On Friday, October 4, the highly anticipated sci-fi thriller Gravity hit theatres. The movie explores the idea of being stuck, and floating off into the oblivion of space.
Gravity, filmed by Alfonso Cuaron, takes audiences on a journey with a bio-medical engineer, Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock), and Matt Kowalski (George Clooney), as they venture into space. Stone is a rookie to the space world as it is her first mission in space; Kowalski is there as her commander, but when a freak-accident occurs while the two astronauts are cabled outside of the space craft, they are sent flying into oblivion. A series of accidents creates a challenging journey for the space travelers as they try to reach the International Space Station. With this unimaginable situation comes a bitter sweet ending that had audiences holding their breath every second of the way to find out how the film could end.
Cuaron made sure to make this movie feel as real as possible. The special effects in Gravity the changed way sci-fi films are viewed. The movies realistic scenery are what gives the viewer’s anxiety, making it seem as if they are actually in space struggling along side Stone.
Gravity proved to be a huge success in the box office, making about $61 million in its first week in the theatres. It has also held the place as number one movie in America since it’s opening. Cuaron expanded the horizons of sci-fi movies with Gravity; exploring an idea never done before, and as a result was rewarded with a hit movie.