INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS - (Advance) Review

NOTE: I saw this movie the other night because I got tickets to a preview screening. The film still has a few weeks before release.

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Inside Llewyn Davis

Drama/Dark Comedy, 2013
1 hour, 45 minutes
Written and Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen
Rated R for "language including some sexual references"
Limited Release on December 6th, 2013
Wide Release on December 20th, 2013

Starring
Oscar Isaac
Carey Mulligan
John Goodman
Garrett Hedlund
Justin Timberlake
Stark Sands
F. Murray Abraham
Adam Driver
Ethan Phillips
Max Casella

"Folk songs... thought you said you were a musician."

Joel and Ethan Coen have made a career out of strange characters. Many of these characters find themselves under unusual and mysterious circumstances. This is the beauty of Inside Llewyn Davis. Much like A Serious Man, it isn't really about anything. If anything, it's about less. It's ordinary. It's a character study, and it's a damn good one at that. While some may be turned off by its heavy focus on folk music and lack of plot, it's certainly not a movie to be missed.
As I said before, Inside Llewyn Davis doesn't have much of a plot, but it's still a great story. Set in the early 60s, the film follows Llewyn Davis, a poor, down on his luck folk singer just trying to get by on his music. Did I mention that he's down on his luck? The movie is kind of a downer. Nothing at all goes right for Llewyn. Nothing at all. He's not the most likable guy. He doesn't even live anywhere, he just crashes on any couch that he can. He plays at the same venues when he can. He's not even the most likable guy. He's very critical of others, even if they've done nothing wrong. And yet, he's extremely sympathetic. We want him to succeed, and even when it looks like he's about to, he fails. It's just one failure after another.
I think the beauty of the character Llewyn Davis is that he feels like the most human character the Coens have ever written. Take a look at the iconic Coen characters throughout the years: The Dude is a pot smoking human paraquat and his best friend is an angry Jewish Vietnam war obsessed bowler who knows a guy who can get you a toe by 3 o'clock. Anton Chigurh is a hitman who likes to kill people based on the toss of a coin, and he does some other sadistic shit. Everyone in A Serious Man is basically a stereotypical Jewish caricature. Everyone in Fargo has a funny accent. But Llewyn Davis isn't a caricature. Some of the characters around him might be, but he certainly isn't. He doesn't have any absurd quirks. He feels like a real human being who makes some bad decisions and bad shit happens to him. He could be a caricature of a struggling musician, but he's not crazy. He's not over the top. He's not ridiculous. Llewyn Davis is human. Everyone else around him is a bit unusual, in typical Coen brothers fashion. But Davis himself almost seems aware of how insane those around him really are. But Davis isn't insane. He's incredibly human and real and honest and lifelike. And that might just make him the best character that the Coens have ever created. The film even feels very distinctly Coen brothers. If nobody told you it was them, you could spot their style a mile away.
The performances are all around stellar. John Goodman has some great scene stealing moments, despite his limited screen time. Carey Mulligan is hilarious as a feisty foul-mouthed ex-lover of Llewyn's. Even some of the smaller characters, like Goodman's valet played by Garret Hedlund or Davis' agent named Mel, who don't do a lot, are just hilarious to watch. Every scene is full of excellent and witty dialogue. The movie is more of a dark comedy, but it doesn't quite travel that far into the darkness. The movie might as well be titled "Llewyn Davis and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day." For the most part, the humor feels very natural, although I found the audience laughing quite a bit at some of the stuff that wasn't really funny at all... which bothered me. But I suppose humor is subjective.
If you like folk music, you'll absolutely love this movie. The music is raw and honest. The singing is beautiful, the best soundtrack from any Coen film since O Brother, Where Art Thou? Isaac is a fantastic singer, and he completely absorbs you in his music. Carey Mulligan and Justin Timberlake can also carry a tune, even if they only have like two songs between them. It's an exceptional soundtrack which I highly recommend checking out.
Inside Llewyn Davis is easily one of the best Coen brothers films. It's a fantastic character study with well written dialogue, gorgeous cinematography/lighting, and a beautiful soundtrack. As of right now, it stands as the best film of the year thus far.

