Groundhog Day

1993, Harold Ramis, USA, 101 min.

Introduced by neurobiologist Melina Tsitsiklis.

The ultimate cinematic illustration of the nature of the Buddhist concept of samsara: Phil Connors (Bill Murray) is a cocky Pittsburgh TV weatherman who finds himself caught in a time loop while on assignment covering the annual Groundhog Day festivities in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. Along with his news producer Rita (Andie MacDowell) and cameraman Larry (Chris Elliott), he experiences the same day over and over again—dabbling in hedonism, despair, and eventually a re-examination of his life and its values.

“Ironically, given the theme of the film, this never gets old. Winning performances, and respect for the comedic value of the script delivers laughs every time.” —Empire

About Cabaret Cinema:Time

Curated by Rubin Museum fellow and neuroscientist David Eagleman, Cabaret Cinema delves into the mysteries of time. Aside from their listed duration, movies often carry us through periods far beyond the minutes that pass as we sit in a theater. Time lingers in suspense, is driven forward by fast-talking dialogue, or warps through sudden flashbacks. What does the world of cinema reveal about our experience of time?

Brainwave is supported in part by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

About the Introducer

Melina Tsitsiklis is a PhD candidate in the Neurobiology and Behavior program at Columbia University. She studies human memory formation in the context of spatial navigation. She is interested in both how individual memories are formed and how memories guide future decisions. Outside of research she loves finding new ways to teach about the scientific process, and co-organizes and volunteers for an outreach program teaching middle school students about neuroscience.