by Kat Rosenfield 17 mins ago

Back in the 1990s, many a budding tween-aged horror fan gathered ’round Nickelodeon’s campfire on Saturday night for some lightweight, gore-free scary storytelling.

The show was called “Are You Afraid of the Dark?”, and its primary cast — the group of a half dozen teenagers known as The Midnight Society — were our guides, taking audiences each week into a dark world full of mournful ghosts, evil clowns, and guest roles for tiny Canadian actors who would one day become hardcore celebrity hearthrobs. (Ryan Gosling’s episode can be found in its entirety on YouTube, by the way.)

But now, more than 20 years after the first spooky flare of the “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” campfire, the Midnight Society is long gone, its members scattered to the winds. Where are they all now, and what have they been doing in the 21st century? Let’s find out!

Ross Hull, a.k.a. Gary

Hull played the bespectacled leader of the Midnight Society, who lived in perpetual terror of someone discovering his crush on fellow scary storyteller Samantha. After a few TV movies and a three-episode arc on the “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” reboot in 2000, Hull finally found his niche as a weather anchor on Canadian television — which makes him one of the few cast members you can actually still see onscreen.

Jodie Resther, a.k.a. Kiki

After playing Kiki, the Midnight Society’s resident tough girl, Resther continued to work regularly in Canadian films and TV until ...

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by Kat Rosenfield 7 mins ago

Taylor Swift’s love for dancing is one of her most adorable and well-documented personal quirks. And during a Thursday visit to “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” the singer explained how it all began: with a realization that in their attempts to look aloofly professional during awards shows, she and all her fellow celebrities were missing out on an amazing chance to feel the music.

“A couple years ago, I just decided, no! This is the coolest concert you could ever go to!” Swift said. “And I get to be front row, and I’m gonna dance during this, ’cause I feel like it! And not ’cause it looks cool, because it doesn’t.”

As for Taylor’s assessment of her dancing abilities… well, let’s put it this way: It sometimes doesn’t look cool. But it is always, always fantastic.

by Kat Rosenfield 27 mins ago

For roughly one minute, this video is a super-cute look at a lucky squirrel stuffing his face with a veritable buffet of nuts and seeds.

But at 1:10, things take a turn for the sordid when the squirrel, drunk on power and peanuts, comes back for… um, dessert. The video is safe for work, but only because squirrel wieners are very, very small.

by Kat Rosenfield 13 mins ago

A new album of publicity photos for “Downton Abbey” hit the internet today, and while they’re all delightful teases of the show’s upcoming fifth season, one of them is downright shocking. Steel yourselves, delicate ones: what you’re about to see may disturb you.

At first glance, this seems like a lovely shot of the Earl of Grantham with his daughter, Edith. But upon closer examination…

…there’s something so very wrong with this picture. No wonder the Earl looks so stricken; tuxedos at the dinner table were one thing, but this alien vessel on the mantle is a bridge too far!

Meanwhile, we will just assume unless otherwise informed that the plastic bottle was an unfortunate blooper, and not an Easter egg for a surprise twist plotline involving a romance between Lady Edith and a time-traveling suitor from the 20th century. (Not that we would complain about that.) And the other photos, which include no plastic interlopers, are very lovely too.

The fifth season of “Downton Abbey” will air in the U.S. in January 2015.

by Kat Rosenfield 10 mins ago

It’s not quite as erotic as its source material, but this “Fifty Shades of Grey” trailer recast with adorable kittens instead of people still has its own unique appeal and 1000% more cat puns than the original.

The video is the latest entry from The Animal Collective, the twisted geniuses who never met a pop culture franchise they couldn’t put a cat into. Although the feline version of Mr. Grey is more interested in toying with his clip-on abs than his co-star’s emotions, the scene with the riding crop still translates impressively well.

by Kat Rosenfield 20 mins ago

As Hollywood continues to say its sad goodbye to Robin Williams, “Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon took time out of Tuesday’s episode to remember the Oscar-winning actor.

