1. Squanto, A Warrior's Tale (1994)
I admit it, if the movie they had delivered was half as entertaining as the trailer, it would truly deserve to be a classic. As it is, this painful movie is trotted out every Thanksgiving by well meaning but overworked teachers everywhere to offer educational entertainment just before the break for the holiday. And, no matter how hard the moviemakers tried to hide the historical inaccuracies and just plain silly moments, this movie never really seems to connect with students. It isn't as if Squanto does not deserve to have his story told, as what he is credited with doing did impact the settlers at Plymouth, and even may have saved the settlement itself. What is bad about this movie is that it focuses on the "exciting" moments and lets realism slide. Take the scene with the wrestling bear. Just take a moment and reflect on the idea that an unarmed man entering a ring against an angry, hungry, untamed bear. And now imagine that the man gets away with just three small scrapes on his shoulder. Um......yeah. Moreover, I think this movie was well based, but in the attempt to condense the events of multiple years into a two hour movie, Disney did a great disservice to Squanto. So here is my proposal: since this movie is now almost exclusive to schools, rework it as a series of movies aimed at the educational market, taking the time to show the entire story of Squanto, instead of slamming the entire thing into a mess of a movie. Squanto deserves better than this, Disney. So there you go, my choices for Disney movies that need a second chance. The beauty of cinema rests in the fact that not all movies appeal to all people, but we still can all enjoy them anyway. So often we worry too much about hanging on to the past, to not touching someone else's creative output, that we rob ourselves of seeing someone else's take on an old favorite. That isn't to say there aren't movies I woudn't want remade, but I can understand why someone else might not be a fan. So feel free to share: Which Disney movies would you like to see redone, and who would you like to star in the new film? Until next time, fellow cinephiles, may all your movies be memorable, your combos be full, and your ticket prices affordable.