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For an author of long-form fiction, the writing process isn't merely technical. As absurd as it might seem, the writer bonds with his or her characters to the point where they can become as "real" as any flesh-and-blood person. This is especially t...

Horror films are like candy corn: familiar, bland, and sickening if consumed in large quantities. They're both ubiquitous at this time of year and there must be a large group of individuals who appreciate their dubious charms because they never go ...

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, based on the novel by Alvin Schwartz (with illustrations by Stephen Gammell), is three-fourths of a good horror movie and one-fourth disappointing. The film, constructed as a series of episodic vignettes conn...

Scream is a rarity: a horror movie spoof that succeeds almost as well at provoking scares as laughs. That's because director Wes Craven (A Nightmare on Elm Street), in addition to having a genuine affection for the genre, understands how wildly...

Scream 2 isn't quite as clever as its predecessor, but it fills the gap with a cutting wit. Death -- even gruesome, bloody death -- can be funny if handled the right way (some will be offended by this statement, but you need look no further than P...

They say the third time's a charm. In the case of the Scream movie series, the Wes Craven/Kevin Williamson collaboration credited for having revived the slasher genre in the '90s, this cliché proves to be a falsehood. The most recent (and hopefu...

Eleven years after Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) and her posse last tangled with a mad slasher/killer, the Scream series has been exhumed. Ignoring or forgetting that the final part of the original trilogy, Scream 3, underwhelmed in terms of pop...

Greedy and desperate for a box office payday, studio executives and their creatively bankrupt underlings have made Scream their latest sacrifice. Most fans will concede that it’s a rare series that can keep the creative juices flowing seven ins...

When it comes to period piece dramas, whether or not based on true-life characters and events, few countries accomplish these productions better than France. Séraphine, which chronicles slices from the life of 20th century painter Séraphine de S...

Serendipity is a romantic comedy from British director Peter Chelsom (Hear My Song, The Mighty) that pairs quirky, likable John Cusack with rising star Kate Beckinsale. All of the usual adjectives apply: sweet, cute, delightful, romantic, etc. Alas...