That young whipper-snapper Henry Barajas may have better things to do than go the movies, but I got out yesterday afternoon to see Gravity in glorious IMAX 3D—and I can assure that if you're gonna see it, it's worth the extra latinum bars to catch it on a big screen. The cinematography was extraordinary and the 3D effects were the best I've seen. (Well, Avatar sets a high standard, but Gravity's story far outpaces the predictable goofiness that was Avatar.)

It appears that former astronaut Mark Kelly thought it was pretty good, too. His Washington Post review:

Last weekend, my wife, Gabby, and I went to see the movie “Gravity” at our neighborhood theater in Tucson. I’m a retired astronaut who has been to space four times, so I’m usually a bit skeptical of films that take place in space. For me, watching movies about space is like a congresswoman watching “House of Cards.” It’s entertaining, but it’s obviously not the real thing.

Director Alfonso Cuarón does come remarkably close with “Gravity.” I’ve spent a total of 55 days in space so I know what to look for, and Cuarón really was able to capture what it looks like inside and outside of a spacecraft.

Kelly has a few nitpicks, but gives the film a thumbs up and—spoiler warning!—offers a brief political message at the end of his review:

But the truth is, most of this doesn’t matter. Cuarón has given us a glimpse of the awe that is the universe beyond our atmosphere. And physics aside, he does it remarkably well.

My only hope is that we continue our exploration of space in real life, too. The majority of NASA employees have been furloughed as a result of the government shutdown. If Sandra Bullock’s Dr. Ryan were a real person, she’d still be waiting on the beach somewhere on planet Earth.

So, do me a favor. After you see Gravity, tell your member of Congress. Perhaps it will inspire them to put NASA employees back to work.