Here are a bunch of little bites to satisfy your hunger for movie culture:

Movie Characters in Real Life:

Deadpool exists on the edges of the movie world and the real world, and he (via actor Ryan Reynolds) offered up a NSFW response to a petition to get the character to host Saturday Night Live:

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Filmmaker Parody of the Day:

J.J. Abrams has already repaired the Star Trek and Star Wars franchises. Now he’s on to The Matrix, Indiana Jones, Saw and more:

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Vintage Image of the Day:

John Wayne looks upon a geiger counter on the set of The Conqueror, which opened 60 years ago today. The film was shot on a nuclear test site, which is said to be the blame for the deaths of Wayne and much of the rest of the cast and crew.

Political Satire of the Day:

Practical Folks explains why Hillary Clinton is The Revenant, Donald Trump is Mad Max: Fury Road, Bernie Sanders is The Big Short and more analogical pairings of 2016 presidential candidates and 2016 Oscar nominees for Best Picture:

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Best Picture Reenactment of the Day:

Speaking of the big Oscar nominees, here’s a shot from Mad Max: Fury Road redone with children. See more of these “Oscar Babies” in a photo spread at Vanity Fair.

Oscar Montage of the Day:

Art of the Film shows us why this year’s cinematography Oscar winner is so hard to predict in a compilation of shots from all five movies:

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Screenwriting Appreciation of the Day:

Words, a short film made by the Writer’s Guild Foundation in 1987, is a great, lengthy yet fast-paced awards-ceremony-style montage celebrating the craft of screenwriting (via Filmmaker IQ):

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Reworked Movie of the Day:

Everyone knows The Martian is really a comedy. But now it’s been reworked by Mashable to be a musical comedy:

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Actor in the Spotlight:

The new episode of the character actor showcase series No Small Parts should help you better appreciate Crispin Glover:

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Classic Trailer of the Day:

Today is the 25th anniversary of the clever rom-com He Said, She Said. Watch the original trailer for the movie, which stars Kevin Bacon and Elizabeth Perkins, below.

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The Important News

Box Office: Deadpool broke the record for highest-grossing R-rated movie. And it broke a bunch of other records.

Marvel Madness: Disney dropped the first look at Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Adam McKay will be involved with Ant-Man and the Wasp in some capacity.

DC Delirium: Dan Amboyer might be the new Green Lantern.

Franchise Fever: The sixth Transformers movie will be a Bumblebee spinoff.

Sequelitis: Another Hellraiser movie is on the way. Blade Runner 2‘s release date was announced. John Wick: Chapter Two‘s release date was announced. Dwayne Johnson will return for a San Andreas sequel. Roger Corman is making a Death Race 2000 sequel. Emily Blunt is the new Mary Poppins.

New Directors/New Films: The Witch‘s Robert Eggers will make a medieval epic next. Ron Howard will direct Robert Downey Jr.’s Pinocchio movie.

Casting Net: Ryan Reynolds will star in a sci-fi movie from the Deadpool writers. Keira Knightley will play Catherine the Great for director Barbra Streisand. Christian Bale will reunite with Scott Cooper for Hostiles. Emilia Clarke will star in Set It Up. Jessica Chastain will star in Aaron Sorkin’s Molly’s Game. Abbey Lee will star in The Dark Tower.

Villainous Ventures: Eric Johnson will play Christian Grey’s rival in the Fifty Shades sequels. Julianne Moore will play the villain in Kingsman 2.

Actor Pairings: Paul Rudd and Steve Coogan will play a couple in An Ideal Home.

Remake Report: Todd McFarlane finished the script for a new Spawn movie. A new Astro Boy movie is in the works. The movie of Stephen King’s It will be rated R.

Reel TV: Salt is being turned into a TV show. The Stand will not be done as a TV series again.

TV Movies: The cast of Good Times is trying to Kickstart a Good Times movie.

The Videos and Geek Stuff

New Movie Trailers: Star Wars: Episode VIII, Ghostbusters, The Divergent Series: Allegiant, Kindergarten Cop 2, Alice Through the Looking Glass, Bastille Day, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny, Midnight Special, Sing, Triple 9 and Florence Foster Jenkins.

TV Spots: 10 Cloverfield Lane.

Watch: A fan-made Wonder Woman trailer.

See: What the villain in the new Ghostbusters looks like.

Watch: The first episode of Lego Star Wars: The Resistance Rises.

See: What a Back to the Future prequel would look like.

Watch: Puppets reenact scenes from the Best Picture Oscar nominees.

Play: A video game where Leonardo DiCaprio chases after an Oscar.

See: How Deadpool’s Tim Miller also helped make Iron Man a hit. And the Justice League short that got Miller the Deadpool gig.

