Gravity (2013)

Beauty: the belief that the world is a little better than it is.

Memories of the better moments linger longer.

Gravity: the power to cling to the world as it is—in expectation of the memories of beauty.

The sequence in which Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) strips, dozes off briefly, and then glides inside the space station are among the most beautiful visuals in cinema. Her smooth, efficient body contrasts with the prickly, inanimate interior of the station. These two paragons of human-made beauty summarise the accomplishments and the vulnerability of the civilisation.

There is an element of honesty in cinema that is absent from literature. Movies have only two hours to distract and instruct. To succeed, a movie must inspire living, not replace it.