This matchup feels pertinent solely due to how each films ending comes across as one gigantic exclamation point to everything preceding it. Gravitys ending which symbolises rebirth as Ryan comes crashing back down to Earth, in a way that fully liberates audiences from the sheer anxiety that comes from watching the film is a relatively upbeat ending that leaves viewers going home happy in typical blockbuster fashion. Theres nothing wrong with that either; its perfect and the only logical conclusion to the movie. Following along a similar path although much more bittersweet, in 12 Years A Slave Solomon Northup is reunited with his family only to find his daughter is married and that he is a grandfather to a child he had never met. Amidst this astonishingly powerful moment, Solomon breaks down in tears apologising to his family, to which his wife responds Youve done nothing wrong. The acting is so superb and the emotion so palpable, that this final scene is one of the best all year. Winner: Both scenes are the definition of unforgettable, but 12 Years A Slave resonates a bit more and therefore wins the round.
