For my "Bomb Squad" column over at IFC Fix, I look at the box office disappointment of Scary Movie 5. The obvious answer for why the movie failed is, "Hey, these movies stink -- that's why." But, as I argue in my piece, artistic feebleness has nothing to do with it. Not one of these movies has gotten good reviews, and yet three of the four previous installments grossed over $90 million. So why did audiences suddenly decide now that they weren't interested in this franchise? I try to explain why here.
