Elysium and Gravity are the third and fourth movie of 2013 that I have seen this year, both deserve a review … although one only deserves short review while the other deserves more. I have mentioned it several times that I don’t have much anticipated movies in 2013, most of the movies I really want to watch are the ones starring my favorite actors. I saw Star Trek Into The Darkness because of Benedict Cumberbatch and Pacific Rim was pure because the trailer looks cool.
As I have stated in my previous post about my most anticipated movies of 2013, I have more anticipated TVShows than movies. Elysium was one of them, I haven’t heard much about Gravity when I wrote that post…I am not ashamed to say that I watched both movies because of the cast, Elysium because of Sharlto Copley while Gravity because of Sandra Bullock…those are two actors that I would watch no matter how crappy the movie. However, one is a so so movie while the other is the best movie of 2013 (so far). The simple one (in term of the story and casting) wins big time.
Elysium
Director: Neill Blomkamp
Starring : Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, Alice Braga, Diego Luna, Wagner Moura, William Fichtner
Rating: 
I know that I am not going to declare this movie as my favorite the day I saw the trailer and read the plot’s outline. However, I am not going to say that I hate the movie like I hate In Time. Elysium is still enjoyable and I love seeing Copley as the bad guy.
Yes, my reason to go to the cinema to watch Elysium is Sharlto Copley, a not so famous actor that has captured my attention since he played as Wilkus in District 9. This is the third time I saw him and he always appears as different characters…I dare to say I am one of his huge fans. Sharlto played Agent C.M. Kruger, a vicious mercenary. He was really good and believable as a bad ass violence freak. I think he is more interesting to see than Matt Damon 😉
The plot itself is a bit similar to In Time, the poor and the rich live in different places and the rich can live forever as they can cure any disease. Max da Costa wants to go to Elysium (a kind of space station where the wealthy people live) so that he can cure himself but things change when the daughter of his childhood friend had a terminal disease. Although the basic story is the same with In Time but the way the story develop is far better than In Time…but even so, I think I won’t see this movie again…maybe just bits of it in youtube just to see the Bad ass Krueger played by Copley 😉
Gravity
Director: Alfonso Cuarón
Starring: Sandra Bullock, George Clooney
Rating: 
It’s Sandra’s movie…of course I will watch it! But then before I got the chance to see it, I read (more like skimming because I don’t want to be spoiled) that Gravity is really good. I got a lot of recommendation to see the movie even though I don’t need any recommendation to watch sandy’s movies.
Not expecting to have the same respond as others (I often have different taste to most people), I went to the cinema simply because of Sandra Bullock. What I saw surprised me in a great way. I like gravity soooo much and dare to say that this is the best movie of 2013 that I have seen so far. I like how they turned such common survival theme into something that feels so original and fresh.
The story is quite simple, debris from Russian missile hit a defunct satellite causing more debris orbiting around the earth. Dr Ryan Stone ( Sandra Bullock) and Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) barely had a chance to escape the debris. They were the only survivor from their shuttle, they floated above earth’s atmosphere without aircraft. ..and the survival game started.
Sound so simple isn’t it?
But the whole process isn’t that simple! Watching Gravity is a 90 minute suspense. We barely have time breathe air of relief. Can you imagine yourself being lost in space? So dark, quiet and lonely…all you can think of is finding a way home to earth. This movie delivers the panic and the will to survive really well.
Apart from the tense, Gravity also has AMAZING sound effect…one of the best I have heard so far. The effect is perfectly arranged to add the suspense. Just look at the trailer below and you can imagine how good it is in cinema. The view is also stunning. You don’t just see the darkness of the universe but also the beauty of earth, sun and stars…and friendship between the survivors.
Gravity is a movie that anyone MUST see in cinema, the story will still be great in DVD but the view and the sound will no longer feel great in home theater. I wish I had time to see it in IMAX because I can imagine how amazing it’ll be there.
Although my review doesn’t sound promising but trust me…this is an amazing movie!! Everything is perfect and the two cast have great chemistry. It is a well delivered two man show. The panicky Ryan Stone and the calm Matt Kowalsky are played brilliantly by both Sandy and Clooney.
As most realistic science fiction, Gravity has to be as closed as possible to real science but still has to maintain the thrill. As a science teacher, I think Gravity is a good movie to be played at school for science about space…especially if the teacher has read this post> Poking Holes in Gravity Trailer by NASA so that the teacher can explain more about the movie.
My conclusion for gravity is go watch it while it’s still on theater!
Polychrome Interest 
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