Yahoo! Movies: New Remake DVD Releases

What a Girl Wants

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:29:41 -0000

This is the story of a 19-year-old girl (Bynes) who has been raised in New York City by her mother (Preston), a professional singer, who decides that she wants to find her long-lost British father (Firth) in London, who's part of a very hoity-toity British aristocratic social circle. Once she gets there, however, it doesn't take long before her hip American lifestyle disrupts his entire life. Can she find a balance in the relationship between her two parents, find her own piece of mind, and along the way, possibly fall in love as well? Perhaps most importantly, does she have a chance at being the Debutante of the Year? (1 hr. 44 min.) Release date: Sep 8, 2009

Scarface

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:29:40 -0000

Brian De Palma's blood-and-sun-drenched saga of a Cuban deportee�s rise to the top of Miami's cocaine business has become something of a popular classic since its release; it's been referenced in rap songs and subsequent gangster movies and quoted the world over. Despite this lovefest with the dialogue, the film�s brutal violence and lack of positive characters still make it controversial and disliked by certain critics. Al Pacino stars as Tony Montana, whose intelligence, guts, and ambition help him skyrocket from dishwasher to the top of a criminal empire but whose eventual paranoia and incestuous desire for his kid sister (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) prove his undoing. Michelle Pfeiffer plays Tony�s neglected coke-addicted trophy wife, and Steven Bauer is his concerned friend. F. Murray Abraham, Robert Loggia, and Paul Shenar are some of Tony�s sleazy business partners and potential killers. Oliver Stone wrote the expletive-packed screenplay, based on Howard Hawks�s 1932 version--which was ostensibly about Al Capone and starred Paul Muni and George Raft. The synth-heavy Giorgio Moroder score expertly evokes the drug-fueled decadence of 1980s Miami, and De Palma provides several of his elaborate set pieces, including a horrific showstopper in a motel room with a chain saw.

RERELEASE: September 19th, 2003 (New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Detroit, Dallas, Miami and San Francisco) (2 hrs. 50 min.) Release date: Nov 1, 2009

Hairspray

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:29:39 -0000

Originally written and directed by filmmaker John Waters in 1988, and then put on Broadway, the camp musical HAIRSPRAY could easily have run its course with viewers. But thanks to playful direction, flashy costumes, over-the-top performances, and a positive message of peace, this newest spin proves to be yet another enjoyable incarnation. Set in 1960s Baltimore, the story follows a plump young girl named Tracy Turnblad (played by impressive newcomer Nikki Blonski) on an amazing journey as her dream of dancing on the popular Corny Collins Show becomes a reality. The local television program is a shiny spectacle spear-headed by Corny Collins (James Marsden), a gang of young dancers, and producer Velma Von Tussle (Michelle Pfeiffer), a seductress ice queen whose manipulative ways ensure her daughter Amber (Brittany Snow) gets more than her fair share of screen time as one of the show's stars. When Tracy shows up at an open call, Velma can barely contain her rage, and sets out to rid the show of Tracy and the talented black dancers who make up the show's popular "Negro Day." Thus begins a war of talent and a battle for justice, with those in favor of integration meeting many obstacles along the way.

While less out-there than Waters's original, the film still contains some very quirky humor. John Travolta playing Tracy's overweight mother may seem an odd concept at first, but in this context it works. Scenes that would ordinarily be cheesy are made more interesting due to the odd dynamic between Christopher Walken and John Travolta playing man and wife. As the two dance and woo one another, the strange smile on Travolta's lipsticked lips and the grace of Walken's dancing will be sure to fascinate viewers. Viewers should also watch for cameos by Ricki Lake, and by John Waters as a Baltimore streaker. With all the wacky comedy, it's often easy to forget that the meat of HAIRSPRAY is a battle over racial integration. The film manages to create some touching moments in the midst of sparkling musical numbers. (1 hr. 55 min.) Release date: Sep 15, 2009

King Kong

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:29:38 -0000

One of the top money-makers of the 1970s. Producer Dino Delaurentis up-dates the 1933 classic. Jessica Lange's first starring role. Academy Award Nominations: 2, including Best Cinematography, Best Sound. Academy Award: Best Special Effects. (2 hrs. 15 min.) Release date: Sep 15, 2009

