Happy Friday!! It's time for the awesome Best and Worst Remakes Blogfest. Hosted by Alex J. Cavanaugh, Livia Peterson, Dragon Father Al Diaz and Stephen Tremp, we are here to skewer the worst and praise the best.I like to start off with bad stuff first. So here are my Worst Remakes Ever:
The Women
What were they thinking? The subject matter really isn't that timely anymore unless you're talking the Ladies Who Lunch Tennis Set. And really no chemistry with Annette Benning, Debra Messing, Jada Pinkett Smith, Meg Ryan and Eva Mendes. YAWWWNNN... Norma Shearer and crew were so much better and wittier.
All The Kings Men
Why take a brilliant actor like Sean Penn and stick him in a play by play remake? Completely unnecessary to remake an already amazing film.
King Kong
Peter Jackson, you dumbass! We did not need a lame silly remake of a perfectly good giant ape film. I don't care how great your fx were ,the story stunk to high heaven and so did the acting. Your cast was more boring than Hayden Christiansen's performance in the Star Wars prequels. Like James Cameron with Avatar, you sought to dazzle us with frosting and hoped we would ignore the lack of substance underneath.
The Karate Kid
Will Smith, I love you, but you really did an injustice by bringing us this cross cultural nightmare. Hello! You can't call the him the Karate Kid if he is learning kung fu.
The Ring
Holy hell! This American remake of a brilliant Japanese horror flick was just pure comedy. I spent the entire time laughing at the ridiculousness of it. Naomi Watts completely sucked and that creepy kid of hers was the only horror-esque part of this movie.
And now for my Best Remakes
The Thing
Best. Remake. Ever. Now I loved the original The Thing From Another World, but Carpenter's flick was off the chain incredible. it is one of my all time favorite performances by Kurt Russell as well as one of my fave movies of all time.
The Wolfman
Go ahead roll your eyes, call me crazy, but I thought this was creepy, atmospheric, stylish, sexy and had some great wolf attack scenes. It did awesome justice to the old Lon Chaney film and the cast was just brilliant. I love the unrated version and watch it whenever I need a pick me up. :)
Dracula
Second best remake ever. Gary Oldman and Francis Ford Coppola did an outstanding job bringing Stoker's novel to life. Far superior to the old Bela Lugosi film, which really could not delve into the sexuality of the Count. The cast was amazing and the script very well written.
3:10 To Yuma
James Mangold really delivered on this remake of the old Delmer Daves directed Glenn Ford vehicle. Intense from start to finish, this one was a worthy heir to the original. I loved all of the performances, especially Bale as Dan Evans.
Ocean's Eleven
George and Brad were just incredible. I loved this movie from start to finish. It was smart, sexy and oh so witty. I love me a great caper flick and this one delivered in spades.
Dawn of the Dead
Are you sensing a theme here? LOL Yes, I love my monster movies. I really dug George Romero's original, but this one made me love zombie movies forever. I watch it whenever I get a chance, even the spliced up versions on Syfy and AMC.
Go ahead and debate, call me insane, call me brilliant. (LOL well that last one is just a wee hope).
Have a super weekend my friends, my family!!
Some good picks there, I forgot about the new Karate kid though!
ReplyDeleteThe Thing was great. Karate Kid not so much ;)
ReplyDeleteOoh, I totally agree with the Ring. I absolutely love Sadako and the American abominations really didn't get the story at all. Sometimes they should just leave Japanese horrors alone because they're already great the way they are.
ReplyDeleteThe Thing was my pick for best remake! And Ocean's 11 rocked.
ReplyDeleteForgot 3:10 was a remake. Good flick.
Sorry, I do prefer the remakes of King Kong and The Ring though.
Thanks for participating in our blogfest!
I loved the Dracula remake. I used to have a movie t-shirt of Dracula and on the back it said "Love never dies."
ReplyDeleteAnd sorry, but I listed The Ring as my favorite movie remake - LOL!
Great picks on both sides! Happy weekend!
ReplyDeleteAlthough I agree with the majority of these entries in both of the categories. Big props up to the Dawn of The Dead remake, which in my opinion, is a rare improvement on the original, with a much more exciting plot and far better characterization.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I have to disagree with the The Ring, being in the ‘Worst List’. When a movie is translated from another language, in order to be sold to another market, I don’t think it is fair to throw it into the ‘Bad remake’ pile. Ringu, is a really good horror, no doubt about that but ‘The Ring’ is also an excellent horror movie, comparing the two, is not really fair because they are catered to two very different markets, and elements from both, don’t necessarily translate well. Naomi Watts is a fantastic actress and really sold it here. I think it’s a fine example of American horror remakes sometimes being on par or better than their Japanese/French/Spanish/Vulcan counterparts.
Melsy's fave topic - like giving a candy to a kid :)
ReplyDeleteTotally agree on King Kong...for me, the original can't be beat :)
ReplyDeleteI've seen Ocean's 11 on a lot of 'best' lists...it made mine, as well.
I've seen a couple votes for The Thing and against King Kong. I never saw the original 3:10 to Yuma but I liked the newer one.
ReplyDeleteYES, the Dawn of the Dead remake was so smart and fun. Love the original, but the newer one is GREAT!
ReplyDeletewow. Dawn of the Dead sure is making the rounds. I have yet to see that, 3:10 to yuma and the wolfman. I"ll have to check them out.
ReplyDeleteNutschell
www.thewritingnut.com
Some good choices....I'm a broken record on comments today, but Oceans Eleven really nails what makes a good remake.
ReplyDeleteIdentical plot, but due to the changes in Las Vegas and casino security since the original, the script was more than simply a reshoot.
And usually, that makes for a good outcome.
What's The Women? Now I'm going to go read about it on IMDB!
ReplyDeleteAwesome picks, Melissa! I must rent 3:10 to Yuma sometime - it sounds fantastic!
ReplyDeleteGreat list Melissa, the "Karate Kid" however was a waste of a movie screen. "King Kong!?" I admit it was very CGI, but at it's heart it was great.
ReplyDeleteHahaha, I hated the Karate Kid remake too but I had not noticed that Jackie Chan actually teaches Kung Fu, hahaha. Good point, Melissa! Thanks for participating!
ReplyDelete3:10 is a great modern western; lots a good real stunts instead of CGI crud.
ReplyDeleteGreat opinions! I agree with most of them. The Thing was so suspenseful, and that made it excellent.
ReplyDeleteM.L. Swift, Writer
Hard to believe I have only seen one of those movies. Before this blogfest I thought I watched lots of films.
ReplyDeleteRhonda @Laugh-Quotes.com
I love your list of best remakes ;D
ReplyDeleteDracuala..Gary rocked it!
I love that line:
"I'd cross oceans of time to be with you"
pure poetry, lol
Fun to read your picks!!!
Can't tell you how much I love The Thing, great list Melissa!
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen most of these movies you've listed :) I did see The Ring (and enjoyed it - haven't seen the original though) and Ocean's 11. :)
ReplyDeleteI love the Ringu remake. Scary as hell and in terms of shock value and overall atmosphere, even better than the original.
ReplyDeleteFully agree on The Thing which IS the best remake ever.
Coppola's Dracula wasn't my cup of tea, and the DOTD reboot is ok but I prefer Romero.
I'm not sure but I think Tim Burton's "Planet of the Apes" is the worst remake ever.