The Big Picture COLLIDER VIDEO OF THE DAY SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT There are a lot of people who want to be astronauts as kids. And why not? It's a fascinating profession. Very few people ever get the chance to go into space. Usually, these dreams end up falling flat after people find out the requirements to be an astronaut, which kind of scares people away.
While audiences gave this movie a better reception than critics did, it is oozing with all of the classic Michael Bay tropes that many action movie buffs have come to know and love. Sure, it's not the best astronaut-themed movie that you can watch, but it makes for a pretty good time if you haven't seen it already.
On the ground, NASA determines that there is no way the astronauts can re-enter orbit, so they opt to send a rescue shuttle. However, there is some bad news: a hurricane is approaching the launch site, which would make launching a rescue shuttle impossible. The movie provides claustrophobic tension as the three astronauts on board struggle to survive. It is also remarkably impressive for its time and even earned an Oscar for Best Visual Effects.
The nature of the life form itself is truly frightening, as it tends to feed off of human life like a parasite, and hides out inside the human body, nearly undetectable to the naked eye. While not much of the movie takes place in space, it doesn't need to, because its scares are just as effective on solid ground as they would be in space. It's not only a good horror flick, but a good sci-fi flick, too.
So close and yet so far from home, Damon's performance is electric and makes the film such a unique journey considering he is alone for the majority of the story. Normally, characters are defined by how they interact with other characters--this time, he is defined by his actions.
2 'Gravity' Director: Alfonso Cuarón Gravity may have a pretty small cast, but it really makes use of what it's got. When astronaut Dr. Ryan Stone embarks on her first mission, she is left stranded after a cloud of space debris rips her shuttle to shreds. Spinning out of control and lost in the endless expanse of space, she intends to find a way home using any means necessary.