A veritable fondue buffet of cheese, the original Eighties version is operatic in badness. In fact, it's so bad, it's good, and that's what makes it fun. Everything about this movie, with the exception of Queen's soundtrack, is laugh-out-loud ridiculous, which is absolutely part of its charm. Don't even try to replicate it. Instead, go back to the original black-and-white serials and update it for the 21st Century. Think about Raiders of the Lost Ark...inspired by serial movies from the Forties but given a modern seriousness without losing the original fun. In fact, let's get Spielberg to do this one, too.
A lot of purists are going to complain about this pick, and I know where you're all coming from. I love this movie, too; it's one of my favorite sci-fi films of all time. But just think of what an A-list director could do with a top-flight cast of young actors (everyone dies at age 30) and the latest in effects technology. The story is compelling all by itself with little adjustment. A big budget remake has been in discussion for decades; it's long overdue to get this one done!
With the Keanu Reeves renaissance that everyone is so blissed out about (and deservedly so...Keanu is not only an icon but also a genuinely wonderful human being, by all accounts), this high-concept film about a data courier who is carrying a computerized time bomb in his head sounded great, but the execution on the screen was a mess. Keep Keanu in the primary role and fix everything else.
Another great concept ruined in the execution. Sylvester Stallone played a Nineties-era cop frozen in suspended animation and brought back to consciousness in a peaceful, crime-free future to track down his former ultra-violent nemesis. A classic "fish out of water" tale, this should have been much better than it actually was. My casting suggestions are straight out of social media heaven: Ryan Reynolds as the cop; Hugh Jackman as the criminal mastermind. Who wouldn't want to see their vicious online rivalry (phony or not, it's hilarious) on the big screen?
One last chance to remake a good idea that didn't live up to its potential, this one suffers from the acting limitations of its star, Jean-Claude Van Damme. But the idea is amazing...a police force that regulates time travel to maintain the integrity of the time line is forced to defend himself from a corrupt politician who wants to control time for his own lust for wealth and power. Again, put together an A-list cast (this has Tom Cruise written all over it) and today's special effects, and this could be a blockbuster.
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