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Werner Herzog

Film

10 Great Movies Inspired by Operas

By Alison Nastasi on

There’s plenty of drama to spare when it comes to the world of opera. Occasionally, filmmakers have been directly inspired by the songbooks of classical composers, while others have looked to the performances and thundering music to create symbolic, contemporary interpretations. Opera is rich, profound source material. The opulent costumes and staging, the history, and the emotional stories are ripe for cinematic adaptations. We’ve collected a few of our favorites for your perusal in celebration of the 109th anniversary of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly and the Blu-ray release of Don Giovanni. See what a behind-the-scenes documentary, a Werner Herzog epic, and other retellings of opera’s theatrical tales have to offer after the jump. … 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

Werner Herzog Adapting DBC Pierre’s School-Shooting Novel ‘Vernon God Little’

By Judy Berman on

We’re always equal parts nervous and excited to hear that a great book is heading for the big screen. But we’re not too worried about DBC Pierre’s Vernon God Little, because it’s in the eminently capable hands of one Werner Herzog. The legendary German director is on board to shoot screenwriter Andrew Birkin’s adaptation of… Read More

Celebrity

7 Unexpected Celebrity Cameos in Real Life

By Matthew Bower on

Bill Murray has attained something of a mythic status over the past few years for his habit of making unexpected cameos in real life. A number of stories about the late-blooming hipster party crasher have made the rounds, with varying degrees of believability. This week, Murray bolstered his reputation for showing up in random places by joining in on a Brooklyn kickball game. But the former Ghostbuster is not the only celebrity with a legendary ability to make unusual appearances. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite real-life cameos by celebrities that keep us wondering where they’ll turn up next. … 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 discussed some of the worst words ever. We explored the world’s eeriest shipwrecks. We spotted the beds that would be sure to freak out a one night stand. We saw toy soldiers on a hilarious backyard mission. We saw Mr. Wizard… 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 learned nine things they don’t tell you about dating an architect. We fell in love with Catroulette. We browsed a David Fincher film title retrospective. We took a peek inside celebrity closets. We read 50 Shades of Grey with “Morgan Freeman.” We… Read More

Film

10 of Film’s Biggest Provocateurs

By Alison Nastasi on

Danish filmmaker and journalist Mads Brügger boasts a first name that seems worthy of his work, which he has dubbed “performative journalism.” He went undercover as a European Ambassador in the war-torn Central African Republic (CAR), armed with hidden cameras and credentials obtained on the black market. There, he brokered deals with corrupt blood diamond kingpins, leisurely traded diplomatic titles, and exposed a litany of murder, bribery, and bureaucrats from hell. The Ambassador balances a dark absurdity with terrifying revelations of exploitation, shocking fraudulence, and greed. The film opens in New York today, and we thought this would be a good time to explore some of cinema’s most controversial figures (mainly directors) — several of which Brügger has been compared to. The Huffington Post called him the “most provocative filmmaker in the world.” See if you agree after viewing our gallery after the jump. … Read More

Music

Warning: Werner Herzog’s Next Project Might Shock You

By Caroline Stanley on

The American Express Unstaged live webcast series has resulted in some pretty interesting bedfellows, a few more surprising than others. There was Arcade Fire and Terry Gilliam; Jack White and Gary Oldman; Duran Duran and David Lynch; My Morning Jacket and Todd Haynes. But the news that legendary experimental filmmaker Werner Herzog —… Read More

Celebrity

10 Celebrities Who Might Be Real-Life Superheroes

By Jennifer Lewis on

Forget teacup poodles and ripped denim vests — there’s a new fad in Hollywood, and it’s much more exciting than any old-fashioned accessory. These days, it seems like everyone wants a piece of the superhero pie. Although, after all this Avengers hoopla, can you really blame them? Upon hearing that Jennifer Lawrence has been dubbed a “hero” after helping an unconscious stranger, we were inspired to round up some more celebrities who just might be superheroes. Check ‘em out after the jump, and feel free to suggest some appropriate superhero alter egos in the comments — because, well, we can’t kick the idea that Ryan Gosling’s superhero persona should resemble an actual gosling, or perhaps our favorite Gosselin, and neither of those things are very intimidating. … Read More

Film

What Are the Most Beautiful Movies Ever Made?

By Jason Bailey on

We try not to ask much of you, dear readers, but if you’ve never taken our movie-going advice before, do this much: see Beasts of the Southern Wild, the extraordinary new drama that opens Wednesday in limited release after triumphs at Sundance (where it won the Grand Jury Prize) and Cannes. It’s an astonishingly unique, unexpectedly moving film, memorable not only for its unorthodox storytelling and remarkable performances, but the jaw-dropping, gorgeous cinematography by Ben Richardson, which has a casual beauty that recalls early Terrence Malick, David Gordon Green, and Charles Burnett. Those echoes got us thinking about some of our most beloved “pretty picture” movies — films that simply knock you out with their visual beauty. After much hand-wringing and teeth-gnashing, we picked our ten favorites. Check them out after the jump, and tell us what we left out (and we know there are plenty) in the comments. … Read More