Lost in 'Gravity'

It has been 7 years since Alfonso Cuarón has graced us with a movie (Children of Men, 2006). Cuarón's new sci-fi Gravity follows a medical engineer and an astronaut on a heart thumping journey to survive being adrift in space after their mission on the STS-157 has been aborted. Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) are given no time to prepare for the evacuation, as they desperately try to grab onto one another, gravity keeping them up in the vast nothingness. Alfonso Cuarón sets the solitary tone and wastes no time commanding our attention with the breathtaking opening shot of Earth from space. The entire film is filled with space shots which cannot be described by any words, but must be visually experienced, leaving sci-fi lovers breathless and in awe. Cuarón sends the viewer deep into space. The camera is shaky only when it needs to be, and the suspense it held throughout. Since George Clooney has already done sci-fi in Steven Soderbergh's Solaris, I already knew he was capable. But, his role in Gravity as Kowalski is a much different character. Kowalski is strong-minded and brings in comedy to a tense situation with his storytelling. A stripped down Sandra Bullock nails it yet again. She is a master at suspense, thrusting us on this emotional journey with mission specialist Dr. Stone as she faces death drifting alone, and we preserve our oxygen along with her. It is truly an unforgettable scene seeing Bullock as but a speck among the stars. Like Children of Men, Gravity shows us the power of people working together to fight against a force which strives to bring them down. Gravity is about physically not letting go, yet emotionally letting go. Cuarón keeps us guessing 'til the end, throwing unexpected, yet subtle twists. Gravity was expected to be, and is, the sci-fi event of the year. Sci-fi lovers always have their set of expectations. You want to be fulfilled in space, but somehow seem to never be fully satisfied. This is what the modern sci-fi genre is supposed to be doing: honoring its predecessors, while accomplishing new intergalactic visual storytelling. Gravity breaks certain sci-fi conventions by having the protagonists spend the majority of the film outside of the spaceship, and by not having the drive of the characters be to get to their family back home on Earth. It is the closest the viewer has felt to being in space, which is why Gravity must be experienced in 3D; it feels like floating. It is also, thus far, my favorite movie of 2013. It will be an Academy Award nominee, and should be a Best Picture contender. Gravity is epic on many levels. Sigourney welcomes you into the genre with open arms, Sandra. You don't know what you're missing. 10-4, over.

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Poltergeist Curse: Urban Legend or Production Nightmare?

Gather 'round ghoulies. Come into the light. Let me tell you a story revolving quite possibly the best horror film ever made: Poltergeist (Steven Spielberg, 1982). The following information are facts, based on actual events that happened to many of the cast involved in the Poltergeist movie trilogy. Six cast members died deaths shrouded by mystery or tragedy, while the other cast is said to be "cursed." So why were they cursed? Remember the scene (pictured above) where JoBeth Williams is swimming in a muddy pool of bodies? Production decided to use real human cadavers as props because it was allegedly cheaper than using prop skeletons. The Poltergeist cast and crew thereby cursed by the angry spirits of the deceased used in the making of the 1980s box office hits. Actors and actresses in the Poltergeist trilogy who died untimely deaths are: Dominique Dunne , who played older sister Dana in the first film, was st...

Once Upon Maleficent

Tale as old as time...No, wait... that's Beauty and the Beast . Disney's ideals have changed since its classic Sleeping Beauty was released in 1959. Then, female animated characters were driven by "true love," or rather, the idea of romantic perfection: a dashing hero who will save them from dreaded despair. If her Prince found her , then all was well in Dislandia. The fairy tales provided escapism for viewers, but also exceedingly high expectations, thereby disappointment. But, fear not! The Beauty re-imagined Maleficent validates that things are different now; in fact, one may not even have to do anything to attain the message in this Fairytale 2.0. Maleficent begins with a classic Disney opening, along with narration from a friendly voice...a young fairy named Maleficent. A compassionate healer, she cures trees and such in her fairy kingdom The Moors. Maleficent's pre-black-rubber days consisted of protecting her land and the creatures who inhabited it...

Lifetime's 'Witches of' Eastwick... I mean: 'East End'

Lifetime witches can be so caring and generous, I've heard. Lifetime has ordered ten episodes of the new TV show Witches of East End , about a mother witch of two ( Julia Ormond ), and her adult daughters Jenna Dewan-Tatum ( American Horror Story ) and Rachel Boston ( American Dreams ) who are unaware of their powers and immortality. Virginia Madsen ( Sideways ) has recently been cast to join the Lifetime coven. Recently ABC's Eastwick (2009) only survived one season of fledgling sorcery before getting the axe. The series is loosely based on the novel by Melissa de la Cruz of the same name. This all sounds charming, will probably be a little practical about the magic used, but we can all hope for some real Hocus Pocus since there won't be any teenage witches.

Ed & Lorraine Warren: 'Conjuring' Up The Wicked

We love to be scared. We love it even more when it's based on a true story. Director James Wan who brought you Saw and Insidious , has a new horror film out - The Conjuring . The bone chilling tale based on the true events experienced by husband and wife Ed and Lorraine Warren - the paranormal investigator dream team. The film takes place in 1971, where the Warrens give lectures on demonology at Universities, aside from debunking paranormal cases with their years of expertise. The Warrens even have a museum of haunted artifacts in their abode, taken from cases so haunting, they have a priest on the payroll who regularly visits to bless the room. The Warrens are brought on by Carolyn Perron, played by Lily Taylor ( The Haunting , Six Feet Under ), to help her family of five daughters who are being haunted and taunted by dark spirits in their farmhouse. Things go bump-in-the-night, to say the least....

The Triumph of Camp X-Ray

After premiering at Sundance Film Festival in January to critical praise, Camp X-Ray , the directorial debut from writer/director Peter Sattler which stars Kristen Stewart and Peyman Moaadi was picked up by IFC Films and released OnDemand, on iTunes, and Amazon Oct. 17. Sattler opens the film with a shot of the Twin Towers up in smoke, which is then revealed to be current news on the television at Ali Amir's residence, played by Peyman Maadi ( A Separation ). Privately praying in his humble apartment, Ali suddenly has his head enveloped by a black bag and is whisked off on a boat, along with other visibly-and-audibly shielded men across the ocean. Sattler cuts to eight years later, where we follow Kristen Stewart 's Army private first class Amy Cole who has just arrived to Camp Delta located at Guantanamo Bay, and stationed to guard the detainees. Informed by her superior that this is a war zone, the guards are put on suicide watch every 3 minutes. While she's just be...

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