Gravity

And the streak of tense as hell cinematic experiences continues with Alfonso Cuarón's Gravity. And good god, what an experience this one is. Gravity is one of the most mesmerizingly beautiful, and yet relentlessly intense movie-going outings to come our way all year.

And I'm not even exaggerating when I say that this movie is mesmerizing. I was watching wide eyed on the edge of my seat the entire time. The story here is that Sandra Bullock and George Clooney are up in space when their mission goes deadly wrong, and they have to find a way to survive their extreme conditions and make it back home alive, all the while dealing with zero gravity working against them and space debris hurling at them like bullets.

The movie is shot so beautifully, with the camera moving so fluidly as it captures all the action. And the movie is shot in a series of extremely long takes that last for upwards of over ten minutes at a time without cutting away, just floating all around our characters and jumping in and out of their space suits in seamless fashion. It can be such a soothing experience that really pulls you in and keeps your attention as their situation continues to become more and more distressing as our characters find more and more obstacles blocking their journey home. The way this movie's shot, you really do feel like you're lost in space as well as this movie takes you along for the ride.

George Clooney is his usual charming self, and he really just plays the same character he plays in anything, though he definitely does his job to lighten the mood whenever he shows up. But I'm not sure that Sandra Bullock has ever been better, giving one hell of an intense performance that really heightens the intensity on screen. But really, great as the performances are, the technical aspects are the big stars of this show.

In addition to the gorgeous visuals, the use of sound in this movie is just brilliant. Sound doesn't carry through space, and as such, as we see all of the satellites and shuttles crashing and tearing apart, there's no sound to accompany it, which was a real nice touch. Whenever they're out roaming through space in their suits, the only sound we hear is the ruffling from inside their suits as they move around, as well as what they say to each other over their radios. And the accompanying score is a truly compelling piece, really complementing the intensity of the dire action.

You're bound to hear these same words used to describe this movie by just about everyone else who sees it, but they truly do apply in spades to this movie. Gravity is a breathtakingly stunning experience that pulls you in and never lets go until it's over. It's a masterpiece of intensity that'll keep you mesmerized all throughout, with beautiful visuals and music, and a brilliant use of sound that'll stay with you well after the credits roll. It's a cinematic experience unlike anything else out there right now, and is a definite must see.