12 Images of the Coen Brothers On Set

Joel and Ethan Coen are an undeniable filmmaking force, a pair of brothers who have asserted themselves by making some of the best films of the last 30 years. From Blood Simple (1984) to Fargo (1996) to A Serious Man (2009), they’ve established a very distinct style that has wowed critics and audiences alike. Seeing the recently released footage of their upcoming movie, Inside Llewyn Davis, has left me feeling nostalgic about their past work. Relive their masterful career with these behind-the-scenes photos of the Coens on set.

Fun With Netflix Viewer Reviews: Volume 4

It’s time yet again for the article that’s easy for me and fun for you- Fun with Netflix Viewer Reviews! Here’s volume four of people writing really bad, or funny, Netflix viewer reviews. These are presented completely unedited. Even when you think I might have edited something in or out of the copy, I assure you that I have not.As always, understand that I don’t always disagree with the negativity surrounding some of these movies, but there’s always at least one thing in these reviews that I find amusing.

Fake Criterion Covers of Coen Brother Films

Gentle readers, today marks the end of an era. A year and a half ago, I discovered that people everywhere were creating fake Criterion covers for various non-Criterion films. There was some amazing artwork out there (along with some really crappy stuff), and I wanted to hop in the game. Since then, I’ve created several of my own. However, after a year and a half, lots of people are doing it now. It feels like it’s become played out, or jumped the proverbial shark. And many people are doing it quite a bit better than yours truly. So short of a very specific reason to jump back in, I’m hanging up the fake Criterion covers after this entry. That said, I have one more article in me–today’s article, featuring fake Criterion covers of Coen brother films. Without further ado…

Filmenstein: Creating a Body from Body Parts Severed in Movies

If you see enough movies, you’re eventually going to see a lot of people lose parts of their bodies. Name any part of the body and it has surely been severed at one time or another in a movie. But what’s happening to these body parts after they’ve been detached? They can’t ALL be going to into the medical waste bin. There has to be a better use for them. For instance, you could easily create a Frankenstein’s monster out of the body parts that have been severed in movies. Here is how it should be done:

Nine Memorable Performances by Robert Duvall

Completely by accident, I’ve gotten a heavy dose of Robert Duvall lately. I wasn’t specifically seeking out his work. It happened to find me naturally. And that’s not a surprise. Duvall is one of the best actors around. He does fantastic work in amazing films, the kind of movies (and mini-series) that any right-thinking cinephile would want to see. He has an uncanny knack for taking relatively minor roles and turning them into something magical. Frankly, he’s one of my very favorite actors. Here are nine of his most memorable performances:

11 Food Items that Altered Character Arcs

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It’s amazing what can set a plot in motion. For instance, as was detailed recently at filmhaze, The Godfather was set in motion by Sonny’s question during the meeting with “The Turk” Solozzo. “You mean to tell me the Tattaglias will guarantee our investment?”, he asks. This sets everything else in motion that leads Michael, the protagonist, into becoming Don Michael Corleone. But these events don’t just happen for the protagonist. Most (all?) primary characters have a character arc that takes them from point A to point B and then point C. And in several cases, food is what sparks them along in their character arc. Here are some examples:

Xtranormal Videos of Best Picture Nominees

You may have seen the Geico commercials with the weird bears “or dogs or something”. They originated at xtranormal.com, which has multiple options for “actors” that you can put in your “movies”. I took a stab at it using the Oscar Best Picture nominees as my guide. Enjoy!

Winter’s Bone

Great Moments in the Best Picture Nominees, Using Stick Figures

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STR PL8S

Personalized plates of some famous movie characters, including a handful of this year’s Best Picture nominees.

Obi-Wan Kenobi, Star Wars: A New Hope

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Dicky Eklund, The Fighter

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How is John Wayne Spending His Time On-Screen?

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Having laughed- a lot- at the work over at Pleated Jeans, I’ve decided to steal some schtick and start making my own charts occasionally. I’ve recently tackled a few John Wayne films (True Grit and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance). Thus inspired, I present to you…