The Best Episodes of The Movies That Made Us

Mix a "comedy machine" with a novice director. Add a shutdown threat, rotating robbers and terrifying stunts to home in on a ho-ho-ho holiday megahit.

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This box office titan took action movies to the next level, decked out with a relatable hero, a humorous rewrite and a well-played “yippee-ki-yay.”

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Vroom or bust: It took a sweet ride and a rising star — or two — to build a blockbuster from a half-baked idea and the ashes of multiple flops.

Director: Brian Volk-Weiss

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Crunch the numbers, then make way for a chubby T. rex and visual effects bad boys. This box office heavyweight disrupted the way movies are made.

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A hard-driving director, stressed crew, great expectations — and a tiny budget — made for a difficult birth in the case of this mother of all sequels.

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A rickety script, tight timeline and effects issues almost busted this comedy. But thanks to Dan Aykroyd and company, the slimy shenanigans took off.

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Stepping on toes and tangling with rejection, the women behind this "girl's movie" touched millions despite co-star tension and a meager budget.

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Life is like a box of chocolates — or a charming script unearthed by chance. Despite casting and budget woes, this humble tale became a '90s classic.

Director: Brian Volk-Weiss

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It took a young team's blood, sweat and tears — and a triple-threat visionary — to make this bloodless yet scarily influential horror masterpiece.

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With a studio on the line, an imaginative director in the pocket and an actorly demon in tow, this supernatural slasher hit raked in a surreal profit.

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A painfully tight suit and budget, a passionate European auteur and on-set tensions fueled this blockbuster takedown of cutthroat corporate America.

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Turning an unknown into a superstar and revamping the rom-com rules amid many rewrites, this megahit's success still leaves insiders pretty shocked.

Director: Brian Volk-Weiss

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What began as a bald rip-off made a bloody splash as a splatter classic. Now the unlikely crew spills its guts about the highs, lows and gory effects.

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The happily ever after? It's on screen. Behind the scenes, this litigious, loveless foray involved fisticuffs, Nostradamus — and iconic Black talent.

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