Worst2First: My Top Ten Remakes

Worst2First:
My Top Ten Remakes

 

By definition, the word "remake" means "reference to a movie which uses an earlier movie as the main source material, rather than in reference to a second, later movie based on the same source."  Movies have been critiqued lately due to its over-saturation of remakes instead of original ideas, but just like shifting through the hay, you're bound to find the needle.

These ten remakes are worth watching, and some are even better than the original.  Here are my top ten remakes, worst2first...

**THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS**

#10

The Magnificent Seven

The 2016 remake "The Magnificent Seven" was a remake of the 1960 classic starring Yul Brynner, which in itself was a reimagining of the 1954 Japanese film "Seven Samurai."  This film features some of the best actors in the business including Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt and Ethan Hawke, and centers around seven vastly different people with certain skill sets who defend a small town from an evil robber baron, played by Peter Sarsgaard.  The film is filled with intellectual humor, old-timey western action, and a highly charismatic cast.

#9

21 Jump Street

Based off the hit 80s television series that made Johnny Depp a household name, "21 Jump Street" stars Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill as two former high school rivals turned cop buddies who go undercover in a high school to crack a drug ring.  The natural chemistry between the two leads led to several laugh-out-loud moments, and the action is exciting, plus the story is well-written and performed with great precision.

#8

Dawn of the Dead

George A. Romero's classic "Dead" trilogy gave birth to the modern day view of zombies, and his "Dawn of the Dead" film was also a sharp satirical jab at American consumerism.  In 2004, Zack Snyder (before his abysmal "Batman v Superman") remade the classic and somehow managed to make it even better.  Not only were there loads of zombies, but they now ran at high speeds, making them all the more dangerous and frightening.  Snyder also kept the satirical theme of the original by having the survivors hole up in a shopping mall.  The film also features a top-notch cast including Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, Jake Weber, Mekhi Phifer, and Ty Burrell (before "Modern Family").

#7

Let Me In

Before "Stranger Things" there was "Let Me In," a remake of the remarkable Swedish film "Let the Right One In," about a young boy (here played by future Nightcrawler Kodi Smit-McPhee) who is constantly being bullied at school who meets the new girl in his apartment complex (played by Chloe Grace Moretz) who is more than just your average girl next door.  The film is shot with a moody atmospheric feel, the script is extremely intelligent and unnerving, and the effects are dazzling. 

#6

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

Listed among many critics as one of the best remakes ever made, this 1978 film was a remake of the 1954 film of the same title, and features Donald Sutherland, Jeff Goldblum and Leonard Nimoy as survivors of a world gone mad.  When an alien species invades Earth, they replace the humans and take on their characteristics, except they're devoid of emotion.  It's up to the survivors to find a way to get the aliens off their planet before they're all assimilated.  It's an exciting, tense, atmospheric film with a great cast and spooky science fiction story.

#5

The Ring

"The Ring" was officially the arrival of the J-Horror (Japanese Horror) genre to America.  A remake of the Japanese "Ringu," "The Ring" centers around a woman (played by the ever amazing Naomi Watts) who must uncover the secret behind a video that kills you in seven days.  The film is very intelligent, well-written, well-acted and includes some of the most scary jump scares and endings in recent horror cinema.  Even if most kids nowadays don't even know what a VHS is.

#4

The Thing

Based off the 1951 movie "The Thing From Another World," "The Thing" centers around a group of researchers in Antarctica who stumble upon an alien being that can assimilate an organism (especially humans) and take on their mannerisms, making it almost impossible to locate.  As paranoia begins setting in, friends turn against friends and all hell breaks loose in the ice.  This is one of Kurt Russell's finest performances, directed by one of horror cinema's most iconic directors - John Carpenter ("Halloween,"  "The Fog"), and while some of the effects don't hold up to the tests of time, it's still an exciting, terrifying tale about paranoia and knowing who you can truly trust.

#3

Cape Fear

Taken from the Gregory Peck original from 1962, iconic director Martin Scorsese brings to life the tale of Sam Bowden, a lawyer who is hunted by an old client, Max Cady.  It's a classic vengeance story told brilliantly and performed excellently by Nick Nolte, Robert DeNiro (who received an Academy Award nomination), Juliette Lewis (who also received a nomination), Jessica Lange, and featured cameos by original stars Peck (in his last on-screen performance), Robert Mitchum and Martin Balsam, and will keep you on the edge of your seat due to Scorsese's top-notch directing.

#2

The Departed

Based off the 2002 Hong Kong film "Infernal Affairs," "The Departed" is a pitch-perfect cop drama that goes far beyond the genre and strikes a nerve within your soul.  Masterfully directed by Martin Scorsese (who earned a very much deserved Oscar for Best Director), the film centers around a group of cops who send one of their own undercover to catch an infamous mobster, who also has a mole in the department.  What follows is a cat-and-mouse game filled with high tension and suspense, delivered by some of the most talented names in the business - Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Alec Baldwin, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Vera Farmiga, and especially the incomparable Jack Nicholson.  There's no surprise the film won the Best Picture Oscar - this is a definite must see.

#1

Scarface

Directed by Brian De Palma, "Scarface" is a remake of the 1932 film featuring Al Pacino as Tony Montana, a Cuban refugee who comes to Miami and rises among the ranks to become the most powerful drug kingpin in the city.  Featuring a supporting cast including Michelle Pfeiffer, Mary Elizabeth Masterantonio and Steven Bauer, "Scarface" rightfully holds its place as one of the most influential films in recent memory, with exciting action, deeply dramatic performances, and one of the most quoted lines in history - "say hello to my little friend!"