5 Most Needless Remakes

5 Most Needless Remakes By Christy Lemire August 19, 2011 Photo by Columbia Pictures/Jasin Boland "The Karate Kid" LOS ANGELES (AP) This is one of those weeks is which five choices aren't nearly enough. We're talking about unnecessary remakes, which pretty much means ... all of them.Rare is the remake that actually improves on the original this year's "The Mechanic" with Jason Statham springs to mind. But the original versions of "Assault on Precinct 13" or "The Longest Yard" or "The Taking of Pelham 123," for example, were just fine on their own, and in their own time.With this week bringing new versions of "Conan the Barbarian" and "Fright Night," we're going to focus on movies that never should have been touched. Stop me if you think you've heard this one before:"Psycho" (1998): Pretty much no one should go near Alfred Hitchcock, ever. But if you're daring enough to try, you should avoid doing a shot-by-shot remake of what is probably the master's best-known film. Still, you've got to admire Gus Van Sant's chutzpah. He shot it in color that's different and added a few slight tweaks. Vince Vaughn plays the iconic Anthony Perkins role of Norman Bates and Anne Heche fills in for Janet Leigh as Marion Crane. But other than that, it's the same characters, same dialogue, same camera angles, even the same Bernard Hermann score from 1960. It's an intriguing exercise but, ultimately, a noble failure."City of Angels" (1998): Wim Wenders' "Wings of Desire" (1987) is a modern classic, and it featured one of the greatest performances by the late Peter Falk. Melancholy, thoughtful and visually arresting, it followed unseen angels who watched over Berlin, observing people's actions, listening to their thoughts, quietly shaping their lives. "City of Angels," by comparison, was too obvious it spelled everything out, its emotions were too tidy. Brad Silberling turned this subtle story into a simple romantic comedy starring Nicolas Cage (as an angel) and Meg Ryan (as a heart surgeon), two actors who make absolutely no sense together."The Women" (2008): George Cukor's 1939 cat fight, based on the play by Clare Boothe Luce, was intended as a satire of society mavens and their frivolous lives. In directing for the first time and writing the script, "Murphy Brown" creator Diane English made it a celebration. Sure, it had an all-female cast of solid actresses (Meg Ryan, Annette Bening, Cloris Leachman), as did the original, though perhaps not quite the stellar collection that included Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford and Rosalind Russell. Cukor's tone and timing were missing; English applied all the lighthearted instincts of her sitcom background and seemingly none of the insights of the source material."The Invasion" (2007): There've been many versions of the sci-fi classic "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," but this one had the least bite. Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig and Jeffrey Wright went to waste as a few of the last citizens who managed to remain uninfected when a gloopy substance from outer space took over the population, turning people into emotionless drone versions of themselves. The whole point of this story has always been to serve as a reflection of its times, whether it's making a statement about McCarthyism (1956) or Vietnam and Watergate (1978). This time, there were passing TV news references to the war in Iraq and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, but the film's political ideology felt tossed-in and half-baked. Worst of all, it wasn't the slightest bit scary or suspenseful."The Karate Kid" (2010): This is admittedly a personal, nostalgic choice. But for anyone who grew up in the '80s, "The Karate Kid" inspires a deep fondness. Harold Zwart's version maintained the basic structure and even some key details, like the sweep-the-leg moment in the finale. It moved the setting from Los Angeles to Beijing, that's no big deal. The main problem was the casting of Jaden Smith, who was several years younger than Ralph Macchio was and looks even younger. And so neither the fighting nor the romance with a girl who's out of his league two key components of "The Karate Kid" made sense.Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 5 Most Needless Remakes By Christy Lemire August 19, 2011 "The Karate Kid" PHOTO CREDIT Columbia Pictures/Jasin Boland LOS ANGELES (AP) This is one of those weeks is which five choices aren't nearly enough. We're talking about unnecessary remakes, which pretty much means ... all of them.Rare is the remake that actually improves on the original this year's "The Mechanic" with Jason Statham springs to mind. But the original versions of "Assault on Precinct 13" or "The Longest Yard" or "The Taking of Pelham 123," for example, were just fine on their own, and in their own time.With this week bringing new versions of "Conan the Barbarian" and "Fright Night," we're going to focus on movies that never should have been touched. Stop me if you think you've heard this one before:"Psycho" (1998): Pretty much no one should go near Alfred Hitchcock, ever. But if you're daring enough to try, you should avoid doing a shot-by-shot remake of what is probably the master's best-known film. Still, you've got to admire Gus Van Sant's chutzpah. He shot it in color that's different and added a few slight tweaks. Vince Vaughn plays the iconic Anthony Perkins role of Norman Bates and Anne Heche fills in for Janet Leigh as Marion Crane. But other than that, it's the same characters, same dialogue, same camera angles, even the same Bernard Hermann score from 1960. It's an intriguing exercise but, ultimately, a noble failure."City of Angels" (1998): Wim Wenders' "Wings of Desire" (1987) is a modern classic, and it featured one of the greatest performances by the late Peter Falk. Melancholy, thoughtful and visually arresting, it followed unseen angels who watched over Berlin, observing people's actions, listening to their thoughts, quietly shaping their lives. "City of Angels," by comparison, was too obvious it spelled everything out, its emotions were too tidy. Brad Silberling turned this subtle story into a simple romantic comedy starring Nicolas Cage (as an angel) and Meg Ryan (as a heart surgeon), two actors who make absolutely no sense together."The Women" (2008): George Cukor's 1939 cat fight, based on the play by Clare Boothe Luce, was intended as a satire of society mavens and their frivolous lives. In directing for the first time and writing the script, "Murphy Brown" creator Diane English made it a celebration. Sure, it had an all-female cast of solid actresses (Meg Ryan, Annette Bening, Cloris Leachman), as did the original, though perhaps not quite the stellar collection that included Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford and Rosalind Russell. Cukor's tone and timing were missing; English applied all the lighthearted instincts of her sitcom background and seemingly none of the insights of the source material."The Invasion" (2007): There've been many versions of the sci-fi classic "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," but this one had the least bite. Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig and Jeffrey Wright went to waste as a few of the last citizens who managed to remain uninfected when a gloopy substance from outer space took over the population, turning people into emotionless drone versions of themselves. The whole point of this story has always been to serve as a reflection of its times, whether it's making a statement about McCarthyism (1956) or Vietnam and Watergate (1978). This time, there were passing TV news references to the war in Iraq and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, but the film's political ideology felt tossed-in and half-baked. Worst of all, it wasn't the slightest bit scary or suspenseful."The Karate Kid" (2010): This is admittedly a personal, nostalgic choice. But for anyone who grew up in the '80s, "The Karate Kid" inspires a deep fondness. Harold Zwart's version maintained the basic structure and even some key details, like the sweep-the-leg moment in the finale. It moved the setting from Los Angeles to Beijing, that's no big deal. The main problem was the casting of Jaden Smith, who was several years younger than Ralph Macchio was and looks even younger. And so neither the fighting nor the romance with a girl who's out of his league two key components of "The Karate Kid" made sense.Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Will Scott Michael Foster Come Between Melissa & Joey's "Will They or Won't They?" Tension?

