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Gone With the Wind

Books

Our Moms on Their Favorite Books

By Tyler Coates on

Mother’s Day is this weekend, and it’s not too late to run to the local bookstore to pick up a literary gift for your bookish mom. A few of us asked our own mothers to share their favorite books with us, so consider these various titles vetted as a mom-appropriate gifts. … Read More

Film

10 Famous Films That Were Abandoned by Their Directors

By Jason Bailey on

Lynne Ramsay is a tremendously talented director, as anyone who has seen her films We Need to Talk About Kevin and Ratcatcher can tell you, which makes the latest ripple in her career quite a bummer: when production began Monday on her latest film, the Natalie Portman-fronted Western Jane Got a Gun, Ramsay was nowhere to be found. Deadline broke the story (so beware; that site is notoriously cozy with studio types who might have it in their interest to paint Ramsay as wildly — and litigiously — irresponsible), reporting trouble right up to the start date. Ramsay still hasn’t issued comment on the matter, but the film’s producers have already lined up a replacement in the form of Gavin O’Connor, director of Warrior and Tumbleweeds (and the pilot of The Americans). Deadline branded Ramsay’s departure a “SHOCKER,” but it’s not as rare as you’d think; despite the intense work of developing a picture and preparing it, filmmakers have frequently walked away from pictures before — or even during — production. We’ve got a few examples for you after the jump. … Read More

Film

Misguided Netflix Reviews of Oscar-Winning Films

By Alison Nastasi on

We don’t subscribe to the notion that every Academy Award-winning movie deserved the golden Oscar. Sure, there have been a few mistakes, but the Academy’s 84-year record proves the institution is frequently spot-on. Surveying Oscar’s Best Picture winners allows us to walk the halls of cinema history, with film’s most honorable at every turn. Netflix users don’t always agree, however. The streaming service’s anonymous and boldly opinionated comments section reveals a number of misguided reviews of Oscar-winning movies that won unanimous praise. Opinions are subjective, but we question these critics. Hold your heads along with us after the jump where we examine the most ill-considered write-ups on Oscar’s best. … Read More

Design

15 Fascinating Foreign Posters for Classic Oscar Winners

By Emily Temple on

The Oscars are upon us yet again, and being the fans of both movies and foreign poster design that we are, we thought we’d take the opportunity to take a look at the foreign posters for past Best Picture winners. Sometimes weird, sometimes wonderful, and sometimes downright bizarre as they can be, it’s fascinating to get a peek at the way the world views the films America loves. After the jump, check out 15 posters for the Oscar Best Picture winners of yore that papered walls from Japan to Germany, and let us know which one you like the best in the comments. … Read More

Film

Awesome Storyboards from 15 of Your Favorite Films

By Jason Bailey on

With storyboards on our mind lately thanks to their use in both the opening sequence and the climax of Argo, we decided to put together a gallery of our favorites from iconic… 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 found out what as seen on TV products actually work. We felt Kathie Lee Gifford’s mortifying embarrassment. We enjoyed Neil Patrick Harris’ Tony Awards promos. We adored this artist’s comic strips about failed mobile apps. We got to know Mrs. Mark Zuckerberg, Priscilla Chan. We gave a… Read More

Pop Culture

10 Fictional Characters People Need to Stop Idolizing

By Judy Berman on

We all need idols, and considering how central books, film, and TV can be to our lives, it makes sense that so many of us count fictional characters among our role models. But not every charismatic protagonist is an Atticus Finch — or even a Leslie Knope. After the jump, we take a lighthearted look at some of the outsize personalities that never should have become cult heroes or objects of popular worship. These aren’t villains we relish for their cartoonish evil, but irreparably flawed (and sometimes downright sociopathic) characters people think are cool and/or strive to emulate, from a teenage rapist to pop culture’s ultimate kept woman. … Read More

Film

15 of the Most Memorable Final Lines in Film

By Alison Nastasi on

The bustle of Cannes always makes the summer cinema season feel extra thrilling. We’re anxious to see where the movies take us for the remainder of the year, and we have a few guesses as to what films will leave us with the most memorable images and will feature the best writing. After exploring films that wowed us with their opening dialogue, it naturally got us thinking about the movies throughout history with parting words we won’t soon forget. Sometimes they refer to the punch line in a joke, a character’s dying words, or poetic thoughts about the future. It’s the filmmaker’s final chance to make a lasting impression that will get people talking. With that, here are some of cinema’s most memorable parting words. Leave us something to remember you and your favorite lines by in the comments section. Beware of a few spoilers ahead. … Read More

Pop Culture

A Selection of Memorable Brothels in Pop Culture

By Victoria McNally on

If prostitution is the world’s oldest profession, then it makes sense that whorehouses are such a pervasive part of pop culture. So, when we heard that the cable channel HDNet is producing a reality show documenting the exploits of the Mustang Ranch, America’s first completely legal brothel, it got us thinking about some of the most memorable establishments in books, movies, television shows, and visual art where a lonely traveler could spend a night with a willing companion. Here’s a quick list of some of our favorites — but we haven’t even scratched the surface, so leave your additions in the comments! … Read More

Film

The Best Costume Dramas on Film

By Alison Nastasi on

Barbed wit, saucy humor, mindf*ckery galore, and ravishing costuming and production design — we can only be talking about one film: Dangerous Liaisons. James Acheson’s elegantly crafted ensembles won the Best Costume Oscar and were a perfect complement to the film’s seductive games and drawing-room antics.

The 1988 movie hits Blu-ray today, and considering everyone’s revived obsession with all things lavishly costumed — Mad Men, Boardwalk Empire, and Downton Abbey to name a few — the timing couldn’t be more perfect. We wanted to focus our lens on the movie world, and highlight other dramas that wrap us up in their elaborate attire and swirling emotions. Head past the break to check out our picks for some of the best costume dramas on film, and share yours below. … Read More