(JTA) – It seems hard to believe, but there’s never been a truly great bar/bat mitzvah movie — mostly because there just haven’t been that many bar/bat mitzvah movies, period.
Yes, there have been plenty of one-off TV episodes centered around...
The “Fantastic Beasts” franchise was supposed to be about two things: the eponymous beasts and the defeat of Gellert Grindelwald, a thinly-veiled wizard Hitler. Yet “The Secrets of Dumbledore,” the third installment in what is supposed to...
Bill Motchan, Special For The Jewish Light
• Published April 22, 2022
Former St. Louisan Dean Schramm, who celebrated his bar mitzvah at United Hebrew Congregation, will return home this week for the opening of a film he produced, entitled “Viva Maestro!” at the Landmark Plaza Frontenac Cinema. The documentary follows...
By Nate Bloom, Special to the Jewish Light
• Published July 16, 2020
The Peacock spreads its wingsThe new Peacock network, an offshoot of NBC, premiered for wide audiences on July 15. Certain cable company customers were already getting Peacock with their subscription. Now everyone can see some of the shows (with ads)...
By Nate Bloom, Special to the Jewish Light
• Published February 27, 2020
At the movies: Something wild “The Call of the Wild,” which opened last Friday, is based on the famous 1903 novel by Jack London. It’s the story of Buck, a very big dog whose idyllic life in Northern California ends when he is stolen and transported...
By Nate Bloom, Special to the Jewish Light
• Published November 21, 2019
Stars of David — Jewish CelebritiesMovies and streaming“Charlie’s Angels” which opened last Friday and is based on the ‘70s TV series, follows two previous “Angels” feature films. The gimmick in this one is that the private agency that employs...
By Cate Marquis, Special to the Jewish Light
• Published October 31, 2019
Mel Brooks has said, at various times and in various ways, the best way to get back at Hitler is to ridicule him, and Brooks certainly did exactly that in his comedy “The Producers.” Now New Zealand-born director/writer/comedian Taika Waititi takes...
By Nate Bloom, Special to The Jewish Light
• Published October 24, 2019
At the movies “The Current War: Director’s Cut” is about the corporate battle that pitted Thomas Edison (1847-1931) against George Westinghouse (1846-1914) and Westinghouse associate Nikolai Tesla (Nicholas Hoult). After inventing the first commercially...
By Cate Marquis, Special to the Jewish Light
• Published August 9, 2018
Simply put, “BlacKkKlansman” is one of Spike Lee’s best, a film that is smart as well as hilarious. The story is based on the strange but true story of a black police officer who infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan in the late 1970s and became a card-carrying...
By Nate Bloom, Special to the Jewish Light
• Published August 2, 2018
At the Movies: Opens Aug. 3“The Spy Who Dumped Me” is an action/thriller and a comedy. Audrey (MILA KUNIS, 34) and Morgan (Kate McKinnon), are best friends and roommates. Audrey has a bad break-up with her boyfriend (Justin Theroux) and then he completely...
By Nate Bloom, Special to the Jewish Light
• Published July 19, 2018
At the Movies: Opening soon “Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot,” is based on the true-life story of the late John Callahan (JOAQUIN PHOENIX, 48. Phoenix’s mother is Jewish and he identifies as a secular Jew). Callahan’s severe alcoholism...
By Cate Marquis, Special to the Jewish Light
• Published December 21, 2011
With kids on winter break and Hollywood delivering some of the year's likely Oscar contenders, now's a great time to take in some movies. Films for everyone abound this time of year. While many excellent ones such as "The Descendants" and "My Week with...
