Made in Britain, remade in America

Worst: “The Ladykillers”

Writing-directing siblings Joel and Ethan Coen have crafted some unforgettable laughfests ("Raising Arizona," "The Big Lebowski"), but this remake of a ‘50s comedy from legendary Ealing Studios is certainly not one of them. Tom Hanks assumes Alec Guinness' role as a criminal ringleader attempting to exterminate an elderly landlady wise to his dastardly deeds, but instead of preserving the original's darkly comic tone, the Coens indulge in broad slapstick and tasteless racial stereotyping. Hanks is game, at least, but a little too schtick-dependent to make the movie worthwhile.