Jews on Film: Exploring Jewish Stories & Themes in Cinema

Daniel and Harry are joined by Rabbi David Kasher, author of ParshaNut, to discuss the 2006 film Babel, directed by Alejandro Iñárritu.They discuss the film's relationship to the Biblical Tower of Babel story, and how both explore themes of language, miscommunication and being a fish out of water. They also consider the film’s depiction of the ways war and industry can impact people all around the globe.As always, they close out the episode by ranking the film's "Jewishness" in terms of its cast & crew, content, and themes.IMDb - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0449467/Trailer - https://youtube.com/watch?v=yDNa6t-TDrQGet the ParshaNut book - https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1610274644/alanchildress-20/Listen to Best Book Ever - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/best-book-ever/id1588788530ParshaNut Blog - https://parshanut.com/Connect with Jews on Film online:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jewsonfilm/Twitter - https://twitter.com/jewsonfilmpodYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@jewsonfilmTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@jewsonfilmpodOZYQSoFhQFFKElnGebDS

Daniel and Harry welcome comedian and actor Dinah Leffert to discuss "Image of Victory," their first Hebrew language film of the podcast! The 2021 film was directed by Avi Nesher and stars Joy Rieger and Amir Khoury.They celebrate the film’s depiction of Jewish life on the kibbutz as a melting pot of world cultures, examine the film’s ideas on the role of propaganda in shaping public opinion, and uncover the many meta choices Nesher makes in casting a filmmaker as his protagonist.As always, they close out the episode by ranking the film's "Jewishness" in terms of its cast & crew, content, and themes.IMDB - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14556392/Trailer - https://youtube.com/watch?v=YQtlGWtFpc0Follow Dinah Leffert on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DinahLeffertConnect with Jews on Film online:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jewsonfilm/Twitter - https://twitter.com/jewsonfilmpodYouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@jewsonfilmTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@jewsonfilmpod

Daniel and Harry are joined by writer Julie Sugar to discuss 1998’s cult favorite “The Big Lebowski,” directed by the Coen Brothers and starring Jeff Bridges, Julian Moore, and John Goodman.They delight in the film’s use of Yiddish and deep Jewish cuts, compare The Dude’s suffering to that of the Biblical Job, and consider the film’s depiction of Walter’s reverence for the laws and restrictions of his Jewish faith. As always, they close out the episode by ranking the film's "Jewishness" in terms of its cast & crew, content, and themes.IMDB - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118715/Trailer - https://youtube.com/watch?v=cd-go0oBF4YFollow Julie on Twitter - https://twitter.com/juliesugarConnect with Jews on Film online:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jewsonfilm/Twitter - https://twitter.com/jewsonfilmpodYouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@jewsonfilmTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@jewsonfilmpod

Daniel and Harry are joined by director Oliver Park and writer/producer Hank Hoffman of the new film "The Offering," to discuss the 1973 horror classic "The Exorcist," directed by William Friedkin and starring Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair, Max Von Sydow, and Jason Miller.They consider the differences in the way Jewish and Christian horror are presented onscreen, explore the tension between science, psychology, and spiritual faith, and discuss the importance of character depth and universal trauma in creating a truly scary horror film.As always, they close out the episode by ranking the film's "Jewishness" in terms of its cast & crew, content, and themes.IMDB - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070047/Movie Trailer - https://youtube.com/watch?v=jyW5YXDcIGs&si=EnSIkaIECMiOmarERent "The Offering" on YouTube - https://youtube.com/watch?v=CyKNhAeRN6E&si=EnSIkaIECMiOmarEConnect with Jews on Film online:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jewsonfilm/Twitter - https://twitter.com/jewsonfilmpodYouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@jewsonfilmTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@jewsonfilmpod

Daniel & Harry welcome Yasmine Esther, Social Media Educator on Jewish Identity and Intra Community Issues, to discuss the 1968 musical "Funny Girl" directed by William Wyler and starring Jewish icon Barbara Streisand.They discuss the way the film portrays Jewish life without tokenizing it, uncover how Fanny uses language and comedy to reclaim laughter from the world of Broadway, and find comfort in the familiarity of a roast beef sandwich and some chopped liver.As always, they close out the episode by ranking the film's "Jewishness" in terms of its cast & crew, content, and themes.IMDb - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062994/Trailer - https://youtu.be/qzOFC4XiqL0Yasmine’s Instagram - https://instagram.com/yafa.yasmine?igshid=YWJhMjlhZTc=Connect with Jews on Film online:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jewsonfilm/Twitter - https://twitter.com/jewsonfilmpodYouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@jewsonfilmTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@jewsonfilmpod

