Movies & Film

Picture a soundstage with a concrete floor. Now, envision it covered in a jungle -- a jungle built from rented trees, vines, and flowers. Welcome to the greensman's world.

By Alison Cooper

A movie star isn't going to spend hours on a set so the crew can adjust the lighting -- but someone's got to do it. That's what a stand-in is for. Find out how to pretend to be Jennifer Aniston for a day.

By Alison Cooper

For more than 30 years, Alan Smithee directed some of the worst films on record, including one movie Roger Ebert called "spectacularly bad." And then in 2000, his name disappeared from credits. Whatever happened to Alan Smithee?

By Alison Cooper

You know it when you hear it: shrieking noises, dissonant chords, unexpected high notes. It's the music that scares you. But is there something about our biology that makes us fearful of certain sounds?

By Alison Cooper

You might have heard that Sandra Bullock got $77 million for "Gravity," but how much did the PA make? We've compiled a list of the most tedious, low-paying jobs in show business - that people still beg for.

By Alia Hoyt

You might not know to look at them, but some of film's most groundbreaking makeup jobs have relied on simple tools, like cotton and spirit gum. And they've come a long way.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Whether it's comforting familiarity or lazy scriptwriting, certain movie tropes pop up repeatedly - like walking away from an explosion. Get ready for 10 of the most clichéd.

By Alia Hoyt

We all survived the evil tree, that TV portal to another dimension and even that guy tearing his own face off in the mirror. And so did the dog! Can you name this '80s classic (and guess what else made our list)?

By Ed Grabianowski

Cartoons are full of wacky hijinks and impossible science. But once in a while, a movie or TV show gets the physics right. Here are 10 times that writers and animators have done their homework.

By Ed Grabianowski

Director Stanley Kubrick once said, "The screen is a magic medium" because it can convey moods and emotions as no other art form. We'll look at 10 movies that stirred emotions while pushing the boundaries of filmmaking.

By Chris Opfer

An unmarked grave isn't always a sign of poverty. It's sometimes intentional, or just an oversight. Here are 10 surprising graves that are (or were) unmarked.

By Alia Hoyt

The rises and epic falls of Hollywood kids have been selling tabloids for decades. But not all kids who work as actors flare out -- some go on to lead adult lives sans scandal.

By Maria Trimarchi

Mad science is a tough field. The hours are long, the hazards are many, and the grant money often comes from terrorists. So before you inject mutagen between your toes, consider these examples of mad science failure. And don't let them happen to you.

By Robert Lamb

You might be surprised to learn that movie ratings are not assigned by the studio, filmmaker or even psychologists. It's actually by a group of anonymous parents who make up the MPAA rating board. And that's not all the MPAA does.

By Dave Roos

We get it. Movies are fiction. But for those of us who love science, seeing even fictional worlds behave in a way that's flat-out wrong just rankles.

By Jessika Toothman

How many times have you seen Godzilla do his Godzilla thing? So, Hollywood, allow us to play matchmaker. Speed date with us as we get to know 10 of the hottest big-screen virgins ever to claw their way out of our nightmares.

By Robert Lamb

Nevada: Home to glitzy casinos, legalized prostitution and giant, man-eating worms called graboids. Get to know these subterranean monsters from the West before they come rooting around a town near you.

By Robert Lamb

Gizmo! If you're a child of the 1980s, then chances are you once owned a pet mogwai. Heck, you might still share a loving, regimented life with your little guy. But woe to those pet owners who wound up with a gremlin instead.

By Robert Lamb

Life as we know it is cruel. The life awaiting us on other worlds is even crueler. Discover the terrifying anatomy of the "Alien" xenomorph and learn where humanity stands in the food chain.

By Robert Lamb

If you want to watch HD movies online, you're going to need the right equipment and service. We'll walk you through your required components and show you a little math to make sure you're properly equipped for streaming cinema.

By Stephanie Crawford

Whether the bad guy is a blood-crazed carrot-man or an identity-stealing shape-shifter, The Thing is a cultural icon that just won't die. How much do you know about this classic 1950s sci-fi flick and the two films it spawned?

By Nathan Chandler

What happens when scientific achievement goes awry? When synthetic life doesn't conform to human desires? One of the best monsters ever to terrorize fiction happens, that's what.

By Robert Lamb

Sept. 24, 2011, would have the 75th birthday of Jim Henson, the gentle, quirky puppet master who charmed the world with his lovable puppet characters. What makes Jim Henson's creative work and life so memorable -- and inspiring?

By Shanna Freeman

It may not seem like much to film on a boat, but it can actually be quite dangerous. What kind of gear would you need to keep yourself upright on a boat shoot -- and what camera equipment would you need to make your footage pop?

By Ed Grabianowski

Along with motion pictures, Hollywood has a knack for creating other things: controversy and scandal. So which scandals are the juiciest -- and why?

By Charles W. Bryant & Allison Wachtel