Every so often Hollywood makes a charming little thriller to scare its audiences. And every so often, Hollywood decides to give that movie a facelift several decades later. This review is a tale of four such films.

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The Omen (2006)

The Basics: A horror/thriller starring Liev Schreiber, Julia Stiles, Pete Postlethwaite and Mia Farrow (not to mention newcomer Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick as little Damien); Rated R for disturbing violent content, graphic images and some language; Based on the 1976 horror/thriller of the same name, starring Gregory Peck and Lee Remick.

What's Going On Here?: An American ambassador begins to take another look at the strange events that are happening around his adopted son, and he starts to question whether or not the religious omens that are taking place in the world might not have something to do with the young tyke. And the big slobbering black dogs that have mysteriously appeared to protect his kid are a little off-putting, too.

Kind of Cute, Yet Creepy, Trivia: During filming, Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick was never told that his character was supposed to be the Anti-Christ; co-star Julia Stiles has commented that it was because the filmmakers thought "he was too young to understand it, but he was really obedient when John asked him for the Damien face."

Overheard in The Omen: Nanny: [right before she commits suicide] "This is for you, Damien! All of this is for you!"

Curt's Take: Don't Bother - Nice try, I guess. But if you're going to see The Omen, stick with the original. This remake really adds nothing new to what was pretty decent (and a classic) thriller. At times I felt like I was just watching scenes from the 1976 version...only updated with new actors and a slightly different bit of art direction. Some of the dialogue seemed directly taken from the original, as did some of the settings and camera work. The main difference seemed to be an artistic attempt at using the color red at dramatic, noticeable moments. All in all...I was underwhelmed. Stick with the Peck/Remick version...it holds up well after three decades.

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The Manchurian Candidate (2004)

The Basics: A mystery/thriller starring Denzel Washington, Liev Schreiber (again), Meryl Streep and Jon Voight; Rated R for violence and some language; Based on the 1962 mystery/thriller of the same name, starring Frank Sinatra, Angela Lansbury, Janet Leigh and Laurence Harvey.

What's Going On Here?: Okay, this gets a little confusing...years after their platoon is ambushed in Kuwait, various survivors struggle through disturbing nightmares, blackouts and what seems like an acute case of Gulf War Syndrome. Is this just post-traumatic stress disorder? Or did something more nefarious happen out in that desert? Captain Ben Marco struggles to find answers, while Sergeant Raymond Shaw deals with the aftermath of being the "hero" of the ambush, dealing with Marco's conspiracy theories...and running for President of the United States.

Motivation Trivia: Though many assume Meryl Streep to have based her performance upon Hillary Rodham Clinton, Streep has cited Peggy Noonan, Condoleezza Rice and Dick Cheney as her inspiration for the role of Eleanor Shaw, domineering and politically-savvy mother of Sergeant Shaw.

Overheard in The Manchurian Candidate: Ben Marco: "What about my dreams?" Delp: "What if all this is your dream and you are really still back in Kuwait?"

Curt's Take: Not a Priority - First off, the original 1962 version is one of my favorite films. I highly recommend checking it out. But how does this remake hold up? Well, part of the problem is in calling it a remake. It's really more of a reimaging of the story for the 21st century. If you watch the new version, trying to see how it tracks with the old version...you'll just end up very confused. It's almost a completely new film, just with some common themes carried over. If you're aching for a Liev Schreiber film, definitely watch this over The Omen, but don't kick yourself if you miss this one. Kick yourself if you miss the one that's over forty years old, and yet still tells a hell of a story.

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Willard (2003)

The Basics: A horror/thriller starring Crispin Glover, R. Lee Ermey and Laura Harring; Rated PG-13 for terror/violence, some sexual content and language; Based on the 1971 horror film of the same name, starring Bruce Davison, Elsa Lanchester and Ernest Borgine.

What's Going On Here?: Socially awkward Willard Stiles befriends rats, learns to control them (for the most part), and instructs them to do his bidding when his life starts to spiral out of control. If that doesn't spell "Oscar," I don't know what does.

Continuity Trivia: All of the photos in the house of Willard's father, Martin Stiles, are of actor Bruce Davison, who played the part of Willard in the original 1971 version of the film.

Overheard in Willard: Willard's Mother: "Willard! There are rats in the basement!"

Curt's Take: Worth Considering - Okay, I was a bit surprised. This was actually kind of fun to watch. It wasn't completely serious and wasn't exactly "scary," and I got pretty sucked in from an "Okay, where are they going to take this one" perspective. I never saw the original, to be honest, but I'm guessing you might as well just watch this one. Crispin Glover is just a fun, creepy actor...like a B-List Christopher Walken. So don't automatically turn your nose up at this one...if you're in the mood for a little cheese (no pun intended), you might want to consider giving this one a shot.

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The Amityville Horror (2005)

The Basics: A horror/mystery/thriller starring Ryan Reynolds and Melissa George; Rated R for violence, disturbing images, language, brief sexuality and drug use; Based on the 1979 horror/mystery/thriller of the same name, starring James Brolin and Margot Kidder.

What's Going On Here?: George Lutz, his new wife, and her three children from a prior marriage move into a house in Amityville, a small town on Long Island. Sure, they got a great deal on it...then again, six murders had been committed there not too long ago. Shortly after moving in, the Lutz family begins to hear whispers and see strange figures out of the corner of their eye. The youngest daughter gains an eerie imaginary friend. And George begins acting very peculiar...

Rather Disturbing Trivia: Just before shooting started, the body of a fisherman who had been murdered washed up on the bank of the river right near the main house. Good times.

Overheard in The Amityville Horror: George Lutz: "Houses don't kill people. People kill people."

Curt's Take: Must See - Now this is how to do a remake. Sure, the original version was creepy...but Andrew Douglas, the director, upped the ante on every front and made this remake truly terrifying. The visual effects used to bring the haunting to life are a nice progression to what had been done twenty-five years earlier, and your pulse races even if you've seen the original and know where the story is heading...because you're not 100% sure it's going to end up in the same place.