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Film

The Scariest Scenes in Cinema

By Alison Nastasi on

Cape Fear arrives on Blu-ray this week, and we’re using it as an excuse to look back at some of the scariest scenes in cinema — from the hallway sequence in The Shining to the attack of that poor, unsuspecting skinny-dipper in… Read More

Photography

Freaky, Headless Portraits Made with Victorian-Era Photoshop

By Alison Nastasi on

The Victorians win for using one of the earliest forms of “Photoshop” — a bit of trickery created by layering multiple photographic negatives. Floating heads abounded during the late 1800s, and website Who Killed Bambi? tipped us off to a freaky slew of portraits featuring people without their noggins. Pictures in Time had the headless collection of macabre novelty photos. Heads on laps, platters, and skewered on swords await you in our gallery. … Read More

Film

Meditative Movies That Will Help You Find Yourself

By Alison Nastasi on

Director Ron Fricke and producer Mark Magidson (the creators of Baraka) traveled to 25 countries over the span of five years, filming the 2011 non-narrative documentary, Samsara. The stunning movie arrives on Blu-ray tomorrow. Described as “a nonverbal, guided meditation,” the film was shot on 70mm and explores the interconnectedness that humanity shares with the rest of nature — from the world’s most sacred spaces, to industrial sites populated with machines. It’s the wheel of life and human experience captured with breathtaking photography. These types of contemplative, non-narrative features allow audiences to traverse every corner of the earth, immersed in a powerful, transcendent journey of self-discovery. See our picks for similar meditative movies, below. … Read More

Photography

Photos of Vulnerable Teen Boys and Their Bedrooms

By Alison Nastasi on

For her latest photo series, Canadian artist Olivia Johnston entered the sacred domain of every teenager: their bedrooms. She snapped portraits of teen boys (sans shirts) and their living quarters, revealing their personalities in distinctly different ways. “I understand the uncomfortable nature of this series for my models — I am essentially forcing them into incredibly vulnerable situations,” Johnston admits on her Behance website. “By placing each boy in a totally unfamiliar environment and asking him to remove his shirt I create a well-defined set of discomforts. Asking him if I can enter his bedroom and document it with my camera elicits added tension.” The vulnerability is certainly present, but several photos display a slight cockiness about the young men — perhaps a defense against the emotional and physical exposure, or an awkward, naive display of misplaced masculinity. Take a closer look at Johnston’s work in our gallery. … Read More

Film

10 Random Acts of Kindness That Will Restore Your Faith in Hollywood

By Alison Nastasi on

It’s easy to see Hollywood as a detestable machine. Between the unnecessary remakes, sequels, prequels, talking heads, and the advertising onslaught, it’s enough to make a true cinephile scream. There are great things about Hollywood, though. Sometimes we’re treated to a tale that thrills us to the edge of our seat or touches us profoundly — and sometimes those stories happen off screen. The Internet is abuzz with a report about a terminally ill Trekkie. Director J.J. Abrams — who is normally extremely secretive about his projects — granted the man’s dying wish: to see the upcoming film, Star Trek Into Darkness. Abrams screened the unfinished movie for a fan named Daniel who has been diagnosed with cancer and only has weeks to live. According to Dan’s family, they “enjoyed it immensely as a film and as a gesture.” We rounded up other heartwarming stories that restored our faith in Hollywood. Grab a tissue or two, and meet us after the jump. … Read More

Pop Culture

Funny, Glamorous Face Swaps of Old Hollywood Movie Stars

By Alison Nastasi on

Even though the new year just kicked off, we’re ready to count Tumblr Old Hollywood Face Swap as one of our favorites of 2013. The website is basically what it sounds like: hilarious, nicely executed face swaps featuring the finest from Hollywood’s Golden Age in vintage, black-and-white loveliness. Once the initial laughter passes, the photos become an interesting lens to view the gender roles of the era. “I try to go for iconic pairings whether real-life, filmic, or in some cases both (Bogie/Bacall, Lucy/Desi, Powell/Loy), but I’m also interested in exploring the less expected. I think the biggest surprise was Rock Hudson and Doris Day. There are obviously many layers to that one in the first place, but I wasn’t prepared for how striking Doris Day’s face would look on his body,” the creator of OHFS tells us. We’d like to add that Marlene Dietrich makes a fabulous drag queen (duh), and Laurence Olivier looks surprisingly comfortable as a woman in his photo. See what we mean in our gallery, and visit Old Hollywood Face Swap for daily amusement. … Read More

Art

Astounding and Interactive Sidewalk Art Around the World

By Alison Nastasi on

Alternative sidewalk design explores eco-friendly, minimally invasive ways to pave pathways for pedestrians. Artists take the concept in another direction and create a temporary reprieve from the daily grind by offering interactive spaces for play and pondering. Sometimes they’re in the concrete jungle, and other times new spaces are created in unlikely locations, allowing pedestrians to explore the terrain. The sidewalk becomes the art itself. We recently told you about a giant trampoline sidewalk, and it inspired us to search for other impressive and imaginative “sidewalk” art. See what happens when quiet footpaths, bridge walkways, city streets, and other places people tread are made over. … Read More

Web

What’s On at Flavorpill: The Links That Made the Rounds In Our Office

By Alison Nastasi on

Today at Flavorpill, we looked at photos from the set of Christmas classic, It’s a Wonderful Life. We talked about a few things everyone will be happy to leave behind in 2012. We reviewed the history of book digitization. We looked back on the year in architecture. We remembered a few Saturday Night Live sketches that should have been movies. We collected more recommends for our Doomsday entertainment checklist. … Read More

Art

Unbelievably Detailed Wood Sculptures of Animals

By Alison Nastasi on

To some, the idea of working on an anatomically correct sculpture 10 to 12 hours a day, shaving hundreds of wood chips from a solid hunk of cedar, sounds tedious. For Russian artist, Sergei Bobkov, who we learned about on MSN, it’s a passion. His Siberian cedar chip animal creations take about six months to complete (with no days off), but he has his technique down to a science. After carving the chips, he lets them soak in water for several days, and then carefully whittles them down to the necessary shapes. Every now and then he’ll add willow and beech chips to the sculptures. Each piece contains incredible texture, giving Bobkov’s creatures lifelike feathers and fur. Take a closer look in our gallery. … Read More

Pop Culture

30 Amazing Tattoos Inspired by Quentin Tarantino Films

By Alison Nastasi on

It’s been three years since we’ve been graced with a film from hyper director, Quentin Tarantino, but western throwback tale Django Unchained hits theaters on Christmas, and fans are brimming with anticipation. QT has only directed about 10 films (unless you don’t count the scene he shot in Sin City), but his filmography is loaded with graphic and stylish imagery that makes a lasting impression. The intensity and loyalty of Quentin Tarantino fandom ranks just about as high as Star Wars, which is why we’re not surprised to see his films etched across the flesh of adoring fans everywhere. We scouted high and low for amazing tattoos that were inspired by Tarantino’s movies — the ones he’s directed, written, and starred in. If you have your own QT-inspired tattoo, leave us a link so we can check it out! … Read More