My Favourite Film of 2013.

Film  Gravity was a surprise.

The process of Christmas shopping every year is different.

Some years, like this year, everything seems to fall into place, the perfect items tumble off the shelves and through the letter box (or rather carefully handed over at the doorstep) and there little stress and no worry.

2013 was not like this.  In 2013, I didn't have a clue.

Which is why I ended up on Renshaw Street looking for Christmas presents one afternoon late into 2013.

I didn't find anything and I especially didn't find anything for my parents.

Dejected and doubting myself it didn't take too long to realise that I needed to take a step back.  To breath.

So despite having decided I wouldn't end up seeing Gravity at the cinema, I went to see Gravity at the cinema.

I surprised myself with a film.

In Screen One at Picturehouse at FACT in Liverpool.

Thank goodness.

Sitting on the row was a good choice especially since FACT's screen runs from floor to ceiling and as Sandra Bullock tumbled and rolled through her computer generated space, I felt my stomach repeating the gesture right the way through, my heart pumping, my mouth wide open, forgetting all my Christmas present buying troubles.

Not even the burk directly behind me with the massive bag of crisps who only seemed to munch during the all important moments of silence really distracted me.

I turned around now and then to give him my trademark glare but he was clearly in the group of people who just didn't seem to get Gravity, that its slight characterisation and relatively simple story are a slave to the visual and ride.  He sighed.  He fidgeted.  He continued munching.

But I was with Sandra in her space suit breathing and breathing and breathing some more even when she shouldn't, even when I couldn't.

Then as it reached its conclusion, my arms wrapped around myself, watching one of the most powerful, moving shots in cinema history, I grinned.  As director Alfonso Cuaron's credit appeared I raised my arms in the air.

Presents were bought.  Christmas was fine.  Though I can't credit either to Gravity exactly, I was at least reminded that if you just keep going you'll get there in the end.