Category Archives: Jewish Culture

2012, Dancing, Drama, Hebrew, Jewish Culture, Quiet, Religious Theme, Slow, Small gem of a film

Fill The Void (2012)

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From IMDB:

A devout 18-year-old Israeli is pressured to marry the husband of her late sister. Declaring her independence is not an option in Tel Aviv’s ultra-Orthodox Hasidic community, where religious law, tradition and the rabbi’s word are absolute.

If you want to see a quiet (except when the men are singing and dancing), slow, thoughtful portrait of the ultra-Orthodox Hasidic culture, you will enjoy this film in Hebrew with English subtitles.

Spoken words are scarce enough that it can be difficult if not impossible to know what is motivating some of the characters.

To summarize the film is easy: Yochay’s wife Esther dies in childbirth. Yochay needs a wife for his newborn child Mordechai. More exactly, he wants to marry Esther’s youngest sister Shira. But Shira’s older sister Frieda is, to her great shame, not yet married. Mother, father, aunt, Yochay and the culture pressure Shira to marry Yochay. Unfortunately Shira is unwilling to do so. Her conflict is more or less the content of the entire film. More I will not say.

Whether love was ever an issue is not clear.

If nothing else, the film is a captivating peek into the lives of these aloof and separate Jews.

For more information on this worthwhile film see the Wikipedia discussion.

2012, Crude Talk, Depression, Drama, Gay theme, Hebrew, Jewish Culture, Medical Theme, Military, Nudity, Quiet, Unrealistic

Yossi (2012)

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From Netflix:

While driving through a remote part of Israel, a closeted gay doctor crosses paths with a group of soldiers who inspire him to live life in the open. Ohad Knoller reprises the title role in this sequel to Yossi & Jagger.

Before seeing this film, you should watch the first of the 2-film series entitled Yossi & Jagger. Briefly we recall the plot of this first film: Jossi and Jagger are two (male) Israeli soldiers and lovers at their war front. Jagger is killed in action. For me this film was a chance to experience some of the life of the men and women in the Israeli army.

In this second film and 10 years later Jossi is a cardiologist. He is overweight, closeted, still in mourning, and leads a dismal, inactive, non-life. In one sense, what kept the movie interesting for me was Jossi’s refusal to react to any stimulus or friendly offer of some activity. Supposedly the “happy” ending is his finding someone to love. HOWEVER (and other critics disliked the same things) his new love, Tom, is a much younger, fitter soldier who forces Jossi to react to his overtures. Tom says he is attracted to Jossi’s intelligence. They have a one-night stand after which Jossi proposes that they spend their life together. None of this is realistic and seemed to me almost silly.

In summary I was moved by Jossi’s suffering (probably clinical depression) and waited hopefully for some solution. If only that solution had made some sense.

Instead, why not watch a wonderful film by the same director called Walk On Water ?

2012, Based on true facts, Biographical, Catholic culture, Drama, Explicit sex, Explicit sexual discussion, FilmReview, Flirting, Jewish Culture, Love Story, Medical Theme, Mostly About Sex, Nudity, Polio, Sex therapist

The Sessions (2012)

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From NetFlix:

After spending years in an iron lung, a man decides he wants to explore his sexuality for the first time, and hires a surrogate to aid the goal. Through their intensifying relationship, this indie drama illustrates the many forms love can take.

To quote from Wikipedia:

[This film] is based on an essay by Mark O’Brien, a poet paralyzed from the neck down due to polio, who hired a sex surrogate to lose his virginity.

To my way of thinking, Helen Hunt offered a daring and completely appropriate portrayal as a sex therapist. At times her performance (completely naked) seemed almost clinical, and indeed that is just what her performance should have been. For an actress aged 49, Helen Hunt physically is almost too perfect.

What adds emotion to the film is the fact that she actually fell in love with her client. In fact four women are in some way involved with Mark. More than that I will not say.

William H. Macy’s role as a Catholic priest annoyed me. At the very least he is in desperate need of a haircut. Although I might have objected to the intrusion of Catholicism into the plot, I can easily imagine what solace religion and a strong faith would bring to a mentally healthy man trapped in an iron lung. To do what his did (seek help from a sex therapist) took real guts.

While this film might not be for everyone (nudity? Tsk, tsk), I enjoyed the film and can honestly say it is unique in the annals of filmdom.

