There are still a couple of lines where I reeeeeally long for silence, and there's still a part of me that really longs for a cut without any music-- just bathed in the silence of space. The visuals don't require the added aural suspense.

However, this time I went in not really expecting something more than a simple parable, and it worked better for me. Primarily because Bullock is so terrific. One or two of her final monologues are corny as all get out, but goddamn does she make them work. I appreciated her performance far more this time than the first viewing.

Still can't get over the visuals. Again, I wish the whole thing had been composed of that crazy long "uncut" takes-- the movie's weakest parts are when the editing becomes more conventional. The first two shots make up what seems like 30 minutes, easily, and it's no coincidence they're the highlight of the film. The ISS sequence has a few long shots as well, also highlights (highlights of the year, mind you-- not just the film). That stuff is all-timer stuff... perhaps that's what makes me long for a flawless execution, nothing but the highs, as it makes the "lows" more noticeable.

Still, those highs.