Bouncing Around Outer Space on a Lazy Boy with Sandra Bullock

Caution: This post may contain spoilers that could potentially dampen your experience of watching the movie Gravity, featuring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. I want to ensure that you make an informed decision before investing your time and money.

Don't let go

One of the perks of my job is getting to experience things that I wouldn't normally do. A perfect example is watching the movie Gravity at the Director's Club cinema in SM Mall of Asia. Usually, I would wait a few weeks to download a DVD-quality bootleg from the internet. Before anyone starts judging, let's remember that downloading pirated movies pales in comparison to the massive corruption happening with taxpayers' money.

Fortunately, I didn't have to pay for my ticket, but let me tell you, the experience was well worth it, especially considering the luxurious amenities of the cinema. With limited seating, I'd estimate around 50 seats, it was never overcrowded. And the best part? The seats were actual Lazy Boys! I couldn't help but channel my inner Chandler and Joey, raising the leg rest and tilting the backrest all the way. Oh. My. God.

Oh. My. God.

Before entering the cinema, we had to leave our snacks at the entrance due to the cinema's policy. They did offer a menu in case anyone wanted to order something. It struck me as a clever way of monopolizing the food options in cinemas. They even provided free popcorn (well, hidden charges included in the ticket price), and you only needed to pay a little extra for drinks.

Initially, I was thrilled. But then the movie began...

Gravity is one of those films that are tailor-made for the 3D format. It felt like a thrilling theme park ride throughout. The plot revolves around Dr. Ryan Stone (played by Sandra Bullock), the lone survivor of a disastrous space mission where their shuttle collided with debris from a Russian satellite, leaving them stranded in space and fighting to return to Earth. That's pretty much it. I suppose when you have two A-list Hollywood stars and mind-blowing special effects in a movie, the plot becomes less of a concern.

There are actors who excel at their craft and can make you truly feel the emotions they portray. With Gravity, I felt what Ryan Stone was experiencing, not necessarily because of Sandra Bullock's acting ability, but due to the frequent use of first-person POV shots. During the first half-hour of the film, I almost vomited the free popcorn due to the constant spinning and bouncing on-screen. I'm sure they were aiming for a subtle message or those read-between-the-lines moments that require careful thought, but those messages got lost amidst the overwhelming movement and special effects. To fully grasp what the film is trying to convey, one would need to watch it again. However, I don't have any plans to do that in the near future.

For those planning to watch this film, here's a word of advice: take a dose of meclizine hydrochloride one hour before showtime. And if you have the means, watch it in 3D. That's how it was meant to be seen. If the 2D version made me dizzy, I can only imagine what the 3D experience would be like.