Fun Fact:

"A cynic is a man who knows the price of everything, and the value of nothing." - Oscar Wilde

Ed Wood by Tim Burton.

One of my favorite Tim Burton movies. A film about a man whose name is synonymous with bad filmmaking.

If you want to talk about the father and pioneer of bad cinema, Ed Wood is your guy. He directed such "classic" films like "Plan 9 From Outer Space", "Glen or Glenda", and "Bride of the Monster".

His films were notoriously known for their poor and sloppy direction, their terrible and cheap production value and (even worse) acting, even when compared to the films of his time.

But ironically enough, this man and his poor films are more celebrated and liked today than they were when they originally came out. Not because everyone was blind to the fact that these were great films. No, no, they're liked in the more ironic way of being so bad that they're hilariously good. If I wanted to have a good laugh at a creatively bad film, "Plan 9 From Outer Space" is one of the films I would watch.

In my opinion, this is not only one of Burton's best films and a long-lasting meditation on art and commitment, but a great piece of cinema writing. Johnny Depp and Martin Landau are utterly perfect, as is Rick Baker's make up effects.

Little known fact: Johnny Depp's delivery of Ed Wood's enthusiastic speech pattern was partially based on Casey Kasem.

Some of you have probably wondered "Where did the Easter Bunny come from and why does a rabbit give out eggs?"

The exact origins of the Easter Bunny are unclear, but it's believed to have originated in Germany during the Middle Ages. The tradition probably stems from the pagan festival of "Ēostre", which honored the goddess of the same name and was celebrated during the spring equinox in the form of feasting and fertility rituals. Ēostre was eventually co-opted by Christians and it was rebranded as a celebration of Jesus's rebirth.

Following this theme of new life, rabbits and hares (which have long been seen as symbols of fertility and new life, as they often give birth to large litters in the spring) became the holiday mascot. And as early as 1682, it became a tradition for the "Easter Hare" to make the rounds and judge whether children were good or bad, similar to Kris Kindle. If they were good, they'd be given gifts like toys and colored eggs, eggs being another symbol of new life. German immigrants brought the tradition to the United States in the 18th century, where it became popularized and eventually spread to other parts of the world.

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen by Terry Gilliam.

Based on the tall tales about the 18th-century German nobleman Baron Munchausen and his wartime exploits against the Ottoman Empire.

It is, to this day, a misunderstood film.

A titanic exercise in bravura filmmaking. A testament to the power of imagination. Moving and magical.

Gilliam is a master. ^^

Viktor Vasnetsov and Hayao Miyazaki.

Sleeping Beauty/Howl's bedroom.

Two senseis of the visual arts.

Favorite non-DC/Marvel, comic book adaptations:

The Mask

The Crow

The Rocketeer (released internationally as The Adventures of the Rocketeer)

Ghost World

A History of Violence

The Lone Wolf and Cub films

Ichi the Killer (殺し屋１)

The Amazing Screw-On Head

The Rabbi's Cat (Le chat du rabbin)

Danger: Diabolik

Urusei Yatsura: Only You/Beautiful Dreamer

Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky

Snowpiercer

Persepolis

Blue is the Warmest Color

Tales from the Crypt (1972)

The Death of Stalin

Wrinkles (Arrugas)

The Diary of a Teenage Girl

Akira (アキラ)

Gantz (2010)

Ghost in the Shell (1995)

Road to Perdition

American Splendor

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Oldboy (올드보이)

Fun Fact:

Appearances can be deceiving. So whatever you do, do NOT mess with a kelpie. You're not gonna want to pay the price to escape.

A long time ago in Scotland, there was a string of disappearances. Nine children went missing, and no one knew who to blame. One day, a little boy was playing by the water where the children were said to have vanished when he saw a black horse emerge from the water dripping with every step it took towards him and sporting a mane made of kelp. The boy was fascinated and wanted to take the horse out for a ride, but when he stroked its nose, he realized his mistake. His finger was stuck to the beast, meaning this horse was actually a kelpie, a creature known for drowning and devouring anyone who dares to ride it. The kelpie started to pull the boy back towards the lake, but he refused to become its snack. Left with no other choice, he took out his pocketknife and chopped off his finger, allowing him to escape a watery grave.

Everyone knows about the Salem Witch Trials, but have you ever heard of the European werewolf trials?

Between the 15th and 17th centuries, individuals across Europe, including countries like Switzerland, Germany and France were accused of lycanthropy, wolf-riding and wolf-charming (wolf-charming meaning they used magic to summon a pack of wolves to attack someone).

The most famous case of someone being charged with lycanthropy took place in 1598. German farmer Peter Stumpp was accused of using witchcraft to turn himself into a wolf and go on a killing spree that led to the deaths of two pregnant women and 14 children. The worst part is they said he ate his victims while in his wolf form. After being stretched out on the rack, Peter admitted to all of the accusations, said he'd been practicing magic since he was 12 years old and that he used a magical belt the devil gave him to take his wolf shape. After his admission, Peter was executed on the wheel where he was skinned alive, had his limbs broken, his head chopped off and his body burned.