Sydney Pollack

I've been really inspired by traveling this week — both because of my own itch to go on an adventure and because I have a handful of friends who are either planning their honeymoon or enjoying it right now. As part of my travel urge, I got to thinking about movies that captured a culture and a country so well that they've made me add a new entry to my list of places I have vowed to visit. Come away with me on a mini-jaunt around the globe via this movie night!

Out of Africa
This Oscar-winning classic directed by the late Sydney Pollack starred Meryl Streep and an extremely dreamy Robert Redford, but the biggest star of the film is East Africa. The movie is loosely based on Karen Blixen's 1937 autobiography about her real-life journey to Kenya. The character based on Blixen enters a loveless marriage but then meets Redford's character, a local-game hunter, and an epic romance ensues. The movie was filmed on location and is breathtakingly beautiful. If this doesn't make you consider Africa as a travel destination, I don't know what will.

Two more glorious locations, so read more

• Sydney Pollack lost his battle with cancer yesterday, dying at the age of 73. The legendary director and actor was surrounded by family in his LA home when he passed away. — BuzzSugar
• Sharon Stone opened her big mouth saying that the recent earthquake in China was just "karma." How do you feel about Sharon's comments? — CitizenSugar
• Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer may have been together for longer than we think. A source says the couple were dating three months before "Jen realized it wasn't just a fling and decided to take it public." — Page Six
• In Steven Spielberg's most successful opening weekend, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull won the top spot at the box office, making $126 million. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian dropped to second place, with Iron Man coming in at third. — BuzzSugar
• Rob Knox, an 18-year-old actor in the upcoming Harry Potter movie, was stabbed to death on Saturday following a fight outside of a London pub. — AP
• Brooke Hogan was involved in a car accident on Sunday. She was driving with one passenger in her car when another speeding car lost control and collided with her vehicle, but luckily no one was injured. — TMZ

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Sad news to report today: Director and actor Sydney Pollack died on Sunday at the age of 73. He had been diagnosed with cancer nine months ago.

The hard-working actor and highly respected director is known for a variety of accomplishments. Older generations might recognize him as the Oscar-nominated director of Tootsie and the Oscar-winning director of Out of Africa. He also directed The Way We Were, The Firm and The Interpreter, among other titles.

In more recent years, he took on more acting roles, from Will's dad in Will & Grace to the boss at Michael Clayton's law firm in Michael Clayton to Patrick Dempsey's wedding-happy father in Made of Honor, along with many others.

Clayton costar George Clooney issued a statement about Pollack's death, writing, "Sydney made the world a little better, movies a little better and even dinner a little better. A tip of the hat to a class act. He'll be missed terribly."

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• Sydney Pollack won't direct the HBO movie Recount because of health problems, writes the Hollywood Reporter; Jay Roach of the Austin Powers movies will direct instead.
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Photo courtesy of The CW