Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Sean Penn’s Oxygen Tank Challenge on Clint Eastwood’s Set: An Oscar-Winning Moment
Sean Penn gave it his all for Mystic River, especially proved he deserved his Oscar by holding his breath for a scene for too long Making his big screen debut in the early 1980s, Sean Penn has grown to become a prominent figure in the world of cinema. With a remarkable body of work spanning…
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Missing ‘Tombstone’ on Popular Streaming Platforms? Here’s Where to Find It
One of the 1990s best Westerns, Tombstone, has would-be viewers wondering where they can watch the movie. In the age of streaming, cinematic classics should be readily available, but the 1993 film by blockbuster action director George P. Cosmatos (Massacre in Rome) isn’t easy to access. Set in the Arizona of the 1880s, Tombstone sees…
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Sam Elliott’s Remarkable Journey in ‘1883’ and Beyond: 5 Surprising Details
Admired for his deep voice and thick mustache, American actor Sam Elliott has dominated the Western genre from the onset of his storied career. Widely considered a genuine representation of the American cowboy, he built a career niche in the late 60s and early 70s as a character actor with multiple roles in Western films…
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Sam Elliott’s Stellar Performance in ‘Justified’: A Reminder of His Greatness
Sam Elliott’s villain in Justified season 6 reminded everybody just how good the veteran actor can be. Sam Elliott is instantly recognizable due to his trademark mustache and deep voice, and he’s appeared in just about every genre imaginable, from drama to comedy and comic book movies. His most iconic roles is probably The Stranger…
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The Unconventional Path: Haley Bennett’s Journey in ‘The Magnificent Seven’
Haley Bennett is all smiles. The female lead of Antoine Fuqua’s upcoming “The Magnificent Seven” remake is equally bubbly when talking about her nerve-jangling audition process, the physically demanding shoot and what she’s got on the docket in the coming months (“I’m going to need a vacation from the vacation!”), but even all that sunshine…
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2016 Remake vs. 1960 Classic: Which ‘Magnificent Seven’ Reigns Supreme?
The Magnificent Seven is a classic, and the modern remake was a solid effort. Here’s how the two compare and which one is better. There are few images in cinema history as iconic as Steve McQueen and Yul Brynner banding together to ride into town and aid the bandit-stricken villagers who desperately need their help.…
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Revisiting ‘Rio Lobo’: Was Howard Hawks And John Wayne The Film’S Real Savior?
In 1970 the publicity machine was knocking itself dead, extolling Howard Hawks’s “Rio Lobo” even before it was finished. Much was made of Hawks being reunited with saddle pard John Wayne, with whom he made classics such as “Red River” and “Rio Bravo,” among other films. Journalist George Plimpton (who scored a cameo) did a…
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When John Wayne’s Peculiar Experience Inspired Carl Perkins’ ‘Blue Suede Shoes’
There is not a greater celebrity raconteur than Michael Caine. The 89-year-old movie star has lived the fullest of lives, appeared in a number of great films, and snatched up two Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor — and he loves to talk about it. The son of blue-collar parents seems perpetually tickled by his…
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A Hilarious Fan Mail Mishap: John Wayne’s Encounter with Bullitt Praise
As one of the biggest stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood and one of the actors to shape the entire Western genre, it’s no surprise that John Wayne received an enormous amount of fan mail over the years. Fans of all ages reached out to the Western icon hoping for a reply from their…
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Unpacking ‘The Cowboys’: Why Bruce Dern Became the Villain John Wayne Fans Love to Hate
Better known in Hollywood circles as “the Duke,” Wayne’s career stretched from the silent era of the late 1920s through film-making’s Golden Age and into the early beginnings of the American New Wave cinema in the 1970s. He appeared in a total of 179 movies and television productions and was a top box-office draw for…
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