Gravity (2013) (2 Viewers)

[rich_d]

Their orbital speed is irrelevant. All that matters is that their speed relative to each other and to the station is zero. There was simply nothing there to cause tension in the line. Also, if the line was "sliding" along her leg, she would have immediately reached down and grabbed it, since a failure to do so would have killed both of them. But she made no such immediate move, therefore it's obvious it wasn't sliding.



Of course, the vast majority of people know very little about physics.

Thus, with our ignorance, we are free to completely enjoy this great film without any science-related hesitation.

Robert R said:I would argue that most people would notice this physics error but in the end not care due to the overwhelming majority of physics that Gravity did get right.

I view it differently than both of you. I don't know the physics AND I don't think physics is the key issue in the scene.

Yes the scene bothered me as I think the timing/editing screwed up this scene. The guy seemed to let go at a point it became completely unclear that he HAD to. Now, I, the viewer 'leaves the film' thinking that what happened didn't connect to what I saw. They just overplayed their hand or in short, they went several seconds too long before he disconnected.

Terrific film in my view but I thought they mucked that moment up, big time.

 

[RobertR]

So we're watching this turd and, as you may dimly recall, at one point Godzilla jumps into the Harbor to escape yet another attack by the military. There are several submarines lurking in those waters which attack her (remember, Godzilla was a her [I guess] in this turkey). That was the moment my co-horts derisively chortled at, and the scene that they made fun of after the film was over and we were briefly discussing it.

That's an interesting story, Chuck, but it highlights the difference between the two movies. 1998's Godzilla was indeed a dud, a turd, a turkey, made by a hack director who wouldn't know accuracy if it bit him in the ass. But Gravity isn't supposed to be a turkey. People speak about it as a serious, good film, made by a non-hack. To a number of people, it's the Next Great Space Film. The filmmakers obviously went to considerable lengths to get a lot of things right, including the station interiors. Astronauts have even written about how close it is to the actual experience of being in orbit. Thence lies the problem. They went to all that trouble to be realistic and convincing, but for a crucial, dramatic scene, they dropped the ball. They blew it. They should have, and probably did, know better, but they chose to undercut the drama of the scene by being lazy and having something happen which didn't really have to happen. It was unnecessary. I'm thinking "c'mon guys, you could have put a little more thought into it and come up with a better way to show people that Clooney's character had to die. You're paid a LOT of money to come up with such ideas. Couldn't you have put forth a little extra effort?"

I guess not.

 

[Robert Crawford]

That's an interesting story, Chuck, but it highlights the difference between the two movies. 1998's Godzilla was indeed a dud, a turd, a turkey, made by a hack director who wouldn't know accuracy if it bit him in the ass. But Gravity isn't supposed to be a turkey. People speak about it as a serious, good film, made by a non-hack. To a number of people, it's the Next Great Space Film. The filmmakers obviously went to considerable lengths to get a lot of things right, including the station interiors. Astronauts have even written about how close it is to the actual experience of being in orbit. Thence lies the problem. They went to all that trouble to be realistic and convincing, but for a crucial, dramatic scene, they dropped the ball. They blew it. They should have, and probably did, know better, but they chose to undercut the drama of the scene by being lazy and having something happen which didn't really have to happen. It was unnecessary. I'm thinking "c'mon guys, you could have put a little more thought into it and come up with a better way to show people that Clooney's character had to die. You're paid a LOT of money to come up with such ideas. Couldn't you have put forth a little extra effort?"

I guess not.

I think some of your comments are harsh about the filmmakers, but you're welcome to your opinion.

 

[Tino]

Hey.....I liked Godzilla.

 

[DaveF]

I skipped a day of research in grad school to see Godzilla with classmates.

I'm not sure we were happy with our decision

 

[Aaron Silverman]

As an example, I have heard NO criticism of another narrative element (non-physics related) that is, for my money, as crazy as any of the physics. For example, what are the chances that NASA sent up a very experienced mission commander that did NOT know the psychological makeup of every member of their team? Would Kowalski actually not know exactly where Ryan Stone was from, that she lost a child, the name of her parents and dog and high school? Of course he would. Even with only 6 months of training, Stone would have trained with Kowalski quite a bit (they don't "wing" spacewalks), and he would have read her entire file cover to cover. And I imagine that NASA keeps incredibly dense and detailed files on each and every single person that they spend millions of dollars to put into space at great risk to all involved. But the characters spend plenty of time, relevant meaningful time, having that conversation (for us, obviously).

That stuck out like a sore thumb to me as well, but it was another case of Carlin at the dentist.

 

[SamT]

Saw this today. Liked it a lot. 10/10. I loved the music. Probably it could have been even better by not having huge stars cast. They should have tried someone unknown maybe.

 

[Tino]

Better than 10/10?

 

[Aaron Silverman]

This one goes to 11.

 

[EricSchulz]

Just saw this in Real D 3D. After reading some of the comments here, I think I want to see it again on a real IMAX 3D screen. There are some things I would definitely watch more carefully the second time....

 

[Tino]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe Gravity is playing in "real" IMAX theaters...only digital "liemax" theaters. And this is the last week it will be in those theaters to make room for Enders Game and Thor.

 

[Tino]

Btw, Gravity crossed $200 million domestically at the box-office today and is at $365 million worldwide...so far.

 

[TonyD]

Btw, Gravity crossed $200 million domestically at the box-office today and is at $365 million worldwide...so far.

200 million today?

 

[Mike Frezon]

I think you know what he meant...

 

[schan1269]

200 million today?

That be a lot of people skippin' work...

 

[Robert Crawford]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe Gravity is playing in "real" IMAX theaters...only digital "liemax" theaters. And this is the last week it will be in those theaters to make room for Enders Game and Thor.

What do you mean "liemax" theaters? The theater I viewed it in was part of a new theater complex built in 2007. Matter of fact, the IMAX theater that I viewed Gravity in, wasn't ready for another 5-6 weeks back then in 2007. The film Beowulf opened as the first IMAX film shown in that new theater. I was part of the opening audience for that showing.

 

[Tino]

Not my expression. That's what members here call digital IMAX theaters which I believe are smaller than full size IMAX theaters. Also 70mm IMAX films can only be shown in true IMAX theaters. I checked the real IMAX theater by me and it wasn't showing Gravity and the next film it will be showing is Catching Fire.

 

[TonyD]

True IMAX is film, lie max is not

 

[Aaron Silverman]

The IMAX screen at a very new multiplex where I saw Gravity is not nearly as large as the IMAX screen at the science museum in Ft. Lauderdale. So I assume it is "LieMAX." I know that the IMAX screen in the older multiplex in downtown West Palm Beach is LieMAX.

I don't know that the screen was all that much bigger than a large regular screen, but the 3D image was nice and bright.

 

[Tino]

"Liemax" screens are definitely larger than regular screens. At my local AMC there are three sizes...regular, ETX, AND IMAX.