The Gravity of the Situation!

The title is just to hook you and now I’ll reel (pardon the pun) you in. On Twitter I mentioned something like: visually exhilarating, suspenseful, emotional, and a sense of depth aroused in some people by the size of our mother Earth. How lost an astronaut could become after a catastrophic event and find the resilience to continue to focus on problem-solving to survive. What I am talking about is the film, Gravity. This is the newly released film directed by Alfonso Cuarón. It’s no secret I’m a fan of Alfonso’s work. Another favourite of mine that he has directed is, Children of Men. I enjoy films with this kind of thought provoking questioning about human survival. The “largeness” of individuals and the smallness of humanity. And what do I mean by that?

In my life I have met many individuals, but only a few who have a “largeness” meaning they have overcome, endured through the very worst life can throw at them and enriched my life from knowing them. When I talk about the “smallness of humanity” I’m talking about how small our global collective existence is when we compare it to the vastness of the universe.

 In my opinion the film Gravity has both, largeness and proposes the smallness factor in a visually powerful way. The live action scenes are without question some of the best around in this genre at the moment. While I always try not to get caught up in the computer animation and CGI I was indeed excited by the seamless integration of these applications. I’m also lead to believe that a new type of technology had to be created for the point of view from inside the space helmet to be captured. Well done!

What I tend to do when I view a film that I think is worthy of reviewing “my way” is to refer to my current counselling studies particularly the cognitive side of understanding emotions and behaviour. I often refer to those automatic thoughts that appear discretely, involuntary, but not reasoned or deliberated, just autonomously accruing as I watch the film. I switch into an awareness mode, reflecting on how deeply I am affected and if there is any impact on my body’s behaviour. For example, tensing up in specific suspenseful scene, heart beating faster etc.

I don’t like to give an classical review of a film because they are simply an evaluation and anyone can do that. I want people to think deeper than just how breathtaking the view is from the Explorer. How good the action and suspense happens to be. There is more to films like this. Have you ever met a person like mission specialist Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) in your life? They don’t have to be an astronaut they just have to have the “largeness” factor.  Do you ever consider how small our presence is in the universe? We are here, but are we heard by anyone else in the vastness of space. Does that make humanity and our planet unique or extraordinary? Or are we, amongst the magnificence and power of space, which just happens to be in a state of continual chaos― explosions, expansions, and huge moving parts with the capacity to crash into and eliminate our whole existence, just so small that we are actually lost in space.

Gravity is a film worth seeing. It won’t be for everyone, but it does have the quality of “largeness” and “smallness” and I think that is what makes a good film. Congratulations to all involved in creating “Gravity”

 I leave you with this quote from David Suzuki.

The human brain now holds the key to our future. We have to recall the image of the planet from outer space: a single entity in which air, water, and continents are interconnected. That is our home. ~David Suzuki~

Until next time, be brave and bold in your chosen field of creativity. And never be afraid to explore new techniques.