Jacob Hall

When audiences show up to see Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges police the ghost world in 'R.I.P.D.' this weekend, you can all-but-guarantee that 99% of them will be completely unfamiliar with the movie's origin. After all, did you know that the movie is based on a comic book? Don't worry. We won't hold it against you.

There are bad movies that come and go with barely a notice. And then there are the giant, colossal wastes of celluloid that made millions of dollars worldwide despite the fact that absolutely no one you know went to see them.

Maria in 'Metropolis.' The Iron Giant. Wall-E. Gort in 'The Day the Earth Stood Still.' R2-D2 in 'Star Wars.' The Terminator. Movie history is filled with incredible and iconic artificial beings, robots who have both chilled our bones and warmed our hearts.

What separates a villain from a supervillain? It's simple: the scope, ambition and sheer, unbridled lunacy of their evil plans. A villain is practical and smart, and thinks ahead. A supervillain is dramatic and insane, and wants everyone in the world to acknowledge his or her demented genius...

The character of the Lone Ranger has been an important and iconic piece of American culture for 80 years. Few characters have had his longevity or have burrowed so deep into the popular culture consciousness. Even if you've never seen, read or heard anything directly dealing with the Lone Ranger and his faithful partner, Tonto, you surely know who they are...

It's a formula as old as storytelling itself: two people with wildly different personalities meet.

One of the most surprising things about 'Monsters University' is just how much of a typical college movie it is. Granted, it's full of that typical Pixar warmth and charm, but the overall story revels in a template as old as 'Animal House' and 'Revenge of the Nerds.'

Zombies have been a serious part of the cinematic landscape for nearly half a century, but they're only now really hitting the big time.