Escape to the Movies: Gravity

[Marik2]

Huh so the movie is a fun ride, eh?

Thought it was going to be dumb or just there, but the "it looks better on IMAX 3D" makes me want to watch it.

 

[LordLundar]

I can't see this movie unless they have a consulting astrophysicist in the credits. A physics-based movie must have accurate physics and I just don't trust Hollywood to get it right on their own.

Agreed. Every time I see some new info for this movie it seems like the writers watched Space Cowboys and some of the crazy stuff done in Kerbal Space Program and said "let's combine the two!"

Sorry, way too much of that says to me "not even the remotest possibility would this shit EVER happen!" The biggest one would have to be Bullock's character who would never pass the psych exam. NASA doesn't want that kind of emotional baggage doing critical operations in orbit. And while the most obvious, not even remotely the only thing.

Might be great for drama, but if you're interested in the reality of space exploration, you'll spend the bulk of the movie screaming obscenities at it.

Also, Russian satellite explodes and Americans still use space shuttles. Is this movie supposed to be in the 80's? Sigh.

Right up until the shutting of the space program NASA was using the same shuttles as in the 80's so that's accurate. The Russian satellite is BS though.

 

[daxterx2005]

Everytime I see anything involving this movie I flash back to the final episode of Family Matters.

 

[Psykoma]

but if you're interested in the reality of space exploration

You'd also fall asleep.

Spoiler

What with space exploration being roughly .00001% of "Let's do this super awesome thing!" and 99.99999% of "Lets do some math!"

What on earth would make you expect that from this film, or any movie-theatre film?

 

[MB202]

You know, my sister saw the trailer and thought it was dumb, for no other reason other then it's just two people in space... and that's somehow boring/lame/stupid.

 

[Machine Man 1992]

I'm probably not going to see this, because the trailers alone look like something that's going to cause me to clench so tight light itself couldn't escape.

 

[Tireseas_v1legacy]

*inhales deeply*
OSCAR BAIT!
That is all.

Uhhh... no. Oscar bait is where the entire movie is designed to appeal to the aged and actor-heavy Academy voter, and generally heavily favor dramatic actor-focused character pieces, particularly historical pieces and heavily favoring the "based on a true story" tagline (although not required). For example: Kings Speech, Argo, Lincoln (nominee), Hurt Locker, No Country for Old Men, The Departed, etc.

Gravity, which is heavily technically focused with damn good acting, may get nominated, but between it and Lee Daniel's The Butler, my money is going to be on the Butler.

Sorry, way too much of that says to me "not even the remotest possibility would this shit EVER happen!" The biggest one would have to be Bullock's character who would never pass the psych exam. NASA doesn't want that kind of emotional baggage doing critical operations in orbit. And while the most obvious, not even remotely the only thing.

Didn't NASA have a problem with an astronaut loosing it? [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_Nowak#Charges_of_attempted_kidnapping_at_Orlando_Airport]

 

[Right Hook]

I really have no interest in this movie, even if it is "good". It just looks like something that wouldn't appeal to me, I don't really care for either actor/actress.

Oh yeah and hang on guys, I'll do it for him...

BUY MY BOOK, BUY MY BOOK, BUY MY BOOK,BUY MY BOOK, BUY MY BOOK, BUY MY BOOK,BUY MY BOOK, BUY MY BOOK, BUY MY BOOK...

 

[Blue_vision]

For a good accurate ripping for how inaccurate this rubbish is, see here.

http://arstechnica.com/science/2013/10/poking-holes-in-the-gravity-trailer-with-nasas-help/

I basically read this as "This movie is awful because it takes artistic liberties"

I'm sorry, but you haven't really given me a good reason to think that this movie is bad.

 

[Doctor Proctor]

It's so...Billy Zanian.

 

[LordLundar]

Sorry, way too much of that says to me "not even the remotest possibility would this shit EVER happen!" The biggest one would have to be Bullock's character who would never pass the psych exam. NASA doesn't want that kind of emotional baggage doing critical operations in orbit. And while the most obvious, not even remotely the only thing.

Didn't NASA have a problem with an astronaut loosing it? [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_Nowak#Charges_of_attempted_kidnapping_at_Orlando_Airport]

The incident happened after her space experience and she gave no indicative signs of mental instability in the decade she was an astronaut. Bullock's character however was constantly nervous and could not handle stress well. The physical tests that astronauts have to go through place more stress on the body than most of the actual time in space. It would have caused a personality like Bullock's character to break down in tears and she would have been removed from the roster, probably given a desk job.

There's a reason why most astronauts come from the military and it's as much assessments of stressful situations as it is physical requirements.

 

[Darth_Payn]

That last shot shown from the movie just makes me think of 'Major Tom'

Man, how spooky would it be if any version of that song made onto the soundtrack? I mean, read the original David Bowie lyrics (that singing astronaut on the ISS changed a few words), and it's almost the plot of Gravity.

 

[Tireseas_v1legacy]

Sorry, way too much of that says to me "not even the remotest possibility would this shit EVER happen!" The biggest one would have to be Bullock's character who would never pass the psych exam. NASA doesn't want that kind of emotional baggage doing critical operations in orbit. And while the most obvious, not even remotely the only thing.

Didn't NASA have a problem with an astronaut loosing it? [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_Nowak#Charges_of_attempted_kidnapping_at_Orlando_Airport]

The incident happened after her space experience and she gave no indicative signs of mental instability in the decade she was an astronaut. Bullock's character however was constantly nervous and could not handle stress well. The physical tests that astronauts have to go through place more stress on the body than most of the actual time in space. It would have caused a personality like Bullock's character to break down in tears and she would have been removed from the roster, probably given a desk job.

All of which can manifest after authorization (not everyone who has a fear of flying is going to manifest it on the ground).

There are things you can prepare for, but when it comes down to it, all the preparation in the world is no substitute for the real thing. And while you can practice responding to a crisis, there is no substitute for real fear and adrenaline if and when such a crisis hits.

There's a reason why most astronauts come from the military and it's as much assessments of stressful situations as it is physical requirements.

And Nowak was also ex-military. Her only mission as an astronaut was less than a year before her episode. She had been in training for ten years prior to that and was Navy pilot before that. Something during that period should have tipped someone off that there was a potential for an incident (I'm not one of those people who think that people "snap"), but it wasn't caught.

When it comes down to it, there's always possibility of someone not getting caught by every check or said checks not covering the problem area. Just because you believe it's impossible doesn't mean it is.

Or, you could go with the "it's a fucking movie" argument where things that don't (or are highly improbable to) happen in real life happen, which allows the story to develop.

 

[Grabehn]

I'm a bit lost here, what is that "3rd act bullshit" from Children of Men that Bob talks about?

 

[shiajun]

I'm a bit lost here, what is that "3rd act bullshit" from Children of Men that Bob talks about?

I was just about to ask the same thing. Maybe I'm too dense, but I don't where Bob is coming from, at all.