Gravity

Gravity, Alfonso Cuaron's latest film has received glowing reviews for its amazing depiction of outer space. One reviewer noted that it was the definitive argument for 3-D films, which snubs the excellent story, also written by Cuaron. No spoilers here.  The posters and trailer suggest something goes terribly wrong during a mission and I'll leave it at that. Technological advancements in special effects have become so sophisticated that a film audience physically experiences the rush of being in a fast car, falling off a building, getting chased by a dinosaur, and in this film, walking in space.  The thrill of that sort of rush or ride soon fades. The idea of aloneness in space, along with the helplessness and all that unnerving quiet has been explored in films like 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Alien (1979), Apollo 13 (1995), Sunshine (2007) and Moon (2009).  In this era of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, can anything be more terrifying than becoming disconnected and truly alone? That meditation lingers long after leaving the theater.