing communication with Kowalski, Stone realizes that she is the sole survivor. Stone battles several obstacles alone in the capsule, including loss of oxygen and a large fire.

The film is very short, just barely hitting the 90-minute mark for running time. However, it feels much longer due to certain sequences of non-stop heart-racing action. The special effects, dialogue, and score/soundtrack all spectacularly contribute to demonstrating the intense peril that the characters face, especially Dr. Stone in the second half of the film. This is precisely the type of movie that reminded me why Sandra Bullock is one of my favorite actresses, who is capable of portraying both wacky comic characters (Miss Congeniality, The Heat) and heart-wrenching protagonists like the one she completely immerses herself in in Gravity. The increasing terror she experiences throughout the film is practically palpable, particularly toward the end. The theme of coping with the loss of a loved one is also briefly yet beautifully touched upon. Golden Globe winner and Academy-Award-winning Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron (Y Tu Mama Tambien, Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban, Children of Men) brings to the screen an incredible story of fear, courage, and survival.

The story gave me quite a bit of hope in the end, despite keeping me paralyzed with fear for the majority of it. As I recently felt trapped and “paralyzed” for a brief moment, perhaps the most trapped and anxious I’ve ever felt in my life, this film left me feeling significantly more optimistic, as I’m sure it can for many others who have ever felt “stuck in quicksand” so to speak.

Non-Stop

Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Genre: Action thriller
Starring: Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore, Michelle Dockery, Lupita Nyong'o
Distributed by: Universal Pictures
Release Date: February 28, 2014
My Rating: 8.5/10

Liam Neeson stars in this action-packed thriller about a US Federal air marshall named Bill Marks, who one day boards a plane with non-stop service from New York to London. After a few minutes on the flight, he receives a series of mysterious text messages from an unknown sender stating that he/she is a passenger on the plane, and that this person will kill a fellow passenger every 20 minutes unless $150 million are wired electronically to a bank account. Determined to find this hijacker at all costs, Marks begins as thorough an investigation as he can, enlisting the help of a woman sitting beside him on the plane Jen Summers (Julianne Moore), and a flight attendant named Nancy (Michelle Dockery). He also initially consults with a fellow air marshall, Jack Hammond as to which course of action to take with regards to the threat.

This is a role very similar to the ones Liam Neeson has played in recent years, recalling other box-office hits such as the Taken films and the 2011 thriller Unknown (also directed by Collet-Serra). Some audience members may tire of this gruff, relentless modern-day hero type but I think it fits this actor very well, and Neeson once again delivers a heart-pounding performance as an air marshall who, despite being suspected as the hijacker of the plane by many and for several reasons, risks a lot in order to restore security to the flight.
British actress Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey) also brings a noteworthy performance as a terrified yet strong stewardess who is attempting her best to aid the air marshall to capture the hijacker.

The film is filled with suspense, and at first may seem like a very typical thriller reminiscent of movies like Air Force One (1997), but eventually unfolds in a way that is shocking. The plot twist in the final minutes of the film was completely unexpected. The final sequence, where the action is resolved, is rather intense, as is one of the passenger deaths. Although a scene or two could have been removed, since the middle portion of the movie appears to drag on for quite some time, the end proved to be very satisfying.