Have you ever gone back and watched a movie you loved as child or when you were younger to only find out it just doesn’t have the umph it once had? My family does movie night every Saturday and each person choses a movie for their week. I have noticed during my weeks the movies I pick are from my childhood and they just do not hold the attention of anyone, including my wife who spends the evening napping. So I have decided some movies need to be remade. Here are my top five movies for remake.

5. Soylent Green. This was great for the time period. Charleton Heston was good. The story is solid. This movie has even more potential today than it did in the time it was released. This was the beginning of the environmental era. We were discussing things like the potential for increased population and sustainability. We have now seen those issues become even more apparent in the modern era. A new Soylent Green would make an even greater impact on the populace with the looming threat of food and water shortages combined with uncaring governments who push forward without any concern for the average person. I think this could be a great vehicle for the global warming and environmentalist contingent out there today. Not to mention with the right star it could really go far, perhaps a Matthew McConaughey could fill the shoes of detective Thorn.
4. Towering Inferno. This could be a mega star field romp through a classic disaster movie. At a time when buildings were climbing up the skyline this story played on our fears of being trapped and being burned alive. Two fears that ring true especially in western culture. I think a slight tweak of adding in a tech gone wild with the cheap profits at all cost developer would really bring this to life for many of us in America, if not the world. A classic tale of irresponsible business seeking profits while endangering…well just about anybody form Hollywood you could get in this thing. I mean it is the opening of a giant new world skyscraper it would call for a star studded gala opening for charity. Even if just by cameo we could put everybody in Hollywood in it. I think this could be a summer block buster like no one has seen in a long time. Up the action level and put the rock in as Chief O’hallorhan and maybe even get Matt Damon to play the Paul Newman role could add a dynamic that would be awesome. Crank the action up to eleven and add in 3D designed visuals and I think we have a hit.
3. Alien. I am about to commit sacrilege I know but I recently viewed this movie at a theater running classics and it just doesn’t hold up. I love this movie but I found myself rooting for the alien about five minutes in. this needs an update. They remade predator why not remake Alien. This could be more frightening and suspenseful if it was given a redo. I think a little darker tone more focus on action and a quickened pace could return this classic to many audiences who have not yet experienced it. Throw in a Carrie-Anne Moss for Ripley and I think this is unstoppable. The alien itself could be even more grotesque and terrifying. Plus with our plan to head to mars the idea of deep space travel is really not that farfetched. Plus a new generation really needs to learn that no one can hear you scream in space.
2. Escape from New York. I love this movie. It is one of my all-time favorites and I think it is time for a remake. A friend of mine is always saying of our current situation “we are living in the first five minutes of a Carpenter film” so why not lean in to that belief. Things are bead, and maybe getting better, but what better solution for the crime we see on the news every night then to throw all the criminals into one area and let have at it. The idea of turning Manhattan Island into a maximum security prison really is not that far off. It would remove the criminals form general population, make prison a punishment again, and the tried and true excuse, make us all safer. The gore would have to be turned up and the grit would also have to come up. The tone is still perfect. The idea of a president lost in a maximum security prison is great. We could even show debate about “he is not my president” or maybe “she”, talk about adding an element. I would like to Snake return to the big screen. I think also Jeremy Renner would be an excellent update to this project.
1. Romancing the Stone. This is the movie that inspired this list. I just watched this and the action I remembered seem to vanish. I know it’s ROMANCING the stone but I did not expect a romantic action film. If we turn up the action on this adventure film it would be better. More time on getting the stone and let the romance build from the adventure. I am seeing James Franco and Scarlett Johansen in this. I think they would be great. More action perhaps Franco is working with the jewel thieves and has a change of heart at the end; which would give us the final scene of him in the crocodile boots with the boat. This could make a ton of money and be rated PG13. This is a golden opportunity.
These are five movies I think should be remade. Do you have one to remake? Let me know in the comments and don’t forget to vote for your favorite.