I had the privilege of taking Chloe to see her first horror movie tonight.  “The Woman in Black,” starring a post-Harry Potter Daniel Radcliffe.

A movie with a retro Gothic tale feel, it started out slowly.  The first 1/3 of the movie was creepy, but not too creepy.  But the tension mounted.  Floors creaked.  Candles flickered.  Children died.  Ghosts made their mandatory appearances.  The antique porcelain dolls and automatons helped set the mood of impending doom.  Chloe jumped in her seat, screamed (along with many others in the packed theater) and hid her eyes.  And laughed a little.  She realized that it was all about the anticipation.  There was no gore.

Nevertheless, about halfway through she whispered, “I like comedies better.”  About 2/3 through the film, she whispered, “I don’t like this at all.”  By the time we were walking through the mall back to the car, she remarked, “Ok.  I feel better now.  That wasn’t so bad.  But I think I’ll stick to comedies.”