Entertainment
For better or for worse, we are absolutely in the era of the remake. There's nothing that makes that more clear than a visit to the cinema, where you'll see in the previews that even such seemingly untouchable animated classics as Beauty and the Beast and Jumanji are getting remade. What's most notable about those movies is that they are remakes of films that came out in the '90s, which doesn't really feel like that long ago to many of us. By this point, however, 1990 was 27 years ago (!). So when it comes to remakes, the movies of the '90s are absolutely in play, which means that, aside from the obvious ones, there are tons of other '90s movies that deserve remakes.
The success of a good remake depends on its ability to bring something new to the table while honoring what made the original so great, so the movies on the list below are ones that I think can be remade in creative new ways. Many of them are less expected, less blockbuster-y films, with plot lines or themes that can be uniquely updated in 2017. Some are campy, some are serious, but they would all catch my eye if I were to see a trailer for them the next time I was at the theater.
1
'The Truman Show'
Time has only given the premise of The Truman Show, about a man living in a fake televised world that he thinks is real while millions around the world watch his everyday life, more to work with.
2
'Anastasia'
How fun would a live-action Anastasia be? Especially if they got really dark and actually made it semi-historically accurate. But still a musical. Duh.
3
'The Fugitive'
This could be good. Make it intense, make it socially conscious, make it go hard.
4
'The Iron Giant'
I think the improvements in technology could allow a remake of this underrated animated children's film to really shine. Think A Monster Calls.
5
'Singles'
It's a crime that we don't have a new Singles movie for our generation. We need it. Let me write it.
6
'My Girl'
This should be one of those remake-slash-sequels, where Vada is a mom now and it's actually about her daughter. I think we could all use a film like this.
7
'Good Burger'
So sue me, I would drop everything to go see a dedicated, loving remake of Good Burger.
8
'Swingers'
OK, a contemporary remake of Swingers, but it's actually a really dark, brutal, feminist takedown of bro culture, yeah? Yeah.
9
'Heavyweights'
Heavyweights was body positive and sweet, and for the remake to be successful, the nuances are important: all women in front of and behind the camera, all the people making the movie are active in and supporters of the body positive and fat acceptance movements. Like, a super funny, super smart all-women movie about summer camp and growing up as a "fat girl." Basically, Huge but a movie.
10
'Waterworld'
I want this to happen so bad. Think how good Mad Max: Fury Road was and imagine the possibilities of the campier, weirder, watery-er Waterworld.
11
'Tremors'
How funny would it be to see Hollywood try to remake Tremors? I think it would be bad and I really want to see it happen.
12
'Gattaca'
'90s sci-fi is so rife for remaking, what with all our improved technology, and Gattaca, about a world where genetic advancements have created perfect humans (mostly), has one of the most interesting plotlines of the decade. And honestly, Total Recall and The Fifth Element would be on this list too if the former hadn't already had a remake and the latter's remake wasn't in the works.
13
'Groundhog Day'
I'm thinking to keep it fresh, we turn it into a horror where the main character is a young woman who wants to keep her rights and have the world not end, and instead of Groundhog Day it's Election Day 2016.
I'm just speaking for myself, but if Hollywood remade these films, they'd be making at least one '90s kid very very happy.
