Movie Review : Gravity

What is isolation? Is it, in its bare-bones form, simply the absence of entities, living or otherwise? Or is it a lack of a sense of direction and a sense of belonging in a world overflowing with people to know and things to own? These are some of the questions Alfonso Cuaron constantly pegs to his viewers in his latest sci-fi offering, Gravity. In it, Sandra Bullock’s Ryan Stone ever so subtly mentions how, after losing her daughter and being informed of the same while driving, finds solace only behind the wheel, (“I just drive, and listen to the radio. Don’t care what it is, as long as they aren't talking” she says) hinting at the clear absence of camaraderie between her and her co-workers, other family members and possibly her neighbors; a camaraderie she forges with George Clooney's Matt Kowalski even as the ominous threat of death looms upon them. And upon being stranded in space in the middle of nowhere, she longs to touch back down and kiss the very ground she so solemnly tries to cut all her ties to. It is at this instance that Cuaron lays down the groundwork for the highly clever and absolutely beautiful ironies and metaphors that he so lovingly sprinkles throughout the movie’s 90 minute runtime. 

The brilliance of Alfonso Cuaron's evocative masterpiece begins way before the movie ever takes flight. His choice of the title itself hints at a lot. The entire events in the movie transpire due to the lack of the titular entity, and naming the movie so displays Cuaron’s knack for toying with his audience’s sensibilities and their individual perceptions. For you, the movie might never be anything more than a visually arresting sci-fi saga that passes off as an excellent popcorn-munching affair, and for others it might hit where they live, resonating with them on a deeply personal and emotional level. That is one of the many beauties of Gravity.

Sandra Bullock delivers an exceptionally amazing performance in Gravity.

Gravity focuses on medical engineer and mission specialist Dr. Ryan Stone and Lieutenant Matt Kowalski, both part of a three-man team on a mission aboard the Space Shuttle Explorer. While performing a routine operation check, they’re notified of an incoming debris field owing to a Russian missile attacking a defunct satellite. The rest of the movie depicts how they make their escape. For its simple premise, the movie gets just about everything right. The visual effects are spectacular, immersing you in the world as only few movies ever have. Every little explosion, the tiniest detail is captured in glorious fashion that just pushes the boundaries of reality. It also features some of the best use of 3-D I’ve ever seen in a movie. Brownie points for that.

Secondly, the performances. Sandra Bullock delivers yet another stellar, moving, heart-felt performance. She imbues Ryan Stone with conviction, strength and determination that makes her struggle, both with her hostile environment and her metaphorical inner one, all the more believable. In a standout scene, she cries uncontrollably upon hearing a dog bark on the space station’s radio frequency and even joins the canine in its howling out of sheer elation on account of hearing another living being. Pure Magic.

Don't worry George Clooney, I haven't forgotten you!

I felt that George Clooney, while being at his maverick best, was a little underused. But it is for the most part understandable keeping in mind Gravity’s compact runtime, and the fact that it is mostly a showcase for Sandra Bullock’s acting prowess through and through. He fulfills Gravity’s humor quotient, and also paints the picture of a calm, composed overseer who’s as eager to narrate his tales of bravery and self-indulgence as he is to survive and safeguard his fellow crew members.

Steven Price’s background score deserves special mention. Although Gravity abounds in moments of extended silence and meaningful exchanges of dialogue, there are plenty of scenes with stuff exploding in zero-G which are accompanied with a sweeping orchestral score. The climax, especially, features a beautifully composed piece that just sticks with you long after the movie is over.

Gravity is one of those movies that just plays with your perception and forces you to think beyond what is being simply projected on the two-dimensional surface. It features brilliant performances by two of the industry’s most venerable actors and some extraordinary CGI. Ultimately, it never just remains an aesthetically captivating tale of survival, it transcends into something much more. And for that reason alone, it needs to be seen.

Rating : 5/5

Review : Man of Steel

Superman's life on the big screen has been highly inconsistent, having his fair share of excellent take-offs (Christopher Reeve's exciting debut as the man of steel in 1978) and disastrous nosedives (the ridiculously bad 'Quest for Peace' in 1987). So with Snyder and Nolan collaborating on a project as huge as this, in an attempt reinvigorate a character as influential and universally loved as Superman, expectations are bound to be sky high and rightfully so. But these expectations entail their own share of fears and apprehensions with a new lead and a new director carrying the torch forward. So, the big question is - how good is Man of Steel, if at all?

Man of Steel begins on Krypton, showing Jor-El bearing witness to his son's natural birth, the first to occur in over a century in Krypton. But the planet doesn't look so good, with its resources running dry, and Krypton almost verging on complete annihilation. It's at that moment that Krypton's military general, General Zod, attempts a coup to overthrow the leaders and rebuild the failing planet. But his army soon gets overpowered, sentenced to cryogenic imprisonment. In a desperate bid to save his son Kal-El, Jor-El dispatches him to planet Earth in the hope that he'll find a new home and carve his own destiny there.

Being, essentially, an origin movie, Man of Steel gets a lot of things right. It successfully explains, through a series of flashbacks and non-linear storytelling, how Kal-El/Clark Kent braves his way through childhood to being a man who finally accepts his differences, understands the ramifications of exercising his abilities around people who don't possess the same, and embraces the responsibility of having to guide people who fear and simultaneously look up to him. 

