Willard (2003)

I haven't changed my mind about remakes in general, but I was in fact quite keen to view this recent version of the 1971 movie of the same name, because I was curious what that very quirky actor Crispin Glover would bring to the role.  You may not know the name but you would probably recognize the face, going back to memorable and normally supporting parts in 1980s films.  The remake is virtually a repeat of the earlier movie with middle-aged loner Willard, stuck looking after his invalid mother and in a dead-end job, finding the only friends he can make are the rats that infest his basement.  In the previous movie his horrible boss was played by Ernest Borgnine; here it is R. Lee Ermey -- and it was satisfying to see each of them devoured by rats in both films (not that one actually sees the gory details in either).  If this makes it sound as if this film is definitely one for acquired tastes only, you might be right, although Glover brings such intensity and even black humour to his role that this in itself is worth the price of admission.  As a nod to the earlier movie, Bruce Davison (its lead) appears here in portraits of Willard's dead father.