Mental Floss

MOVIES

Jim Carrey in Kidding.

Elastic comedian-turned-actor Jim Carrey once had to defend himself in comedy clubs with broken beer bottles. He also had to endure the wrath of Tommy Lee Jones.

Jake Rossen








Seann William Scott and Ashton Kutcher star in Dude, Where's My Car? (2000).

There were many vital questions posed in 'Dude, Where's My Car?,' the 2000 stoner comedy that established Ashton Kutcher and Seann William Scott as two of their generation’s most lovable doofuses.

Jon O'Brien


John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson in Pulp Fiction (1994).

With 1992’s 'Reservoir Dogs,' Quentin Tarantino had established himself as a fascinating new director in a golden era for American indie filmmaking. But by his second feature, the Palme d’Or- and Oscar-winning and zeitgeist-hijacking Pulp Fiction (1994),

Paul Schrodt


Selena live in concert in 1994.

By the time of her tragic death at the young age of 23, Selena Quintanilla—better known simply as Selena—was already an American icon.

Nili Blanck


SUHAIMI ABDULLAH/GETTY IMAGES

From Samuel L. Jackson's background as an activist to the origin of his R-rated catchphrase, here are some things you should know about the world's highest-grossing movie star.

Michele Debczak


Viggo Mortensen in David Cronenberg's Eastern Promises (2007).

Since the earliest days of cinema, gangsters have been the characters we’ve both loved and loved to hate. Here are 20 of the genre's best movies.

Todd Gilchrist
Janelle Monáe performs at the State Theatre in Minneapolis in 2018.

In music, there are artists, original artists, and then there’s Janelle Monáe. Since breaking out a decade ago with her debut album, 2010's 'The ArchAndroid,' Monáe has been unstoppable.

Mimi Kenny








Steve Martin is The Jerk (1979).

Comedy generates an immediate, undeniable audience response. If people are smiling and laughing, then there's a good chance you made an effective funny movie.

Matthew Jackson