Politically charged TV shows, B-movie transformations, and a completely unexpected Tom Cruise performance.
Sometimes, sci-fi remakes are way better than the original.
Remaking a classic film is always a dangerous endeavor.
The 1958 version of "The Fly" is a perfectly entertaining B-movie with some creative special
effects and some solid jump scares, and an intriguing gimmick.
While it's a fun midnight movie to watch if you're into science fiction from the '50s,
it isn't necessarily a classic.
Notorious cult filmmaker David Cronenberg decided to rework the concept and turn it
into a powerful human tragedy with 1986's "The Fly," a more terrifying and emotional
film than its predecessor on nearly every level.
"You've got to get some help, I think you must be sick."
Jeff Goldblum stars as Seth Brundle, a brilliant scientist who's convinced that he's discovered
a way to transport materials between two chambers.
He uses his computer to reproduce organic tissue, which has the potential to radically
change medicine and scientific research.
However, after his crush, Veronica, played by Geena Davis, leaves to visit her ex-boyfriend,
Seth begins drinking, and his experiment goes horribly wrong.
When Brundle tries to transport himself between two pods, a fly accidentally sneaks into the
chamber with him, and the combination of their DNA begins to slowly turn Seth into the monstrous
"Brundlefly."
The film shows how he gradually loses his humanity.
Instead of using the hulking creature he becomes as the source of cheap jump scares, Cronenberg
shows how debilitating disease can be, especially for someone with a work ethic like Brundle's.
It's horrifying to watch such a likable character transform into a monster that we no longer recognize.
There is always an inherent danger when American filmmakers choose to remake classic international movies.
That certainly wasn't the case when Steven Soderbergh remade Andrei Tarkovsky's's beloved
space classic "Solaris".
His 2002 update captures the same eerie tone and mind-blowing visuals of the original,
but intertwines the narrative in a slightly more compelling way.
It's certainly a close call, but Soderbergh's film is more rewatchable, emotionally engaging,
and thematically rich.
Both versions of "Solaris" are inspired by the 1961 science fiction novel of the same
name by author Stanisław Lem.
The 2002 film stars George Clooney as the psychologist Dr. Chris Kelvin, who receives
a proposal to assist in a mission to the space station Solaris.
During his voyage, Kelvin begins having strange visions of his dead wife Rheya, played by
Natascha McElhone, and he starts to lose his grip on reality.
There is also a deep sadness in Clooney's performance, which ranks among the best of
his career, making "Solaris" endlessly watchable.
Fans of Frank Herbert's "Dune" were excited when "Eraserhead" director David Lynch was
hired to direct an adaptation of the first book in the series.
However, the 1984 film fell short of most people's expectations.
Even though Lynch is one of the best directors of all time, he was put under creative restraints
and did not get to make the film that he intended.
Since a director as talented as Lynch couldn't make a good "Dune" movie, some people simply
assumed that the novel was unfilmable.
However, director Denis Villeneuve found much more success with his adaptation.
While Lynch's film tried to compress the entire story into one film, Villeneuve chose to split
the story into two separate projects.
"Dune: Part One" focused on Paul Atreides, played by Timothée Chalamet, and his rise
as a leader.
By giving the audience more time to adjust to the political terminology and world-building,
Villeneuve was able to make Paul a more inspiring character.
The remake also brings each of the novel's stunning locations to life in immaculate detail.
Between the incredible action sequences, Hans Zimmer's electrifying score, and the unique
costume design, 2021's "Dune" is one of the most technically impressive films ever made.
1956's "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" incorporated some of the most relevant political issues
of the era.
The concept of alien creatures replacing humans may seem silly, but Americans had been suspicious
of each other throughout the Cold War.
As a result, the paranoia over aliens shared commonalities with the search for Communist
sympathizers during the "Red Scare."
When director Philip Kaufman approached his 1978 remake, he chose to tackle many of the
same themes, especially as the '70s were also filled with intense paranoia after a series
of political scandals.
Many political thrillers from the era dealt with suspicions about being watched.
In Kaufman's version, the scientist Matthew Bennell, played by Donald Sutherland, starts
to investigate a mutilated corpse at a mud house.
Bennell discovers that a race of extraterrestrials is slowly invading society by taking on human form.
The film unravels like a procedural thriller and spends time showing the extent of Bennell's
research, grounding the story in scientific principles that made the "Pod People" seem
like a plausible threat.
The use of silence during the climactic sequences only contributes to the film's eerie vibe.
While "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" avoids cheap jump scares, it has one of the most
chilling final shots in science fiction film history.
The 1962 French short film "La Jetee" is one of the most influential works of time travel fiction.
The 28-minute film explores a post-apocalyptic, dystopian version of Paris, and follows a
nameless prisoner who is sent back in time to his childhood before World War III.
"Brazil" director Terry Gilliam decided to expand "La Jetee" into the science fiction
film "12 Monkeys."
Gilliam's adaptation follows a prisoner named James Cole, played by Bruce Willis, who is
held captive in a post-apocalyptic version of Philadelphia.
Cole is sent back in time to find a cure for a pandemic that has swept the world.
It's believed that a group of environmental extremists known as the "Army of the 12 Monkeys"
initially released the virus.
"Get it?
Mon-key.
Monk-key!"
"12 Monkeys" sustains its premise thanks to Gilliam's visual idiosyncrasies, in which
the future is stark and terrifying, and the present is so eerily realistic that it's even spookier.
Willis gives an incredible, emotional performance that ties in beautifully with the film's tragic ending.
The 1995 adaptation of the "Judge Dredd" comic book series is one of the most disappointing
superhero movies of all time.
