Medical engineer Dr. Ryan Stone (Bullock) is floating in space doing routine maintenance on the shuttle and bantering with her colleague, veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski (Clooney). Suddenly their mission gets aborted when a Russian satellite explodes, sending destructive debris their way. With the shuttle damaged and all communications cut off, Ryan and Matt have few options to save themselves and find a way back to Earth. Will they make it?

This pulse-pounding thriller is first and foremost a remarkable technical achievement, using CGI and 3D technology to make us feel we too are up in space with the two protagonists. It’s one of the headier visual trips you’ll ever experience at the movies. It’s also genuinely terrifying once disaster strikes. The two leads excel, with the Oscar-nominated Bullock appearing in every scene. Her Ryan Stone is a serious professional who we also learn is no stranger to tragedy, Clooney’s Kowalski the more seasoned player who knows how to restore reason and calm when the mission goes sideways. The winner of seven Oscars, including best editing, cinematography, and best director for Cuaron, “Gravity” is one mind-blowing cinematic voyage.