10/10

MOVIE OF THE WEEK - November 17th, 2013

OKAY so I want to try something called MOVIE OF THE WEEK. Back when I started writing this blog, I talked about some movies that weren't current, just stuff that I liked. Then I just focused on new stuff in theaters. I do feel like sometimes I should talk about older movies in some capacity, so I'm starting this new thing with a boring name called MOVIE OF THE WEEK which for some reason is in all caps. Beats me. But it's just a thing where I talk BRIEFLY about these movies because I don't really want to put a ton of energy into writing these. I'm mostly doing it as a recommendation kind of thing. A quick couple of paragraphs with my rating on the bottom, and then you can see for yourself if you like it or not. I dunno. Maybe, maybe not. Just go with me on this.

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The Night of the Hunter 

Noir/Thriller, 1955
1 hour, 33 minutes
Produced by Paul Gregory
Written by James Agee and Charles Laughton
Based on the novel The Night of the Hunter by Davis Grubb
Directed by Charles Laughton

Starring
Robert Mitchum
Billy Chapin
Sally Jane Bruce
Shelley Winters
Lillian Gish

"A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit. Neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Wherefore by their fruits, ye shall know them."

The Night of the Hunter wasn't too popular in its initial release, but has since gained a huge following as one of the best thrillers ever made. It's certainly one of the most beautiful movies I've ever seen, shot by Stanley Cortez. Some people think black and white films are boring, but for what you lose with lack of color you make up for in stark contrast and shadows. Sure, you can have contrast and shadow in a color film, but it doesn't achieve quite the same effect. Really, it's incredibly beautiful, and often terrifying.
The Night of the Hunter is about a mysterious traveling preacher named Harry Powell. Powell one day discovers that a small fortune is hidden at a household in a small town. The home belongs to the Harper family. The money was stolen by Mr. Harper and given to his son, John, to keep hidden. So when Powell arrives at the Harper household, little John must do everything he can to keep the money away from Powell. Eventually, shit kind of hits the fan, and it's really quite a compelling story.
The performances are all quite excellent. Mitchum steals the show as Powell, and little Billy Chapin does a pretty good job as John. Like I said before, the camera work and shot composition is incredible. My only real complaint is that it has a bit too much of a classic Hollywood feel. In particular the ending, which was left on a note that was far to cheery for my taste. Especially for a movie like this. Otherwise, I loved it.

9.8/10

If anyone is interested in checking this movie out, I recommend finding the Criterion Collection's release of the film. It's presented in its native aspect ratio of 1.66:1 (or 1.77:1 for the Blu-Ray release, no significant difference) instead of MGM DVD's 1.33:1 aspect ratio. 1.33:1 is a full screen ratio, whereas Criterion's aspect ratios boast a wide screen presentation.
I realize that only a few people might know what I'm talking about, but just roll with me on this and trust me. It'll look much better in a wider screen format.
Just trust me.

CAPTAIN PHILLIPS - Review

Captain Phillips

Thriller, 2013
2 hours, 14 minutes
Written by Billy Ray
Directed by Paul Greengrass
Rated PG-13 for "sustained intense sequences of menace, some violence with bloody images, and for substance use."

Starring
Tom Hanks
Barkhad Abdi
Barkhad Abdirahman
Faysal Ahmed
Mahat M. Ali
Michael Chernus
Corey Johnson
David Warshofsky
Catherine Keener

"I am the captain now."

I really liked Captain Phillips. I know there was some controversy over whether Phillips was actually a dick or not, but even so, it's an interesting story. It's really intense and went to places that I never expected it to. It's a very well made film that is definitely one of Tom Hanks' best movies.
So the movie is about Somali pirates taking over a freighter ship captained by Phillips and he's taken hostage at one point. It's a really intense story, well directed by Paul Greengrass of The Bourne Ultimatum fame. The movie is well shot and edited, and the score by Henry Jackman is pretty good.
The whole movie is very tense. It starts as soon as the first pirate ships appear on the radar, and from there, it just doesn't stop until the end. There's almost no lull in the intensity, and that's actually quite a feat. Some films might have high intensity, then lull a bit, but Captain Phillips is just one thing right after another, and it just does. Not. Stop.
The movie is definitely going to be up for some awards this year, in particular for Hanks. Barkhad Abdi, who plays the main pirate named Muse, is sure to be a contender as well in a fantastic breakout performance. Not only him, but the rest of his crew all boasted great performances, all bringing a strange sort of humanity and sympathy to their characters. It's really quite impressive.
The only real issue is Phillips' relationship with his wife and family. It's touched on like two times but then they bring it around in the end, and while it definitely has an emotional impact, it could have been far more explosive and, well, emotional. I mean, Catherine Keener, who plays Phillips' wife, is in it for like the first five minutes of the movie and then she's just... not. Not even at the end of the film. It's weird.
Captain Phillips is definitely not short on thrills, not by a long shot. It had me tapping my foot on the floor in anticipation right up until the credits rolled. It's not a movie to be missed.