Watch: Ryan Reynolds interviews Hugh Jackman about Eddie the Eagle. And James Corden auditions to be Deadpool’s sidekick.

See: What Keira Knightley would look like as Cable in Deadpool 2.

Watch: How the scores for Deadpool and The Hateful Eight were made.

See: How The Good Dinosaur should have ended.

Watch: A scary car commercial directed by Sam Raimi.

Learn: Why Gene Hackman dropped out of The Silence of the Lambs.

Watch: Shia LaBeouf’s latest performance art project.

See: The new motion poster for the Pete’s Dragon remake.

Our Features

Superhero Movie Guides: Upcoming superhero movies that could be rated R. And R-rated comic books that need to be R-rated movies. And how Deadpool could lead a new R-rated comic book movie renaissance.

Sci-Fi Movie Guide: An exploration of recent sci-fi movie sequels.

List: Great romantic movies for people who hate romantic movies.

Horror Movie Guide: All the latest horror news and trailers you need to know.

List: Unexpected appearances by presidents in movies.

Home Viewing: Here’s our guide to everything hitting VOD this week.

and

MORE FROM AROUND THE WEB:

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Here are a bunch of little bites to satisfy your hunger for movie culture:

Oscar Spoofs of the Day:

Watch all eight Best Picture nominees, including Mad Max: Fury Road and The Revenant, redone with puppets (via Reddit):

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Oscar Montage of the Day:

See an evolution of special effects over 88 years in this supercut of every Oscar winner in that category, from Wings to Interstellar:

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Vintage Image of the Day:

Speaking of the Oscars, here’s a throwback from the 1992 ceremony with Jack Palance, who was born on this day in 1919.

Commercial of the Day:

Sam Raimi directed this new car commercial inspired by horror movies (via Geek Tyrant):

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Supercut of the Day:

If you like weird movies, you’ll appreciate this montage of surreal scenes from such films as Trainspotting and Delicatessen (via Reddit):

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Toy of the Day:

Pacific Rim probably isn’t popular enough to warrant an official Lego set, but here’s a custom build of the Striker Eureka Jaeger. See more images at /Film.

Movie Science of the Day:

Kyle Hill of Nerdist’s Because Science explains why Iceman of the X-Men movies would be a bomb with his powers:

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Movie Trivia of the Day:

Get ready for this summer’s Jason Bourne with some trivia about the whole Bourne franchise:

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Cosplay of the Day:

This custom-built Superman leather armor made by Prince Armory was inspired by Jor-El in Man of Steel (via Geekologie):

Classic Trailer of the Day:

This weekend is the 30th anniversary of the release of 9 1/2 Weeks. Watch the original trailer for the sexy drama starring Kim Basinger and Mickey Rourke below.

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This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service – if this is your content and you’re reading it on someone else’s site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php#publishers.

Here are a bunch of little bites to satisfy your hunger for movie culture:

Artistic Interpretation of the Day:

Lampooning its natural beauty splattered with blood, here’s Bob Ross demonstrating how to paint the landscapes of The Revenant:

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Cosplay of the Day:

Underoos are a kind of costume play, right? Well, Deadpool now has officially licensed Underoos. For adults, of course (via Geek Tyrant):

Film Score Breakdown of the Day:

Speaking of Deadpool, watch as Junkie XL shows how he created the ’80s inspired synth score for the hit superhero movie (via io9):

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Music Video of the Day:

Speaking of film scores, watch Ennio Morricone conduct the Czech National Symphony Orchestra in a video for “L’ultima diligenza di Red Rock” (“The Last Stage to Red Rock”) from The Hateful Eight:

Film Studies Lesson of the Day:

Still speaking of film scores, here’s Nerdwriter on how music elevates story, with focus on Howard Shore‘s scores for the Lord of the Rings trilogy (via Devour):

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Vintage Image of the Day:

Jim Brown, who turns 80 today, in a lobby card for 1964’s Rio Conchos, the movie that transitioned him from football player to actor:

Supercut of the Day:

From editor Roman Holiday comes a new supercut of lone figures in large spaces:

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Video Essay of the Day:

Speaking of lone figures, here’s a video essay on The Martian‘s “miniature astronaut in a maximal landscape” (via Press Play):

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Movie Comparison of the Day:

Couch Tomato shows us 24 reasons why Iron Man 2 is the same movie as the first Charlie’s Angels:

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Classic Trailer of the Day:

This week is the 20th anniversary of Muppet Treasure Island. Watch the original trailer for the twist on classic pirate adventure below.