2006, Arab Culture, Crude Talk, Dancing, Explicit sex, Flirting, Gay theme, Hebrew and Arabic, Jewish Culture, Love Story, Military, Nudity, Political statement, Race Relations, Suicide, Suspense, Violent, War, Wonderful acting

The Bubble (2006)

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From NetFlix:

When a young Israeli named Noam (Ohad Knoller) falls for a handsome Palestinian (Yousef “Joe” Sweid) he meets while working at a checkpoint in Tel Aviv, he recruits his roommates Yelli (Alon Friedman) and Lulu (Daniela Virtzer) to help find a way for the two to stay together. Director Eytan Fox’s poignant film offers a glimpse at life inside the tumultuous borders of Israel, where everyday people are constantly surrounded by conflict.

Two themes run concurrently throughout this film: The difficulty of being gay in the Arab world (Israel is very accepting) and the constant wearying and dangerous conflict between Jews And Arabs.

Previously I reviewed Yossi and Jagger which was written and directed by Etan Fox. Ohad Knoller who was the lead actor in that film is also the lead Jewish character in “The Bubble”. He again plays a Gay Jew who this time falls in love with a Gay Arab named Ashraf. Arab culture is strongly homophobic so that Ashraf’s life becomes not only difficult but dangerous. Much film footage is devoted to the perilous border crossing where several sad scenes are enacted.

Realize that the cast of characters are young adults and as such spend their time talking about romances and popular music. But the entire film rings true as it portrays the lives of young single (and mostly Gay) Jews most of whom are tired of and against the unending war.

WARNING: In the film Gays exchange much same-sex kissing. Additionally there is one explicit scene in which the two male leads engage in anal intercourse.

For Ashraf the situation seems hopeless (for further reasons as the film develops) and this hopelessness leads to a surprising but possible fitting conclusion. Comments welcome.

Hebrew and Arabic with English subtitles.

2002, Cooking and food, Crude Talk, Drama, Gay theme, Jewish Culture, Military, War

Yossi and Jagger (2002)

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From NetFlix:

Two Israeli soldiers try to find solace from the constant grind of war in this moving romantic drama. While preparing for a daring moonlit ambush in the snowy mountains of Lebanon, company commander Yossi (Ohad Knoller) and his platoon leader, Jagger (Yehuda Levi), fall in love, carefully hiding their relationship from their comrades. But will the tragedy of war ultimately intrude upon the men’s clandestine affair?

In the New York Times appeared a discussion of the Israeli director Etan Fox and his work over the years which is best summarized with this quote from IMDB:

What is it like to be young in Israel, particularly in the “bubble” called Tel-Aviv? How can you be gay in this country, even in the macho Army named Tzahal? How can you fall in love in a tiny tension-filled country? Can you consider the Palestinians as friends rather than enemies? All these are questions raised by Eytan Fox’s films and TV films…

If you have not yet seen his Walk on Water then you have a treat coming.

If nothing else this film affords us a glimpse into the daily lives of Israeli soldiers. Moreover it avoids the usual gay film clichés. Nothing more than kisses occur on screen.

2011, Based on true facts, German, Grim, Jewish Culture, Nudity, Polish, Sex Scenes, True Story, Violent, War

In Darknes (2011)

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From NetFlix:

As Nazis overrun Warsaw, many of the city’s Jews hide out in sewers, where they encounter Leopold, an anti-Semitic sanitation worker. His prejudice reflects the rift between Poland’s Jews and Catholics in this film inspired by true events.

This true story of a Polish Christian man who protected a group of Polish Jews hiding in the sewers to escape the German massacre of Polish Jews is not easy to watch. Be sure to read the final explanatory screen shots which tell what happened in real life to the characters in the film.

Sometimes the day to day details of grubby survival seemed a bit tedious. But the intent is to show that under stress we can accommodate and life goes on.

Also evident was the extreme prejudice of Polish Catholics towards Jews. At several times a Catholic Pole is surprised to learn that Jesus was a Jew.

At one harrowing point in the film, just above a group of Jews in the sewer is a Catholic church in which children are receiving their first holy communion. At that point a heavy rain starts such that the sewers begin to fill and threaten the Jews with drowning.

To encourage you to watch a somewhat grim film, I promise you a happy ending for the Jews in hiding (thanks to the Germans evacuating to escape the Russians).

