Comments on: Five Good Remakes

By: Eric

Eric — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 21:51:10 +0000

P.S.

If you haven’t seen one or more of the films in my last comment, WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?

By: Eric

Eric — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 21:50:19 +0000

Does it have to be Hollywood getting it right? I love both A Fistful Of Dollars, Sergio Leone's classic Western, and Yojimbo, the Kurosawa samurai film Dollars is based on. Speaking of which, actually (and this one, I believe, Hollywood does get credit for): The Magnificent Seven is a brilliant remake of another Kurosawa masterpiece, Seven Samurai.

By: Ilya

Ilya — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:14:59 +0000

I agree on all counts, Jeri, although Casino Royale probably does not count as a “remake”, per se. WoTW is the only one of the five that I do not own, primarily because of my less-than-warm attitude to Mr Cruise, the person.

Interestingly, I cannot think of [m]any other remakes that I like. I even went through the online lists of remakes to see if a movie stands out – and came up with little beyond recognition that I like Never Say Never Again a lot more than Thunderball.

By: Bryan

Bryan — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 18:55:05 +0000

Jeri and I talked about this list and I at least like all these movies. In spite of being a Cruise apologist, it’s the only one on this list I like less than the original (I haven’t seen the old David Niven “Casino”). It’s technically a better movie than the Pal version effects wise, but didn’t pack the fun in the way the old one did – and I got very tired of the kids, especially Dakota Fanning screaming. That shot you mentioned, Nathan, is pretty cool, whizzing in and out and around the van.

Rene Russo is smokin’ hot at 40+. Awesome.

Jim, I got that bloody Sins of a Solar Empire game. Oh…My…God. I am thoroughly hooked.

By: Nathan

Nathan — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 14:25:04 +0000

I’m amused that Firefox wants to remember how I signed in elsewhere and inflict it everywhere.

Oops.

By: JesseH

JesseH — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 09:14:46 +0000

Transformers = worst remake ever. IMHO.

I do think the list is fairly accurate. Gone in 60 Seconds is another good remake.

By: Michelle K

Michelle K — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 05:38:00 +0000

I love Italian Job, as does everyone in the house.

Did you ever watch the extras on the DVD? I hurt myself laughing watching Seth Green’s outtakes of, “give me your hat and your shirt.”

By: Nathan the Leader of the Super-Secret Guvment Funded Hordes of EEEEvil.

Nathan the Leader of the Super-Secret Guvment Funded Hordes of EEEEvil. — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 00:24:35 +0000

Yes to Oceans Eleven remake.

Italian Job remake is terrific.

I hated the original Thomas Crown Affair, so no contest.

Casino’s pretty good but, meh a little.

War of the Worlds? In spite of GF working on it, not so much.
(I’m not that much of a fan of the original either.) One thing to take note of if you watch it again. In the sequence where Cruise if driving on the highway when the first get out of New Jersey, the camera work is absolutely amazing.

By: Jim Wright

Jim Wright — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 22:52:59 +0000

Oceans Eleven: much better than the original. Unfortunately, they didn’t stop there, and they really should have. Sigh.

The Italian Job: same thing, and we’ll see if the follow up to that is any good, that’s due out this year sometime.

The remake of the Thomas Crown Affair is one of my favorite movies. The sound track is just perfect. Russo and Brosnan are terrific together.

Casino, I think that’s the best bond yet.

War of the Worlds? Gah, I’ve already expressed my opinion of that flick over on Stonekettle Station. I like the George Pal version better. However, I like the remake of The Time Machine over Pal’s version, so it all evens out, I think.