It’s a new year, filled with a ton of new movies. Some of these new movies, however, are based on old movies. Yes, in 2016 we’re getting another pile of remakes and sequels and other works retelling or continuing material already previously seen in movie form.
Instead of an easy guide to the unoriginal features, we have a list of recommendations for the older essentials as either preparation for or alternative to the new releases. As always, they’re in order of when the 2016 movies are coming out, so you know the “due dates” to see these by.
13 Hours at Benghazi (2014)
An hour-long documentary produced for Fox News is probably not everyone’s cup of tea, but then neither is a tragic true story being dramatized by Michael Bay. If you’re interested in first hearing the events of the 2012 Benghazi attack first hand from security personnel involved and who’ll be portrayed in Bay’s 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (by Dominic Fumusa and Max Martini), this is one place to do so. Due Date: January 15th
Ride Along (2014)
Go back and enjoy the pairing of Ice Cube and Kevin Hart in this buddy cop comedy, ahead of Ride Along 2, which seems to be more of the same only now set in Miami. Due Date: January 15th
Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)
We assume you’ll better appreciate the new parody Fifty Shades of Black if you see last year’s BDSM sensation, based on the popular erotic novel by E.L. James. Due Date: January 29th
Kung Fu Panda (2008) and Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)
Make sure you’re familiar with the story of Po, the surprising martial arts hero of the animated franchise, which continues with Kung Fu Panda 3 this month. Due Date: January 29th
Dad’s Army (1968-1977)
How will you know what’s going on in the new WWII-set comedy of the same name without watching the old BBC sitcom first? Due Date: February 5th
You Must Remember This: “MGM Stories Part Eight: Eddie Mannix” (2015)
This is a podcast episode, from last season’s focus on the early days of MGM. That means there’s not really anything to “watch.” But it’s still an essential audio documentary about the real-life character fictionalized in the new Coen Brothers movie Hail Caesar! and portraye by Josh Brolin. Listen here and just watch the screen. Due Date: February 5th
Pride & Prejudice (2005)
There are a lot of adaptations of Jane Austen’s classic novel of manners, which you might feel the need to be acquainted with ahead of the new horror mashup version, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. If you don’t want to just read the book, Joe Wright’s 10-year-old version is a great way to go, though some fans can also argue instead for the 1940 film or 1995 miniseries as the first and foremost primer. Due Date: February 5th
X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
We’re expected to forget about the first time Ryan Reynolds played Wade Wilson, aka Deadpool, but we’ll enjoy Deadpool a lot better if we’re reminded of how bad the character was portrayed in this earlier X-Men spinoff. It will also provide us with a look at how bad the franchise previously portrayed Gambit ahead of that character’s solo installment, too, whether it actually comes out this year or next. Due Date: February 12th
Zoolander (2001)
Return to a time when Will Ferrell was only worthy of a supporting villain role in a Ben Stiller comedy before the long-awaited Zoolander 2, which returns Will Ferrell to playing just a supporting villain in a Ben Stiller comedy. Due Date: February 12th
Olympia Part One: Festival of the Nations (1938)
For a fuller biographical documentary of Jesse Owens, who is being portrayed in biopic form in Race, you could check out the American Experience installment Jesse Owens. But because the biopic seems focused on the 1936 Olympics, you should definitely see the first part (and really both parts) of Leni Riefenstahl’s follow-up to Triumph of the Will. It features spectacular direct footage of Owens competing in the summer games in Berlin, and considering Carice van Houten is playing Riefenstahl, we guess some of that footage will be recreated in the new movie. Due Date: February 19th
The Passion of the Christ (2004)
While not all of the year’s sequels require inclusion in this guide, because they are obvious in their following older movies, Kevin Reynolds’s Risen is not that blatant and is not even official in its link to a precursor. The Passion of the Christ ends with Jesus returning and exiting his tomb, and now Risen (formerly titled The Resurrection of Jesus Christ) follows the mystery of where his body has gone, as ordered by Emperor Pontius Pilate (Peter Firth). Due Date: February 19th
Olympus Has Fallen (2013)
Now that we know which of 2013’s Die Hard in the White House action movies won the battle, it’s safe to give it a viewing ahead of its internationally escalated sequel, London Has Fallen. Due Date: March 4th
Divergent (2014) and The Divergent Series: Insurgent (2015)
We know you’ve been waiting until The Hunger Games was done to get into the Divergent movies without confusion. Well, you have a couple months until the third one, The Divergent Series: Allegiant, is released. Due Date: March 18th
Man of Steel (2013)
Don’t listen to anyone claiming Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice isn’t a direct sequel to this Superman movie, because it is. And it’s not as bad as you remember. Well, at least the opening is cool. Due Date: March 25th
My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
Remember when this made way too much money for what it is? Oh, you didn’t actually see it? Yes, you did. How else did it make so much money? And you’re going to re-watch it before My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 comes out, too. Due Date: March 25th
Your Cheatin’ Heart (1964)
There are so many music icons who still don’t have one biopic, and yet Hank Williams now has two. Word is that the new film, I Saw the Light has a great performance by Tom Hiddleston but isn’t very good beyond that. So, perhaps a 52-year-old movie featuring George Hamilton as Williams — except for the singing voice, which is provided by Hank Williams Jr. — is still the best way to go. Due Date: March 25th
0 comments:
Post a Comment