House of Wax

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:29:37 -0000

Ever been creeped out by the life-like statues at a wax museum? Yes? But have you ever recognized your old roommate behind the glass? Vincent Price plays the menacing Professor Henry Jarrod, in a role that would solidify his reputation as the creepiest man in Hollywood. With everything from cancan girls to rubber paddleballs finding their way into the audience, 'House of Wax' takes full advantage of the novel 3-D stereoscopic process. (1 hr. 28 min.) Release date: Nov 3, 2009

City of Angels

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:29:36 -0000

What happens when an angel falls in love with a mortal? In this Hollywoodized version of Wim Wenders' "Wings of an Angel," the romance is as longing and deferred as it was in "Sleepless in Seattle." (1 hr. 57 min.) Release date: Sep 8, 2009

Halloween

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:29:35 -0000

The early 2000s have seen a string of big-budget remakes of classic horror films. In addition to THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE and THE HILLS HAVE EYES, John Carpenter's benchmark slasher flick HALLOWEEN has been given a new-millennial overhaul. At the helm of the project sits rocker Rob Zombie, whose previous films, HOUSE OF 1,000 CORPSES and THE DEVIL'S REJECTS, brought a fan's touch and an auteur's vision to the director's chair. While Zombie's HALLOWEEN is faithful to Carpenter's vision, there are some obvious changes, the most pronounced of these being the substantial focus on Michael Myers's childhood. The film posits Michael (played by a creepily vacant Daeg Faerch) as a troubled child made all the worse by a horrible home life--wonderfully illustrated via William Forsythe's performance as Deborah Myers's boyfriend--and constant abuse at school. Zombie paints Michael's pain with palpable grit and sleaze, but he isn't out to put our culture on the couch--he simply wants to show Michael killing his family. With the exception of Michael's therapy sessions while incarcerated, the film, post-massacre, stays loyal to the original.

Zombie's film is clearly the work of a filmmaker who knows and loves the genre. The director's signature is stamped all over HALLOWEEN (most notably in the use of grainy home movie footage and a smokin' classic rock soundtrack), although remnants of Carpenter's brilliant original still remain. When it comes to remakes, it's hard to ask for much more. (1 hr. 49 min.) Release date: Oct 6, 2009

Shutter

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:29:34 -0000

Treading territory similar to JU-ON: THE GRUDGE (2003), RINGU (1998), and ONE MISSED CALL (2003), all Asian horror films remade for American audiences, SHUTTER is the first English-language film for director Masayuki Ochiai, whose career has been primarily within the horror genre. The result is another potent ghost story able to conjure up feelings of dread through a single longhaired, poker-faced female apparition.

Newlywed New Yorkers Ben (Joshua Jackson, THE SKULLS) and Jane Shaw (Rachael Taylor, TRANSFORMERS) have traveled to Tokyo, where photographer Ben is investigating a potentially lucrative job opportunity. While driving on a dark road at night, the couple runs over a mysterious woman who seems to appear out of nowhere and can't be found after the accident. Over the next few days, Jane goes sightseeing while Ben works, only to see strange apparitions that also appear on the photos she takes. After Ben's photos show the same ghostly forms, he confesses that he knows something about the woman they ran over, but it may be too late to stop her trail of terror. Another Hollywood remake of an Asian horror film, SHUTTER has a tricky lineage: the 2004 original was made in Thailand, while this version is U.S.-financed, but shot mostly in Japan. By setting the film in Japan, director Ochiai retains an element of exoticism for American audiences, which also allows Ben and Jane to be out of their element, � la DON'T LOOK NOW. As the menacing spirit, Megumi, Megumi Okina is adept at conjuring fear with a simple glare in a minimal but effective performance. SHUTTER doesn't stretch the boundaries of horror cinema, but it provides a handful of decent shocks and a couple of crowd-pleasing gross-outs, all within the limits of a non-restrictive PG-13 rating. (1 hr. 25 min.) Release date: Sep 15, 2009