9.5/10

THOR: THE DARK WORLD - Review

Thor: The Dark World

Comic Book/Action-Adventure, 2013
1 hour, 52 minutes
Written by Christopher Yost, Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely
Directed by Alan Taylor
Rated PG-13 for "sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence, and some suggestive content"

Starring
Chris Hemsworth
Tom Hiddleston
Natalie Portman
Anthony Hopkins
Idris Elba
Stellan Skarsgård
Christopher Eccleston
Adawale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
Kat Dennings
Rene Russo
Jaimie Alexander

"You must be truly desperate to come to me for help."

Thor: The Dark World is an impressive entry into Marvel's cinematic universe. It's certainly better than the first Thor film. It adds some excellent depth to the beloved characters, as well as sets up for what is sure to be an incredible third Thor movie.
The Dark World is set some time after the events of The Avengers. One of the first things we see is Loki being imprisoned by Odin, the king of Asgard. Then there are some other bad guys, who are really only bad for the sake of being bad. They're called "dark elves" and they're bad because they need a bad guy. No joke. It's one of those shitty "we want to bring darkness everywhere because we can" kind of movies. Which is quite unfortunate.
Anyway, so some predictable shit happens. Thor gets to meet Natalie Portman again at last, and then all hell breaks loose when Portman discovers something kind of evil. Then shit really hits the fan when there's an attack on Asgard and it turns into a kind of fun action fest.
But things get really interesting when Thor turns to Loki for help. It's evident in the trailer that this is happens, but it's actually well done in the movie. If I keep talking, I'll spoil stuff.
The cast is in top form this time around, considering they've all played these characters in two films previous. Tom Hiddleston one again steals the show as Loki. Hemsworth is great again as Thor, Natalie Portman is good, blah blah blah. There definitely was NOT ENOUGH IDRIS ELBA who plays the gatekeeper dude with the cool golden armor. He's a fucking badass but he doesn't nearly get as much attention as he should.
Marvel films have always been funny, but it's really pushed in The Dark World. The biggest issue is Kat Dennings' character, Darcy. It seems like she's literally just there for the sake of being funny, trying to steal the show constantly, and it's not funny. She's just annoying and it's unnecessary. It was fine in the first one, but this time around it's just too much. She's trying too hard. But otherwise, the humor flows quite nicely. It's not a constant stream of quips like The Avengers, but it's spread around quite nicely... it just would've been better overall if it weren't for Dennings just trying too hard.
Probably the biggest issue, aside from the cruddy villain and Kat Dennings is the entire fantasy world in which Thor is set. I know that it all makes sense, but I'm just not catching on. All of this stuff with portals and worlds and dimensions and eclipses and holy shit I have no idea what's going on. It can't be that complex, but the film has to clarify what's going on because, really, it's just a lot to process. It's there, but it's not as clear as it should be.
Otherwise, The Dark World is still plenty of fun. There are some great twists and turns. The visuals are great and the action scenes are intense. The post-credits scenes are fantastic and do a great job of setting up the rest of the Marvel universe, including what I can only assume is a lead-in to Guardians of the Galaxy. It looks pretty wild.

7.8/10

THE COUNSELOR - Review

The Counselor

Crime Thriller, 2013
1 hour, 54 minutes
Written by Cormac McCarthy
Directed by Ridley Scott
Rated R for "graphic violence, some grisly images, strong sexual content and language"

Starring
Michael Fassbender
Penelope Cruz
Javier Bardem
Brad Pitt
Cameron Diaz

"You may think there are things that these people are simply incapable of... there are not."

