Author Powers to Rewrite Reality
by AnonymousCritic | created - 03 Mar 2016 | updated - 19 Jan 2019 | PublicThis is a list of titles in which the character literally interacts with the plot; by changing the text, meeting the author or talking back to the narrator. Breaking the sixth wall, dude that's so meta...
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1. Stranger Than Fiction (2006)
PG-13 | 113 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
I.R.S. auditor Harold Crick suddenly finds his mundane Chicago life to be the subject of narration only he can hear: narration that begins to affect his entire existence, from his work to his love life to his death.
Director: Marc Forster | Stars: Will Ferrell, Emma Thompson, Dustin Hoffman, Queen Latifah
Votes: 236,503 | Gross: $40.14M
2. Secret Window (2004)
PG-13 | 96 min | Drama, Mystery, Thriller
A successful writer in the midst of a painful divorce is stalked at his remote lake house by a would-be scribe who accuses him of plagiarism.
Director: David Koepp | Stars: Johnny Depp, Maria Bello, John Turturro, Timothy Hutton
Votes: 209,596 | Gross: $48.02M
3. In the Mouth of Madness (1994)
R | 95 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
An insurance investigator begins discovering that the impact a horror writer's books have on his fans is more than inspirational.
Director: John Carpenter | Stars: Sam Neill, Jürgen Prochnow, Julie Carmen, David Warner
Votes: 79,367 | Gross: $8.95M
4. The Adjustment Bureau (2011)
PG-13 | 106 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
The affair between a politician and a contemporary dancer is affected by mysterious forces keeping the lovers apart.
Director: George Nolfi | Stars: Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Lisa Thoreson, Florence Kastriner
Votes: 270,214 | Gross: $62.50M
5. The Frame (2014)
127 min | Crime, Drama, Fantasy
Two strangers find their lives colliding in an impossible way. Alex is a methodical cargo thief working for a dangerous cartel. Sam is a determined paramedic trying to save the world while running from her past.
Director: Jamin Winans | Stars: David Carranza, Tiffany Mualem, Cal Bartlett, Christopher Soren Kelly
Votes: 3,972
6. Goosebumps (2015)
PG | 103 min | Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
A teenager teams up with the daughter of young-adult horror author R.L. Stine after the writer's imaginary demons are set free on the town of Madison, Delaware.
Director: Rob Letterman | Stars: Jack Black, Dylan Minnette, Odeya Rush, Ryan Lee
Votes: 95,410 | Gross: $80.08M
7. The Lathe of Heaven (1980 TV Movie)
105 min | Sci-Fi
In a highly controlled and overpopulated society, a man who has terrifying dreams that affect reality is assigned a psychiatrist who takes advantage of the situation.
Directors: Fred Barzyk, David R. Loxton | Stars: Bruce Davison, Peyton E. Park, Niki Flacks, Kevin Conway
Votes: 2,810
8. Inkheart (2008)
PG | 106 min | Adventure, Family, Fantasy
A teenage girl discovers her father has an amazing talent to bring characters out of their books and must try to stop a freed villain from destroying them all, with the help of her father, her aunt, and a storybook's hero.
Director: Iain Softley | Stars: Brendan Fraser, Andy Serkis, Eliza Bennett, Sienna Guillory
Votes: 82,369 | Gross: $17.30M
9. Delirious (1991)
PG | 96 min | Comedy, Fantasy
A soap opera writer gets hit on the head and wakes up as a character in his own show.
Director: Tom Mankiewicz | Stars: John Candy, Mariel Hemingway, Emma Samms, Raymond Burr
Votes: 9,538 | Gross: $5.55M
10. Slipstream (2007)
R | 96 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Aging screenwriter Felix Bonhoeffer has lived his life in two states of existence: in reality and his own interior world. While working on a murder mystery script, and unaware that his brain is on the verge of implosion, Felix is baffled when his characters start to appear in his life, and vice versa.
Director: Anthony Hopkins | Stars: Anthony Hopkins, Stella Hopkins, Christian Slater, John Turturro
Votes: 4,912 | Gross: $0.01M
11. Day Watch (2006)
R | 132 min | Action, Fantasy, Horror
When Anton, a Warrior of Light, is falsely accused of murdering some vampires, he embarks on a journey to find the real killer and search for an ancient object that has the power to alter destiny.
Director: Timur Bekmambetov | Stars: Konstantin Khabenskiy, Mariya Poroshina, Vladimir Menshov, Galina Tyunina
Votes: 35,397 | Gross: $0.45M
12. The Dark Half (1993)
R | 122 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
A writer's fictional alter ego wants to take over his life...at any price.
Director: George A. Romero | Stars: Timothy Hutton, Amy Madigan, Michael Rooker, Julie Harris
Votes: 19,349 | Gross: $9.58M
13. Ruby Sparks (2012)
R | 104 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
A novelist struggling with writer's block finds romance in a most unusual way: by creating a female character he thinks will love him, then willing her into existence.
Directors: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris | Stars: Paul Dano, Zoe Kazan, Annette Bening, Antonio Banderas
Votes: 105,454 | Gross: $2.54M
14. The Census Taker (1998)
28 min | Comedy, Sci-Fi, Short
A down-on-his luck census taker discovers that he has more control over the population than he thinks when the people he creates on falsified census forms come to life.
