The Pull of “Gravity”

Although it did not take home the award for Best Picture, an honor which went to “12 Years a Slave,” and Sandra Bullock missed out on the Best Actress award, the space based movie “Gravity” enjoyed a dominating night at the Academy Awards, winning in seven categories, including Best Director for Alfonso Cuarón.

NASA seems pleased, despite the fact that the movie depicted the loss of yet another Space Shuttle, as well as the entire International Space Station. Perhaps the fact that it was a Russian satellite which initiated the whole disastrous chain of offers a small measure of comfort.

Given Hollywood’s tendency to be highly repetitive with anything which even hints of success, it seems a fair bet that the attraction of “Gravity” will pull more resources towards science fiction pieces in the future.  One might hope that at least a few depict a somewhat more successful outcome for those who seek to establish footholds in the new frontier.