Film: Gravity

So, nothing much happened last night, and there wasn't much to blog about. So I didn't. See, I had to head to Brixton to see what I wanted to see, which involved taking the Tube to Victoria and change to the Victoria line to Brixton. But firstly, the train indicator at West Brompton was telling fibs and I missed my train, and then, as I was finally approaching Victoria, an announcement informed me that the Victoria Line was suspended to Brixton, because of a person under a train. Always happening. After that, there was nothing for it but to just turn around and come straight back. Whereupon TFL charged me a surcharge because they figured I must have gotten off somewhere and not touched out properly, I'd been gone so long. Must see about a refund - couldn't get one earlier, you have to wait 24 hours.

Well, well, well. Tonight, I finally got to see Gravity! Nearest place to me showing it in 2D (3D gives me a headache) is the Coronet cinema in Notting Hill. So I planned to come home first and take the Tube straight there, which is the fastest option - but I stayed in the office longer than expected, and ended up taking the bus, which is the handiest option from there. I would know, given that my last flat was so close to the office. So I arrived in plenty of time, and it was just a short stroll to the cinema.

I haven't been to this cinema before, and what a lovely old cinema it is! It only has two screens - Gravity was showing in Screen 1. Nice cheap ticket price for the area. I was hungry - didn't have time to eat beforehand - so was glad to see a concession stand. And they sell wine too - in plastic glasses, so you can take it in. All very civilised. It's a bit of a maze to get to Screen 1, more so if you want to sit downstairs. Also confusing when, right as you come to the end of your trek, you come across a door leading to Screen 2, which was in the other direction to start with! But I made it, and entered what obviously used to be a theatre, and still has the ornate old mouldings, and not one, but two balconies. The screen is quite small for the space, and I ended up sitting third row from the front (seating isn't allocated). And spent much of my time before the lights went down admiring the fixtures and fittings. Plenty of legroom too. Yes, definitely a cinema I'd recommend.

The more so because there were no ads before the film! Music started playing about fifteen minutes before start time, but then straight into the film. What a refreshing change! And.. so it started. The reviews are saying that the opening shot is spectacular. It is. I can see how this will work very well in 3D. You get a huge shot of (a bit of) the Earth, with this little speck coming into view that is the space shuttle. Upside-down, because that doesn't matter up there. And as it comes closer, the dialogue you can hear gets gradually louder. Mission Control in Houston is talking to the astronauts - three of them, of whom two are Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. Ed Harris does the voice of Mission Control. But you can forget about him, he doesn't last long into the film, as they lose contact - which I shall explain shortly.

The scene is quickly set. Sandra Bullock is the newcomer, straight out of training. George Clooney is the veteran astronaut, on his last mission. And Mission Control is telling them that there's been a collision - I forget what hit what, but a satellite was involved - and there's debris heading their way. Get back inside the shuttle asap - they were outside making repairs. Well, of course, they don't get back in quickly enough. And it's not giving much away to say that the shuttle is destroyed and everyone killed except our two heroes. Who are now adrift in space. Fortunately, we have the veteran who has a clear head and enough experience to have some idea what to do.

I have not seen the like of this film. Essentially, the whole film takes place in a weightless environment - I must look up how they achieved that - and you have people spinning around, often out of control, people talking and performing activities upside-down, people talking to each other who are at funny angles to each other.. everything you lose a grip of goes drifting off unstoppably, you have to tether yourself to something to stop yourself doing the same. Now, imagine your ship is destroyed - scattered through space in bits - and you have nothing to tether yourself to. And there is nothing under your feet. Well, except Planet Earth, a long way down. And now imagine that something just hit you and sent you spinning, and Planet Earth is spinning in your field of vision, and there is absolutely nothing to stop you spinning....

Now you're getting an idea of what's in the trailer, and what this film is like. The trailer scared the **** out of me, and the film did the same. I spent the entire thing agape, and the first half hour saying things like "O no", and "O my GOD!" out loud. I had to hold the seat for security. And that was in 2D. It's quite immersive. If you have anything like vertigo, or any fear of heights whatsoever, this film will do the same to you. I am so glad I'm not an astronaut.. (BTW, I do like to be scared in films, so this didn't put me off!)

Now, that's not all that this film is remarkable for. It has a terrifically quiet quality. I mean, when your companions have been killed and contact with Earth lost, and there's nothing in space to carry sound, you will get that. And there's a feeling of loneliness that I remember from the days when I used to read science fiction - particularly Asimov. In short, you get a real feel for the quiet and isolation of outer space. And it's an incredible survival story. As she says at one point, either I get back with a terrific story to tell, or I'm toast in the next 10 minutes.

IMDB gives this 8.5/10. I give it 10/10. It's the best film I've seen in years.

Phew. Very impressive.

Tomorrow, the best film remaining on my list is Short Term 12. Which gets good reviews. I doubt it, or anything in the next while, will live up to what I saw tonight though.