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Here are a bunch of little bites to satisfy your hunger for movie culture:

Video Game of the Day:

Help Leonardo DiCaprio get his Oscar in a new online game called “Leo’s Red Carpet Rampage.” Play it here or just watch a video of the gameplay here (via Gregory Ellwood)

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Trailer Parody of the Day:

Speaking of giving Leo the Oscar, here’s a new trailer for The Revenant made by College Humor stressing why the Academy really needs to give Leo the Oscar:

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Actress in the Spotlight:

The brilliant talent of Jennifer Jason Leigh, who is finally nominated for an Oscar this year, is showcased in this supercut (via Cinematic Montage Creators):

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Cosplay of the Day:

The following image is not a cartoon. It’s a woman with body paint for female Deadpool cosplay. Watch the time-lapse video of her process down below (via Geek Tyrant).

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Mashup of the Day:

These images mashing up Back to the Future and Star Wars by artist Thirsty Bstrd are a few months old but still brilliant. See more at the artist’s website (via @nevesytrof).

Alternate Ending of the Day:

Here’s the mostly happier way that Pixar‘s The Good Dinosaur should have ended:

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Vintage Image of the Day:

The late John Schlesinger, who was born 90 years ago, directs Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman in Midnight Cowboy:

Film History of the Day:

Here are the 20 greatest homages to silent films in the age of sound cinema (via Reddit):

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Supercut of the Day:

See some of the most iconic hands in cinema in a video called “A Show of Hands” (via Geek Tyrant):

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Classic Trailer of the Day:

Today is the 20th anniversary of Happy Gilmore. Watch the original trailer for the Adam Sandler comedy below.

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and

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service – if this is your content and you’re reading it on someone else’s site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php#publishers.

Here are a bunch of little bites to satisfy your hunger for movie culture:

Fan-Made Trailer of the Day:

Aside from there being too much WW1 scenes in the WW2-set superhero movie, this fan-made Wonder Woman teaser is pretty good (via Cinematic Montage Creators):

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Casting Depiction of the Day:

She’s got range! In honor of the suggestion in Deadpool that Keira Knightley play Cable in Deadpool 2, here’s BossLogic’s take on what that would look like:

Reimagined Movie of the Day:

Oh no, a bear! Mashable shows us what The Revenant would look like as a silent film:

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Fan Build of the Day:

If you dream of being a hood ornament, here’s an instruction video on how to make your own Mad Max: Fury Road face mask:

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Cosplay of the Day:

Why do we only see male hunters in the Predator movies? Here’s a woman dressed as a female Predator, and she looks just as deadly (via Fashionably Geek):

Classic Cartoon of the Day:

Today is the 80th anniversary of the classic Disney animated short Orphan’s Picnic. Watch the cartoon, which stars Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, below.

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Movie Truth of the Day:

Watch more Disney animated feature musical numbers, including songs from Frozen and Beauty and the Beast, sung in the characters’ actual language:

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Political Movie Parody of the Day:

Heeeeeeere’s Bernie! Let’s not forget, folks, that the guy wielding the axe in The Shining is defeated in the end (via Larry Wright):

Film Studies Lesson of the Day:

Now You See It shows us how lateral movement in movies can mean different things depending on the direction a characters is going:

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Classic Trailer of the Day:

Today is the 25th anniversary of the theatrical release of King Ralph. Watch the original trailer for the comedy, which stars John Goodman, below.

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and

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Break out the chimichangas — with $135 million at the box office in its first three days, the R-rated Deadpool has not only smashed all President’s weekend records, but it also now holds the record for highest R-rated opening ever. And not just by a little, either. The previous R-rated record holder belonged to The Matrix Reloaded ($91 million), which was a summer release.

That makes Deadpool’s record $135 million all the more special, as no film has ever snagged those kinds of numbers in February. Heck, no February film has ever managed to open to $100 million, period. And with Monday being a holiday, box office experts expect Deadpool to reach upwards of $150 million for the four-day when all is said and done.

So what does this all mean? Will every superhero movie from now on come with an R rating?

No, not quite. Disney won’t make an R-rated superhero movie, so you can count out Marvel Studios and any character associated with the Avengers. But we expect Fox to go all-in on an R-rated cinematic universe, though for starters they’ll probably stick to movies that revolve around Deadpool — like the already-announced Deadpool sequel and possibly even an X-Force movie, too.

This is a big deal for the superhero genre, and for 2016 in general as it represents a year where studios will take bigger risks with their comic properties. The big question now is… will Fox tweak any of the X-Men properties with a higher rating? Perhaps Wolverine 3?

What do you think?