“You would watch him, and you would cry laughing, and you’d think, ‘I am never going to see anyone like this human, ever,’” Fallon said of Williams’ standup, before moving on to a clip from one of the actor’s early appearances on “The Tonight Show” with Johnny Carson.

Related: Robin Williams Won One Oscar, And His Speech Was Perfect

The tribute ended with an emotional moment: Jimmy leapt atop his desk to shout, “O Captain, my captain!” in Williams’ honor.

by Kat Rosenfield 35 mins ago

“Game of Thrones” fans erupted in outrage this weekend when a new trailer surfaced for the BBC Films World War I drama “Testament of Youth,” a movie that stars Alicia Vikander, Kit Harington, and Kit Harington’s suddenly horribly super-short haircut. Gaaaah!

Jon Snow might know nothing, but even so, we thought he knew better than to chop off the beautiful long locks that made him the sexiest Crow in the North. Did he break out the scissors and break our hearts to play a clean-cut soldier in the “Game of Thrones” off-season? Would his gorgeous flowing hair be replaced by a Wig of Lies?!

Fortunately, the good people at Vanity Fair dug deep into this horror story and came back to report that Kit’s pretty curls remain intact. (He is, in fact, contractually obligated not to cut it so long as he has a role on the HBO drama.) Phew! And having put those fears to rest, now we can unreservedly enjoy the “Testament of Youth” trailer and the rare sight of Kit wearing something other than that grimy fur overcoat he’s always trundling around in atop the Wall.

by Kat Rosenfield 4 mins ago

It’s National Friendship Day, which means that if you’re not platonically hugging it out right now with your very bestest BFF, you are totally doing it wrong.

Today is all about celebrating our friends: The ones who are by our side through thick and thin. The family we’re bonded to not by blood, but by bloody marys. The people we’d take a bullet for, but would never, ever, ever have sex with. And in honor of Friendship Day, we’re paying homage to these 14 incredible movie friendships, and the lessons they’ve taught us along the way.

1. Jay and Silent Bob, “Clerks“

A true friend knows when to stay quiet and just let you ramble, rant, or… rap. Badly.

2. Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, the “Harry Potter” series

Even if you’re the Chosen One, you need a friend to keep you in check when you let it go to your head.

3. Shrek and Donkey, “Shrek“

Friends brunch together.

4. Professor X and Magneto, “X-Men: First Class“

Even when the erotic tension is so thick you could cut it with a knife, you and your best friend can always remain calm, sit on a red velvet daybed, and drink champagne.

5. Gimli and Legolas, the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy

For when friendships start rough, but finish strong at the black gate of Mordor.

6. Frances and Sophie, “Frances Ha“

Best friends always get back together, even if they have to grow apart ...

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by Kat Rosenfield 42 mins ago

Does this gothic facade look familiar? It shouuuuld! This is John Marshall High School, located at 3939 Tracy Street in Los Angeles, and it’s been a go-to location for basically every movie ever made.

From “Pretty in Pink” to “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” to “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (where it got a temporary upgrade to become “Marshall College”), this institution has starred in more movies than most A-list actors. Below, we round up a few of its best on-screen moments.

“Nightmare on Elm Street”: The bad dream begins here.

In the Wes Craven original that started it all, John Marshall High School is Freddy Krueger’s primo hunting ground. The familiar facade is on display in this scene where the students arrive at school.

It’s where “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.”

In another 1980s classic, a group of knee-socked schoolgirls (including little teeny tiny Sarah Jessica Parker and Helen Hunt) can be seen exiting the school’s front entrance. Crosses were briefly mounted atop the building to pass it off as a Catholic school.

“Can’t Hardly Wait” has its beginnings at Marshall.

The ultimate late-1990s party movie takes place mostly at (duh) a party, but as you can see in this clip, Ethan Embry’s obsessive crush on Amanda Beckett started right here.

It’s where fathers and sons go to talk about feelings in “Austin Powers 2.”

Dr. Evil describes the “breathtaking” process of ritualistic scrotum shaving during a group therapy session, a scene filmed in one of Marshall’s classrooms.

The best “Grosse Pointe ...

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