Best of the Decade, No. 17


Over the next 25 weeks I'll be rolling out my favorite films of the last decade. This is, as all lists of this kind, personal selections. Agree, disagree, make a comment and share your thoughts!

No. 17 Gravity (2013)
Starring: Sandra Bullock and George Clooney
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Academy Award Nominations: 10
Academy Award Wins: 7 (Best Director (Cuaron), Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Original Score)
About: As my countdown continues, I'm into a set of films that make it here because of their brilliance as a piece of cinematic art. It's not that I don't enjoy the films, but I am also moved by their craft. That's certainly true of "Gravity," which was a technically brilliant piece. Bullock is the face of the film, and she gives a good performance, but this is about the craft and storytelling. That's in part why it got 10 Academy Award nominations, and it's certainly why it won seven awards, all in the technical areas. It was honored for editing, cinematography, sound editing and mixing, visual effects, score and, of course, for the direction from Cuaron, who is a fantastic filmmaker. And all those were well deserved. This is a taut, visually stunning thriller. It's a movie that has a simple premise and plot, but pulls you in and keeps you gripped because of the idea and because it's a technical marvel. I was particularly taken with the visuals here, and I know I wasn't alone. This isn't always the easiest film to watch because of the story—no one wants to be stranded in space. In fact, I think this story is somewhat the stuff of people's nightmares. And you could argue it wraps up a bit too nicely at the end, sure. But even those closing sequences allow for some fascinating and stunning visuals. As a piece of art, this was one of the best and most memorable of the last decade. If you haven't seen it, find the biggest screen you can and check it out!
Rating: PG-13 for intense perilous sequences, some disturbing images and brief strong language.

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