Gravity

[Pearly Di]

See it in 3D, Sir V.

Usually I don't care about 3D, but this is an exception.

[Passdagas the Brown]

I still hope to the see the film before it leaves the theaters.

If there was ever a film that must be seen in the theaters - and dare I say it, in 3D (and IMAX) - it is this one.

I don't think it can have nearly the same impact on the small screen.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

That's the plan.

[yovargas]

Sadly, you've probably missed your chance to see it in IMAX. I'm hoping the opportunity to do that will come back some day.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

There isn't any IMAX near me anyway, so without travelling a significant distance, I wouldn't have had that chance anyway.

[Alatar]

Saw it last night. Amazing! Found myself wishing it was HFR3D though...

[Passdagas the Brown]

Haha! Yes, because while watching AUJ in 3DHFR, I felt like I was really there, in Middle Earth. In Gravity, I didn't get a sense of being in space at all.

[Smaug's voice]

Is it still playing over there, Alatar?

I really loved the film.
Stunning visuals (If WETA doesn't come up with something as grand, I'm sure this is gonna win the Oscar for SFX). DO NOT SEE IT WITHOUT 3D.

If there ever was a film to be seen in 3D, this is it. It doesn't necessarily make things come out of the screen. But it actually immerses you into the scene. The best 3D film till date by far.

Aside the technicalities, the film itself has many layers and the intercutting action scenes actually underline rather than undermine these themes and the character of Ryan. Could possibly be my favorite film of the year (still counting on DOS to beat that one!)

Saying that, you definitely won't get half the feeling if you watch it on DVD or the TV or something.

[Alatar]

Yep, only opened here a couple of weeks ago, and I've been really busy the last two weeks.

[Primula Baggins]

It's probably one of the top two contenders for Best Picture at the Oscars, at this point. Of course a lot of highly anticipated films open next month.

[Smaug's voice]

It's probably one of the top two contenders for Best Picture
at the Oscars, at this point. Of course a lot of highly anticipated
films open next month.

True, but none of them are speculated to be the frontrunner for the Oscar best picture.
It is most probably going to be between Gravity and "12 years a slave" which I havent seen.

And judging by the tastes of the Oscar board, I think "Slave" will win. But let's see. :-)

[Passdagas the Brown]

Both Gravity and 12 Years a Slave are deserving of best picture, IMO.

I don't see why the tastes of the Oscar board would necessarily give the latter an edge over the former, though. Cuaron is a very well respected director, after all, and Gravity has received near universal critical praise. Plus, if you haven't seen 12 Years a Slave, how would you know?

The fact that there is not even a slight possibility of DoS being considered for an Oscar does depress me a bit, though. At what point did PJ and company decide that this time, they didn't really have to strive for excellence?

[Smaug's voice]

Oops.

[Smaug's voice]

I think, that generally for the best Picture race, the Academy prefers historical films or periodic pieces. At least againsr scifi/ space films. That is in general.

And both the films have been universally praised by critics, holding 96-97 RT rating.

I am of course not counting Gravity out as there can always be exceptions, and will myself be happy if it wins.

[yovargas]

There's been a long history of a certain type of movie being the kind of thing that the Oscars really go for. But looking over the last decade's winners, starting with LOTR and up thru The Artist, they've been switching it up a good bit, giving recognition to less traditionally Oscar-baity fair. Given Gravity's mass popularity and critical success, I think it's probably the front runner right now.

[Smaug's voice]

I will be happy if Gravity wins and am certainly not counting it out.
But whoever wins, I was still upset at the Oscars giving the best make up award to
Le Miserables and best costuming to Anna Karenina instead of AUJ, the
two awards that AUJ truly deserved.
Both of them cases of a period piece against a fantasy.

[Passdagas the Brown]

I thought the makeup and hair in AUJ were atrocious, to be honest. The prosthetics looked like prosthetics, and many of the beards (Dwalin, in particular) looked positively pasted on. I didn't find the costuming to be anything special either (see the cheap sequins on Cate Blanchett's dress, for example). In this respect, as in others, AUJ was a mixed bag compared to LOTR.

Though I didn't see Les Mis or Anna Karenina (can't stand Keira Knightly's permanently pouty face - most overrated actress in history), so I can't really judge. But based on the promotional material, the period costumes seemed spot on. Honestly, I prefer history to fantasy for the most part. Unless we're talking Tolkien!

I do think that 12 Years a Slave is likely to beat Gravity for Best Picture, but it should be close! In any event, the former is a very good movie, so I won't be upset if it wins.

[Smaug's voice]

The costumes were of the same level as LotR, all of them winning oscars. I guess there wasnt anything new to interest them.

I know that for make up AUJ did get near universal critical praise, and I myself never noticed any faky prosthetics, and neither did those I know who saw it. (did you see it in HFR?)
and honestly, Les Mis had nothing as new in make up to fetch it the award, unlike AUJ.
Hair? All they had to do was just mess up Bonham Carter's hair!!!
And actually many people (and most) enjoyed the inventiveness in the dwarf hairstyling except for a few irritating ones.

[Passdagas the Brown]

I saw it in all formats.

You really think Dwalin's beard, and Oin's nose, look real?

IMO, most of the prosthetics work this time sticks out like a sore thumb. The dwarves look like a bunch of French guys dressed up as dwarves for Halloween (not sure why they would be French, but there you go).

[Smaug's voice]

Yeah. Dwalin's beard didnt look unnatural to me in anyway. I have seen people with that kind of beard in RL too. Well, similar to that kind.

I dont remember Oin's nose. Seeing that I didnt notice it, should mean it didnt look exaggerated. I'll check it out.