45th Anniversary of 2001: A Space Odyssey

So much has been said and written about this iconic and influential film that it's best to let Zarathustra speak:

Danny Kaye's 100th Birth Anniversary

Kaye singing the Ugly Duckling

 

I will forever associate Danny Kaye with Hans Christian Andersen, which may be unfair to Kaye's legacy since his talents shone in other great films as well. But his performance in Hans Christian Andersen was so charming and captivating that it's the first thing I think of when Danny Kaye is mentioned. Even though the movie is not billed as an accurate biopic of Anderson, Kaye brought the fanciful imagining to life and provoked continuing interest in Andersen's fairy tales. Kaye is also well-remembered for his portrayal as Phil Davis in White Christmas, which is a favorite holiday film among many. Kaye had a very endearingly eccentric and goofy nature that sparked life into his films as showcased in the film clips below. He was also known as the UN's first ambassador-at-large and made signifcant contributions to its humanitarian efforts.

 

Inchworm (Hans Christian Andersen)

Copenhagen (Hans Christian Andersen)

Court Jester (famously hilarious routine)

White Christmas (creative dance routine) 



Life of Pi



Life of Pi - movie poster



Finally saw Life of Pi in 3D and enjoyed it immensely. Having read the book sometime ago, I was aware of the story and its astonishing conclusion, so the movie didn't quite blow me away in the same manner as the book. However, it was a rather faithful adaptation and I'd read that the author, Yann Martel, was fairly happy with Ang Lee's rendition. When I read the book, the ending left me with a profound sense of loss, as though the rug had been pulled out from under me. It made me ponder why I believe what I do and if maybe all of us need to create elaborate mental and emotional constructs to help us get through life. It may be religious, it may be spiritual, or simply what we think is rational. We have a choice, but we don't often realize it. Whatever helps us cope is what we rely on and that's often the best we can manage, for better or worse.