Gravity Review

I just got back from Gravity and I have a few thoughts. NO SPOILERS!

THE 3D EXPERIENCE

Let’s address this 3D shit. I don’t remember the first 3D movie I ever saw in theaters, probably Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare. Although, I that was probably the old red/blue glasses.

Regardless, I’ve never found the effect beneficial to a movie-going experience. It’s never seemed anything more than novel, really. Mostly, it annoys me. The 3D experience is clearly different for each person. Some people love it, others hate it, and no one is wrong. I personally see no benefit to it.

In fact, I have two huge complaints. First, the whole movie looks darker because of the polarized lenses in the 3D glasses. And if the scene in a movie is too dark I can’t see what’s going on. The colors become muted and muddy. After all, I am wearing essentially sunglasses in a dark movie theater. Who thought this was a good idea?

Secondly, to me, 3D doesn’t look real. Sure it tricks my eyes into thinking one object is actually in front of another. It looks like I could reach out and stick my hand behind it. But *that object *doesn’t look 3D.

I noticed this effect in a terrible way in The Hobbit trailer before the movie. One character is clearly in front of another and they are both clearly in front of the scenery. But the characters themselves look flat. No depth from ear to nose. It’s like paper dolls in a diorama.

There are several things that clue our visual cortex into seeing the third dimension: Parallax, scale/proportion, detail/haze, atmospheric perspective. These are all available to the filmmaker of a 2D movie. In fact, they have been employed by image makers since the Renaissance Painters first discovered them. The only thing not available is stereoscopic vision.

If you close one eye the world doesn’t suddenly become an ancient Egyptian painting where every person is the same size, no matter how far away they are supposed to be. You can still see that the really small car is farther away on the road than the really big car that you are tailgating. With just one eye we still have very good depth perception.

The same is true of 2D movies. The images don’t seem to jump off the screen but they do look 3D beyond the screen. It’s as if the screen is a window and you’re looking through it. All those things I mentioned above are happening in a 2D movie to create a 3D effect.

Upon further consideration, I think what bothers me here is that the stereoscopic vision creates depth that doesn’t have a parallax effect when I shift in my seat. If the camera were still it would provide a static left and right eye image. And it might look very real if you sit perfectly still. When you shift, or tilt your head, however, the camera didn’t move when shooting so the parallax is not there. But in Gravity the camera is always moving. (Hmmm interesting discovery.)

And one last thing: I don’t like wearing glasses. Maybe if they were more comfortable I could enjoy a 3D movie.

I was ready to give up on the over-priced gimmick of 3D about the time of Avatar. But everyone said, “OMG! You HAVE to see Avatar in 3D! It’s amazing! It totally changes the movie! You won’t regret it.” Well, I saw Avatar in 3D. And I didn’t like it; the 3D, not the movie. I thought the movie was okay. I just wish I had NOT seen it in 3D.

I also ended up watching Wreck It Ralph in 3D. But that was more about going to watch it at the El Capitan Theater and it just happened to be showing in 3D. Again, I think I would have enjoyed it more in standard 2D.

So, when everyone was like, “OMG! You HAVE to see Gravity in 3D! It’s amazing! It totally changes the movie! You won’t regret it.” I had my doubts. But, I thought, I’ll give 3D one. more. chance.

I realized that I had never seen a movie in 3D IMAX. I had only seen RealD 3D. I though, the price for 3D IMAX is higher so maybe the quality is higher and the experience is better.

I looked into it and according to the IMAX website the difference between IMAX 3D and “the other guys’ 3D” is that IMAX is projected with two projectors. Each one dedicated to one eye. The left projector projects the left eye image and the right projector … you get it.

But “the other guys” use one projector and they project first the left eye image, then the right eye image, very quickly and our brains put it together. (This is basically the way movies have always worked only now they have to contend with separate movies for each eye) Check out the IMAX website if my description isn’t clear enough. They have a video that explains it very well.

I thought this flickering back and forth, only one eye getting an image at a time, might be the reason I’ve always found 3D movies too dark. Perhaps with twice the image on the screen it will appear brighter.

GRAVITY

So what did I think about the IMAX 3D experience for Gravity. Remember Gravity? This is a review about Gravity.

Best 3D experience I’ve ever had. Hands down. The image was not too dark. I did not feel the need to remove my glasses during dark scenes (and this movie takes place in space. There are dark scenes.) I didn’t pick up on the paper doll effect, much. It was there but not to the point that it took me out of the movie. For the most part, this 3D looked real. I’d like to see it again in RealD just to confirm that that is the issue.

Does Gravity NEED to be seen in 3D. No. I don’t believe it does. *I* certainly didn’t need to see it in 3D. Like I said, everyone’s experience is different.

This movie definitely took advantage of 3D. It used it well. And at times it was gimmicky, (objects flying at the viewer) More than any other movie I’ve seen using 3D, this movie put you in the movie. Many times the view was out thru the space suit. The sound design added to this effect of putting the viewer *in* the movie. More on that next. If you’ve ever been to a theme park like Universal Studios and been on a 4D ride you can understand using 3D to put the viewer in the middle of the action. In fact, that was one of my take aways from Gravity. It felt like a 90 minute theme park ride more than going to see a movie. But it was definitely still a movie, very nice story.

