Posted on April 30, 2013 at 8:00 am
Tonight on “Frontline” is “Never Forget to Lie,” filmmaker Marian Marzynski explores, for the first time, his own wartime childhood and the experiences of other child survivors, teasing out their feelings about Poland, the Catholic Church, and the ramifications of identities forged under circumstances where survival began with the directive “never forget to lie.”
Posted on April 25, 2013 at 4:57 pm
B+| Lowest Recommended Age: | 4th - 6th Grades |
| MPAA Rating: | Not rated |
| Profanity: | None |
| Alcohol/ Drugs: | None |
| Violence/ Scariness: | References to the Holocaust |
| Diversity Issues: | A theme of the movie |
| Date Released to Theaters: | April 26, 2013 |
| Amazon.com ASIN: | B00BEIYLGQ |
It is annoying, frustrating, embarrassing, and irresistible. It is a tradition that has transcended its origins and yet calls us back to the complicated feelings of our past.
All of which makes it a perfect Rorschach test and intriguing metaphor for many elements of the contemporary Jewish identity.
“Hava Nagila” is a song that has been performed by pretty nearly everyone. Harry Belafonte had one of his biggest hits — he says the two songs people alway ask him for are “Day-O” and “Hava Nagila.” It was also a big hit for Connie Francis (she jokes that when asked if she is Jewish, she says, “Ten percent on my manager’s side.”). Glen Campbell sang it. Parodist Alan “Camp Granada” Sherman sang it in a duet with opera star Roberta Peters. A highlight of the movie is the clips from “The Simpsons,” the Muppets, Monty Python, “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “House,” and performers from China, Iran, Egypt, Thailand, the UK, Serbia, Estonia, South Korea, Mexico, and, wearing cowboy hats and bandanas, Texas.
Unquestionably the strangest version is only about 30 second long and features yodeling. It’s the one music scholar Josh Kum calls “both an embrace and a refusal” and “the smartest song about Jewish identity I’ve ever heard.” It’s by Bob Dylan.
We learn something of “Hava Nagila’s” origins as a “niggun” (wordless song) and its evolution into an anthem of the post-WWII era of suburban Jewish simchas (celebrations of happy occasions). Like “Hokey Pokey” and “The Macarena,” it benefits from its catchy tune, limited range, and association with a dance that can be performed by pre-schoolers and grandparents. Like the song it celebrates, this film can be annoying, but it is hard to resist. As one person says in this documentary about “Hava Nagila,” “they played it at my bar mitzvah — but not at my wedding!” It is clear that when he was old enough to call the shots, he did not want to hear that corny old song again. And yet, we will not be surprised if Hava Nagila returns when his own children become b’nai mitzvot. Bet you a quarter you find yourself humming it.
Parents should know that this film includes references to the Holocaust.
Family discussion: Which version of the song do you like best? Why? Why do you think it is so enduringly popular?
If you like this, try: “The Tribe” and some of the movies and performers featured in this film.
Posted on April 22, 2013 at 8:00 am
In addition to previously recommended Earth Day movies, take a look at these gorgeous documentaries about the creatures with whom we share this great planet:
1. March of the Penguins This worldwide sensation takes us to Antarctica, where these elegant birds triumph over brutal cold to protect their fragile eggs and tender chicks.
2. Flow: For Love of Water
3. Winged Migration
4. Microcosmos
5. Born to Be Wild
Jennifer Merin has a great list of Earth Day documentaries, too.
Posted on April 19, 2013 at 8:00 am
Whether you’re a Watergate junkie like me or don’t know how a “third-rate burglary” toppled a President and changed the world of American politics — for good, for bad, and forever, be sure to watch the Discovery Channel’s “All the President’s Men Revisited” on April 21 at 8:00 (7 central). The original “All the President’s Men” was a book and then an Oscar-winning movie from the perspective of Robert Woodward and Carl Bernstein, the young Washington Post reporters who covered — and uncovered — the story. Since the movie was made, there have been many new revelations, including the answer to the biggest secret of all: the identity of Deep Throat, Woodward and Bernstein’s secret inside source.
This update includes riveting archival footage, shocking Oval Office recordings, and compelling new interviews with those who perpetuated the crimes, those who pursued them, and those who portrayed them. The film features comments from Robert Redford and the man he portrayed, Bob Woodward, Carl Bernstein and the man who portrayed him, Dustin Hoffman, along with Jon Stewart, Rachel Maddow, and more.
Posted on April 8, 2013 at 8:00 am
B+| Lowest Recommended Age: | All Ages |
| MPAA Rating: | Unrated |
| Profanity: | None |
| Alcohol/ Drugs: | None |
| Violence/ Scariness: | Environmental concerns |
| Diversity Issues: | None |
| Date Released to DVD: | April 8, 2013 |
| Amazon.com ASIN: | B00BBAGF0W |
Josh Duhamel narrates this extraordinary documentary about one of our planet’s most precious resources, our oceans. Filmed by directors Yann Arthus-Bertrand and Michael Pitiot, along with an outstanding team of international underwater cinematographers in partnership with OMEGA and with the scientific support of Tara Expeditions, the film aims to explain some of the planets greatest natural mysteries, while reinforcing how essential it is that mankind learns to live in harmony with our oceans. Planet Ocean serves as a reminder of the bond between humans and nature, and the duty that exists to protect and respect our planet. Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Program, presented this film to the leaders of Rio+20 conference in June 2012.
Spectacular aerial and underwater imagery captured in extreme geographical conditions worldwide, Planet Ocean brings into into the least known regions of our planet. I have one Blu-Ray copy to give away. Send me an email at moviemom@moviemom.com with Ocean in the subject line and tell me your favorite ocean view. Don’t forget your address! (US addresses only). I’ll pick a winner at random on April 21. Good luck!
BONUS FEATURES (BLU-RAY™ and DVD):
· THE MAKING OF PLANET OCEAN
· IN THE SKIES ABOVE RIO: Breathtaking images of Rio de Janeiro’s magnificent shores
· UNDERWATER: Uncover the natural mysteries of marine life with Planet Ocean’s team of underwater cinematographers.
· SHANGHAI: Extraordinary aerial photography of Shanghai’s busy harbor underscores the significance of ocean commerce.
