Mental Floss

MOVIES

The idiosyncratic director behind films as diverse as ‘Aguirre, the Wrath of God’ and ‘Grizzly Man’ knows how to hypnotize chickens—and has no need for drugs.

Erin McCarthy








(L-R) Javier Bardem, Meryl Streep, and Jared Leto: not fans of their own movies.

Seeing yourself projected on a 40-foot-tall screen can be kind of awkward, even if you’re a celebrity. At least that’s the case for these 15 actors, all of whom prefer to stay far, far away from their own work.

Rebecca Pahle




Bill Paxton, Tom Hanks, and Kevin Bacon star in ‘Apollo 13’ (1995).

'Apollo 13'—the dramatization of the 1970 space program crisis that kept the world on its seat—was the third highest-grossing film of 1995, and remains one of the most faithful depictions of NASA operations ever put on film.

Jake Rossen


Tom Hanks and Elizabeth Perkins in a promotional shoot for ‘Big.’

From big-hearted comedies to freaky slashers, these are the movies that most effectively harnessed the possibilities of trading places.

Jon O'Brien










The 'Jaws' saga even included a 3D adventure romp.

Though the 1975 original film is legendary, the ‘Jaws’ sequels occupy a weird (and somewhat complicated) place in cinema history—and here are the real reasons why.

Matthew Jackson