Most of us are probably familiar with Dr. Strangelove, the Terminator series, and (spoiler alert) Planet of the Apes. But as nuclear war movies go, not one of them is genuinely disturbing. Dr. Strangelove, for all its razor-sharp political satire, is still just a comedy, and Terminator and Planet of the Apes are both science…
As Mark Twain famously put it, “Truth is stranger than fiction.” And so it is with movies. As authors and screenwriters use their imaginations to come up with some truly amazing stories, they do draw inspiration from the real world on occasion. Events, places, and even characters are influenced by what really is out there. Believe…
From WatchMojo.com to preshows in movie theaters to… well, TopTenz, everyone wants to provide small novelty pieces of information about beloved movies. Unfortunately, the high demand means that the product has gotten a bit diluted over time. Misunderstandings or even outright lies now permeate the pop culture landscape. We’re inclined to believe a lot of…
Dreams are a combination of pictures and stories that develop in our minds while we sleep. Dreams can be about literally anything from something funny, to romantic, or even terrifying. While 95% of dreams are not usually remembered, it is believed that people dream anywhere from three to six times per night with each one…
Although Netflix’s hit show Stranger Things may have always been destined for success, studios and television networks were not so enthused. Many viewers may be surprised to learn that the creators, Matt and Ross Duffer, had some difficulty getting the show made. More than 15 networks passed on the show until Netflix jumped at the…
If you’ve ever seen the HBO series Deadwood, your first thoughts are probably about Ian McShane’s character, Al Swearengen, or perhaps the overabundance of extremely salty language… delivered in the midst of flowery prose, of course. Seriously, though – we looked for clips from the show to use, and not a bit of it was safe…
When it was released on Netflix in spring of 2017, 13 Reasons Why, a show that follows a suicidal teenager and the fallout from her decision to take her own life, quickly became one of the most talked-about—and controversial—shows of the year. While some have argued that the show, which many critics have found compelling and…
Last week, we highlighted some amazing accomplishments in practical effects and stunts that you probably thought were CGI. Today, we’re going in the opposite direction. Sometimes, computer-generated effect stand out like a sore thumb. It’s blatantly obvious when an actor is standing in front of a green screen, right? Well, today we’re going to talk…
One of the most important aspects of the filmmaking is keeping the audience immersed in the world it’s being shown. Whether the characters are in a fantasy world or jumping out of a moving car, the audiences’ willingness to go along with the story is, in large part, due to the viewer’s willingness to suspend…
Tabloid television, or as critics refer to it, “Trash TV,” is made up of abrasive talk shows that set up confrontations and consciously try to be controversial and shocking. Despite being panned for their lowbrow nature and appealing to the lowest common denominator, tabloid talk shows have struck a chord with television audiences and have…
For awhile, it was a cliche to portray screen actors who played tough characters as effete people behind the scenes. That’s not what this list is about. No, we’re going so far in the other direction that we’re going to highlight people who made movies with pulse-pounding, high octane action, and yet it was still…
Vikings is a historical drama TV series on the History Channel. The story follows the legendary Viking chieftain Ragnar Lothbrok and his family as they leave their mark on the world. But even though the series is historical in nature, the storyline only loosely follows historical fact, being sprinkled with many Norse myths, legendary figures,…