The Remake Pile

There are lots and lots of remakes being made out there, and I thought it might be fun to compile several of them into one web log entry.

The Monster Squad

According to Deadline, a Monster Squad remake is happening. The producer of the original Monster Squad, Rob Cohen (The Fast and the Furious, Dragonheart), is set to direct.

The main premise of the original is that a group of kids who are fans of classic monsters learn that Dracula and his friends are coming to their small town.

I’ve never seen the original. The trailers for the original make it look cheesy, and I’m not sure how successful a cheesy remake would be. It is making me think of the Land of the Lost and Van Helsing failures. Perhaps the Monster Squad remake will take a more serious tone.

Predators

IMDb says that “a group of elite warriors are hunted by members of a merciless alien race known as Predators.” Who are those elite warriors, you ask? None other than Laurence Fishburne, Adrien Brody, Alice Braga, Danny Trejo, and Topher Grace.

Am I the only one who doesn’t buy Topher Grace as an elite warrior? The same Topher Grace that was the skinny boy from That 70’s Show?

Robert Rodriguez presents and Nimrod Antal (Vacancy) directs. You read that right. Nimrod Antal.

Fright Night

In the 1985 original, a teenager believes that his next-door neighbor is a vampire. Fright Night had some comedy to go along with the horror.

Craig Gillespie (Lars and the Real Girl) is set to direct. Gillespie has done comedy pretty well, but we’ll see how he handles the horror.

Pet Sematary

As if you didn’t see this one coming a mile away. I’m actually surprised they haven’t remade Pet Sematary already.

1408 writer Mathew Greenberg is set to write the remake for Paramount, according to BeyondHollywood.

Top Five Sci-fi Movies of All Time

If you’re like me, then you love sci-fi. And horror. And action. And suspense thrillers. But mostly sci-fi. So here is a list of the best of the best, the cream of the crop, if you will. If you have an interest in sci-fi, and haven’t seen one of these movies, then what are you waiting for? Go see them already!

1. Alien

Alien is the mother of all sci-fi. So many films have copied it, but no sci-fi film has surpassed it. A must see for all sci-fi devotees and for movie lovers of any ilk. Roger Ebert gave Alien four stars, and said it “vibrates with a dark and frightening intensity.”

2. 2001: A Space Odyssey

Coming in at a close second is 2001: A Space Odyssey. This film tends to focus more on originality and artistic merit and toying with the conventions of narrative. Actually, it doesn’t toy with the conventions, it throws them in the trash. The slow pacing and overall weirdness of 2001 will repel many viewers, but this sci-fi masterpiece should be viewed by everyone at least once.

3. The Fifth Element

In the future, Bruce Willis drives a cab and unwittingly gets caught up in the search for a cosmic weapon that will save the Earth from evil. Whereas my first two picks for best sci-fi may have a somewhat serious tone, The Fifth Element mixes a healthy dose of fun in with its high level of inventiveness.

4. The Thing

Mystery suspense  TERROR! Mystery suspense  TERROR! EWW GROSS! Mystery suspense atmosphere mystery TERROR! Mystery suspense EWW GROSS! Mystery suspense FLAME THROWER! KURT RUSSELL! TRANSMOGRIFYING ALIENS!

5.  Dark City

Ladies and gentlemen, once again, Roger Ebert : “Dark City by Alex Proyas is a great visionary achievement, a film so original and exciting, it stirred my imagination like Metropolis and 2001: A Space Odyssey.”

Horror Alphabet: B

C is for Cthulhu. D is for Dracula. E is for Eyeball. F is for Freddy. G is for ????