Not The Worst Television Remake Of All Time..."Bewitched"

Bewitched (2005)

Rated PG-13 for language

Starring Nicole Kidman, Will Ferrell, Shirley MacLaine, Michael Caine,

Directed by Nora Ephron

The Story:

Jack Wyatt (Ferrell) is on the ropes with his movie career.  He's had a few bombs, so he is hoping that a trip to the small screen in a remake of the beloved 60s sitcom Bewitched will be just the ticket.  But Jack wants to make sure he's the star, so the plan is to find an unknown to play Samantha and that way Darrin can be the focus of the show.  When he meets Isabel (Kidman), Jack realizes that she is perfect.  He's smitten, and she's cast.  However, what Jack doesn't know is that Isabel really is a witch, and she's got some ideas of her own.

So where did this one go off the rails?

Nearing the 10th anniversary of this film, and I gave it a spin again recently.

It was still cute.

No, it's nothing to set the world on fire or change cinema forever...

But come on, it wasn't that bad.

Perhaps it had a built-in hatred from audiences even before it was released?

After all, people complain about the bankruptcy of Hollywood ideas and the constant recycling and remaking of old properties.

Then you advertise that you are remaking Bewitched, and audiences hated it on principle alone.

Of course, it arrives with a twist, it's a remake within a movie, so it's very clever in NOT being a remake.

Add to that the clever notion that Isabel and her family are witches, and it should have been enough to appease the haters, but it failed.

Why?  Hard to say.

Ephron gave it her best as writer and director, and the cast is first-rate.

Kidman gives a spunky, humorous performance as Isabel/Samantha.  Even down to the nose twitch, she plays the part well.

Ferrell plays the ego-centric but mostly harmless Jack with his usual goofy, everyman charm.

MacLaine vamps it up as an aging Hollywood diva and Michael Caine plays pretty much himself.

Don't forget the delightful cameo by Steve Carell channeling his best Paul Lynde as Uncle Arthur, and this was a movie that should've been better than it was.

It should've been better received and remembered.

Final Grade: C+/B- Range

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: It's cute..it's sweet..it's harmless.  Perfect movie to watch on a slow night.

This One At Least Lives Up To The Cool Title..."Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters"

An alternate title could have been: Hansel & Gretel: Punching Bags!

The Story:

Everyone is familiar with the story of Hansel (Jeremy Renner) and his sister Gretel (Gemma Arteron) about the house of candy and killing the witch.  Well, apparently the dynamic duo got a taste for killing witches, and now they make a living offing those evil ladies.  However, their latest assignment puts them face to face against the most powerful witch (Famke Janssen) they've ever faced.  The two will also learn a little something about their tragic childhood that has remained a secret... until now!

Unlike the Paul Bunyan myth I reviewed yesterday, Hansel and Gretel have a bigger budget, a better cast, and much better special effects.

Don't get me wrong, it's no classic of cinema, but it's a B movie, through and through, and that works.

Really, aside from some chunks of dialogue and swearing just to ensure the movie got an R rating, it wasn't half bad.

So there, at least it's half good, right? :)

As I alluded to with my introduction, Hansel and Gretel spend a great bit of the movie getting beaten, punched and kicked throughout the movie.  Granted, they do their fair share as well, but these two are certainly put through the ringer to earn their stripes.

It's a superhero movie without the capes. ;)

Hansel also has to take a drug every few hours to counteract the witch-candy he had to eat as a kid.  They could have easily done without that part, but I guess they needed something to make Renner even more angsty than usual.

One thing that seems puzzling, is that it seems like the witches would've used more spells than engaging the witch-killing duo straight up in a fistfights, but hey, it's not so bad.  Perhaps they had to save some budget somewhere.

It's silly, harmless fun.  No harm, no foul.

Final Grade: C+/B- range

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Probably not very likely that I would go out of my way to purchase it.  Watching it again in the future.. maybe I'll catch it on cable again one late night when I'm surfing? :)