Well, I was really excited for The Counselor to come out. Then I saw the reviews for it. Only 30% of audiences liked it on rottentomatoes.com... but I'm not going to lie, I actually enjoyed myself. There are a ton of issues, but I found The Counselor to be fairly entertaining.
There are two things that The Counselor does right: acting and dialogue. The cast is pretty solid overall, especially Javier Bardem and Michael Fassbender. While the characters might be somewhat generic, neither one overdoes it. They both feel real and three-dimensional, at least for the most part. Some of the side characters like Brad Pitt and Penelope Cruz, are fine, even if their characters don't do much. Brad Pitt is basically the same guy he is in every movie and Cruz is just sexy as hell... like in everything she's in. McCarthy's dialogue is exceptionally well written and well executed. It's cohesive with the story and is ultimately one of the highlights of the movie. There's also one particular scene at the end, which does so little, but has a huge impact, big enough that we can recognize exactly what's happened without even needing to see it. You'll know what I'm talking about if you see the movie.
Unfortunately, almost everything else falls flat. The story itself has potential, but the dramatic beats seem almost out of order. There's a reveal that comes in relatively quickly that would have made for an awesome twist ending. There's some stuff that's hardly explained, but then we're just supposed to go along with it and the rest of the story revolves around these decisions. The story actually has a ton of potential, but it's just not there.
The second major thing is Cameron Diaz. She was so awful in this movie it was almost painful. The only good scene is when she fucks a car. I'm just going to say that again, she fucks a car. That's actually one of the best parts of the movie. But overall, her performance comes off as kind of like that one girl you went to high school with who doesn't realize that her dream to become an actress is really just delusions of wanting to be famous and she always just comes off phonier than Holden-fucking-Caulfield.
Except when she fucks that car.
So basically, The Counselor feels like a failed Cormac McCarthy experiment. Apparently, the dude is a cinephile and has written unpublished screenplays in the past, but he really wanted to make this one... I dunno. For a guy who doesn't like quotation marks in his books, I'm just glad that he wrote something that was at least entertaining. Because the movie does do exactly that. Even if it is a bit of a mess, I was still compelled until the end, even if the story is wobbly as hell. The trailer may make it look like a follow up to No Country for Old Men or something of that nature, but it's not. It's just a failed experiment.
But I guess I was entertained... so fuck it.

6/10

ENDER'S GAME - Review

Ender's Game

Sci-fi Action/Adventure - 2013
1 hour 54 minutes
Adapted and Directed by Gavin Hood
Based on the book Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Rated PG-13 for "some violence, sci-fi action and thematic material"

Starring
Asa Butterfield
Harrison Ford
Hailee Steinfeld
Ben Kingsley
Viola Davis
Abigail Breslin
Moises Arias
Aramis Knight
Nonso Anozie

"You'll be the finest commander we've ever trained."

I've never read Ender's Game, so I went into this movie completely blind as to what the hell was going on. All I really knew about it was that there's an impending alien invasion, a kid, and Han Solo going by some weird alias. I really had no idea what to expect, and based on the trailers, I still didn't know jack shit.
Turns out, Ender's Game was pretty badass. The special effects were awesome, the visuals overall were great, and the acting was surprisingly good for a big blockbuster action flick. Especially since it's mostly carried by kids. And Han Solo. There are plenty of interesting twists and turns abound, and they really don't stop coming at you until the credits roll. You're constantly kept on your toes.
Usually, big budget blockbusters have plenty of decent performances, but nothing groundbreaking. Ender's Game is quite the opposite. Asa Butterfield (of Hugo fame) and Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit) do an excellent job as kid geniuses doing space stuff. Butterfield really carries most of the movie, except when Han Solo is onscreen. Solo has aged a bit, obviously, but his acting chops certainly haven't.
My only real complaint about the movie is this one subplot that doesn't seem to quite hit its emotional mark that it's trying so hard to make. I don't want to go into exactly what it is, but from what I understand, it's an important subplot in the book. This apparent subplot is important for the characters and their motivations, but the movie doesn't have it... so this character's presence falls flat and feels unimportant to the story as a whole. In addition to this, there were a couple of emotional beats that didn't quite connect fully with the story. I wouldn't blame this on the actors, but more on the writing and construction of these scenes. I can't really discuss them without giving too much away, but what can I say?
Overall, Ender's Game will either be good or bad, depending on whether you like the books or not. I've heard mixed things on it, but I certainly enjoyed it. If you like high-concept science fiction, Ender's Game is not to be missed... especially after flops like Man of Steel  and Elysium, we could use some good blockbusters this year. Ender's Game definitely delivers.