Scott Michael Foster and Melissa Joan Hart Fans of Greek's Scott Michael Foster will be happy to see him in a somewhat similar role on Melissa & Joey. "[My character] doesn't have his stuff figured out yet and is a bit fancy-free," Foster tells TVGuide.com about his upcoming arc as George, the younger love interest to Mel (Melissa Joan Hart). VIDEO: Melissa & Joey's Melissa Joan Hart previews a lot of kissing in upcoming episodes And just as Cappie had his share of on-screen kisses, Foster, again, will be doing some smooching. "We kiss a lot - what more to say about that? We definitely do have our faces very close for most of that arc," he says. In this clip from Wednesday's episode (8/7c on ABC Family), Mel shows George how to tie a necktie - and sparks fly from there. In the second clip, Mel finally admits to George she's been lying about her age. Foster reveals that George is very much OK with it. So will Joe (Joey Lawrence) get jealous about Mel's young boyfriend? "You see ... Joey having a tinge of jealousy," Foster says, "but also he cares about Melissa more than getting upset about her dating someone." Although Foster's arc ends after three episodes, he says, "I think there's definitely an option for George to come back." As to how they break up, he won't spill, but adds, "It's a sweet ending." Melissa & Joey episodes "Young Love" and "Mel and Joe's Anniversary" air back to back Wednesday beginning at 8/7c on ABC Family.

Loose Cannons

Tommaso may be the youngest boy from the Cantones, a sizable, traditional southern Italian family operating a pasta-making business because the sixties. On a holiday home from Rome, where he studies literature and lives together with his boyfriend, Tommaso decides to inform his parents the reality regarding themself. However when he's finally ready to be released while watching entire family, his older brother Antonio ruins his plans.

