But I digress. 2009 had its fair share of what I shall broadly term “remakes” and it is to these I will turn a little attention for this article. I will be restricting this discussion to films that fall into this category as it is the easiest field to deal with in terms of it reaching the broadest audience and the one I can talk about the most.

I have to confess though, that I didn’t really get around to viewing that many of the remakes of 2009. Reports of the ones I have missed, however, appear to indicate that I haven’t really missed anything. Still, hope springs eternal and we all know that everyone has different tastes.

So, here I offer my own personal list of top 10 favourite “remakes” of 2009.

10. Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen

Now I know that many people have issues with this movie and I agree with a lot of them. Compared to many other films, Transformers 2 is not the best movie. It’s a movie about robots that can bend and twist into the shapes of cars and things. At the end of the day, it’s not going to be high calibre stuff.

All that said, visually, this movie is pretty cool. Visual effects have come a long way. Shia Lebouf is an ok actor in the movie, certainly better than Megan Fox, and to some extent you do care what happens between the Autobots and the Deceptacons.

Not the greatest by any means but to see a Transformers movie on the screen again in and of itself is quite pleasing. I suspect that there will be yet another sequel so I hope against hope that the story will be a bit better and I perhaps would like to see a new lead come in and interact with these characters. In any case, I’d watch this movie if it was on but wouldn’t actively seek it out.

9. X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Again, it’s no secret that this remake is not a favourite among diehard fans. Like many I was looking forward to this for a long time but as it got closer I started to doubt a little. I finally got to see it on literally the last day it was screening in cinemas here so I think maybe some of my affinity with this movie is merely from the fact of waiting so long for it to come out and then finally seeing it at last.

I cannot deny that a big plug for me for this movie is seeing Hugh Jackman. There’s no denying that he is a very talented entertainer and after three X-Men movies we have gotten very used to him in the role. That said, by this point, I think they’re flogging a dead horse. In the first X-Men movie he was so tough and kick-ass but now in Origins, he’s kinda wimpy. Perhaps the Wolverine character started out that way before all the government stuff but he still seemed too soft for the character that I remember from watching the cartoon series as a kid.

I didn’t know anything about Weapon X so as the story unfolded for me that was exciting and seeing Gambit was cool, but ultimately the ending was a massive letdown. Weapon X wasn’t scary looking and I wanted to be scared by that character. It was really a case of ‘okay get this fight over with already and end the movie’. So, not great but still okay enough to make my top 10.

8. My Sister’s Keeper

I read the book a few years ago when it came out and as a novel it is just a phenomenal read. Jodie Picoult has such a powerful style as a writer that really grips you as a reader and is very good at switching between different character voices and keeping them all unique. She always picks gripping subject matter to do with moral and/or ethical choices in seemingly impossible situations so if this is your kind of thing and if you haven’t read any of her books, I highly recommend them.

I didn’t, however, imagine that this story would be made into a movie. As much as it is a dire situation, in many respects it’s also a bit fluffy so I guess that was why it was picked and then pegged more towards the female, mother/daughter kind of audience. In my opinion, Picoult’s ‘The Pact’ would be a much better film because it is a bit darker and meatier a story to delve into.

I absolutely loved Abigail Breslin in this movie. She is just a sweetie in everything that she does and she is so talented. I really hope that she continues to grow in her success as she gets older. I also loved the other young girl who played her sister. She brought a reality and truth to the character that the film needed to be meaningful.

The casting of Cameron Diaz as the mother was a real turnoff for me. I just wasn’t convinced by her at all. She was too young and pretty for the role. On the flipside I thought Alec Baldwin was too old for his character whom I had envisioned as a younger man when I read the book. Worn out by his work, yes, but still younger.

The saving grace of the movie though, and the reason I rate it in my top 10 is because of the way the filmmakers treated the ending. Anyone who has read the novel will tell you that they completely changed the ending between the novel and the film. In the book, you are blind-sighted (or at least I was) by the sudden and dramatic ending that it adds to the beauty of the story and really tugs on your heartstrings. Being a novel and being able to go completely inside someone’s head gives you the ability to do that. For a movie though, the ending would have been far too clichéd and would have been a ‘quick fix’ so as to make a happy ending.

