like finding out they used a dance double for Flashdance

Hollywood is making an American version of this German movie I've been recommending for months-- Bella Martha or Mostly Martha-- starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, the guy from Thank You for Smoking and the kid from Little Miss Sunshine. And while that's a lovely cast, I liked the original just fine, even if I had to read the dialogue. They're also supposedly making an English version of the French movie I enjoyed-- Le Dîner de cons or The Dinner Game-- to be called Dinner for Schmucks.

I'm sure you've heard this before, but what IS up with all the remakes? Not only are they biting off films from other countries (The Last Kiss, Vanilla Sky, Shall We Dance?), they're remaking some of their own that aren't even that old and were good to begin with (Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Bad News Bears). There's even been talk about remaking Casablanca.

I understand that coming up with creative and appealing ideas all the time is really challenging. There's a reason that people who work in advertising have a surprisingly high rate of heart attack and that the divorce rate for journalists is sky-high. But I'm guessing all those people who move out to L.A. to try and "make it" probably have an idea or two that came to mind on the long bus ride in from Kansas or wherever. How about we give some of them a shot?

Okay, even if we do continue ripping off others, how about giving them a little mainstream credit? I found this list, and while I don't know how credible it is, I was surprised to learn some old-time faves were remakes, some of which I had thought seemed really very American. Twelve Monkeys? The Departed? Three Men and a Baby?!?

I feel a little cheated about that last one.