‘The Vigil’: Dark Night of the Soul
Keith Thomas’s new horror movie The Vigil centers around a night of shmirah, the act of guarding a dead body from the moment of death...
Palm Springs: Build Your Own Palace in Time
Repetition mixed with monotony is not usually high up on Hollywood’s list of project themes, which is why Hulu’s Palm Springs was such a delightful surprise. The film stars Andy Samberg (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) and Cristin Milioti (How I Met Your Mother) as two apathetic California wedding guests who get stuck in a Groundhog Day-like time loop, forcing them to relive the couple’s special day over and over again. For a film that was shot in pre-coronavirus times, Palm Springs is surprisingly relevant.
Homage to a Master Drama Teacher
This film is an insightful view into the life of a little-known luminary, replete with wonderful archival footage (not only of pre-state Jerusalem but also of his and his wife’s mime performances), whose legacy would otherwise be unknown to almost all of us.
“Incitement” Takes Us into the Mind of Rabin’s Assassin
The filmmaker went to major lengths to use what he called distancing devices—shots at odd angles and no melody—to keep the audience from identifying with the murderer.
Jojo Rabbit and the Nice Nazi
Much ink has been spilled on director Taika Waititi's portrayal of Hitler in his Nazi satire Jojo Rabbit, which just won the Academy Award for...
The Best Jewish Movies of 2019, Part Two
Some more great cinematic tales of Jews making sense of their relationship to the world—and the world, in turn, making sense of its relationship to Jews.
Does “Jojo Rabbit” Have Anything New to Say About Fascism?
Jojo Rabbit, which is shaping up to be easily the most divisive film of the awards season, shows us the Third Reich through the eyes of a child.
The Kabbalah of Noah Baumbach
For a long time I’ve been trying to figure out why I love Noah Baumbach’s movies so much. And as a Jewish creative who often prefers the company of books and films to people, I see a little bit too much of myself in them, which is more worrisome than it is meaningful.
In ‘The Kingmaker,’ Lauren Greenfield Explores Rewritten Histories
“I’ve often had access to ‘inside worlds,’ whether it’s media or wealth or celebrity, where I’ve then taken a critical perspective.”
Directors and Dictators: Jewish Films at the Chicago International Film Festival
A preview of some of the films from this year’s Chicago International Film Festival.
The Best Jewish Movies of the Year—so Far
It’s a big tent, and the world of Jewish film should reflect that, which means exploring beyond the shtetl and the Upper East Side.
Aviva Kempner on ‘The Spy Behind Home Plate’
The Spy Behind Home Plate, the fascinating story of the 1920s-1930s baseball catcher Moe Berg, is the latest film by Aviva Kempner.