Daniel & Harry welcome writer, cook and podcast co-host of "Food Friends" Sonya Sanford to the pod to discuss the 1986 film "Heartburn" directed by Mike Nichols, written by Norah Ephron, and starring Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson.They make the case for the film's supremely Jewish relationship with food, discuss the way the film censors some of the Jewishness from the lives of its real-world inspirations Carl Bernstein and Nora Ephron, and extol the comforts of eating a warm bowl of rice pudding on Passover and all year round.As always, they close out the episode by ranking the film's "Jewishness" in terms of its cast & crew, content, and themes.IMDb - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091188/Trailer - https://youtu.be/k79DDjvl9vEFood Friends Podcast - https://www.foodfriendspodcast.com/Sonya’s Website - https://www.sonyasanford.com/Connect with Jews on Film online:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jewsonfilm/Twitter - https://twitter.com/jewsonfilmpodYouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@jewsonfilmTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@jewsonfilmpod

Daniel and Harry welcome producer JD Lifshitz to the pod to talk about the 2019 film The Vigil. They cover what JD doesn’t always like about “Jewish” movies, share behind-the-scenes stories from the making of the film, talk about how trauma affects the characters depicted in the film, and think of ways this movie could possibly be more Jewish!As always, they close out the episode by ranking the film’s "Jewishness" in terms of its cast & crew, content, and themes.IMDB - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10793644/Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsMcckth7oUIf you're in Los Angeles, go check out The Vigil at The New Beverly Cinema in January:Jan 07- https://thenewbev.com/program/january-7-the-vigil-midnight-show/Jan 14 - https://thenewbev.com/program/january-14-the-vigil-midnight-show/Jan 21 - https://thenewbev.com/program/january-21-the-vigil-midnight-show/Jan 28 - https://thenewbev.com/program/january-28-the-vigil-midnight-show/Connect with Jews on Film online:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jewsonfilm/Twitter - https://twitter.com/jewsonfilmpodYouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@jewsonfilmTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@jewsonfilmpod

[originally aired July 7th 2022]In this exciting season two premiere, Harry and Daniel are joined by Jen Stewart of the Borscht Belt Tattler podcast to discuss "Mr Saturday Night" starring and directed by Billy Crystal.Jen explains why she chose the film, her connection to the Borscht Belt, and even surprises Harry and Daniel with a pop quiz on famous Jewish comedians and their real Hebrew names!Movie TrailerIMDB summaryBorscht Belt Tattler PodcastConnect with Jews on Film online:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jewsonfilm/Twitter - https://twitter.com/jewsonfilmpodYouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@jewsonfilmTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@jewsonfilmpod

Daniel & Harry welcome writer and podcaster Esther Kustanowitz to discuss Steven Spielberg’s autobiographical 2022 film The Fabelmans, starring Michelle Williams, Gabriel LaBelle, and Paul Dano.They discuss the role Sammy’s Jewishness plays in isolating him from his peers, how his parents’ interests pushed him towards the technical and artistic sides of filmmaking, and how his role as director engendered a sense of emotional detachment throughout the different stages of his young life.As always, they close out the episode by ranking the film’s "Jewishness" in terms of its cast & crew, content, and themes.IMDb - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14208870/Trailer - https://youtu.be/a673B0JInwMEsther’s LinksCheck out The Bagel Report Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bagel-report/id1487559377Follow Esther on Instagram - https://instagram.com/estherkustanowitzFollow Esther on Twitter - https://twitter.com/estherkConnect with Jews on Film online:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jewsonfilm/Twitter - https://twitter.com/jewsonfilmpodYouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@jewsonfilmTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@jewsonfilmpod

Daniel & Harry welcome film critic, author, and podcaster Shawn Levy to discuss Paul Mazursky's 1989 film Enemies: A Love Story, starring Ron Silver, Anjelica Huston, Lena Olin, and Malgorzata Zajaczkowska.They discuss what differentiates the experience of the Jewish immigrant to America in the early 20th century, analyze the film’s exploration of survival through children, what’s so special about fruit compote, and track how Herman’s 3 wives represent his connection to his past, present, and future.As always, they close out the episode by ranking the film’s "Jewishness" in terms of its cast & crew, content, and themes.IMDb - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097276/Trailer - https://youtu.be/a2CExCFMSakShawn's LinksCheck out Shawn's books here - https://shawnlevy.com/books/Follow Shawn on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/shawnanthonylevy/Follow Shawn on Twitter - https://twitter.com/shawnlevyConnect with Jews on Film online:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jewsonfilm/Twitter - https://twitter.com/jewsonfilmpodYouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@jewsonfilmTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@jewsonfilmpod