Cat People

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:29:33 -0000

After Irena (Nastassia Kinski), a young woman with a mysterious past, is reunited with her brother Paul (Malcom MacDowell), a series of bizarre events is set into motion. When Irena discovers that her sexuality is intimately linked with that of her brother's--as well as with a strange human-feline metamorphosis they secretly share--the moment is both frightening and alluring. A remake of the 1942 supernatural horror film of the same name, Paul Schrader's version of CAT PEOPLE is more graphic, more eroticized, and more detailed in content. Shot in New Orleans, an eerie stillness permeates the film, coupled with naturally delivered dialogue that moves the story along. Ruby Dee provides extra mysterious insinuations as Female, the sibling's live-in servant in their French-style mansion, and John Heard is perfectly cast as Oliver, the animal biologist and love interest of Irena. (1 hr. 58 min.) Release date: Sep 13, 2009

Meet the Parents

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:29:32 -0000

In Meet the Parents, everything that could possibly go wrong for groom-to-be Greg Focker does. The problems begin with Greg's disastrous first meeting with his girlfriend's family-most notably her intimidating father Jack Byrnes-and it's all downhill from there. (1 hr. 48 min.) Release date: Nov 1, 2009

The Secret Garden

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:29:31 -0000

Agnieszka Holland's adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett's classic fairy tale, THE SECRET GARDEN is a highly entertaining family picture that is overflowing with gorgeous imagery. Ten-year-old Mary Lennox (Kate Maberly) is a spoiled rich girl living in colonial India with her aloof parents who frequent elegant parties and leave her with servants who attend to her every whim. When her parents are killed, however, Mary's life changes drastically. She's shipped off to England to live in the enormous manor of her father's friend, Lord Archibald Craven (John Lynch), and his invalid son, Colin (Heydon Prowse). Lord Craven, a miserable recluse since his wife's death, ignores his son and leaves the household management to Mrs. Medlock (Maggie Smith), an ironhanded authoritarian. In this cold environment, the children, with help from spirited maid Martha Sowerby and her younger brother, Dickon, manage to find happiness in a special garden hidden away for years. Beautifully shot by Roger Deakins, Holland�s film is a visual feast that captures the fantasy like tone of the book without sacrificing any of Burnett's original vision. Zbigniew Preisner's magical score adds another lovely dimension, making this a film that individuals of every age can enjoy. (1 hr. 41 min.) Release date: Sep 8, 2009

Cape Fear

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:29:30 -0000

A deranged convict seeks revenge on the attorney who improperly= defended him. (2 hrs. 8 min.) Release date: Sep 13, 2009

The Hills Have Eyes 2

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:29:29 -0000

IN THEATERS MARCH 23, 2007

The remake of 1970s horror classic THE HILLS HAVE EYES was a huge success, so this sequel once again transports viewers to a mutant-filled desert where some luckless visitors are forced to fight for their lives. (1 hr. 29 min.) Release date: Sep 15, 2009

Sweet November

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:29:28 -0000

Based on the screenplay by Herman Raucher for the 1968 film of the same title, SWEET NOVEMBER stars Charlize Theron and Keanu Reeves in the story of an experimental love affair. Theron is Sara, a free-spirited woman who runs across tight-laced ad executive Nelson (Reeves) at the DMV. Nelson wants only to be left alone to continue on the fast track of his career, but Sara is drawn to him. She makes him an offer: to be her November, the man who will live with her for one month only, during which she will "help" him. Not sure why, Nelson accepts, finding that Sara appeals to something he didn't even know was inside him. As she begins to change his life, Nelson realizes what he's been missing in his career-centered world--but just as he begins to reach out to her, Nelson finds that Sara has secrets of her own. (1 hr. 59 min.) Release date: Sep 8, 2009

The Hitcher

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:29:27 -0000

This remake of the classic Rutger Hauer horror flick finds two college students taking a perilous trip through the desert after they pick up a mysterious hitchhiker. (1 hr. 24 min.) Release date: Sep 13, 2009

