Africa is the cradle of life and the font of all human existence. Through the ages, this vast and beautiful landscape has been immortalized via paintings, movies, books, and that iconic song by Toto. From the sing-song adventures of Disney to the wild Serengeti tales that highlight a life that’s wholly unlike New York or Los Angeles, the African expanse has been featured in some of the greatest and most memorable films of our time....
In Paris 1895, Louis and Auguste Lumiere debuted their newest creation for 200 or so spectators: moving images. Ever since that day, the elegant winding streets of Paris have seen many movie industry names stride along its sidewalks, all attempting to write their own names into filmmaking folklore for generations to come. The city of Paris was once the center of the cinematic universe—and in some ways, it always will be—with numerous greats having stood there, staring at the Eiffel Tower while trying to impress their own image on the city that’s remembered as the birthplace of cinema....
In June 1940, Orson Welles began working on his first movie. He had led the studio RKO to believe that he was shooting camera tests, and he’d told them this because he didn’t want to be disturbed. In reality, he was actually well underway on producing a movie. In November 2018, Orson Welles’ final movie was released to the public—a mere 78 years after he had begun working on his first feature, and 33 years after the legendary filmmaker’s death....
It’s no secret that Robert Downey Jr. has made a full comeback, despite earlier issues that plagued his career. Yet while playing Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has brought him fully back into the limelight, people often forget how stellar some of his previous performances were. I want to bring your attention to some of his most excellent—yet underrated—performances that have been buried in history. Check out these Robert Downey Jr....
In 1939, following the success of the Superman daily newspaper comic strip, DC Comics began searching for more superheroes to add to their comic books. That’s when Bob Kane and Bill Finger came up with their concept for “The Bat-Man.” Over eight decades later, Batman has changed quite a bit from that original concept and is now one of the most recognizable characters in all of pop culture. And that popularity has brought Batman to the big screen on many occasions, in both live-action and animated form....
Sometimes you just need to go fast, and playing Sonic the Hedgehog isn’t going to cut it. That’s when you turn to racing games, but that’s a very wide genre. When kart racers and ultra-realistic simulation racers are both contained within the same genre, it can be tough to find what’s right for you. That’s why we made this list! Looking for a great PS4 racing game? Here are my picks for the best racing games on PlayStation 4....
There have been many types of thief characters throughout cinema history: honor-bound rogues, unscrupulous renegades, charming cats, rich businessmen looking for a thrill, cunning ex-cons. They’ve all indelibly left their mark upon the big screen. The versatility of the character archetype means thieves can be heroes (stealing for a righteous cause) or villains (ripping off others for the sake of avarice). Either way, their motives lay hidden beneath. And no matter which way they lean, thief characters often make for scintillating cinema....
There’s a moment in Howl’s Moving Castle where Howl the Sorcerer returns home in the dead of night and checks on his elderly cleaning lady, Sophie. As he looks in on her sleeping, he’s unsurprised to see Sophie’s real form: a beautiful young woman. The scene is a metaphor for Studio Ghibli as a storytelling master—a lovely hamlet that’s a distinct haven for the magical, the romantic, the tragic, and the beautiful....
Admit it. Most of you skip the opening and ending credit sequences when you watch anime. You might even be an expert, able to click exactly where you need to click to jump to the perfect spot. If you’re a skipper, you may or may not feel guilty about it. After all, those 2–4 minutes were painstakingly made by the animation team, and all of that’s included in the anime’s overall production budget....
Video games have gone through several evolutions throughout the years, and difficulty level is one of the most obvious changes. When I turn on a retro game like Dig Dug or the original Super Mario Bros , I can barely get past the first level. The entire game consists of struggle and frustration. Nowadays, I find myself completing newer games in a matter of days (which makes them almost boring). At this point it’s obvious that video games have gotten ridiculously easy—but why?...
When you’re an anime fan, you have one big decision to make: what streaming service do you choose? Netflix has a severe shortage of anime on its list, so it’s out of the question. Hulu’s pretty decent, but it has too many commercials. And I think we all know that those sketchy, free anime sites aren’t worth it either—the spammy ads and bugginess are just way too irritating. Related: Where to watch anime online for free...
When it comes to dealing out physical damage, few classes can do it better in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition than the Barbarian. They’re also great at soaking up whatever retribution they face. Barbarians are big and tough, but playing them well can be a challenge for newbies. You’ll have to be mindful of balancing damage output with trying to stay alive on the frontlines of battle. If you want to take a most direct approach to combat, Barbarians are a great class to pick up....
The thrill. The excitement. The sheer, unadulterated action . These are the films that have us whooping, ducking, and pumping our fists. While action flicks may be far from the “sophisticated” end of the cinema spectrum, few other genres are as unabashedly exhilarating and easy to watch as an action blockbuster. And when our favorite action movie stars are swinging fists or clanging swords with one another, it’s that much better....
Monster movies have been a timeless phenomenon since the early years of cinema. Who doesn’t like colossal beasts that wander out from the depths of human imagination right onto the big screen? These enormous creatures are the definition of the sublime: they’re horrifying, nightmare-inducing, immense creatures that make us feel impossibly small and insignificant. And there have been so many fantastic films about giant creatures over the decades. Dating all the way back to 1933 with the original King Kong , we’ve seen hundreds of movies about titanic beings that make the human race feel terribly inferior....
Anime characters, especially protagonists and villains, often come with unusual hair colors, but that isn’t the only way for character designers to make their darlings stand out. Changing the texture of a character’s hair can have a stark impact, and curly hair is one of the more interesting and lesser-used options. Curly hair can infuse an anime character with a modern look and silhouette that immediately catches your eye. After all, one of the first things people notice about a character is their hair, so adding curls can make them very distinctive....
Contests and competitions are great subjects for movies. They provide easy ways to generate conflict, promote character building, and they usually ends with an awesome grand finale! After all, who doesn’t love a good dance-off to end a fun film with a bang? And beyond that, there are also movies centered around jousting tournaments, beauty pageants, and other kinds of competitions. Without further ado, here are our picks for the best movies about competitions that are thrilling and worth watching!...
Fight scenes are often highlights of anime, especially in shonen anime where heroes clash with villains. But what if two villains were to clash? Well, may the best villain win! Villain-versus-villain fights do happen from time to time, and they mainly occur when both parties are in pursuit of the same goal but don’t want to share the spoils of victory. If not that, then it’s because one villain wants to prove dominance over another....
If you ever wanted to enter some strange universe, there’s no better way to do that than with an absurdist fiction book. This genre has the power to expand your worldview in the most surreal ways possible. An absurdist novel is always satisfying to read, and the best part is, you’ll discover something new each time you re-read it. What Is Absurdist Fiction? Explained Absurdist fiction rose to popularity in the 1950s and 60s, and some modern authors still dedicate themselves to the craft....
If you’re like me, there have been many times when you’ve seen food from anime, video games, movies, and thought to yourself: “Wow, that looks delicious!” If only you could taste them for real… Unfortunately, most fictitious foods don’t come with a recipe—and depending on the genre, some of the ingredients aren’t even real. However, there are many creative cooks, bakers, and even mixologists out there who have recreated all kinds of fictitious foods and drinks using real-world ingredients....
Memory is a funny thing. It can be forgotten, manipulated, misinterpreted, or misremembered—all for many reasons, including illness, drugs, surgery, experimentation, or malicious villainy. Our memories are what make us who we are as people, so losing them is akin to losing who we are, where we’ve come from, what we’ve learned, and who we were on the path to becoming. Here are our picks for the best movies about memories, memory loss, and memory manipulation that dive into the disturbed psyches of protagonists who have lost their memories....
