Mental Floss

POP CULTURE

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














Jim Henson attends the 1985 BAFTA Awards at London's Grosvenor Hotel.

If there’s anyone to thank for your early childhood television obsessions—specifically of the puppet variety—it’s Jim Henson.

Olivia Truffaut-Wong


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






Amazon

Discover 14 great gifts to get comic book fans for the holiday season, from busts of DC's Batman to a Funko Pop! figurine of the Hulk.

Mark Mancini