Twin Films: The Definitive List Part #4

It has occurred to me that a few more twin films have popped up on cinema screens in the last few months which has prompted me to write another article on the subject. There are also several more that I’ve been made aware of recently so it’s only fair that they too should make the list. Further explanations for this phenomenon include two studios wanting to capitalise on a current trend and word of mouth spreading to other studios about the plot of a film subsequently leading to a duplicate. So far in attempting to build a replete list of these films, there are more than a few which stretch the boundaries of what can be considered a little and also quite a few that I’ve never seen so can’t offer any kind of comment on how similar they might be unless they are obviously similar from the synopsis alone. I’m still in two minds over whether to include these in the list or just stick to the obvious ones.

Skyline (2010) Vs Battle: Los Angeles (2011)

Two films about aliens invading Los Angeles, both released within a year of each other, Hollywood surely not? Yep these two are twins, without a shadow of doubt. Both films are also repeatedly compared to video games, not only that but the same video games (Quake, Gears of War, Halo, Crysis etc) so I can only assume that was part of the twin films original brief that both scripts were based on. It’s difficult to know what else was in that brief since both films lack something often considered important in movies, a plot. In Battle: LA, we do have Aaron Eckhart’s chin which is good because I don’t think the human race would be safe without it. In Skyline, we have… some really famous people and a film which is undoubtedly one of the best films ever made, so much so that you should put your pristine movie reputation on it and tell us all that it’s going to be one of the best films ever. The major disparity between these two films is in the budget, Skyline had a budget of just $10 million whilst Battle: LA had a budget of $70 million and it really shows. In Skyline the digital effects are well done, but Battle: LA takes to computer gaming movie experience to a whole new level with the whole Cloverfield / Independence Day / Black Hawk Down hybrid thing that it had going for it.

IMDB Rating: Skyline 4.5, Battle: LA 5.9
Verdict: To get a film rated 4.5 on IMDB, you truly have to be an artist. Battle: LA for the win. Similarity Rating 8/10.

Melancholia (2011) Vs Another Earth (2011)

Well wouldn’t you know it, two invading planet films released just months apart. Eerie how similar the ideas that get made into movies at the same time are. So both films feature the sudden appearance of another planet right next to Earth and both are also used as a plot device in emotive family drama. I haven’t seen either film yet so can’t comment on the similarities beyond what I can garner from reading reviews and watching the trailers. But from all counts I think these two are correctly classified as twin films since the similarity of the concepts is very much in line with what you would expect. Beyond this though and from the reviews I’ve read, both films take their own very different philosophical routes with the ‘Nibiru’ concept given. Another Earth starts off with a sense of despair and builds to a hopeful ending whilst Melancholia takes the other road towards hopeless doom. Hopeless doom has to be for the win for sure and as I understand it DOOM is how the film ends and the director has made no secret of that fact. So aside from the films spinning off in different directions of their own, I’m reasonably sure that both will have their own charm and that in all likelihood I’ll enjoy both films. Melancholia has Kirsten Dunst which is automatically a win and big name stars such as John Hurt and Kiefer Sutherland which should drag in the numbers. Another Earth has unknown Brit Marling and William Mapother who played a character in Lost I really really hated but will probably nevertheless work its own magic on people.

IMDB Rating: Another Earth 6.9, Melancholia 7.9
Verdict: Too early to say, probably Melancholia is superior but Another Earth may have value of it’s own. Similarity Rating 8/10.

Entrapment (1999) Vs The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)

I just really never thought about these two films being twin films, never thought of them at the same time or in the same context until I came across an obscure site listing them as twin films. I’m still not 100% sure they should be listed as twin films but the similarities are obvious. Both films feature a master thief, both films also feature someone who is tasked with capturing that thief and in both films the person tasked with capturing that thief falls in love with said thief. Ah bollocks, ok they’re twins alright. So which is better? Well Zeta-Jones was the hot new commodity when Entrapment was first released but we never hear anything of her anymore. Rene Russo whilst no Zeta-Jones always makes a pretty good leading lady and has a decorous style of her own which very much compliments Pierce Brosnan’s Bond-esque debonair suave bastard billionaire playboy style. Sean Connery is amusing in Entrapment even if they did give him the most cliché name in the history of cinema, I mean Robert MacDougal lol. But really which is the better heist film? I’d have to say Entrapment just for the unrealistic antics around the Petronas towers. But which is the better film? Thomas Crown just because the story caught me more. Both films end in roughly the same place as well. Wonder how many more twins like this have slipped under the radar? Addendum: I’ve been told that these shouldn’t count because Thomas Crown is a remake but the similarities  between the two make me wonder if Entrapment isn’t also a loose remake. Possible?