The ending the filmmakers did choose, however, in my opinion is far more realistic and powerful. Having some personal connection to this story I can say that real life stories like this, more often than not, don’t have that happy ending that we all want. People we love do get sick and die and there is little in the long run we can do to change that. Worth the watch. Make sure you have the tissues and if you are up for it, read the book cuz it is a million times better.

7. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel

Okay, so this one is yet another sequel made merely to cash in on a pre-established fan base from the first movie. CGI sells big these days, particularly with kids, and it virtually guarantees to draw the crowds in for the summer holiday period.

For me this one is a big nostalgia hit. I grew up watching Alvin and the Chipmunks on tv practically every afternoon for years and I wish the powers that be would hurry up and release it on DVD already. Yes, the story was lame, stupid and pointless. I inwardly groaned when I saw the sleazy producer from the first one was in it to have another crack at it all. I was also disappointed that Jason Lee had so small a role in it in favour of the younger, edgier human sidekick to the boys who really brought nothing to the table. You need that interaction between Dave and the boys.

But being a girl you just can’t go past the Chipettes, although I was a little disappointed that Britney didn’t have as much sass as the character I remembered. Their singing Beyonce was simply adorable even though the content is a little bit inappropriate for the target demographic. If nothing else, you just can’t get over how cute they all are and how largely faithful to the essence of the series it was, particularly now that the characters as in high school.

Definitely worth it for the nostalgia and just a feel-good hour and a half of pure enjoyment for the young at heart.

6. Terminator Salvation

Yet another disappointment to many, but I confess I really enjoyed it. Maybe it was because I saw it as the first movie at a marathon and the other two films on the bill were really average (Fired Up and Mall Cop) but I liked the action and general storyline of the movie. Christian Bale is a great actor, although a little type cast, and I simply adored Anton Yelchin as Kyle Reese.

I’m not that familiar with the original movies either so I guess that’s why I give this prequel the benefit of the doubt. Visually I like the look of this movie. Its gritty and dark enough for my likings though I admit it probably is too ‘Hollywood’ for most. Perhaps it’s simply because I enjoy the story of an underdog. This isn’t really the story of John Conner. It’s about Kyle Reese. But I fully take on board and can understand the complaints and disappointments about this film already expressed on the various podcasts and articles posted here on Geekshow.

In any case, as for me, I liked it, more so than Wolverine or Transformers anyway.

5. Twilight Saga New Moon

Once more, shoot me if you must but I am supremely curious as to how this story is being translated from book to screen. Like it or not, Twilight has a huge fan base that cares greatly in a faithful and loyal retelling of the vampire who sparkles and his teenage lover. Probably because I’m female and have had that experience of being so in love with that guy, I have a soft spot for this. Try not to hate me. :-)

4. Sherlock Holmes

This movie was just kick-ass and with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law in the mix how could it not be? Witty, gritty and lots of action and intrigue. Simply delightful to watch. Now this is by no means a perfect facsimile of the Sherlock Holmes Arthur Conan Doyle envisioned. There’s no tweed in sight and I doubt reformed bad boy Robert was exactly the type of actor he would have had in mind to play the part.

But there is something about this movie that is really captivating. Holmes is a recluse yet brilliant in his reasoning, deduction and accuracy – and it doesn’t hurt that he can pack a good punch when needed! At first appearance this is a supernatural type of story but as you get into it you realise that is a facade. Why is it so intriguing? Elementary my dear Watson, this remake knows how to blend the old with the new in a masterful synthesis that hits the right mark or bringing something fresh to an old favourite.

3. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

This is something my brother made me watch and I’m so glad he did. This movie was great. I didn’t know much about it other than it was about vampires and werewolves, but I really enjoyed watching this story of love, betrayal and the fight to be free. I instantly went out and bought the trilogy boxset on DVD that came with free lycan figurine.

Visually it was stunning and the tone was so refreshing and gritty from the jazzed-up style that is often incorporated into the making of so many films of this genre these days. Sure, there is the obligatory humanising of the demonic characters but even after that they still maintain their ferocity and fear factor. Definitely worth the watch for something against the crowd.

2. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

What can I say? Harry Potter hit the screen again in 2009 and generally speaking he did not fail at all to disappoint. Like many I am a rampant Harry fan, however, of all the film adaptations of the novels, I must confess this one was not one of my favourite ones. That said; it was still really awesome.

Rupert Grint shines once more as the oblivious boofhead Ron, who is suddenly in possession of the world’s most ridiculous first girlfriend, who good for the actress, fully committed to the role. Poor Hermione! Likewise, it’s great to see Harry and Ginny finally get it together.

Everything we come to expect and be wowed by in a Harry Potter film. Bring on the final two chapters!

1. Star Trek

Easily the knockout hit of remakes in 2009! There is a massive subculture around this particular sci-fi franchise so naturally there is a phenomenal fanbase to draw upon and virtually a guaranteed audience for any new incarnation created. But given that, there is an equally overwhelming pressure for any such incarnation to be faithful, true, accurate and ‘good’ to the dedicated fan of the story.

Fortunately this particular movie knocks all these expectations out of the park in its success. The casting is perfect for each character. Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto are simply amazing and bring a new depth and life to Kirk and Spock respectively. I especially liked seeing Aussie Chris Hemsworth in the role of Kirk Senior at the beginning of the film which was an unexpected surprise, and he really showed him chops thru the character.

An absolute epic, the film draws you in from the first minute until the last. It’s a long film, sure, but who really cares? The length perfectly does the story justice so it isn’t rushed or overdone. Best of all, the film knows just how far to take things in a new direction and just how close to stick to all that has already been established.

This one was not only completely worth being made, but added much to an already well-loved story. Even if you would never in a million years consider yourself a ‘Trekkie’, check this one out. You might just fall in love a little bit.

So there you go, those are my picks for the year that was. Still on my list to see are Inkheart, Sorority Row, Watchmen, Halloween 2, A Christmas Carol and Dragonball Evolution to name but a few. I suspect I shall be greatly disappointed but I just can’t help but have a little hope.

At the end of the day, there is something easy and comfortable in watching stories that we are already familiar with and are fans of. Although there is also nothing worse than when such stories are retold in such poor fashion as to make you doubt if you really liked it at all in the first place.

No doubt 2010 will hold its own array of remakes which we can all love and hate in whatever measures we see fit. But if Hollywood is kind, there will be more to love than hate, and the mistakes of the past will be learnt from and moved past. Still, the question of ‘to make or remake’ remains constantly in the background, begging moviemakers to really think about the projects they take on and just why audiences should bother paying any of their attention to them.

“Yes, I do believe it was.”

Halloween is my all time favourite horror movie. I know the remake by Rob Zombie has been reviewed on GSE before by Scott but I’ve finally gotten the chance to see it and thought I would throw my 2 cents in for what they’re worth (probably less than 2 cents). Not to mention the fact that H2, Zombie’s remake of the second Halloween film, is due to be released very very soon, if not already for some of you, so I reckon some discussion of his first remake is very timely.

Well, being that the original Halloween movie is high in my esteem, I was greatly sceptical and frankly very resistant to the idea of a remake. I mean, you don’t mess with a classic. Leave my fave slasher alone, Rob Zombie! Having said that, I have stuck with the franchise thru all the misguided and poorly presented sequels and so, felt compelled beyond reason to see this movie. For sure it couldn’t be worse than Halloween 3, 4, 5 or 6 right?

But despite my scepticism, I have to admit that Rob Zombie does a fairly decent job at remaking the film. Let me explain. I don’t think I overly like his film, but it is clear that he understands how to successfully do a remake – by doing something different that builds on what has already been done, staying true to the essence of the original, without corrupting it and changing it too much. Whether you love or hate a remake, this is ultimately what a good one should do. It should make you fall in love with the characters all over again and/or let you see different sides of them or the situations they are in.

The most apparent and successful addition to Rob Zombie’s version of Halloween is the beginning act of the film where the audience is introduced to a 10 year old Michael Myers. There is very little “young Michael” in the original film so it is very captivating to see this young man, even for a brief glimpse, before he commits the savage murders that set him on his course for the rest of the movie.

