Nate Blum blogs on this week's Jews in the News.
Three Good Flicks--One May Be a Jewish Classic
Three good films opened in theaters last week. If you can’t attend the theater showing, do make a note to watch them when they begin streaming.
Last January, I wrote the following three paragraphs about "Between the Temples", a comedy-drama.
[It] made its worldwide premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 18. Every review was a rave---Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Deadline, Vulture. I’ve never seen reviews like this for a “little” Jewish movie.
This film appears to be that elusive thing---an independent film that is “very Jewish”, but completely works in many, many ways. JASON SCHWARTZMAN, 41, plays a cantor who is devasted by his wife’s death. He doesn’t lose his faith, but is very depressed and stops being an active cantor. Then he runs into his former music teacher (CAROL KANE, 71). He tutors her for her late-in-life bat mitzvah. He also has an intimate relationship with her. Somehow this “odd couple” works.
Their relationship doesn’t please the cantor’s two (gay) Jewish mothers. They have “a nice Jewish girl” about the cantor’s age who they want him to date.
The good news is that “Between the Temples” opened, “wide”, in theaters on August 23. Here are some important credits not in my short January item.
JASON SCHWARTZMAN, is the (secular) son of the late JACK SCHWARTZMAN, a producer, and actress Talia Shire, the sister of Francis Ford Coppola. CAROL KANE is probably best known as ANDY KAUFMAN’s wife on “Taxi”, the TV series, and the witch Valerie in “The Princess Bride.” Better--- but less well-known is her Oscar-nominated role as an immigrant Jewish wife (c. 1900) in “Hester Street” (1975), a great Jewish film (It’s now streaming on Tubi, a free app.)
Kane was profiled on CBS Sunday News (Aug. 11) and you can view this profile on the CBS News site or on Youtube. In the CBS profile, Kane’s “very spry” 97-year-old-mother briefly talked about Carol and Carol talked about her “funny voice”, and the varied work she’s done (stage musicals, "Star Trek", etc.). “Between the Temples” was discussed as was her Oscar-nominated role.
The "Between” supporting cast includes: CAROLINE AARON,72 (best known for roles in MIKE NICHOLS and WOODY ALLEN movies); MATTHEW SHEAR, 39 (“The Alienist” TV series ), and comedy writer/comedy actor ROBERT SMIGEL, 65. I know that Aaron plays one of the cantor’s mothers; Shear, I think, plays Carol Kane’s adult son; and Smigel plays a rabbi.
“Between” was written and directed by NATHAN SILVERMAN, 40, a Brooklyn native who has made 12 “indie” films since 2009. Several have got pretty good reviews, but none has got beyond film festivals screenings. It appears that the great reviews for “Between” got him his first big theater release and a lot of nice attention.
“Blink Twice”, a thriller action film, opens in theaters on Aug. 23. Capsule plot: A cocktail waitress (Naomi Ackie) becomes infatuated with a tech mogul (Channing Tatum), and travels with him to his private island, where things begin to go wrong. SIMON REX, 49, has a big supporting role.
The film was directed by, and co-written by ZOE KRAVITZ (“Blink” is the first film she has directed). She is the daughter of rock star Lenny Kravitz and actress LISA BONET, 56. She is engaged to Channing Tatum.
Lenny’s late father was Jewish and his mother was black and not Jewish. Bonet’s father was black and her mother was Jewish. As an adult, Lenny opted to identify as a Christian. Bonet’s beliefs are “murky”. Zoe defines herself as a “secular Jew”.
Zoe, 35, has starred in many hit films and TV series. They include the “Divergent” film trilogy; the HBO series “Big Little Lies”; and “High Fidelity”, a Hulu series.
Back in May, “Greedy People”, a film, was listed as being released on May 16. My column item about this movie went to publication before the theater release date was moved to August 23. Below is a shorter repeat of what I wrote.
“Greedy” is a comedic crime thriller. This smallish budget indie film was written and directed by Potsy Ponciroli. He also directed and wrote Old Henry (2021) an acclaimed, small-budget Western film that unexpectedly made a lot of money.
Variety liked "Greedy People", saying: [It] should please fans of wry crime yarns like the Coen Brothers “Fargo” and the edgy and smart small-screen outings such as “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul.”
A more complete summary of the “Greedy People” premise has emerged since last May. Here goes: The film is set on a small island. “As Greedy” begins, Will, a rookie police officer, and his rogue veteran partner, Terry (JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT, 42)) find a million dollars near a crime scene on the island. They decide to steal the money—but other island residents somehow hear about the money and they try to get it first. The cash-mad include a masseur (SIMON REX) and a shrimp company owner (TIM BLAKE NELSON, 60).
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