A lot of emphasis is placed on the role of his self-appointed human parents who help him through the planetary transition, and this particular relationship between Clark and his parents has been portrayed beautifully. They help him gain control over his senses, shape his morally conscious inner being, making this particular version of Superman a lot more human, tangible and ultimately, likeable.

Henry Cavill makes for a much more grounded,
and immensely likeable Superman. 

Almost all of this success can be attributed to lead actor Henry Cavill, as he brings an element of gravity and vulnerability into an otherwise indestructible superhero. Cavill's Superman is eager to know more, confused initially as to where he belongs, and towards the end, strongly resolute about his duty and responsibility, and Cavill depicts each phase with ease and excellence. He emotes exceptionally well even through most of the CG heavy sequences. 

Rusell Crowe, while maintaining a stern look throughout almost the entire film, does a good job of displaying a concerned father. 

Amy Adams' Lois Lane was probably one of the biggest disappointments in the film. Lois and Clark's relationship fails to come across as convincing. More often than not, she ends up being a damsel-in-distress always in need of saving by the man of steel.

Michael Shannon's General Zod is loud, brash, and hot-tempered. But mostly loud. Zod's motives for trying to capture Kal-El and kill him are half-assed. The writers take the tried-and-tested route of making the villain blow stuff up in a bid to dominate a world he doesn't belong to (Megatron, anyone?) He isn't the all-controlling and terrifying villain he was made out to be. In fact, most of his villainy can be attributed to his dual-toned Kryptonian goatee (which was rather stupid, yet I must have it).

Where's my goatee? Goddammit, where's my goatee!?

The actual action-heavy sequences don't begin until almost the end, but when they do, they hit you like a Kryptonian spaceship carrying an alien baby. The effects-heavy set-pieces are absolutely brilliant, and worthy of being in a film bearing the stamp of Snyder. Proving his ability to create breathtaking battles and painstakingly detailed special effects with his previous projects, Snyder maintains the visual fidelity throughout the entire film. Each and every frame is beautifully shot. The camera is dynamic, and gives a sense of furious velocity as it follows around Superman with every flight he takes. The destruction that unfolds towards the end absolutely dwarfs the one we all witnessed in Avengers' climactic battle with the Chitari.
Needless to say, Hans Zimmer's sweeping orchestral score is an absolute auditory pleasure, one that elevates each and every frantic battle. 

With everything said, Man of Steel is an excellent Superman movie, but it falls short of absolute greatness. Cavill's brilliant debut as the Kryptonian superhero is admirable. Combine that with a well told origin story and Zack Snyder's artistic and visual brilliance, you get a movie that nearly fulfills everything you were hoping for. Nearly.

Overall Rating : 3.5/5

An Introduction to the madcap world of Pop Culture Ramblings!

Crime. Religion. Nationalities. Politics. Cultural drawbridges. These are all issues that have permeated every nook and cranny of our society. We have to deal with bias, prejudice, pre-conceived notions and immature stereotypes, every single day of our lives. Every person is fair game when societal hate starts hunting for its next oblivious victim. As a result, it's no surprise that everyone is up in arms to voice their own opinions about these burning topics.

So it's only fair that I stay as ridiculously, unimaginably far away from them as possible.

Welcome, to Pop Culture Ramblings! Here, I'm gonna put up reviews, features, topics for discussion and many other forms of written content - might as well invent one of my own - all based on (no points for guessing) pop culture.

Being a devoted gamer, yet one with preferences, I play a lot of games on my PS3 and PC. I have a special inclination towards FPSs, RPGs, and Action Adventure titles. I love indie games, it's no secret that some of the most breathtakingly innovative and thought-provokingly creative games come from the lesser known and often underrated studios, regardless of your platform of choice. So expect a lot of gaming related banter headed your way.
No hardware-centric posts though, as it's not really my field of expertise, and I couldn't care less!

When it comes to movies, I really don't lean towards one specific genre. I tend to give every type a fair shot. But I do love high tension dramas and sci-fi flicks. Huge Star Wars and LOTR fan. A lover of everything Quentin Tarantino, David Fincher and Joss Whedon. Christopher Nolan's genius needs no special introduction. Zack Snyder makes visually stunning cinema, though he may not always hit the mark. If there's one thing I hate, it's mushy romantic movies and they piss me off, big time. So, if anyone thought The Vow was beautiful, relatable and heart-warming, please show yourselves out before I call security.

TV Shows form a major chunk of my wasted time. If I don't land a job in the near future, it'll probably be because I was too busy laughing my ass off at Eric Cartman's borderline racist and insensitive, yet ultimately hilarious dialogues, or because I decided to see what all the hoopla was about and watch The Wire, falling asleep shamelessly at each repeated attempt.

I love animated comedies, favorites being South Park, The Simpsons, Bob's Burgers, Archer and Adventure Time. Dramas interest me a lot with their tight storytelling and excellently fleshed-out characters. Sitcoms, while not exactly being thoroughly consistent in the storytelling department, are enjoyable. Some of the more recent TV shows I like include Boardwalk Empire, Game of Thrones, Spartacus, New Girl, The Middle, Arrow and Modern Family.

So that about wraps my introduction to the blog. Hope you all like the multi-faceted, yet tethered to Pop Culture, posts about to come your way. And again, any and all suggestions will be treated with absolute respect. Bazinga!