2010, Based on true facts, Disturbing Image, French, Jewish Culture, Political statement, Violent, War, WWII

Sarah’s Key (2010)

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From NetFlix:

In the midst of researching an article about the roundup of Jews that took place in Paris in 1942, American-born journalist Julia Jarmond (Kristin Scott Thomas) uncovers a sobering connection between her story and the home she shares with her boorish French husband (Frederic Pierrot). Gilles Paquet-Brenner directs this gripping drama based on a bestselling novel of the same name that was inspired by actual events.

Although the story and the underlying sad history are important (and actually horrifying), the acting in this film was mediocre and sometimes embarrassing. Kristin Scott Thomas’ delivery seemed awfully flat. Aiden Quinn’s acting was just plan bad. Perhaps some of the fault lies in the almost preachy script.

My Jewish brother-in-law hated the French. To understand his attitude, see this film. Some of the scenes of the French treatment of the Jews might make you cringe. Of course, there is always the question “What would I have done under those same frightening circumstances ?”

As a side note, once again I spotted one of those omnipresent secondary actors whose name you don’t know and whose roles you just can’t seem to place. In this case the Italian second Mrs. Rainsferd was Joanna Merlin who plays Judge Lena Petrovsky in “Law and Order: SVU” as well as Loni Goslin in “The Good Wife”.

Dialog is in French and English.

Despite a few uncomfortable or disappointing moments, I am glad I saw the film.

2010, Acceptable for children, DO NOT MISS, Jewish Culture, Love Story, Quiet, Religious Theme, Wonderful acting

Nora’s Will (2010)

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From NetFlix:

This award-winning black comedy follows the family of Nora (Silvia Mariscal), who carefully plans her suicide so that her assortment of estranged relatives, including ex-husband José (Fernando Luján), will have to celebrate Passover together and hopefully achieve a reconciliation. As José battles with unsympathetic cemeteries, a fractious rabbi and his devoted assistant, and his own son (Ari Brickman), he realizes how deeply he still loved Nora.

This Mexican film (in Spanish with English subtitles) has the Spanish title “Five Days Without Nora”. Throughout the film the Jewish culture is pervasive and always in conflict with Nora’s ex-husband (as he repeats many times) who is an atheist. One theme is the difficulty of burying Nora at the time of Passover, especially since Nora committed suicide (attempt number 15). Conservative Jews do not permit a proper Jewish burial in a Jewish cemetery when the deceased has died by suicide (the same used to be true for Catholics).

Two characters are comic (the aunt and a man hired to pray constantly in the presence of the body).

Finally I have found a warm, quiet, meaningful film that I can strongly recommend to adults.

2009, Coen Brothers, Dark, Drama, Jewish Culture, Religious Theme, Satire, Sex Scenes

A Serious Man (2009)

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From NetFlix:

Larry Gopnik (Golden Globe nominee Michael Stuhlbarg) has hit a “rough patch,” according to a colleague, and it would seem so: people are dropping dead all around him, his wife (Sari Lennick) wants a “get” and his whining kids (Aaron Wolff and Jessica McManus) only add to the heavy load. Larry is just looking for some help. Can a few rabbis guide him to life’s answers? Richard Kind co-stars in Joel Coen and Ethan Coen’s 1960s-set, dark Jewish-culture send-up.

You don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy this satire on the Book of Job. However, the entire story centers on American Jewry and there are many Hebrew phrases appearing throughout.

One Saturday Kathy and I went to the Trinity Rep Theatre in Providence and I was sitting next to a young man who had recently received his Master of Fine Arts from Brown University. We started to talk about film and he suggested “A Serious Man” and said he was quite overcome with the final scene.

Probably I didn’t really get the film. Poor Larry Gopnik suffers one outrageous problem after another, but this constant sequence of misfortunes is comical. Part of the humor is the straight-faced, sincere, passive Larry who is always questioning “Why” in the manner of Job. He goes from Rabbi to Rabbi looking for answers. To my gentile (i.e. goy) eyes these Rabbis seem like such fakes giving poor Larry pat answers or, worse, answering his questions with more questions.

Let me remind you that Job suffers many losses and setbacks, meanwhile always asking “Why” in interminable discussion with friends and associates. But finally God changes Job’s life for the better and he ends happily with a new family and other blessings.

Pay close attention to the end of the film. As far as I can tell, the Cohen brothers have changed the end of the story considerably. Let me know what you think.