Elysium and Gravity, Where Simplicity Wins
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!
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I watched Elysium and enjoyed it as an action film and nothing more. Matt Damon was likeable but Sharlto Copley stole the show as the psychopath Kruger.
I’m going to see Gravity when it’s released in the UK.
Yeaaa \(^_^)/ I am glad you said Sharlto stole the show because I also think the same 🙂
Eh? Gravity hasn’t been released in UK yet? I can’t believe we have it before UK
It’s strange because the UK has been getting films before everyone else, these days. I watched Rurouni Kenshin in a cinema this week and next week I’ll be watching four Japanese films at a festival in London and then Captain Phillips, which stars Tom Hanks, when I get home.
Rurouni Kenshin was a lot of fun.
We hardly get Japanese movies here 😦
I love Kenshin…I enjoyed it A LOT! Satoh was great as Kenshin
I found Elysium good, but Gravity was great.
I guess I haven’t met anyone saying Gravity is bad 🙂
Yay! I think we’re in agreement w/ both films Nov. I was a disappointed by Elysium too, but we both had been wishing Sharlto Copley had been the lead!
As for Gravity, yes it’s absolutely brilliant! Glad you saw it on the big screen. Well worth the 3D price I reckon, I don’t even mind seeing that again.
P.S. Stay tuned for the Broadchurch post tomorrow 😀
I want Sharlto as the lead but still playing Krueger instead of Max 😉 Love seeing him act so different to his personality like that.
I saw it in 2D but it’s still great. If I have time, I’d love to see it in IMAX….ah time is the problem here.
Have yet to see Gravity, doesn’t come out until November for me 😀
Whaaaaat? How come it takes that long????
I have no idea, No reason whatsoever!
Ellysium only gets a 2? I thought it was worth a 3. Disappointing, but not horrible. I had a lot more fun at a showing of a Buster Keaton double feature using local musicians for the sound.
I’ll definitely check out Gravity. Sandra is an auto-buy in my book, too.
2 means It’s Okay and I do think that Elysium is an Okay movie, it’s not horrible (I’d have given it one star if it is horrible like In Time). I give 3 stars for ‘I Like it’ and that is usually for something I enjoyed very much but didn’t wow me.
Buster Keaton?
Hope you’ll like Gravity as much as I do 🙂 I didn’t know you like her too, she’s one of my fav actresses
Buster Keaton – silent picture comedian.
I get your scale now. I to 1- horrible, 2-not good 3- all right 4- good 5- fantastic
Thank you for the video, that was fun…makes me remember about Charlie Chaplin.
Ah, I don’t give star to horrible movie. My rating is more to how I feel about the movie; 1- I didnt like it; 2-it was okay; 3-I like it; 4- I really like it; and 5- it was amazing 🙂
I just went to see Gravity. Excellent! The only thing I would have liked to see different is to have her come in direct contact with some form of civilization at the very end.
Yeaaaa \(^_^)/ I am glad you like the movie too 🙂
Ah yes, I also think it would be better if she met someone on earth, but I still enjoy it nevertheless. I want to share this movie if I have a lesson about space.
You could get a number of physics lessons across with that – mass and momentum, orbiting matter, propulsion…. And excellent excuse. 🙂
Exactly!! 😉
I hate gravity. It keeps my rockets from getting into space. I haven’t seen the movie, though. It looks really good. Space, rockets, and Sandra. Hard to go wrong with that.
Once you passed the atmosphere, your rocket will no longer being pulled by gravity 😉
Do watch it Bink! You’ll love it
I will try to see it!
Hope you’ll like it as much as I did 🙂
How disappointing for you! I haven’t seen Jodie Foster in a movie for ages. Did you ever watch that one where she was a gang rape survivor – The Accused? It was excellent.
But you’re not in it for Jodie Foster, now are you… 🙂
I came by to see how your move has been. Wondering… hope you & your cute turtles are all good in the new set-up.
Jodie wasn’t so good here. No I havent seen it, in fact this is the first I heard about it. I will try to look it up 🙂
I like Jodie but yeah I didn’t watch Elysium because of her.
Oh, I wrote what has been happening to us in my turtle’s blog because they are one of the reasons I move. I already have two posts about the move there.
Did not enjoy Gravity as you. I think that it was a bit overrated. I loved Cuaron’s Y Tu Mama Tambien more. But it’s a great comeback for Sandra Bullock, and I loved Clooney’s performance there.
I know someone who also don’t like Gravity…I guess it’s all in the preference.
I will try to look that movie up later.
Yeah Clooney is okay…just like Clooney always be 🙂
I saw a preview for Gravity the other day and I was on the fence. Now I’ll give it a chance.
I hope you’ll like it. Most people like it tho I still mete few that dislike it. I like survival movies.
I trust you on Gravity. I’m very keen on watching it although I’m not a George Clooney fan but I love Sandra Bullock though.Hmm.
I’ve seen a few new movies this year but nothing was that good. I forgot them mostly right after having watched them. The worst was Oblivion.
Same here!! I am also not Clooney’s fans, I think he is overrated. Sandra Bullock was great here.
I think I have heard of Oblivion but not sure what is it about. I will google it after this
Elysium is movie I was looking forward to for a long time … but it wasn’t great, merely okay. I just finished Gravity today and liked it a lot. I don’t normally like the roles Sandra pics but this role is perfect for her. Gravity is meant to be watched in the cinema; a big screen TV, while not bad won’t get the same feeling.
Yeaaa…we have same opinion 😉 I also think that Elysium is an okay movie.
Totally agree with you! It’s a waste if we don’t watch Gravity in cinema…the view was spectacular!! But I am looking forward to see it again on DVD because the story is still good but I am curious to know how I feel about the view then