9/10

ALL IS LOST - Review

All Is Lost

Survival Drama, 2013
1 hour, 40 minutes
Written and Directed by J.C. Chandor
Rated PG-13 for "brief strong language"

Starring
Robert Redford



All Is Lost is an excellent lesson in minimalism. In its sets, in its acting, in its visuals, everything about it is simple. With the exception of a monologue to open the film, Redford speaks hardly 30 words throughout the whole movie. There is no one else in the whole movie. Not another soul. Just a man, the sea, and his boat.
The trouble begins one day when Redford, a nameless man on his yacht, finds water in his boat. Upon investigation, he discovers that a shipping container has crashed into the side of his boat. Sounds a lot worse than it is, but this is just the beginning of the man's troubles. Soon a storm hits, and, well, you can take a guess as to what happens next. The entire film is just Redford trying to survive the deep blue sea. He can't catch a break. It's a real nail-biter.
The score, cinematography, and visual effects are spectacular. It's all simplistic
The most minimalistic feature of All is Lost is Redford's character. We don't know anything about him. What's his name? Is he married? Any kids? Job? Age? Rich? Poor? What is he doing on his boat in the first place? The only thing that we really know about him is that he has a boat and he's just trying to survive. This is what makes All is Lost so great. We don't care about who this guy is, only that he survives. He's instantly relatable because he's just some guy. Then again, he's the only guy, which helps us sympathize with him further. Redford completely captures the essence of this nameless man. His entire performance comes from his body and his facial expressions, and he totally nails it.
There's nothing totally insane that happens. No crazy Life of Pi style shit. Just a man trying to survive. And it moves at a surprisingly fast speed. By the time the movie had ended, I was a little shocked that an hour and 40 minutes had just zipped past. It felt like nothing at all. But it was worth every second. It's hugely entertaining, and is sure to pick up some awards.

9.6/10

PRISONERS - Review

Prisoners

Mystery/Thriller, 2013
2 hours 33 minutes
Written by Aaron Guzikowski
Directed by Denis Villeneuve
Rated R for "disturbing violent content including torture, and language throughout"

Starring
Hugh Jackman
Jake Gyllenhaal
Viola Davis
Terrence Howard
Maria Bello
Paul Dano
Melissa Leo
David Dastmalchain

"Be prepared for the worst, but hope for the best."


Prisoners is pretty fucked up. It's the kind of movie that stays with you long after you've left the theater. It's a tightly written mystery that, despite having a lengthly run-time of 2 1/2 hours, it never slows down.
The film takes place in an ordinary town with an ordinary family. Wolverine plays the central character, a somewhat religious and somewhat overly-cautious father to his older son and young daughter. One day, Wolverine's daughter, along with Terrance Howard's daughter, gets kidnapped. They search high and low, but to no avail. The investigation is headed by Detective Loki (not the bad guy from The Avengers) played by Jake Gyllenhaal. And so it turns into a typical mystery-thriller kind of movie... except Wolverine kidnaps the prime suspect, a mentally challenged man named Alex and tortures him for information. Information which Alex is incapable of giving him.
The film is basically two intersecting stories: Wolverine's morality tale of this kidnapping and his personal investigation, and the detective's actual investigation. The stories obviously intersect and are both equally interesting. And, strangely enough, the whole film feels necessary. There are plenty of interesting, tense, and terrifying twists and turns. I really can't say too much else without giving anything away, but the final moments of the film are really quite incredible.
The performances are excellent, even from it's supporting cast. The movie is full of A-listers, and everybody delivers fantastic performances. It's beautifully shot, intensely edited, and the score is quite haunting.
Really, I don't have a ton to say other than it's most likely on my top 10 list for the year. An excellent movie, but not at all for the faint of heart.

9.6/10

12 YEARS A SLAVE - Review

12 Years a Slave

Historical Drama, 2013
2 hours, 13 minutes
Written by John Ridley
Directed by Steve McQueen
Rated R for "violence/cruelty, some nudity, and brief sexuality"

Starring
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Michael Fassbender
Lupita Nyong'o
Brad Pitt
Sarah Paulson
Benedict Cumberbatch
Paul Dano
Paul Giamatti


"I don't want to survive. I want to live."


