Even compared with other genres, scary movies make for bad follow-up films—because scariness relies on surprise.
The MPAA reportedly slapped a rare age-restrictive rating for "terror" on James Wan's movie—a decision that you can understand once you've seen the film.
The early movies run together in a blur of shiny metal, but in recent years, director Justin Lin has polished the franchise into something inventive and genuinely thrilling.
His latest, Lords of Salem, shows a slasher-film fanboy trapped by his influences.
Shane Carruth seems like an heir to Terrence Malick or David Lynch—until you realize how different his career has been from those art-film greats.
Has anyone challenged Hollywood norms at the end of a career as entertainingly as the 'Side Effects' director has?
'A Good Day to Die Hard' makes John McClane invincible. That's why his franchise needs the axe.
'The Gatekeepers', about the Israeli security service, shows the value of no-frill filmmaking.
Snow and ice can double as a clean white backdrop for onscreen action.
Director John Hyams brings surprising depth and style to what could have been the last-ditch effort from a tired franchise.
Four films this season deal with disabled individuals, and despite its success, 'The Sessions' is the worst of the pack.
Cheap, creepy movies can scare, bore, and delight audiences, and sometimes launch legendary film careers.
Collections like 'V/H/S' and 'The ABCs of Death' are reminders that on film, terror is best delivered in small doses.
Stephen Chbosky's charming coming-of-age movie shows that authors can in fact successfully direct adaptations of their own books.
'The Inbetweeners Movie,' like most comedies from England, may be a tough sell in America.
Orlando Bloom's turn as an evil M.D. in 'The Good Doctor' shows that typecast heroes should go really, really bad every now and then.
'Searching for Sugar Man' shows that discovery is thrilling—even if you already know what's going to be discovered
With his longtime cinematographer stepping down after 'The Dark Knight Rises,' the director's distinctive visual style could change.
'The Imposter' is about a tale stranger than fiction—and used fictionalized sequences to present that tale.
Steve Carell and Keira Knightley elevate 'Seeking a Friend for the End of the World.'