Scary And Smart

Horror movies have grown up, toned down the gore and amped up the suspense. You could say they're dreadful. But in a good way

The scariest part of a horror film often is waiting for it to start. You hear the premise (The Sixth Sense's "I see dead people") or see the trailer (a ghostly image on a TV screen for The Ring), and your palms sweat. Standing in line, you glance around to see if anyone else has that anguished look. By the time the film begins, you're a nervous wreck. What movie could match your nightmare of anticipation?

For two decades, horror movies have been R-rated snuff cartoons with severed limbs and buckets of blood. The Freddy and Jason films and the...

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