IMDB Rating: Entrapment 6.1, The Thomas Crown Affair 6.7
Verdict: Entrapment is glitzier but Thomas Crown is a more down to earth, feel good affair which ultimately I preferred even over Catherine Zeta-Jones. Similarity rating 7/10

United 93 (2006) Vs World Trade Centre (2006)

2006 was the year Hollywood finally felt confident enough to approach 9/11 so it’s not surprising that a number of films about that came out this year. I’m not entirely sure they should be considered twin films but they obviously have a similar theme and were made by different studios, curiously enough around the same time. There is also another film in this mix – Flight 93 which from all counts is overly melodramatic and not a great film. I haven’t seen WTC so can’t offer an opinion on how good it might be, Hollywood has a tendency to overdo the melodrama sometimes, especially when a film is based on real life events and it’s not difficult to imagine that WTC might fall into this trap. United 93 refreshingly didn’t and was a well told recreation of the heroism and events that led to crash of flight 93, this film was especially gripping and has you rooting firmly for the passengers despite the fact you know what their ultimate fate is going to be.

IMDB Rating: United 93 7.8, World Trade Centre 6.1
Verdict: United 93 is an excellent film, doubtful that WTC is anywhere near as good based on IMDB ratings. Not really that similar but studios did release them around the same time. Similarity rating 5/10

Happy Feet (2005) Vs Surf’s Up (2007)

I find it cretinous having to include this on any list of films I write about but they are without dispute twin films, so like Finding Nemo, and Antz and a Bugs Life, I must include them if I am to do this list justice. So again not having seen either of these films, I promise you I haven’t! It’s difficult to really say how similar they are. Happy feet is about a penguin who can’t sing but can dance and Surf’s Up is about a penguin surfing championship. Both are animated feature films about penguins that were released around the same time consequently both are twin films. Happy Feet to its credit does seem to have some big names doing the voice acting including Elijah Wood, Brittany Murphy, Robin Williams, Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman and Hugo Weaving. Both films would also seem to be a cash in attempt on March of the Penguins which was released in 2005.

IMDB Rating: Happy Feet 6.6, Surf’s Up 6.9
Verdict:  Gotta be honest I don’t care although the ratings seem to suggest that Surf’s Up is slightly better. Similarity rating 7/10.

Green Street (2005) Vs Football Factory (2004)

I don’t know whether Green Street was an attempt to cash in on the success of the Football Factory or not. If it was, it wasn’t a very successful one. Although Green Street did pull in more cash than the Football Factory, it didn’t accomplish this feat by much. I’m not sure what the need was for two films about English football hooliganism and I’m not sure how the plot of Green Street even qualifies as remotely realistic. A Havard dropout joining the Chav underworld of football hooliganism. I mean you see some far fetched films come out of Hollywood about aliens and the end of the world but surely this is taking it too far? Also how the hell did such a low budget film as Green Street manage to get Elijah Wood in it? Elijah Wood and no-one else of note whatsoever. Both films also feature Millwall FC fans. Mysterious.

IMDB Rating: Football Factory 6.8, Green Street 7.5
Verdict: Green Street but Football Factory is a well made film as well. Similarity Rating 8/10.

Scary Movie (2000) Vs Shriek (2000)

I liked scary movie, it was a stupid but ultimately enjoyable film. It has to date spawned 3 sequels which were also insanely enjoyable in their own way. The fact I’ve never seen the film they were originally spoofing also doesn’t detract greatly from my general enjoyment of them since I pretty much get the idea. But really Scary Movie was hilarious – especially the scene where the serial killer gets stoned with his victims. It also features Anna Faris – the gorgeous dumb blonde who reminds me of someone who works at KFC. She seems to be pretty much typecast into this role which might explain her appearing in all of the three sequels and the fifth film which I believe is also on the cards. I’ve never seen Shriek and had previously believed it was a spoof of Scary movie – a spoof of a spoof before finding out that it was like Scary Movie, a spoof of Scream. This qualifies these films as twin movies since they were both released by different studios and are both parodies of the same original film. I’m not 100% confident as to how similar they actually are but I’m guessing pretty similar since I’ve seen them listed as twin films from other sources.

IMDB Rating: Scary Movie 6.0, Shriek 3.7
Verdict: Scary Movie by a country mile, any film which gets 3.7 on IMDB has to be truly shocking. Similarity rating 6/10.

Stir of Echoes (1999) Vs The Sixth Sense (1999)

Hadn’t really thought about these two as twins. Not entirely sure they qualify but people seem to draw a lot of parallels between the two, they were both released months apart and both feature a main character who can talk to the dead and must do so to solve a crime. I don’t remember Stir of Echoes spectacularly well since the last time I saw it was probably the year it came out, I watched it on a VHS rental from the shop, that’s how long ago it was. As I recall Kevin Bacon puts in a solid performance and the movie was really quite creepy. The Sixth Sense was the first time I watched it, similarly creepy and the twist ending was at the time something everyone raved about. It is also arguably the only decent film M. Night Shayamalan ever directed, took the box office to the cleaners and earned Shayamalan the coveted ‘Do what the fuck you like’ cheque which he subsequently bollocksed up with every film he made from that point onwards.

IMDB Rating: Stir of Echoes 7.0, The Sixth Sense 8.2
Verdict: Sixth Sense is better and had an original ending which has since been copied ad nauseum but Stir of Echoes is a gem of its own. Similarity rating 7/10.