The 2012 German film ‘A Coffee in Berlin’ tracks a day in the life of law school dropout Niko Fischer as he struggles to find direction and purpose—and a cup of coffee. ‘A Coffee in Berlin’ is funny, ironic, and melancholy, and ultimately hopeful. For coffee lovers, it validates the notion that sometimes all you need is a cup of coffee to make the world right again.
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In his classic song “Coffee Blues,” Mississippi John Hurt sings about how he misses his coffee—specifically, his Maxwell House coffee. But even more than his coffee, he misses his girl, who made his coffee but has moved away. Just a “lovin’ spoonful” from her would take care of his blues.
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This great short comedy, a cautionary tale about a coffee-swilling “java junkie,” premiered on “Saturday Night Live” in 1979 and became a cult classic. The film stars Peter Aykroyd as Joe, a regular guy who’s down on his luck and tries to drown his sorrows in coffee. But no amount of coffee is enough.
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Original Sin is a 2001 thriller (usually described as an “erotic” thriller) starring Antonio Banderas and Angelina Jolie in a tale of love, deception, murder — and coffee. For coffee aficionados, it’s a plus that in this version of the story Luis owns a coffee plantation and a coffee export business. And it’s an especially nice touch that several plot turns, including the climax, are marked by Luis drinking cups of coffee, shot in close-up. Can a cup of coffee change your day? How about your life?
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In 1974, the United States Postal Service issued a beautiful set of commemorative stamps in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Universal Postal Union. These stamps feature masterpieces by Raphael, Hokusai, Peto, Liotard, ter Borch, Chardin, Gainsborough, and Goya.
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Leonetto Cappiello, often called “the father of modern advertising,” revolutionized the art of poster design in the early 20th century. His designs for clients like espresso coffee machine manufacturer Victoria Arduino and Café Martin coffee used vibrant colors and bold, dynamic compositions to immediately grab the viewer’s attention. Capiello’s posters are commercial art at its best.
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Jim Jarmusch’s 2003 film Coffee and Cigarettes comprises 11 vignettes where people try to connect—often awkwardly—over coffee and cigarettes. Very cool and hip, with lots of deadpan humor.
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The nominees for the 1945 Best Actress Oscar were Ingrid Bergman, Claudette Colbert, Bette Davis, Greer Garson, and Barbara Stanwyck. Read profiles of these talented actresses and learn about the 1944 movies for which they were nominated.
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For witty dialogue and stylish fun, the ‘Thin Man’ movies are hard to beat. From the 1934 original to ‘Song of the Thin Man’ in 1947, William Powell and Myrna Loy starred as Nick and Nora Charles in six classic films.
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19th-century American actor Edwin Booth achieved great fame playing Hamlet and other Shakespearean roles on the stage. But his success was nearly undone by a real-life tragedy when his younger brother John Wilkes Booth assassinated President Abraham Lincoln in 1865.
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