Five Faves on Friday #3: Remakes

Since I did sequels last week, I thought it would be fun to list some of my favorite remakes this week.

Dawn of the Dead
I actually very much prefer this remake to the original. The zombie makeup is more terrifying, and I like that the zombies can be fast moving, as opposed to moving slow. My favorite scene in the remake is during the beginning when things are just starting to happen. The little zombie girl was super creepy, and I like when Sarah Polley’s character escapes the house and then you see the complete chaos that is taking place all around.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
This movie has a good cast. I like Jessica Biel and Eric Balfour in the leads. Everyone who was cast in the killer family was excellent too. Especially R. Lee Ermey. He’s brutal, terrifying, and absolutely perfect for this film. I actually found him to be scarier than Leatherface. I also love that the colors are desaturated in this movie. It just adds even more grittiness to the film.

Halloween
Many people love Rob Zombie’s films, and there are many people who despise them. Halloween is probably the most controversial, since the original is a classic. Some people thought he butchered the movie and hated how he made Michael more human. Personally, I like that. The real monsters in this world are human, and it’s usually a combination of both nature and nurture that turns them into what they are. I really liked the look of Michael in this film. He’s huge, and the way he slams people around while killing them is brutal. I also like the dirty and torn look of his mask.

The Last House on the Left
This is definitely one of those remakes that is very well done. Some people might find this movie difficult to watch though. This film is very violent, and not just in a gory way. It’s also psychologically terrifying, since events in this film can and do happen in real life. The rape scene is especially disturbing, but it plays a big part in the family wanting to get revenge on their daughters attackers.

The Hitcher
This is a great psychological horror film. Even though I think this movie is really good, it’s not one I can watch very often because of how real and terrifying Sean Bean is as John Ryder. The way he mentally tortures his victims before killing them is quite scary. He was definitely perfect for the role. I’m also a huge fan of Sophia Bush, and I love her in this movie. I thought she was badass. One of the other things I like about this remake is how visually appealing it is. The colors and scenery are pretty, despite all the terrible things happening.