“Hollywood has run out of good ideas” is almost a slogan anymore for any movie or television buff who things they have something to say. The statement may be true to a certain extent and it does feel like we are seeing more and more of the same stories re-hashed in different ways but sometimes, this can be exciting! There have been instances where I will be watching a movie and feel that the core of the story is really interesting, but for some reason it never really hits its mark, and I am left wondering what could have been. Due to this thought process, I am never one to scoff at a remake or a reboot and always give them the time of day. Okay, I will admit that when something that I consider to be a perfect movie is getting a remake I cringe a bit and think “if it’s not broke don’t fix it”, but I still give it a chance. Luckily there have been many times when the remake/reboot is worth the watch and often times, it is better than the original. That’s not always the case with the list below, but here are some of the stand-out remake/reboots we wanted to share
Batman Begins (2005)
Batman is a character that has been around for a long time and has seen many different iterations both on screen and in print. In 2005 when Christopher Nolen decided to tackle the Dark Knight we were introduced to a new type of Batman on screen (closer to the comic book Bat that we all love). With this dark and gritter look at Gotham’s hero, we were showed that comic book movies can be taken seriously, and I feel that this film had a big hand in the comic book movie landscape that we see today. Nolan may not be telling us the story of Batman anymore, but this entire trilogy holds a special place in my heart as a reboot.
True Grit (2010)
I would be dishonest if I did not explain my love for Jeff Bridges right from the start. He is one of my favorite actors, so when I learned that he would take on the role of Rooster Cogburn I was on board. This is a remake of the 1969 John Wayne movie based on the 1968 Charles Portis book of the same name. I have read the book and watched both movies and I can honestly say that this remake may not be the best or better than either of its predecessors, but it is a fantastic movie with some great acting.
The Ring (2002)
This was a little difficult to decide which remake I should talk about, but in the end, I am going with the 2002 remake, The Ring. This is a supernatural horror film that was based on the 1998 Japanese film, Ring. The Ring was one of those films that stuck with me after I watched it. I felt like it was a great horror film and deserves to be on this list. The film spawned tow sequels, one in 2005 and one in 2017. The have been other versions of the films in other countries and I believe a reboot was made in Japan in 2019.
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
When I stated in the intro that sometimes there are movies set to be remade that make me question why, this was one of those films. I grew up loving the Mad Max films (even the one most people think was bad). The one thing that kept me invested in this reboot was the cast consisting of Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron and Hugh Keays-Byrne from the original Mad Max. It is not very often that the moment a movie is over, I start it over from the beginning, but this was such a movie! I watched it from beginning to end twice in a row and five times the first week I viewed it. I still love the OG films, but this is my favorite in the Mad Max universe.
Godzilla (2014)
The film Godzilla that was released in 2014 is a re-re-reboot (maybe more) of the king of monsters (which is the name of the sequel to the sequel to the re-re-reboot). Considered by some to be the greatest monster movies ever, Godzilla has been around since 1954 and has had a ridiculous number of sequels, spin-offs remakes and reboots. I have always been a fan of the Kaiju and the 2014 is no exception. I will admit, I liked the direct sequel to this film a lot more, but this was a great movie and I can’t wait to see the upcoming movie cross over with King Kong.
Oceans 11 (2001)
A remake of the 1960 film starring the Rat Pack, Oceans 11 is packed full of great acting, comedy and the action that comes with a heist movie. This film started an extremely successful franchise that is still going today. A lot of people talk about the outstanding performances of Clooney and Pitt, but I have to say that the comedy duo of Casey Affleck and Scott Caan was my favorite part of the movie.
The Fly (1986)
My introduction to the national treasure that is Jeff Goldblum, The Fly is actually a remake of the 1958 film of the same name. All though the 1958 film is regarded as a great film and was received well in its time, the 1986 film has become a cult classic and is still held up as one of the best science fiction horror films to date. The grotesque scenes of body transformation still hold up today even after all of the advances in technology.
The Thing (1982)
One of my favorite movies of all time, The Thing is a remake of the film The Thing From Another World that is based on the 1938 novella Who Goes There? This sci-fi horror movie stars Kurt Russell and was directed by the legendary John Carpenter. All though it was released to mixed reviews, it has become one of the most coveted horror movies to date.
Willard (2003)
Crispin Glover was made to play this role! Willard is a horror movie about a man named Willard who is a socially awkward caretaker of his verbally abusive mother. Willard also lives with a disgusting number of rats who he befriends and begins to train which eventually leads to murder and mayhem. This was a remake of the 1972 film based on the Stephen Gilbert book Ratman’s Notebooks.
Written exclusively for TheLastPicture.Show by Jacob Ruble
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