Point of No Return

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:29:26 -0000

In a grim future America, Maggie (Bridget Fonda), a beautiful young street punk, is about to be executed for killing a cop during a robbery, and is given the choice between death or becoming a government assassin. She accepts the latter and is trained in all manner of martial (and feminine) arts. She ably carries out her deadly assignments, and is groomed to become a powerful killer. Maggie is given a new identity, becomes the seductive Claudia, and is sent to Venice, California, where she begins her new life. But the training takes only too well: the formerly amoral murderess proceeds to fall in love with a photographer (Dermot Mulroney) and develop a conscience. Now she wants out, but the government isn't about to let her go without a fight. Director John Badham's remake of French director Luc Besson's LA FEMME NIKITA is a stylish and thrilling adaptation, featuring a solid performance from Bridget Fonda. (1 hr. 49 min.) Release date: Sep 8, 2009

The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:29:25 -0000

New York City subway dispatcher Walter Garber's ordinary day is thrown into chaos by an audacious crime: the hijacking of a subway train. Ryder, a criminal mastermind, leads a highly-armed gang of four, threatening to execute the train's passengers unless a large ransom is paid within one hour. As the tension mounts beneath his feet, Garber employs his vast knowledge of the subway system in a battle to outwit Ryder and save the hostages. But there's one riddle Garber can't solve: even if the thieves get the money, how can they possibly escape? (1 hr 35 min.) Release date: Nov 3, 2009

Land of the Lost

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:29:24 -0000

A disgraced paleontologist, his assistant and a macho tour guide find themselves in a strange world inhabited by dinosaurs, monkey people and reptilian Sleestaks. (1 hr. 41 min.) Release date: Oct 13, 2009

Disney's A Christmas Carol

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:29:23 -0000

Ebenezer Scrooge begins the Christmas holiday with his usual miserly contempt, barking at his faithful clerk and his cheery nephew. But when the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come take him on an eye-opening journey revealing truths Old Scrooge is reluctant to face, he must open his heart to undo years of ill will before it's too late. (1 hr. 36 min.) Release date: Oct 13, 2009

Mirrors

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:29:22 -0000

French director Alexandre Aja adds to his growing canon of horror features with this remake of the Korean feature GEOUL SOKEURO (2003). Kiefer Sutherland stars as Ben Carson, a disgraced former New York City cop who attempts to put his checkered past behind him by taking a job as a security guard. Carson is required to take the night shift in a department store in the city. The store closed down after a fire put an end to its business, and Carson soon discovers that malevolent spirits are lurking behind its walls. The spirits connect with the human world through the mirrors in the store, and when they discover Carson's presence they go after his ex-wife, Amy (Paula Patton), and his kids (played by Erica Gluck and Cameron Boyce). Carson attempts to figure out the meaning of a cryptic message carved into one of the mirrors, hoping it will save his family and cut off contact with the malignant lurking presence.

Aja successfully replicates much of the tension and edge-of-your-seat moments that he managed so skillfully in HAUTE TENSION (2003). The film begins with an unnerving set piece in which Carson's predecessor takes a shard of mirror and slashes his own throat, and it's an indication of the gore-filled fun that awaits intrepid viewers. Aja creates a palpable sense of unease by shooting dim-lit set pieces in the department store. Sutherland makes for a convincing lead in a character that closely resembles his turn as Jack Bauer in 24. There are plenty of genuine scares in the film, and the director ultimately spins MIRRORS as a cross between a psychological thriller in the vein of the POLTERGEIST movies and a no-holds-barred splatter flick. (1 hr. 50 min.) Release date: Sep 15, 2009

Faded Memories

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:29:21 -0000

While most teens devote their lives to school or friends, Anne-Sophie Dutoit had directed, written, and starred in this drama when she was just 16 years old. Dutoit plays Cassandra, a teen with an extreme fear of the touch of other people. Though she and her alcoholic aunt have bounced from place to place, she finally finds a home--and a love--in sunny Malibu. Handsome Lucas (Brock Vincent Kelly) is every girl's dream, and Cassandra is surprised and pleased when he chooses her. But Lucas's mother can't see her son with the strange girl, and she devises a plan that unexpectedly lands Cassandra in a mental institution. (1 hr. 28 min.) Release date: Sep 14, 2009

The Phantom of the Opera

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:29:20 -0000

The masked phantom of the Paris Opera House schemes to make a beautiful young soprano the star of the opera company and wreak revenge on those who stole his music. Academy Award Nominations: 4, including Best (Color) Cinematography. (1 hr. 32 min.) Release date: Sep 13, 2009