Director: Aaron Cohen | Stars: Manny Jacobs, Jenni Blong, Jamie McShane, Mary Margaret McKinnon
Votes: 20
15. Lost Girl (2010–2016)
TV-MA | 44 min | Action, Drama, Fantasy
When a succubus finds it difficult to adapt with her unusual traits inspite of being born in a human family, she sets off on a journey to find out the truth of her origin.
Stars: Anna Silk, Kris Holden-Ried, Zoie Palmer, Rick Howland
Votes: 33,090
16.
The X-Files (1993–2018)
Episode:
Milagro
(1999)
TV-14 | 45 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A strange writer infatuated with Scully moves in next door to Mulder and proceeds to slowly bewitch her through his writing. Mulder investigates the man and realizes that he may be behind a series of killings involving psychic surgery.
Director: Kim Manners | Stars: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, John Hawkes, Nestor Serrano
Votes: 4,063
17.
The Twilight Zone (2002–2003)
Episode:
Gabe's Story
(2002)
TV-14 | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
A man with consistent bad luck hits his head in minor car accident and gains the ability to see where his bad luck comes from.
Director: Allan Kroeker | Stars: Forest Whitaker, Christopher Titus, Kelly Perine, Jed Rees
Votes: 318
18.
The Twilight Zone (1985–1989)
Episode:
Take My Life... Please!/Devil's Alphabet/The Library
(1986)
TV-PG | 60 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
"Take My Life - Please!": Comedian Billy Diamond plays a tough gig in the afterlife. "Devil's Alphabet": In Victorian England, Cambridge graduates are bound by a youthful oath even after ... See full summary »
Directors: Ben Bolt, John D. Hancock, Gus Trikonis | Stars: Tim Thomerson, Ray Buktenica, Xander Berkeley, James MacKrell
Votes: 290
19.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
A World of His Own
(1960)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
A writer demonstrates he can control reality simply by dictating changes.
Director: Ralph Nelson | Stars: Keenan Wynn, Phyllis Kirk, Mary LaRoche, Modoc
Votes: 3,630
20.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
Printer's Devil
(1963)
TV-PG | 51 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
A man sells his soul to the Devil to save his failing newspaper and gets more than he bargained for.
Director: Ralph Senensky | Stars: Robert Sterling, Pat Crowley, Burgess Meredith, Ray Teal
Votes: 2,116
21.
Tales from the Crypt (1989–1996)
Episode:
Korman's Kalamity
(1990)
Not Rated | 27 min | Comedy, Crime, Fantasy
A cop learns that an illustrator of "Tales from the Crypt" might have the power to make his monstrous creations come to life due to his shrewish wife.
Director: Rowdy Herrington | Stars: Harry Anderson, Cynthia Gibb, Colleen Camp, John Kassir
Votes: 1,050
22.
Warehouse 13 (2009–2014)
Episode:
Nevermore
(2009)
TV-PG | 42 min | Adventure, Drama, Mystery
The Warehouse team narrowly misses nabbing McPherson then Myka's father falls under the influence of an artifact that resists the purple goo.
Director: Tawnia McKiernan | Stars: Eddie McClintock, Joanne Kelly, Saul Rubinek, Genelle Williams
Votes: 611
23.
Doctor Who (1963–1989)
Episode:
The Mind Robber: Episode 1
(1968)
TV-PG | 22 min | Adventure, Drama, Family
The TARDIS arrives in a white void after making an emergency escape from the volcanic eruption on Dulkis.
Director: David Maloney | Stars: Patrick Troughton, Frazer Hines, Wendy Padbury, Emrys Jones
Votes: 700
24.
Are You Afraid of the Dark? (1990–2000)
Episode:
The Tale of the Dream Machine
(1993)
Not Rated | 22 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
An aspiring writer finds a typewriter that makes whatever is written about somebody come true.
Director: David Winning | Stars: Michael Hong, Nicole Lyn, Joel Gordon, Rikee Madoff
Votes: 883
25.
Masters of Horror (2005–2007)
Episode:
Valerie on the Stairs
(2006)
TV-MA | 60 min | Horror
Taken from a Clive Barker original screen story, tells the tale of a novelist who discovers there are fates worse than literary anonymity in this sexually-charged tale of terror.
Director: Mick Garris | Stars: Tyron Leitso, Nicola Lipman, Jonathan Watton, Christopher Lloyd
Votes: 2,099
26.
Red Dwarf (1988– )
Episode:
Back to Earth (Part Three)
(2009)
TV-PG | 25 min | Comedy, Sci-Fi
When Lister's busy day of annoying Rimmer was interrupted by the discovery of a dimension-hopping leviathan in the ship's mile-deep water tank, transporting the crew back to Earth, all Lister's dreams appear to be coming true.
Director: Doug Naylor | Stars: Chris Barrie, Craig Charles, Danny John-Jules, Robert Llewellyn
Votes: 919
27.