In a way, Zombie has made Michael more relatable and more human in his retelling by presenting the audience with this sweet little misunderstood guy from a bad family background. Sure Michael sometimes does bad things, but that’s not his fault considering what he goes thru on a day to day basis in neglect and torment… No. It doesn’t really fly for very long as an excuse for his actions, but still, the fact that as a viewer you can question Michael’s guilt in all of it, even for a moment, is a testimony to Zombie’s careful and deliberate retelling of the tale.

The modern Michael Myers is a man with a past, a man with emotions (even if they are seriously screwed up) and is just as worthy of our attention as any other character in the story. In short, he is no longer just a soulless hulking shape bent on killing everything blocking his goals. He is the result of several events and factors gone horribly and devastatingly wrong.

Another thing I did like about the remake was Malcolm MacDowell’s portrayal of Dr Samuel Loomis, Myers’ doctor. Donald Pleasance was so definitive and powerful in that role so it is quite pleasing to have another actor take up the character and truly make it their own. It’s also nice in this film to have some expansion of the character. Act 2 is really where he gets his chance to be thrust to the forefront in a big way and the audience gets to learn a little more about Loomis as a person and the relationship he has with Myers over the many years between the first killings and the night Michael goes after his baby sister.

This relationship between Michael and Loomis is compelling to watch; especially as it goes from one of (supposedly) innocent intrigue of one another, to a strange bond or friendship of sorts (albeit very short lived), to one of complete estrangement. To some degree this helps cement the idea that Michael has human attributes as you watch MacDowell’s portrayal of a torn and fighting with himself between his fear of his patient and his deep desire to help him. This is in stark contrast to Donald Pleasance’s representation of Loomis who feels little if anything for Michael on a personal level.

Before I discuss the “new” Laurie Strode, however, a brief note on the more minor characters in the story. The first and most intriguing is Michael’s mother. The whole casting of her as a struggling single parent with a deadbeat boyfriend and an exploitative job is very well done. This addition to the story adds a new layer of meaning to all that happens. Again it’s that human element that gets underscored but I quite liked it. Her reactions to things plays well against those of Michael, and like Loomis, she is someone who genuinely cares for Michael on that personal level despite the atrocities he committed against their family. That said; I cannot believe after the wonderful job Zombie did in putting her into the story in that way, that he’s bringing her back for the sequel as some sort of stupid spirit. Massive sigh. Stop putting your wife in your films just because you can!

Also worthy of note are Laurie’s two gal pals and the two kids who play Tommy and Lindsey. Thank goodness Danielle Harris has grown up a bit since her last forays into the Halloween franchise. I think she did a good job with what she was given, although the purist in me believes she should have died during the film. O well. Leave it for the sequel I guess. Likewise I think the other actress did okay with what she had to do. The kids were great, especially the little girl who played Lindsey. To me they just seemed very real kids that you would find in the suburbs.

So finally, I turn my attention to Scout Taylor-Compton – the “new” Laurie Strode. Groan. So close Rob Zombie and yet so far. Looks-wise I think she was a very good choice. I know this is a more modern retelling but I found her a bit too sassy for innocent Laurie. Not that I expected or even wanted the extreme that Jamie Lee Curtis did in the original (that portrayal certainly wouldn’t fly these days), but just the way she spoke with her girlfriends, it was sometimes hard to distinguish her from them, as well as her interactions with her mother in the morning before school was too far out there for my tastes in terms of that character. I did feel like she was a good victim and to a certain degree okay at being the heroine but really, I kinda expected her to die by the end of the film, just because she didn’t seem to have enough of that fire in her stomach to stand up to Michael and fight back. Then again, she did shoot him at point blank range in the head.

Despite my best efforts, I just didn’t overly like this film insofar as much as it was a remake of one of my favourites. In and of itself, it’s not that bad. The fact that it is a remake works against it. Honestly though, if the original film didn’t exist and it just came out as a release then I probably wouldn’t have too much interest in seeing it. While done well in a visceral sense, it’s not my usual preference for horror films. I much rather suspense done well without the need for lots of violence and blood. I think less is more with these types of films. Just my humble opinion.

In any case, I think Zombie’s original Halloween remake is going to be loads better than his new attempt at remaking the second one. Judging by the trailer he has swung too far in that bad direction and mucked up the story so much that it is no longer good. Must reserve judgement until I see it, but as there is currently no release date for it here in Australia, I don’t really mind so much that I will have to wait. Would love to hear people’s thoughts for those who live in a place where it is about to be released.

