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GRAVITY (2013) – Film Review by Paul Laight

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GRAVITY - FILM REVIEW

GRAVITY (2013) – Film Review by Paul Laight

If there is a better film to see at the cinema than GRAVITY this year then I can’t wait to see it because Alfonso Cuaron’s space opera is a masterful cinematic vision which combines beautiful vistas with knuckle-biting tension.  Indeed, director Cuaron has carved out an impressive sci-fi story: economical, tense, thrilling, touching etc. which will deserve all the awards coming to it.

Sandra Bullock’s novice Space Doctor and George Clooney’s charming veteran Astronaut are on a mission to service the Hubble Telescope via the Space Shuttle Explorer but before they can complete the job catastrophe strikes. What then follows is a white-knuckle ride of tension and excitement with action unfolding with breathless pace. The writing is so lean and precise that there is little in the way of backstory before we’re propelled into the astounding action. I hate spoilers in reviews so won’t go divulge anymore but it is pure cinema at it’s finest and at times was so tense I felt like I was watching a space thriller as directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

The succession of events which befall the characters reminded me of Henri-Georges Clouzot’s The Wages of Fear (1953) as Bullock and Clooney are faced with all manner of life-threatening dangers.  Bullock herself gives a sterling physical performance thrown from one side of space to the other while Clooney’s dulcet tones provide the kind of assuring voice to settle the nerves when you’re up space creek without a shuttle. There’s existentialist gold in the story too with the themes of life after death,  birth and rebirth and above all else the struggle of the human spirit to overcome powerful adversity.

Yet it’s the muscular narrative, action and incredible cinematography which gave me the most enjoyment watching this. My advice is to watch it on the BIGGEST screen you can find.  Even the 3D — which aside from the odd animated feature I hate — enhances rather than detracts.  So, overall a big hit for me and while I wanted a more risk-taking ending from the filmmaker I cannot fault this film whatsoever.

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ARRIVAL OF WANG (2011) Film Review

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ARRIVAL OF WANG (2011) – Film Four screening

Directors/Writers: Antonio Manetti, Marco Manetti

Cast: Ennio Fantastichini, Francesca Cuttica, Juliet Esey Joseph

This is a nifty little low-budget sci-fi horror from Italy which makes very good use of limited locations and small cast to entertaining effect. A Translator is called to a job at an unknown location and is then faced with a particularly strange job. She must translate for a shady Government organisation who are holding an Alien referred to as ‘Wang’. Strangely the alien speaks Mandarin having learnt it because it is the most spoken language on Earth.

The premise is intriguing and draws you in and I was gripped throughout. The effects were alright given the low budget and the film shows that a decent concept can overcome financial limitations. As with many small budget films we are restricted to one main location; an interrogation room where the Government agent grills the Alien through the translator. The film takes on political subtext by questioning the torture of suspected Government threats or ‘terrorists’ as the alien Wang is seen as foe rather than friend.

While it gets a bit irritating with the back and forth translation and subtitles combined I enjoyed the movie very much; managing to create suspense throughout. Even though some people may find the Alien effects a bit silly and laughable it’s worth sticking with to the end.

http://www.film4.com/reviews/2011/the-arrival-of-wang