King Kong (2005) / King Kong (1933)

A passion project of Peter Jackson, his 2005 update of the classic and original monster movie King Kong is as good a remake as you’ll get. Though some find the film bloated, excessive and at times overly indulgent, it’s hard to find any true fault in it because of the love and reverence that Jackson has for the original. The casting is solidly led by another wonderful motion capture performance by Andy Serkis as the titular monster, with top-notch effects work by Weta Digital. Though he will be remembered more for his Lord of the Rings trilogy than anything else, King Kong deserves to be remembered as a film just as equally great for the acclaimed director.