Coming Soon: To Make Or Remake Stargate SG-1 – Children Of The Gods

The new film will be written by Dennis McNicholas (Land of the Lost) and produced by Marc Platt (Mark Platt Prods.), Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner (Working Title).

The actor who is reportedly going to don the green suit as the new Fred is Russell Brand (of Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Bedtime Stories) in what is hoped to be a starring vehicle for the British comedian.

Time will tell if his interpretation of the role will be as popular with fans as Rik Mayall’s was in the 1991 original film. No word as yet as to who will take up the role of his female counterpart, first played by Phoebe Cates.

Click here to read the full story from the HollywoodReporter.

Drop Dead Fred is the story of Elizabeth, a woman who loses her husband, her job and her car all in one day, and is then reunited with her childhood imaginary friend, Fred, who determines to help her thru the loneliness with some outrageous and humorous results.

A few weeks ago many of you will have noticed that the trailer for a remake was posted here on Geekshow Entertainment. My initial response was one of intrigue and excitement so I checked it out. I am afterall a big fan of Wes Craven, in particular from the Scream and Nightmare On Elm Street movies, and knew that it was his first film and the one that really put him out there. Beyond that, all I knew about The Last House On the Left was that it was supposedly a horror film. Oh how wrong I was, but I’ll get to that. 

So after watching the trailer for the remake and deciding it seemed ok, I thought I had better check out the original to get a better idea of what it was all about. It was sheer luck that I happened to locate the DVD on the shelf of my local rental place. There was nothing remarkable about the case at all. No pictures, no nothing, just text in a strange font and providing little explanation as to the film inside, other than that it was “previously banned in Australia”. Maybe that should have tipped me off. 

Now being that this was Wes’ first film my expectations weren’t all that high, but I did expect a little Craven magic, a little something that made this movie pop and stand out from the rest. It surely delivered. 

Here’s the plot: Two girls (Mari and Phyllis) go to a concert away from home and being typical teenagers get into trouble by asking the wrong guy to help them score some pot. The guy in question (Junior) takes them back to an apartment where his convict father (Krug) and two accomplices (Weasel and Sadie) are sleeping after having gone on the run from the police. The three of them are extremely dangerous and view the girls as pretty new playthings on which to enact their attempts to pull off the “greatest sex crime of the century”. Junior meanwhile is merely along for the ride as his addict behaviour has made him irrevocably tied to his sadistic father and his crew. 

The next morning, the group load the two girls into the boot of their car and attempt to flee the state. When their car breaks down they take the girls deep into the woods for some more violent behaviour including forcing them to urinate on themselves, have sex with each other and to have sex with different members of the group. Little do the thugs realise but they are actually not very far away from Mari’s own house where her anxious parents are being told by two dim-witted police officers that their daughter is probably fine. 

Phyllis, who is a little braver and more with it than Mari, whispers that she will make a run for it giving Mari the chance to escape and get help. While the girls attempt to escape in their own ways, the convicts foil them both. Weasel and Sadie stab and disembowel Phyllis while Krug sets about defiling Mari once more before shooting her until he thinks she is dead as she wades in the lake. 

The four then wash themselves of blood, return to their car for fresh clothes and head up to Mari’s parents’ house which one of them happened to spot somewhere through the woods. Pretending to have had car trouble the unknowing parents invite the strangers in to stay the night. 

All would be well for the convicts but Junior’s intense withdrawl symptoms reveal the secret of who they really are via a peace sign necklace that Mari gave him as a symbol of her trust, which was initially a gift from the parents at the start of the film. Fleeing into the woods, the couple locate their barely breathing and badly battered daughter and bring her almost dead body back to the house. Realising that they have the killers right in their own house they go about picking them off one by one as revenge for what they did to their daughter. 

Ok. Still with me? 

Now, there are a few things about The Last House On The Left that I have problems with. The biggest of these is the all too realistic violence so we may as well address that first. In fact, I think my other issues with the movie really stem from there outwards. 