'The Help' helps itself to $5 million bow

Depending on early forecasts, DreamWorks' "The Assistance,Inch distribbed by Disney, is on the right track to gross $5 million today from 2,511 Stateside locations. The film's midweek start is not an underlying cause for celebration, nor could it be reason behind concern. To begin with, "The AssistanceInch were built with a modest budget of $25 million. Plus, midweek launches rarely set the frame ablaze, particularly with heavily-specific photos that skew toward adult audiences (over-25 moviegoers usually hold back until the weekend to go to the plexes). However the film's forecasted $5 million start is under what comparable title "Sisterhood from the Traveling Pants 2" gained throughout its Wednesday launch ($5.7 million). That pic eventually made $19.six million in 5 days -- consistent with what Disney is expecting for "Help," but less than other B.O. forecasts. "The AssistanceInch looks to jump start a stable word-of-mouth campaign with the weekend, depending on positive buzz. Pic will prove to add roughly 30 locations in more compact U.S. marketplaces on Friday. Contact Andrew Stewart at andrew.stewart@variety.com

IMDb - Road to Nowhere

There's a murky tenuous balance between reality and fiction; particularly when it involves a beautiful young woman, murder, a powerful politico, a missing fortune and suicide. A passionate filmmaker creating a film based upon a true crime casts an unknown mysterious young woman bearing a disturbing resemblance to the femme fatale in the story. Unsuspectingly, he finds himself drawn into a complex web of haunting intrigue, obsessed with the woman, the crime, her possibly notorious past and the disturbing complexity between art and truth. From the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina to Verona, Rome and London, new truths are revealed and clues to other crimes and passions, darker and even more complex are uncovered.

'Rise Of Planet Of Apes' = $1.25M Midnights

FRIDAY AM: It's a low-key start for a modest midnight opening of $1.254 million in only 1,124 North American locations for Fox's prequel Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes with CGI animals and James Franco. "It's a good start considering that Cowboys & Aliens had about $800K in midnights a week ago," a Fox exec tells me. (And, remember, that pic got Smurf-ed at the box office.) Full analysis and refined numbers coming later today.

Epix's Head Of Original Programming Exits

EXCLUSIVE: Epix's retreat from original programming continues with the departure of Laverne McKinnon, EVP original programming and development. Epix -- a joint venture of Viacom, Paramount, MGM and Lionsgate -- made a statement that it was serious about originals when it hired industry veteran McKinnon, former head of drama development for CBS, 2 years ago to spearhead its efforts in the area. At the time, Epix had already greenlighted its first pilot, Nashville drama Tough Trade, and had several series and miniseries in development. That same fall, McKinnon made the rounds around town, laying out an ambitions scripted agenda for Epix, which included the launch of the channel's first original scripted offering, likely a miniseries, in third-quarter 2010, followed by a rollout of a scripted program each quarter, alternating between minis and 13-episode series. Epix continued to aggressively acquire documentaries and concert and comedy specials and became a pioneer in striking an early distribution pact with Netflix for features from the studios that co-own it. But Epix's original efforts never took flight. And last October the company pulled the plug of Tough Trade, which was to be Epix's first scripted series. At the time, Epix insisted that it was staying in the series business. Ten months later, no scripted projects have moved beyond development stage, and now I hear McKinnon is leaving. Still, word is that Epix is not releasing the scriptted projects -- series and miniseries -- it has in development and McKinnon's team will continue to work on them, at least for the time being. It is uncler if she will be replaced.

'Glass' cuts distrib offer The United States

'Hellacious Acres: The Situation of John Glass'The Collective and BloodyDisgusting.com have acquired United States privileges to "Hellacious Acres: The Situation of John Glass" for theatrical, VOD and DVD release in their Bloody Disgusting Chooses film series. Theatrical release will occur late this season in their partnership with AMC Theaters.Montreal-based director Pat Tremblay authored, directed and performed the titular character in "Hellacious" together with editing, co-scoring and creating the majority of the visual effects. Cast includes Navin Pratap, Jamie Abrams, Paula J. Davis, Laurent Lecompte and Francis Dubois.Story centers on the guy struggling with amnesia who awakens in the cryogenic freezer like a robot voice bombards him with details about World War III. Tremblay's newest films "Heads of Control: The Gorul Baheu Brain Expedition" and "Truck Lover" tested included in Montreal's Festival du Nouveau Cinema. "Hellacious Acres" had its United States premiere being an official choice of the Fantasia Film Festival in Montreal. Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com

Lupone, Patinkin to Broadway

Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin will bring their concert to Broadway this fall, with a run of about 60 perfs kicking off in November. The duo of LuPone, most recently on the Main Stem in last season's "Women on the Verge of Nervous Breakdown," and Patinkin, seen Off Broadway earlier this year in "Compulsion," acquired a legendary legit rep when the pair co-starred together in the original Rialto production of "Evita" in 1979. "An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin," which preemed in 2009 and has played cities including L.A. and Toronto, is the first show the two have performed together since that first team-up. Patinkin helms the production, which presents a string of tunes from songwriters including Stephen Sondheim, Jerome Kern and duo Kander and Ebb, among others. Ann Reinking ("Chicago") provides musical staging. Another star-in-concert offering, the new stage show from Hugh Jackman, also has been discussed for a potential Broadway run this season, but a number of details, particularly scheduling, remain to come together. "An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin" begins previews at the Barrymore Theater Nov. 16 ahead of a Nov. 21 opening. Contact Gordon Cox at gordon.cox@variety.com