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Takashi Miike

Film

A Beginner’s Guide to Spaghetti Westerns

By Jason Bailey on

Next week marks the DVD and Blu-ray debut of Django Unchained, Quentin Tarantino’s Oscar-winning tribute to his favorite of all cinematic subgenres, the Spaghetti Western. Ah yes, you might nod, unafraid to ask the follow-up question: And what, exactly, is a Spaghetti Western? The short answer — if you’re willing to allow the use of the term, which some of those who made these films take as a slam — is an Italian-made western made roughly between 1964-1973 (there were about 500 of them, give or take a few). But if you’d care to sound a little more informed than that at your next film-geek gathering (shut up, we occasionally gather), or if you’d like to use Django as a jumping-off point for a deeper exploration of these popular works, we offer another of our helpful Beginner’s Guides, this one giving you a brief overview of the practitioners and practices of the Spaghetti Western. … Read More

Film

20 Brilliant Filmmakers on Why They Make Movies

By Jason Bailey on

A couple of weeks back, we combed through our favorite quotes and offered up a few words from some of our favorite musicians about why they do what they do. That post was so well liked that we decided to seek out similar thoughts from some of our favorite moviemakers, to find out what drives them, what motivates them, and what pushes them to create. The best are collected after the jump; feel free to add your own in the comments. … Read More

Film

Flavorwire’s Guide to (Scary) Movies You Need to Stream This Week

By Jason Bailey on

Welcome to Flavorwire’s streaming movie guide, in which we help you sift through the scores of movies streaming on Netflix, Hulu, and other services to find the best of the recently available, freshly relevant, or soon to expire. But since we’re a mere seven days to Halloween, this edition of the streaming movie guide will focus on the scary — some of our favorite horror movies that are at your fingertips this very moment. Check them all out after the jump, and follow the title links to watch them right now. … Read More

Film

Flavorwire’s 50 Essential Horror Films, Part 2

By Alison Nastasi on

As Halloween draws near, you’ll undoubtedly see dozens of lists analyzing the scariest, goriest, and even the funniest of horror films. Nostalgia surrounding the spooky holiday conjures a breathless excitement to seek and share the movies that toy with our deep-seated fears. If you’re new to the horror genre, we don’t want you to feel left out of the fun. We’ve created a list of 50 essential films that will educate and entertain you all month long. Each week, we’ll be counting down to number one and exploring a breadth of titles. Whether you’re looking for a creepy tale to watch on Halloween night, or you’re interested in honing your horror knowledge, check out the second installment in our must-see movies below. Then, catch up with part one, and continue the countdown with parts three, four, and the top ten. … Read More

Film

Great 2011 Movies to Stream on Netflix Over the Holidays

By Judy Berman on

Christmas has come and gone. So, now’s the time to plan some activities for those late nights at the family home, when the kids and elderly relatives have gone to bed and the last thing you want to do is spend quality time with awful Cousin Myrtle. Last week, we rounded up the best new fall TV shows to catch up on over the break. But if you’d rather settle down with a great movie and happen not to have dropped Netflix after their year of terrible decisions, then allow us to alert you to some of 2011′s best films that also happen to be available for streaming on the site. A gay British romance for the ages, a dreamy Thai meditation on death, and a hilarious mockumentary that finds Steve Coogan (sort of) playing himself are just a few of the noteworthy new movies from around the world that await you after the jump. … Read More

Film

Famous Mythological Battles on Film

By Alison Nastasi on

Described as “Caravaggio meets Fight Club,” Tarsem Singh’s mythology tale Immortals hits theaters on November 11. Man of Steel’s Henry Cavill takes on the role of Greek warrior Theseus, who leads a battle against the Titans — all set to The Cell director’s stunning visuals and taking a few cues from Zack Snyder’s otherworldly 300. Many movies have been inspired by sparring gods from ancient tales far and wide. Some of the stories about mythological scuffles that have been handed down to us over the years have been adapted into screen stories of modern warfare, while others have recalled the violent crusades more literally. Click past the break for a look at several celluloid versions of famous mythological battles. Leave your favorites below. … Read More