Instead of respecting the character's gritty origins, the film turned into a generic Sylvester
Stallone action vehicle.
Luckily, 2012's "Dredd" was an improvement in every way.
Pete Travis treated the film as a shocking, 1980s-style action movie with gruesome death
sequences and insightful political commentary.
"800 million people living in the ruin of the old world."
"Dredd" takes place in a dystopian future where police officers serve as judge, jury,
and executioner.
The veteran Judge Dredd, played by Karl Urban, reluctantly takes a younger judge under his
wing when he's assigned a drug bust.
Dredd is sent to break into a massive building where the drug lord Ma-Ma, played by Lena
Headey, has her stronghold where she sells a powerful hallucinatory drug known as "Slo-Mo."
The film uses immersive 3D effects to make the violent action sequences even more brutal.
John Carpenter has redefined nearly every subgenre of science fiction and horror, and
1982's "The Thing" is a tightly wound masterwork of suspense, action, and some of the most
impressive makeup effects in cinema history.
"The Thing" was loosely inspired by 1951's "The Thing from Another World," and both films
are adaptations of John W. Campbell Jr.'s 1938 novella "Who Goes There?"
"The Thing from Another World" is a perfectly serviceable sci-fi monster movie, but it's
not that distinct from other genre movies of its era.
Meanwhile, Carpenter's film understood that there is nothing scarier than paranoia.
In the 1982 flick, Kurt Russell's R.J.
MacReady and the other men in the Arctic research station all turn on each other as they question
which one of them has been taken over by a mysterious creature.
While some audiences might assume that the classic "Universal Monster" movies were all
campy horror flicks, many were remarkably sensitive and creative.
For instance, James Whale's 1933 adaptation of H.G. Wells' novel "The Invisible Man" tells
the tragic story of a scientist who is trying to cure himself of invisibility.
While Whale's "The Invisible Man" is great, Leigh Whannell's 2020 remake updates the story
from a female perspective.
In Whannell's version, the titular invisible man is the optics scientist Adrian, who had
been abusing his girlfriend Cecilia, played by Elisabeth Moss.
"He was a sociopath.
He said that I could never leave him."
When Adrian mysteriously disappears, it's assumed that he's dead.
However, Cecilia discovers that her ex has used the invisibility suit to cloak his actions,
allowing him to continue his abuse in secret.
As is often the case, no-one will believe Cecilia's version of the events.
Whannell was able to turn this classic tale into a story about the importance of believing
women, and Moss' powerful performance was flawless.
Beginning in 1936, the "Flash Gordon" adventure serials made a huge impact on the science
fiction and superhero genres, making them incredibly important if you consider yourself
to be a sci-fi buff.
After the success of "Star Wars" in 1977, there was more interest in the science fiction
genre than ever before.
Although the "Flash Gordon" film was only released a few months after "The Empire Strikes
Back," it wasn't trying to achieve the same goals.
"Flash Gordon" was cheeky, self-aware, absurdly comical, and certainly not trying to "elevate"
the material.
Sam J. Jones' performance as the titular hero is playfully dull, and it's hilarious to watch
Flash fumble around in his own movie.
Max von Sydow's eccentric performance as the villain Ming the Merciless steals the film,
and an incredible soundtrack by Queen is the icing on the cake.
Richard Matheson's 1954 novel "I Am Legend" has inspired many adaptations, including 1964's
"The Last Man on Earth" and 1971's "The Omega Man."
There's a reason that this story is worth reinventing for different generations, since
it's a gripping examination of loneliness and the triumph of the human spirit.
Francis Lawrence's 2007 adaptation focused on the inspirational quality of Matheson's
narrative, implying that, even on the brink of extinction, humanity is able to ensure
its future.
"I Am Legend" rests on the shoulders of Will Smith, who plays U.S. Army virologist Dr.
Robert Neville.
He is immune to a virus that has swept the world and believes that he is doomed to live
alone for the rest of his life.
Lawrence beautifully intercuts footage of Neville's daily routine with flashbacks to
his life before the virus was unleashed.
It's inspiring to see him overcome these tragedies as he searches for other survivors.
Let's be frank, the 1978 science fiction series "Battlestar Galactica" was a cheap rip-off
of "Star Wars" that failed to last beyond one season.
While the show has its admirers, it hasn't aged well, and is largely indistinguishable
from the other "Star Wars" knock-offs of the era.
However, that doesn't mean that the universe that "Battlestar Galactica" created wasn't
an interesting one.
In fact, former "Star Trek: The Next Generation" writer Ronald D. Moore revamped the concept
into one of the most politically relevant television shows of the 21st century.
The reboot of "Battlestar Galactica" was an improvement on the original in every way,
and even managed to right some of the wrongs of the "Star Wars" franchise.
While the "Star Wars" prequel trilogy failed to make its political elements compelling,
"Battlestar Galactica" served as a relevant metaphor for Bush-era events.
Alejandro Amenábar's 1997 Spanish film "Open Your Eyes" is a complex examination of the
meaning of life, but it's also emotionally gruelling.
Despite typically being known for his romantic dramedies, Cameron Crowe decided to remake
the sci-fi-infused movie with 2001's "Vanilla Sky."
Crowe's adaptation follows Tom Cruise as David Aames, a wealthy man who is irreparably changed
after a car crash.
Somehow, "Vanilla Sky" blends emotion, surprising humor, and splendid visuals to make the story
of "Open Your Eyes" even more entertaining.
Although "Vanilla Sky" was critically derided upon its release, it has since found a cult following.