This is how I would explain Gravity to someone who has not seen the movie, without spoilers, but explaining exactly what they will see:

First, take a regular, Michal Bay-ish screenplay about a space disaster. Got it? OK, so now, you take the first 20 pages off (usually the first act), and throw them out. Now, rip off the last 10 pages (the conclusion of act 3), and also throw them out. Now, you get a black marker pen and cross out every single reference or dialog involving:

* Any character except George Clooney's or Sandra Bullock's. * Any scenes set in Houston or at other space stations. * Any references to explosions, any references to how things should sound.

Now, you get what is left and rewrite it to make it 3 times simpler, but keeping any actions scenes you had.

OK? Now, it's time to shoot this baby. So first, you gotta have Cuaron (the director) watch 4 movies over and over again in order to get the feel and the references:

1- Pixar's WALL-E. 2- Alfred Hitchcock's Rope 3- Any space walk scene from Brian de Palma's Mission 2 Mars 4- His own Children of Men one shot car sequence

OK, now, make sure you get the best technical crew in Hollywood - because this movie needs to look GREAT.

When it's time to mix the audio, all the audio channels with noise, mute them. If the audio guys complain, threat to fire them.

Jokes aside...

This is exactly how this movie feels. A bare basic second act of a great action film. Yeah, there are technical inconsistencies and plot holes. Yeah, George Clooney is playing himself again... But the charm of this movie is how Cuaron kept the good parts, and only the good parts, and made it work. It's half of an action script with scenes that reminded me of (the awful) Mission 2 Mars, but done in a good way. However, it's simplicity and stripped elements bring the feel that "something is missing". Movies have a structure that takes decades to change, and although I am all in favor to change, this is a bit too much in a single direction. As for the long shots, it feels gimmicky sometimes.

All in all, a great theater experience, but not something generally amusing to see on a TV or, heaven's forbid, your cell phone. Go watch it.