John Carpenter's classic 1978 chiller gets a 1990s makeover, although in the hands of director Steve Miner the emphasis here is still firmly on frights rather than in-jokes. Jamie Lee Curtis, back in the role that made her name, is now a recovering alcoholic and headteacher at an exclusive boarding school. The problem is her murderous and seemingly indestructible brother is keen to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his original massacre. The older and wiser Curtis steals the show from the teenage TV pin-ups (Third Rock from the Sun star Joseph Gordon-Levitt is the now-obligatory "big name" killed off before the opening credits), but Miner's direction is merely efficient, rather than genuinely scary.

Two decades after surviving a massacre on October 31, 1978, former baby sitter Laurie Strode finds herself hunted by persistent knife-wielder Michael Myers. Laurie now lives in Northern California under an assumed name, where she works as the headmistress of a private school. But it's not far enough to escape Myers, who soon discovers her whereabouts. As Halloween descends upon Laurie's peaceful community, a feeling of dread weighs upon her -- with good reason.