Before I had seen it, I thought this movie was supposed to be a cult horror film. Having now sat thru it all I can say that I no longer believe this to be the case. Horror no. Horrific, however, an emphatic yes. In a great majority of the film the violence is just too much and too realistic. The tagline tells you that if you get scared you need to keep repeating to yourself that it’s only a movie, but the thing is that the scariness comes from the lack of movie-like aspects. These convicts are really depraved and sadistic and as a viewer you don’t just know this as a given fact of the movie’s internal law, but you see it as well, in all its gory and vulgar detail. 

So many of the good classic horror films from this period do so well I believe because they know how to balance the showing and not showing. Not seeing something is much more scary than actually seeing it. By showing so much, The Last House On The Left leaves you feeling queasy and ill, when they could have easily done so much more by not showing the violence and leaving it up to the viewer’s imagination. 

Another big problem I have is that the violence and depravity of the convicts simply goes on for so much of the film. Much more could have been made of the parents and their reactions and plans after they discover their near-dead daughter in the lake. Again I think that this is because they have shown too much from the convicts and then realised they were fast running out of screen time for them to reach their sticky demise. 

So coming full circle, I still think the trailer for the remake looks vaguely appealing. There certainly isn’t a trace of the extent to which the original movie sunk in its depictions of depravity and sadism. But then trailers don’t always tell you much. I like that it does seem to have a more modern feel to it and that the focus is on the life of the family unit and not the dysfunction of the convicts. Hopefully this will follow thru with more screen time given to the parents over the sick and twisted things that are done to the girls. 

I haven’t seen a release date yet for Australia so I’m assuming it will still be a long while before its released here. Hopefully that will give me enough time to mull over if I really want to go see the remake. There is a huge part of me that just wants to turn away but then I think that part will probably lose out to my curiosity. Because despite all the bad stuff, I think this story has the potential to be a really good movie, if done right and ironically, with less reality to it. Then again, without this movie we might not have had all the good horror films that Craven has brought us, having learnt from this bad one and improved on his style and techniques. 

Only time will tell if the new version of The Last House On The Left is any good. I’m hoping it will be, but given the original I won’t hold my breath. Maybe this is one that should have just been left alone to fade into obscurity. 

Aussie Slayerette

To Make or Remake?

Hey there all! I’m a geek gal from Sydney Australia who watches way too many DVDs in her spare time than she should. Scratch that. I buy too many DVDs than I really should. My collection has been getting to ridiculous proportions ever since I got a DVD drive for my computer a few years ago, but I just can’t help myself. Between the fact that I currently work next door to a DVD store and those two wonderful little words, “Special Features”, I am completely hopeless when it comes to holding myself back from buying more DVDs.

Another thing that is quite ridiculous in size is my book collection – filled largely by novelizations of all my favorite television shows like Buffy and Angel and Roswell. The root cause of this is that I worked in a bookstore for seven years, right during the Whedon television prime, and I got a great employee discount. So between these two collections I really have no end to all the geeky things I am a fan of and dedicate my spare time to enjoying.

As my screen name suggests and as you may have already gleaned from this introduction, I am a big fan of all things Joss, in particular Buffy. I also enjoy Supernatural, NCIS, Charmed, Roswell, Lost, as well any incarnation of the Stargate universe. Next on my hit list is getting back into Bones and Heroes on DVD after I missed many of the television screenings over here and checking out if Smallville is worth the watch. As for features, my favorite movie is Serenity.

Since I was a kid I’ve wanted to be a writer. I’ve attempted a few novels in the past, which I continue to work on from time to time, and my dream jobs are novelist or screenwriter for a sci-fi television show. I tend to favor the creative side of things more so than the factual side but in recent times I have really found a love of reviewing. I even created a small reviews blog called “What I’ve Been Watching” for anyone who’s interested in reading my thoughts on my latest visual conquests.

Between my love of books, movies and television I always struggle when a story from one medium gets transferred to another as to which one is better and/or more valid. I tend to favor the original incarnation of something as sacrosanct but there are always the exceptions to the rule. Each week I’m going to be posing the question, “To Make or Remake?” to some of the best and worst creations in the entertainment world and weighing up which recreations are good, which ones are great, and which ones should really have been left alone in the first place.

Join me as I go back and forth across entertainment time and space, venturing through the wormhole of the remake world and delving into some of geek culture’s best and worst moments of creativity.