JANET PLANET: A Thoughtful Debut For a New Jewish Voice
JANET PLANET, directed by Jewish playwright Annie Baker, stars Julianne Nicholson and Zoe Ziegler in a story that tackles themes of maternal bonds as the mother daughter duo has a rotating crew of characters staying in their rural Massachusetts home. Baker makes a simple story into a visual tour de force with a strong eye for framing and the best child performance so far this decade from Zoe Ziegler.
The thematic center of the movie is the motherdaughter bond between Nicholson’s Janet and Ziegler’s Lacy. The script, also written by director Annie Baker, creates an unflinching portrait of the complicated nature of single parenthood and how it can affect a child. The scenes where Janet and Lacy lay together in bed provide a great setting for the complex intimacy where the lines of how honest a parent should be with a child blur.
Ziegler’s construction of Lacy brought back memories of summers with my mother and sister, where the two would be attached at the hip to the point of separation anxiety. It was an incredibly well-calibrated performance, Ziegler brings a confused aura that only a child can convey where you do not understand why you are unhappy with the world you live in because it is all you know, and you just have to believe that it will get better.
“A visual tour de force”
Nicholson is no slouch either, wearing the stress and confusion of someone who worries they are not creating a great life for their child or themselves as an expression of stressed contemplation. Her moments when talking with the few other adults in the movie open us up to the person she might have been without a child, creating tension around whether we believe this person can be a good parent or even a functional person. Her charisma shines through, making her still very likable and worth rooting for.
Baker may be a first-time film director, but her theater background allows her to understand both the baseline technical principles of filmmaking and emphasize what you can do with a camera that you cannot on a stage. Her keen eye for the center of the frame makes for a movie that, despite having limited action, is always visually engaging because the big character moments are always put center stage. The color palette of the film is beautiful, the rural Massachusetts setting is gorgeous, and the subtle shadows cast in every scene feel like the audience is watching someone flip through an old photo album.
If Baker would like to take a break from the stage, she would be a welcome addition to the Jewish film pantheon, even if this film has limited mentions of the character’s Jewishness (there are a few references, but they are subtle). Her artful approach to camerawork and consistent creation of well-rounded characters has me very excited for her follow-up.
Unapologetically Jewish Finalists
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ERASED: WW2'S HEROES OF COLOR
Over 8 million people of color served in World War II, but if you opened a history textbook or watched a movie about any of the battles over the last eighty years, you would be hard pressed to find mention of those battalions.
ERASED: WW2'S HEROES OF COLOR, a National Geographic docuseries now streaming in full on Disney Plus, is looking to make sure that changes. The series, executive produced and narrated by actor Idris Elba, uses a mix of video footage and dramatizations to bring back to life the soldiers from all different ethnic backgrounds to have their stories told for the first time.
Reenactment Footage from Erased: WW2's Heroes of Color Trailer
FIGHTING INJUSTICE THROUGH STORYTELLING
Elba’s opening narration to the series also details the personal connection that set his involvement in the project in stone, stating “More than eight million people of color served with the allies. My grandfather was one of these men.”
Through this docuseries, millions of families have the stories of their ancestors told outside of family gatherings, to viewers around the world.
The bravery of these soldiers mentioned throughout the documentary is twofold Not only were they laying their lives on the line, but they faced an uphill battle throughout their service.
American units were segregated, and even the best black soldiers could not obtain leadership positions at any level outside of their divided units. The Royal Indian Service Corps that represented Great Britain were forcibly made up of only Muslims due to the politics of the time. These heroes faced the horrors of war and discrimination at the same time and had to come home to the same injustices.
Heritage and history is so important, and having a series that highlights soldiers of color who defended our homes and families brings me a sense of intersectional joy, that a celebration that has been long overdue is getting brought to the eyes of many.
ERASED: WW2'S HEROES OF COLOR is now streaming on Disney Plus.
WATCH THE TRAILER ON YOUTUBE
Digital Chutzpah Submissions
Jewish Families in Film
SUMMER IS A WONDERFUL TIME TO SPEND TIME WITH YOUR LOVED ONES. THE KIDS HAVE OFF SCHOOL, THE SUN IS SHINING, AND ALL SORTS OF ACTIVITIES ARE ABOUND IN THE CITY. SOME DAYS, THOUGH, WHEN IT’S TOO HOT TO GO OUT OR YOU NEED SOMETHING TO TIDE YOU OVER ON THAT LONG PLANE RIDE TO YOUR VACATION DESTINATION, YOU JUST NEED TO WATCH A GREAT MOVIE WITH THE FAMILY. AND WHAT BETTER MOVIES TO WATCH WITH THE FAMILY THAN STORIES ABOUT OTHER JEWISH FAMILIES? HERE ARE SOME OF OUR FAVORITE JEWISH FAMILIES IN FILM.
The first feature film of terminally underappreciated director Tamara Jenkins featured the Abromowitzes, a Jewish family constantly bouncing from residence to residence run by 14-year-old Vivian, played by Natasha Lyonne Though there is mountains of dysfunction among the members, including fresh out of rehab Rita and layabout salesman Murray, ultimately Vivian and her two brothers provide a beating heart at the center of a family that symbolizes the idea of perseverance.
As a creative myself, I found myself drawn to the story of the Orefices, a Jewish-Italian family who allow the power of imagination to push them forward even through the tragedies of the Holocaust. Guido, Dora, and young Giosue may be in the most intense and difficult of scenarios, but the partnership between Guido and Giosue makes for proof that the title is right, life is beautiful. Plus, Giosue gets a tank!
Avalon, the final film in Barry Levinson’s “Baltimore tetrology”, operates partially as an autobiography. The Krichinskys mirror Levinson’s family as they arrive in Baltimore as first-generation immigrants and attempt to tackle The American Dream. Though the Krichinskys often have pitfalls, they stick together through it all, making for a reminder that through finding our fellow human beings, we can get through any hardship.
ASK THE STAFF
Matthew Bussy Beth Becker Dean Bruce Yae Straxkson
MOULIN ROUGE!
We saw it in theaters and we were obsessed,
THE PRINCESS BRIDE! We can always agree to watch it again.
What’s
HOLES! It's a good fit for the summer.
THE WIZ! We loved to dance and sing along.
your go-to movie to watch with your family?
At the end of the month, 6/30, is Kaiserman’s Shalom Summer concert and celebration! This FREE family friendly event features a concert from bluegrass/americana/folk band, Nefesh Mountain, as well as family friendly activities, lawn games, snacks and more.
The pool is also open for summer! Memberships are available for individuals, couples, and families to the lap and toddler pool. There are no residency requirements. The pool is easily accessible by transit and has parking. This year, Kaiserman has also brought back Hot Dog Tuesday nights at the pool. They also offer swim lessons at the pool which do not require a membership.
Kaiserman is expanding their preschool and opening a new Jewish Early Learning Center in King of Prussia this fall at Temple Brith Achim! This new school has extended hours (7:30am-5:30pm) and is year-long (no break for summer).
One of the other fun things includes the Gems group for older adults, The group is making field trips to the African American Museum and the Woodmere Museum this summer. The group is also running screenings of Oscar snubs with film historian Irv Slifkin on Wednesday afternoons.
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