Freddy's Nightmares (1988–1990)
Episode:
Heartbreak Hotel
(1989)
TV-14 | 45 min | Horror, Thriller
Following an Elvis sighting to The Springwood Hotel, a tabloid reporter finds that the phony stories that he writes come true. Meanwhile, an amnesiac has a terrifying dream that he committed murder before losing his memory.
Director: William Malone | Stars: Robert Englund, Richard Cox, Stacy Keach Sr., Anne Lockhart
Votes: 83
28.
Tales from the Crypt (1989–1996)
Episode:
Loved to Death
(1991)
Not Rated | 30 min | Comedy, Crime, Fantasy
In Los Angeles, aspiring screenwriter Edward Foster from Indiana has a crush on his neighbor Miranda Singer. However, bimbo Miranda is a gold digger who does not give Edward any attention. ... See full summary »
Director: Tom Mankiewicz | Stars: Andrew McCarthy, Mariel Hemingway, David Hemmings, Kathleen Freeman
Votes: 1,007
29.
Strange Hill High (2013–2014)
Episode:
Read All About It
(2013)
TV-G | 22 min | Animation, Comedy, Family
Mitchell and his friends write news stories for the school paper in order to get tickets to see their favorite rapper in concert. However, something extraordinary happens and it leaves them having to put back the pieces.
Directors: Chris Tichborne, Geoff Walker | Stars: Caroline Aherne, Richard Ayoade, Jonathan Keeble, Emma Kennedy
Votes: 8
30.
Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996–2003)
Episode:
Sabrina, the Teenage Writer
(1999)
TV-G | 30 min | Comedy, Family, Fantasy
Sabrina receives a C on her English story and Zelda suggests she use a manual typewriter to help her out. The typewriter turns out to be magic and the characters from Sabrina's spy-story ... See full summary »
Director: Gary Halvorson | Stars: Melissa Joan Hart, Caroline Rhea, Beth Broderick, Nate Richert
Votes: 247
31.
Xena: Warrior Princess (1995–2001)
Episode:
The Quill Is Mightier...
(1998)
Not Rated | 45 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
When a miffed Aphrodite casts a charm on Gabrielle's scroll so that anything she writes comes true, she is delighted at the chance to do good -- and astonished when her acts leads to unintended consequences.
Director: Andrew Merrifield | Stars: Lucy Lawless, Renée O'Connor, Ted Raimi, Alexandra Tydings
Votes: 547
32.
Eerie, Indiana: The Other Dimension (1998)
Episode:
The Newsroom
(1998)
TV-Y7 | 21 min | Adventure, Comedy, Family
Mitchell discovers that the town's paper The Eerie Enquirer makes up their front page stories which then somehow come true. The editor wants their next story to be about a meltdown at the nuclear power plant where Mitchell's mom works.
Stars: Bill Switzer, Daniel Clark, Deborah Odell, Lindy Booth
Votes: 19
33.
Night Visions (2001–2002)
Episode:
Hate Puppet/Darkness
(2001)
TV-14 | Fantasy, Horror, Mystery
Horror novelist is cursed to cause murderous rage towards him in everyone. / An egotistical telemarketer inherits a cursed mansion where every shadow is alive and will kill on touch.
Directors: Ian Toynton, Thomas J. Wright | Stars: Kwesi Ameyaw, William Atherton, Francis Boyle, Torquil Campbell
Votes: 97
34.
Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King (2006)
Episode:
Umney's Last Case
(2006)
TV-14 | 51 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
After the death of his son, writer Sam Landry is so desperate to lead another life, he writes himself into his own book, forcing his long-time character to change places with him and live in the modern day.
Director: Rob Bowman | Stars: William H. Macy, Jacqueline McKenzie, Tory Mussett, Harold Hopkins
Votes: 637
35.
Goosebumps (1995–1998)
Episode:
The Blob That Ate Everyone
(1997)
Not Rated | 22 min | Fantasy, Horror, Mystery
While exploring the ruins of a burnt out store, budding writer, Zack, finds an old typewriter and is thrilled. When he starts to use it, however, he realizes that whatever he types on the machine becomes reality.
Director: Randy Bradshaw | Stars: Scott Pietrangelo, Gabrielle Boni, Bradie Whetham, Marium Carvell
Votes: 651
36. Destiny to Order (1989)
R | 127 min | Comedy, Fantasy
A novelist must come to terms with his characters in this changing reality comedy.
Director: Jim Purdy | Stars: Stephen Ouimette, Alberta Watson, Victoria Snow, Michael Ironside
Votes: 109
37. Waiter (2006)
97 min | Comedy, Drama
A downtrodden waiter decides to take up matters with the screenwriter determined to make him suffer.
Director: Alex van Warmerdam | Stars: Alex van Warmerdam, Ariane Schluter, Jaap Spijkers, Mark Rietman
Votes: 3,284
38. Seizure (1974)
PG | 94 min | Horror
Jonathan Frid portrays a horror novelist who has a recurring nightmare about three figures out of his book who terrorize him and his family and friends during a weekend of fun. Then the ... See full summary »
Director: Oliver Stone | Stars: Jonathan Frid, Martine Beswick, Joseph Sirola, Christina Pickles
Votes: 1,130
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