Is anything sacred in Hollywood?

With the number of franchises growing all the time, and remakes and reboots coming at us from every angle.  The question is, is anything sacred?  Will anything ever be spared the sequel, prequel, remake, reboot, re-imagination treatment?  If so, why?

That was the question that was discussed between myself and a friend after the release of the latest trailer for the Robocop reboot, due in February 2014:

Initially we were both very much against the idea of a Robocop reboot.  The original is without doubt a classic.  A film I could sit down and watch right now without thinking, "if only they were able to do this, or change that?".
Having seen the second trailer I'm warming slightly to the idea of a new Robocop.  Why?  It's becoming clear from Samuel L. Jackson's character's speech that the angle will be global unmanned warfare/policing.  This has grabbed my interest, and I would like to see where they go with it.  This 'finger on the button' style of disassociated warfare isn't new.  Whether it's warfare or just everyday living we've explored the idea of removing the human element.  We only have to look to Surrogates or I, Robot as examples here.  What I hope it adds to the Robocop reboot is a broadened horizon.  A more globalised element to the narrative that can only mean one thing, more spectacle.  For me, the simplicity of the story is what gives Robocop it's timeless quality.  So a global, 21st century facelift gives them somewhere to go with the reboot without having to tinker with the winning formula of the original.

When it comes to the question of what makes anything sacred?  Who knows.  In a time when we see Total Recall remade with nobody going to Mars, it's looking more and more like the answer is nothing.

Gravity...A force to be reckoned with...

After weeks of positive press and media attention.  Including a slew of glowing reviews over the last week, I finally got to see Gravity.  With a current Rotten Tomatoes rating of 97% expectation was high.

If you've yet to see the film, don't read ahead.

Wow.

Gravity tells the story of Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock), and Matt Kowalski as disaster strikes their routine spacewalk to service a satellite orbiting the Earth.  Seemingly stranded in space, will they make it back?

The only thing that I could consider to be negative about the film, or even the experience itself, was that it highlighted how unused to great, original screenplays I had become.  For a few brief moments during the beginnings of the film, I thought I was feeling underwhelmed.  At first I was inclined to equate it to the hype surrounding the film.  Then I realised I had grown accustomed to coming into the cinema expecting either mediocrity, or a franchise that I was already very familiar with.  The caveat to this being Prisoners and Captain Phillips, but I'm sure that anyone who has seen either will agree that they are paced and shot in a very different manner.

First you have the stunning cinematography.  There's no snappy, nauseating edits here.  The length of some takes must have been very intimidating for the actors.  Under any normal circumstances, long minutes of Sandra Bullock hyperventilating would make Speed look like Oscar bait.  In Gravity's case, it only serves to add to the aesthetic.

Then you have the soundtrack, or lack of.  As you would expect in space, everything is very quiet.  Space debris shredding through the spaceship and space station in near silence is incredibly unsettling.  Especially after we get to see first hand what the result of getting struck by even the smallest piece could mean.  The only music we hear is that played by George Clooney's character.  Firstly to Ryan's annoyance, and secondly to her comfort.

Finally you have Clooney and Bullock.  That's it.  The only other credits go to voice actors.  Check out this screen shot from IMDB:

Even with the main body of the dialogue between two characters, it never seems superfluous.  You have the nervous chatter of Ryan Stone, first time space explorer, and the distracting patter of Matt Kowalski, veteran commander.  The latter trying to keep the former focused and together.  The type of behaviour you would expect between the two characters in this situation.

All of this adds up to something scarily like space.  I've never been to space, but I'm pretty sure that's what it would feel and sound like.  I can't remember the last time I had sweaty palms watching a film, and I can safely say that I won't be writing out my application to NASA anytime in the future.

Even in the closing scenes of the film, Ryan Stone splashes down in the ocean and has to escape from the burning landing pod.  She pops the hatch and the water comes rushing in.  At this point, I'm almost on the edge of my seat, biting my tongue so I don't shout "how much more is she going to have to endure!".  Even after escaping the pod, she finds her suit too heavy to let her swim to the surface.  I had no trouble believing Ryan Stone's desire to live by the end.  The turning point being a wonderful scene, perfectly scripted between Stone and Kowalski within the Soyuz.

All in all, Gravity is one hell of a film.  One might even say it's out of this world...

I'm sorry.  I couldn't resist.