Gravity, t3h movie! Imax 3d.

[Hammerskjold]

That's why I think Cauron copped out. I would have loved a darker tone with Gravity. I yearned for it. I wanted a reason to care that the fellow astronauts died, and a reason to actually fear that Bullock might not
make it.

Let me ask you a hypothetical. What if, Cuaron did this on purpose? The less than completely bleak tone I mean. Here's my reasoning for asking that question. He made a pretty big splash with 'Children of Men' IMO. But before that, he also made 'Y tu Mama Tambien'. Myself, I didn't even put the two together (that it was by the same director) when I first saw 'Children of Men'.

So while I can understand your different yet informed opinion, I don't necessarily share it to the same degree. I guess the short version is I give Cuaron more leeway because at least to me, he has proven that he can handle a pretty wide palette.

The closest Gravity got was Clooney sacrificing himself, and even that wasn't very bleak.

I'm a big believer of the concept of 'truth telling via fiction', but I also know it's limitations.

IMO it's outside of the scope of this thread, but how bleak do you want your film to be, on a particular mood? For super bleakiness, you may have to turn to documentaries. I'm saying that with all due respect here.

I saw one this summer that was darkly humorous, abysmally bleak, powerful, and gut wrenching. IMO I recommend it to everyone who wants to understand why and how humans can kill other humans. But it's so bleak, that I could only watch it a few times. (N. American release, and the directors cut.)

Moon did a million times more character development. While similar, I'm not sure that the tone is even on the same level.

Well here's my reasonings on why I saw more similarities between Moon and Gravity. Tone wise, and how it handles symbolism. 2001, Sunshine, also had those, but I'm talking about more about the less than bleak tones (at least IMO) of Moon. Apollo 13, is a bit more difficult since it's probably closer to 'Dramatized History', so there's little to no room for 'truth via fiction'.


Spoiler warnings etc.


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Moon IMO, started out with one premise. The 'lone' astro miner harvesting He3. Gravity, starts out with a 'routine' space walk repair.

Nearing the end, both movies brings either another, and\or symbolic things. Moon started with lunar mining, then brings in the issue of slave labour, bio-ethics etc. Gravity started with a space walk, then brings in the issue of re-birth, accepting death as a part of life etc. Both can raise subtle questions about humanity\human condition. (You know, english lit stuff.)

But that can be argued as techniques and concepts, but not overall tone. Fair nuff. I still say both Moon and Gravity is more similar in tone, because Moon ended on a relatively happier note.

If we're going really bleak, Sam could've been easily killed by GERTY at many points. Instead of the news fadeout that there is a scandal\controversy, because 'Sam's' existence sorta proves the point. It could've ended at Sam greeted by a bullet on landing. Or a missile interception. 'A malfunctioning satellite falling out of orbit, was shot down today by the space force, sparing millions of earthicans from deadly debris. Sports highlights are up next!'

Gravity could have ended with Bullock's character pod just burning up on re-entry. Half a scream of an obviously dying and on fire Bullock, jump cut to black...Title Card! But it went into the atmospheric re-entry\rebirth\symbolic evolution of life in a few minutes scene.

So long story short, Gravity did have a relatively upbeat ending. At least for her character. I understand if someone was not in the mood for that. But in their universe IIRC 2 space stations went kablooie, a shuttle, numerous astronauts, not to mention there may still be the danger of fallout from space debris. And I would guess their NASA and other space agencies would have a serious problems with the question of, is -any- further space projects worth it?

So there's probably still some bleakness if you want to look for it.

(edited for quote tag mistakes)