3. Gravity
Grade: AMy Take: By now, hopefully, you have seen Gravity and you don't need me to tell you how great of a movie it is, but in case your holding out and need a bit more convincing, here's my two cents. Gravity is the single most impressive movie ever in its use of technology. It's the first film to fully justify, in an artistic manner, the use of 3-D technology and heavy CGI effects. Not since Jurassic Park has advancements in computer technology meant so much to a film and the film industry as a whole. There is simply no other way to describe Gravity then to call it an experience, and while some may view that term as a pejorative one, I do not. This is one hell of a vision dreamed up by director Alfonso Cuaron and his brilliant cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki. Now it's true the film's script does have some weaknesses, as Sandra Bullock's character's whole back story is rather trite and unnecessary. Had Cuaron and company been brave enough to ditch the typical "character development" deemed necessary to make the audience "care" about the characters and gone simply for the harrowing space disaster angle, we might be talking about one of the best movies in quite some time. Nevertheless, Gravity is still a towering achievement that demands to be seen in the theater.
Oscar Prospects: Very good. After strong receptions at the trifecta of fall film festivals (Venice, Telluride, and Toronto), Gravity's Oscar prospects seemed fairly certain, but after a great debut weekend at the box office, it's place in Oscar history became an inevitability. For technical categories such as Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Visual Effects (obviously), and probably Best Cinematography, not only is Gravity assured of a nomination, but the Oscars themselves might as well already have their names engraved on it. Beyond these obvious Oscars, Sandra Bullock will certainly be nominated as well as Steven Price for writing the film's excellent understated score. Gravity will also have a good shot at receiving nominations in the Best Film Editing, Best Production Design, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Costume Design categories. The real question for Gravity though is can it win the big ones, Best Director and Best Picture? This is the debate you will be hearing from now until March. Many will say with utter certainty that because Gravity is a science fiction film, it has no chance at the big prize, and while there is certainly precedence for these beliefs, I wouldn't take it too seriously in Gravity's case. There are still a couple films that need unveiling that may shake up the race (particularly American Hustle), but it is very likely that 2014's Best Picture race is going to come down to a battle between 12 Years a Slave and Gravity, so prepare yourself for some ugly mudslinging between advocates of these two films.