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This Valentine’s Day, you could stick with something traditional. You could check out that rom-com you and your partner have been meaning to check out. You could watch The Notebook and try very hard not to cry. You have your fair share of standard, go-to romantic options and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Or you could try something a little different. How about a romantic movie that finds time for gunfights? Or films that find intimacy and tenderness through perverse comedy? Or even something that will let you and your partner live vicariously through another couple as they solve mysteries as a duo? Yeah, you have additional options for sure.

True Romance

The title of Tony Scott’s True Romance initially reads like it’s going to be ironic. However, the relationship between Christian Slater’s small-time crook Clarence and Patricia Arquette’s former hooker Alabama is about as sweet as they come. Here are two movie characters who are head-over-heels in love with each other and it doesn’t feel fake or forced or even bittersweet.

This is Bonnie and Clyde with a happy ending and less erectile dysfunction, a good-natured romance about the perfect couple that also happens to feature violent executions and gun battles. If you want a little blood ‘n guts in your rom-com, you really cannot do better than this.

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The Thin Man

The high society couple who solve mysteries when they aren’t drinking an astonishing amount of booze and trading loving witticisms has become a cliche, a source of easy comedy. But Nick and Nora Charles invented this template and their relationship anchors The Thin Man and its many sequels, with stars William Powell and Myrna Loy showcasing a chemistry that countless other onscreen couples can’t even come close to touching.

You come for the mystery, but you stay for the couple solving that mystery as they remain as supportive and in love and as accepting of one another across seven movies.

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Punch-Drunk Love

Adam Sandler has never been pushed quite like how Paul Thomas Anderson pushes him in Punch-Drunk Love, which finds him turning his angry man-child persona inside out for a thorough self-examination. But the film is about more than Sandler showcasing some serious chops. It’s about how his Barry Egan finds the woman of his dreams in Emily Watson’s Lena Leonard and how these two eccentric oddballs complete each other in such specific ways.

A scene where they playfully threaten each other with bodily harm while lying in bed feels like it was torn straight from reality, reflecting how real couples cut loose and abandon their good graces when they’re alone and in love. “I have a love in my life. It makes me stronger than anything you can imagine,” Sandler growls at his nemesis during the film’s climax. And it’s true.

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Groundhog Day

Relationships are hard work and the love of a special person can change someone else for the better. While Harold Ramis’ Groundhog Day is about so much more than the love story between Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell, the film hits its fair share of emotional truths. Watching Murray’s Phil re-live the same day over and over again as part of an unexplained time loop is funny and then sad and then funny again before ultimately becoming emotionally satisfying on a spiritual level.

Watching him work to better himself, to become a man worthy of Rita’s time and attention, is genuinely romantic, especially since Murray often plays characters who work so hard to sidestep affection at all times.

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Casablanca

Michael Curtiz’ Casablanca doesn’t feature a single cliche because it single-handedly invented all of the cliches. This is one of the most romantic movies of all time, a timeless masterpiece that still feels so fresh and moving over 70 years after it premiered, but history often misremembers why it is so powerful.

This is one of cinema’s great romances because not because Humphrey Bogart’s Rick and Ingrid Bergman’s Ilsa get together (because they don’t), but because it showcases how two people recognize their love for one another and willingly choose to set it aside for the sake of a greater cause. There is no love more powerful than that. Sad, yes. Deeply, achingly romantic, hell yes.

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When we hear about Mali, it’s usually about that country’s civil war.

But the west African nation has long been a shining star of music and culture. It’s where the annual Festival in the Desert once attracted visitors and pop stars from around the globe.

“[War] simply changes your life,” musician Rokia Traoré says. “And you’re no longer naive, and your way of seeing and thinking — everything changes. And Mali is still what it is. You know, music there is so important and culture is an important part of our social life. And in such a situation, I think that culture is even more important.”

Rokia Traore is one of Mali’s stars. She wrote and rehearsed the music for her new album Né So (which means “home”) in Bamako, and then she recorded in Belgium and England. She recently spoke with NPR’s Linda Wertheimer from the studios of the BBC in Berlin.

Interview Highlights

On living and working in Mali

Actually, one of my biggest frustrations is that the best of African culture and arts in general is not for Africans. I would like so much to have in Mali and in Africa places where people can go and have their own culture and appreciate it and know about themselves in a certain sense and learn about themselves. And so my foundation is to contribute to the existence of this cultural and artistic dynamic in Africa in general.

On covering ‘Strange Fruit,’ an American protest song

Because unfortunately, racism is still one of the problems in the world, in general. And it’s not always and only about racism; it’s not about the color, but it’s also between social classes. And I think it’s important to remember the past, the darkest parts of our past, without feeling guilty or ashamed about it. Just remember that we humans can be so bad, so we have to be careful with ourselves.

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