Alchemy

Best Moment of 2013 Oscars

The Answer Is 42

One of my all time favorite series of novels are those that make up Douglas Adams' "Hitchhikers Guide To the Galaxy".  One subplot tells of a race of hyper-intelligent pan-dimensional beings who build a computer "Deep Thought" to calculate the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe and everything.  The answer revealed was 42.  Of course, no one knows the proper question to get that answer, but that's another very funny problem.

One of the best questions ever solved by the answer of 42 was:  Which baseball player will be remembered as one of the greatest players ever both on and off the field?  Today is the anniversary of the day when Jackie Robinson made his major league debut at Ebbets Field as number 42 for the Dodgers.  On April 15, 1947 Jackie became the first player since 1880 to openly break the major league baseball color line.

Giving Them Their Due

Here's a great photo of the main "barricade boys" (minus Marius) tweeted by Killian Donnelly - George Blagden (Grantaire), Alistair Brammer (Prouvaire), Fra Fee (Courfeyrac), Aaron Tveit (Enjolras), Killian Donnelly (Combeferre), Hugh Skinner (Joly).

Good Night Sarah Jane

And The Money Keeps Rolling In

Les Miserables (2012) (PG-13)
158 minutesMusical | Drama | Adaptation - Dec 25, 2012

Opening Weekend: $27,281,735 | Total Domestic Gross: $122,558,020 | Worldwide Gross: $237,704,299 | Total Budget: $100,000,000

Why Hugh Deserves Oscar

This morning Hugh Jackman received his first nomination for an Academy Award and he completely deserves it. For Les Miserables, Mr. Jackman moved through a thirty year age difference with four distinct faces while singing and acting each age to perfection - a totally multilayered performance. All of it was done while up to his chest in icy water, climbing through snow-covered mountains in threadbare robes, slogging through watered peat sludge and physically changing in order to achieve the correct look for each stage of the role.

In the process he lifted masts, carts, children, and two full-grown bodies while filming, acting, and singing each song live repeatedly for 10 - 12 hours a day. Then he topped it off by being the lead and at the center of a great ensemble cast that made every one of his fellow actors better. No one but no one else could have done what he did for this role or even came close to doing that this year. (Yes that goes for Daniel Day-Lewis)

I just don’t want his nice guy thing to distract you from the fact that he is deep, serious and profoundly gifted actor.” Anne Hathaway

Winner: Golden Globe Best Actor Musical/Comedy Nominations for Best Performance by an Actor received thus far:  Screen Actors Guild, Critics Choice,  Golden Globes,  and BAFTA.