Okay, wrapping up the 3D Experience and getting on to a few more points.

The 3D effect was put to very good use in this movie and in a way that was not overly gimmicky. IMAX 3D, it would seem, is a superior 3D experience; no darkness issues, no distracting paper doll effect. So, I would have to say that the 3D enhanced my experience in watching this movie. But…

In my market, an IMAX 3D movie costs $20/ticket. RealD 3D showings go for around $17/ticket and most chain megaplexes charge $13 for the standard 2D experience. However, I hate going to the megaplex, attached to some mall, with an audience of teenagers talking to the screen, on their phones and at each other. 

I like my local theater, with an audience of aging hipsters of the neighborhood who respect the craft and treat the experience like a religious service. A significant portion of each audience hangs around until the very end of the credits. Perhaps, hoping to catch what Roger Ebert called a Monk’s Reward. Perhaps just to show respect for those whose name appears. Just as likely they’re looking for their own, or a friend’s name.

The two theaters in my neighborhood are restored small theaters from the heyday of movie palaces. And they offer matinees for just $6.50 ($9.50 regular price.) why would I ever go to a megaplex? Well, to see something in 3D, of course.

But here’s my quandary. I have a great movie going experience *every* *time* at the Los Feliz 3 or the Vista. So, for a movie to warrant a price more than twice what I pay at my favorite theater, it should deliver twice the experience. And even Gravity in IMAX 3D was not twice as good as I’m sure it would have been to see it at the Los Feliz 3, where it is also playing.

From now on, I’ll wait for a movie to come to my favorite theater and just sit real close to the screen. That’s 3D enough for me.

SOUND

The sound design on this movie was astounding. In space there is nothing to carry sound and Sound was mindful of that from start to finish on this movie. Everything sounded like it was in space. Not that I’ve ever been. You might just have to see it to understand what I mean. But it really immersed the audience in the movie this way. You felt like you were there with them. Go see it and appreciate the decisions that were made concerning sound.

SANDRA BULLOCK

If there is even one guy out there who is thinking, “No way my girl is dragging me to another Sandra Bullock movie. She got me with that Lake House bullshit. ‘Keanu is in it. It’ll be like Speed’ she said. ‘It’s about time travel, or something,’ She said. NOT GOING! Not going to do it! Nope!”

I get it Bullock is the reigning queen of rom-coms. But this movie is an action film. Whaaaaaaaaat?!??! An action film starring a woman, and not just any woman but Sandra mutha-fuckin Bullock? Yeah! get used to it.! Because she’s damn good in it, too. It’s not all “get to da chappa” action. Like I said before, it’s a damn good story. There’s some heart there. Now, it’s not a very deep story. Don’t expect Inception. Don’t expect Schindler’s List. But I was thinking it would be Open Water, in space, with a budget. And it wasn’t that.

Jesus, An action film starring Sandra Bullock. Who would think that could work?! Go see it just for that. Not only that but she turns in a hell of a performance and for a good chunk of the movie she’s alone on screen. Wow!

NON-3D VISUALS

I hate when I’m watching a movie and I can clearly see that a shot has been altered by CG or worse when it goes completely CG. I’m looking at you Daredevil, Benjamin Button and oh yes Dark Knight! I got lost in this movie. I know they had to have used nothing but CG in some of those shots. But it never looked like it. I almost think they shot this in space. Big applause to the CG team. I hope you all were well compensated for the amazing work you put in.

I had heard something about a long shot (15 minutes or more) in the movie. I’m not sure there’s a cut in the entire movie. I don’t remember many obvious cuts. I’m sure they were there, but I was so engrossed. The camera never stops moving and sometimes it seems like shots go on forever. But if you’re not looking for it you’re not going to notice. Because, it never gets boring.

I’m actually baffled as to how they shot some of it. There are two ways to simulate Zero Gravity here on Earth: underwater and the Vomit Comet. Underwater has some obvious draw backs: unable to speak lines, air bubbles clinging to hairs, etc. And the Vomit Comet (look it up) only provides a few minutes of Zero Gravity at a time and these shots were much longer. Someday I’ll look up how they did these shots, but for now I’m content to just marvel at the spectacle.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Hmmm. Well, I had never seen a movie in the historic Chinese Theater before, so that was a special treat. Beautiful auditorium.

I don’t think Gravity is the best movie ever made. But it’s unquestionably a game changer. It may have extended the life of 3D by 10 years. If they can’t fix that paper doll thing it will eventually lose its novelty. It stars a woman in the lead of an action film. Brava! To Sandra Bullock and Bravi to all involved in that decision.  Everything from storytelling, to 3D usage, sound design and CG this movie raised the bar. It’s a phenomenal show.

One parting bit of advice. Whether you see it in 3D or 2D or wait for DVD, practice holding your breath. Because you’ll be doing a lot of that while watching this film!