As the credits rolled and the lights came up, I found myself unable to compose myself. I could not stand. I could not breathe. My stomach and chest were tingling. I had to sit for a couple of minutes before I could stand and wipe the tears running down my face.
12 Years a Slave is nothing short of a masterpiece. It is, without question, the best film of the year thus far. There are so many aspects that make this film so perfect. Everything, ranging from the performances right down to the subtle execution of the sound design.
12 Years a Slave is the true story of Solomon Northrup, a free black man living with a loving family in New York. He is an exceptionally well-educated man and an accomplished violinist. He cares deeply for his family. One day, he is kidnapped and sold into slavery. From there, he spends 12 years working for various slave owners before he is freed. It's truly an incredible story.
The performances are remarkable. Comprised of a mostly European cast led by Chiwetel Ejiofor and Michael Fassbender, pretty much anyone in this film could win an award for their acting. The cast is surprisingly star-studded. Brad Pitt, Paul Giamatti, Paul Dano, and Benedict Cumberbatch have smaller, but important roles in the film. And they're all fantastic. There's so much more that I can say about the acting in this film, but I don't have the patience, or the words, to express how I feel.
It's also insanely brutal. There's whipping, beating, choking, hanging, stabbing, and a whole lot of despair. The sound of the whips actually made me physically wince to the rhythm of the crack, something that's never happened before. I cried more than once. I wept at the end. No other movie has made me cry more than once. There has been a comparison to Schindler's List in it's accurate portrayal of persecution of a group of people. By many, it's been called the Schindler's List of films about slavery. And they're not wrong. Not only is it incredibly accurate and difficult to watch, but it's also incredibly well made in almost every single facet.
I've spent too much time already talking about this. I don't know what else I'm supposed to say at this point. I just don't have all of the words. Just please, please see this movie. If you have to see any movie this year, it's 12 Years a Slave. I still have a few movies I have to see before the year is up, but right now, this stands at #1. This film will not be easily forgotten. It's an incredible accomplishment in filmmaking and deserves to be called one of the finest films ever made.

10/10



*EDIT: Just added a couple of comments at the bottom that I forgot to put in there.

GRAVITY - Review

Gravity

Thriller, 2013
1 hour, 30 minutes
Written by Jonas Cuarón & Alfonso Cuarón
Directed by Alfonso Cuarón
Rated PG-13 for "intense perilous sequences, some disturbing images and brief strong language."

Starring
Sandra Bullock
George Clooney
Ed Harris


"Houston, I have a bad feeling about this mission."


I will never watch Gravity ever again for as long as I live. Once was enough. I was having a fucking anxiety attack for about 75% of the movie, and it's only like 90 minutes long.
I'm not saying I disliked Gravity. In fact, I think it's one of the best films of 2013. 
Gravity's premise is simple: space debris destroys a space station, which sends Sandra Bullock and George Clooney on a desperate run to safety. And in it's simplicity, we get a solid 90 minutes of heart-pounding and anxiety inducing tension. This is definitely more of a thriller than anything else, even though the only real villain is, well, gravity. Or lack thereof.
Gravity is an impressive technical feat. Remember how everyone was really impressed with Avatar? Yeah, fuck that. I've never in my life seen better use of 3D, which is undoubtedly worth the price-tag for this film. The visual effects are beautiful. The soundtrack is terrifying. Even the sound is designed to feel like you're hearing everything happen from inside the space-suits. Cuarón's usual long-take shenanigans really add a lot to the visuals, there ain't no shaky-cam here. If I'm not mistaken, the first shot in the film runs somewhere over the 12 minute mark before the first cut. That's fucking unheard of. And really, really impressive. I'm not joking when I say this is film is basically guaranteed to win a fuck-ton of technical awards for pretty much every kind of technical award that such a film can win.
It's lighter on dialogue than most films, but that's fine. Not a word is wasted. The writing isn't groundbreaking, but it doesn't need to be. It's concise and does exactly what it needs to do. Even when the characters are just chatting in between the tension, it doesn't feel wasted. We get a reasonable sense of who these people are, which is amazing, considering all of the special effects constantly happening.
Gravity comes with my highest recommendation. I'm not quite sure if it's better than Children of Men, but right now, it's one of the best films of the year, easily in my top 10 for right now. It will leave you breathless, and by the end of the film, you'll feel your heart beating through your fucking chest.
No movie has ever made me feel quite like this. No movie has ever caused me to have a near-full blown panic attack. And I've seen a lot of movies. Like, a LOT of movies. Gravity did something that none of those movies could do, and getting me to that point of anxiety is impressive.

On a side-note, I DO recommend seeing it in 3D. If you can't handle the headaches or don't want to pay the price-tag, I won't judge. But you don't want to ignore the 3D for Gravity. At least consider it.

9.7/10