Category Archives: Tzivi's Rants

2/20: 60 MINUTES

Posted on February 20, 2011 by

Way back in mid-December, working on my January ’11 JUF News column, I said: “As I write, several critics groups have already named The Social Network as their Top Pick for 2010, but I’m frankly not sure why–the depiction of Mark Zuckerberg … Continue reading →

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Achcar at I-House

Posted on December 29, 2010 by

Gilbert Achcar came to University of Chicago’s International House on Nov 15th to read from his new book The Arabs and the Holocaust: The Arab-Israeli War of Narratives. Raised in Beruit and educated primarily in France, Achcar is currently professor of … Continue reading →

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“Invasion” Afterthoughts

Posted on September 15, 2010 by

SPOILER ALERT!  PLOT POINTS FOLLOW! Three days after seeing Steve Peterson’s wonderful new play The Invasion of Skokie at Chicago Dramatists, I’m still enthralled.  Watching Invasion on Sunday, I learned some new things about my family, my world, and myself. … Continue reading →

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Cairo Time

Posted on August 24, 2010 by

Ruba Nadda’s new film Cairo Time is about an American magazine editor named “Juliette” (played by Patricia Clarkson) who travels to Cairo for a vacation with her husband ”Mark” (Tom McCamus).  But Mark never shows up, throwing her into a romance with local man named … Continue reading →

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Life During Wartime

Posted on July 27, 2010 by

From Aug ’10 Spotlight: Todd Solondz’ new film Life During Wartime opens August 6 at the Music Box Theatre on Southport. Solondz is an “edgy” filmmaker, and I found his first three films rewarding, but this time my reaction is … Continue reading →

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Royal Pains

Posted on July 18, 2010 by

Nothing Succeeds Like Success: A new series which stars actor Mark Feuerstein as a Manhattan physician holds the promise of “Jewish content,” but in year one Jewish references never surfaced, & the character’s name “Hank Lawson” left room for doubt.  But Baruch … Continue reading →

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Pacino’s Shylock

Posted on July 10, 2010 by

So a new issue of The New Yorker arrives & I see Al Pacino is playing “Shylock” again (this time on stage at the Delacorte), & Hilton Als says: “Pacino’s Shylock, it turns out, is interesting not in relation to the … Continue reading →

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Anti-Semitic Education?

Posted on July 2, 2010 by

Last night the co-chair of IWA’s Film Discussion Group asked me to lead another discussion of Lone Scherfig’s Oscar-nominated film An Education.  And once again, the question “Is An Education anti-Semitic?” triggered huge debate. As a Jewish-American critic, I am often perplexed about the … Continue reading →

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