Gravity on Blu-ray

Category: Blu-ray's and DVD's

Gravity has been highly reviewed since opening in theaters last year. Now it is available for home viewing, and has garnered an Oscar nomination for Sandra Bullock who carries this film entirely on her shoulders…even if she is in zero gravity.

 

When space debris makes a mess out of the Shuttle, only two of the astronauts remain alive. Sandra Bullock and George Clooney are Ryan Stone and Matt Kowalski, respectively. Now, I can imagine many women who would love to be stuck alone with George Clooney, but this is not one of those situations that lends itself to enjoyment. Stone and Kowalski must make their way through the dark space to the Space Station, where they plan on using the Soyuz as their means back to earth. With all communications with earth cut off, due to the havoc the debris has caused around the world, it is just the two of them, alone, drifting through space, hoping their oxygen lasts long enough for them to make it to the ISS. Then they will have to get back to earth.

 

What I enjoy about this Blu-ray are the bonus features that really add to the understanding of the story and the production. Just how did Sandra Bullock look like she was gracefully, at times, floating through space? The answer is Rigs. And how did the computer add the backgrounds and the astronauts’ faces to the scenes? Modern technology, that’s how.

 

This is something I have often wondered about – space debris. When we look up at the sky, we rarely think about all the junk humans have left in space. There is too much junk in space. The documentary, “Collision Point: The Race to Clean Up Space” narrated by Ed Harris, is very informative and definitely makes viewers think about how humans are trashing space, like they have trashed the earth. Actually, the Kessler Syndrome explains how a chain reaction, like in Gravity, can cause tremendous damage to space and earth. Think of it like that old TV commercial – you tell two friends, then they tell two friends, then they tell two friends…etc. Pretty soon, everyone is involved. So, if two pieces of space junk collide, they make more pieces of space junk, then those pieces travel out and hit other pieces, which in turn creates even more pieces. Pretty soon the entirety of space is filled with pieces of junk. Think about that. This is a man made problem and can only be fixed by humans.

 

Active debris removal is under consideration, but because of the property rights of each country that launched their “junk” it might not be the easiest problem to solve.

Gravity is an interesting story with a great performance by Sandra Bullock, and some very interesting and enlightening bonus features. It’s available on DVD and Blu-ray. Gravity is rated PG-13 for intense perilous sequences, some disturbing images, and brief strong language.

 

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment business for 20 years. She also writes about technology and has been a travel writer for the past 12 years. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet: The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

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