Gravity

It's nice to see George Clooney's handsome face on my blog.  Hi, George!

I used to see at least two or three movies a month during the peak summer and autumn movie seasons in years past.  Since I moved to Roanoke, where the movies aren't any cheaper, I haven't kept up with that movie watching rate which kind of surprises me.  So, I'm excited that I have seen two movies in the past two weeks!  That's been unusual for me and I'm happy to say that they were both worth the money.  Woo hoo!

A high school buddy, Ehab, posted on Facebook that he saw Gravity and he wrote "Oh.My.God." on his post.  He didn't give anything else away and since all the movie reviews were so positive, my husband and I decided to give it a try last night at The Grandin.  The screen wasn't huge and we didn't see it in 3D but that didn't really matter.  The movie would be amazing on a small TV screen because the visuals are that good and just suck you right in.

Without giving anything away, Gravity is supposed to be an allegory about dealing with grief from sudden loss.  The screenwriter also sprinkles in a few bits about faith, the need for a human connection, and isolation in the face of loss.  When I think back on certain scenes (like those in the trailer above), I think about how when grief first hits it leaves you feeling like you are spinning out of control, full of fear, alone, and you just want to grab onto something or someone who can make it all better.  How do you come back from that depression and sadness now that life has changed?  Can you?  The stages of grief and the journey are all included in the movie but it's wrapped up in a super-exciting adventure where you can just ignore the symbolism and enjoy the ride.

The visual effects are amazing and the story is riveting, suspenseful, and really exciting!  I didn't think the acting was 'the best acting I ever saw' or Oscar-worthy but it was very good.  I had trouble hearing what the characters said at times and that was frustrating and the ending left me wanting more.  The ending was brilliant and came at a good time but there are too many loose ends for me...  I suppose that's a compliment to the writer and director that I left with questions and wanting to talk about the film with someone.  I hope you get to see it in the theatre or on DVD.

Today, I need to go and plant a bunch of flower bulbs that arrived Friday night.  The flowerbed is mostly prepped but I have some old nasty mulch to get rid of and the planting will take me a while.  It's supposed to rain a lot on Monday so I need to get them in the ground today.  The squirrels better leave my tulip bulbs alone or else their lives will be in jeopardy!!