The Scream Series

Ah, the 90s. The absolute worst decade for our beloved genre. All horror films were watered down, and the big franchises of the 80s were dying off. It was a very sad decade for horror, but one franchise shined through all of the crap. I am talking of course, about the Scream movies. While these movies were the exact reason that 90s horror sucked (90210-type cast, very little gore, etc.), they are good based solely on who was involved; the immortal Wes Craven and screenwriter Kevin Williamson. This dynamic duo put together the best horror films of the 90s and even one of the best horror franchises ever.

Scream (1996)
With the almighty slasher film all but extinct, the horror genre was looking very grim going into the 1990s. The MPAA was on a censorship rampage, chopping our favorite films to bits, and killing off icons. But, in the middle of the decade, Wes Craven decided to direct a little film called Scream. Scream was funny, scary, and just the shot in the arm horror needed. The self referential comedy mixed with the tried and true slasher formula was a match made in horror heaven. The acting was great, the characters were memorable (even if they were a "90210 cast"), and the gore was surprisingly brutal. It was the first horror film to actually mock and deconstruct slasher films while itself was one. It's a true horror classic, and it's up there with the best of the genre.

Scream 2 (1997)
Like the sequels jokingly mentioned in this flick, this movie surpasses the original. It's bigger, better, and improves on both what was good and bad in the original scream. Like Randy says while he's explaining sequel rules, "1. The body count is always bigger. And 2. The death scenes are always much more elaborate, with more blood and gore." This movie follows these simple rules and throw in the memorable characters and funny inside jokes the first film introduced. The kills were satisfying and so was the payoff at the end. A very worthy sequel to a great original.

Scream 3 (2000)
This is the movie in the franchise that seems to divide audiences. It's pretty low on gore and there's way too much exposition. But to me, that's the point. I think (and hope) that they were trying to make fun of how the final installments of trilogies often explain too much, and really throw in unnecessary twists. Other than that, the violence was alright, and the comedy was less present. Overall it's great of you're a fan of the franchise, but it's definitely the weakest and most forgettable in the series.

Scream 4 (2011)
I absolutely loved this movie. All of the original cast and crew returning over a decade after the third installment was enough for me to get excited for this movie. Written to make fun of how every horror movie is being remade, it slyly becomes a remake of the first film. I really enjoyed the new cast as well as the returning group. The gore was amped up for modern audiences, and it was amazing. Guts strewn across a bed, stabs to the forehead, and endless other kinds of stabbings occur. The comedy is right up there with the first Scream. It's a great movie, and supposedly the start of a new trilogy. Keep 'em coming!

The Scream franchise has cemented itself in horror history as the savior of the 90s. Without these flicks, horror fans would've lost their minds (until the splat pack, anyway). We owe a lot to this series, and I'm excited for what's to come! Now, what's your favorite scary movie?