PJ Grisar is a Forward culture reporter. He can be reached at [email protected] and @pjgrisar on Twitter.
PJ Grisar
By PJ Grisar
-
Culture Why Do Jews Eat Chinese Food On Christmas?
Every year around this time a certain handwritten sign goes viral on Jewish Facebook: “The Chinese Rest. Assoc. of the United States would like to extend our thanks to The Jewish People. We do not completely understand your dietary customs… But we are proud and grateful that your GOD insists you eat our food on…
-
Film & TV What’s Jewish On The Oscars Small Categories Short List
On December 18 The Academy Awards announced its shortlist for some of the ceremony’s smaller categories. Jews are well represented in the Best Documentary Feature category. Betsy West and Julie Cohen’s Ruth Bader Ginsburg film “RBG” made the list alongside Tim Wardle’s “Three Identical Strangers,” which told the bombshell story of Jewish triplets separated at…
-
Culture Is Spider-Man Jewish?
To paraphrase Spider-Man’s Uncle Ben: With infinite universes come infinite possibilities. In the new film “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” a tear in space-time introduces audiences to a coterie of new web slingers. We make the acquaintance of Penny Parker, a girl from the future whose spider powers come courtesy of a giant robot; Spider-Noir, a…
-
Culture ‘Jurassic Park,’ ‘On The Town’ And ‘The Shining’ Will Be Preserved In The Library Of Congress
What do genetically-engineered dinosaurs, sailors on shore leave, Victorian flower girls and a homicidal novelist have in common? They’re all being added to the Library of Congress this year. The National Film Registry, now in its 30th year, has announced its 2018 selections for motion pictures to be preserved on Capitol Hill for their cultural,…
-
Film & TV HBO’s ‘My Brilliant Friend’ Feels A Little Fake — That’s What Makes It Faithful
While already lauded or rejected for its fidelity to the source material, HBO’s adaptation of Elena Ferrante’s “My Brilliant Friend” has also been derided for feeling a little phony. In an otherwise glowing review in The New Yorker, Emily Nussbaum remarked that the show “has the polish of certain well-funded historical portraits of poverty.” Her…
-
Culture An Ace Reporter Brought Down Gary Hart. He’s Not Happy With A Film About The Scandal
While Hugh Jackman is attracting Oscars buzz for playing Gary Hart in “The Frontrunner,” another actor’s performance in the film is receiving some unwanted attention. Based on the book “All the Truth Is Out: The Week Politics Went Tabloid” by journalist Matt Bai, the film, directed by Jason Reitman, includes a number of characters based…
-
Film & TV Hey Spielberg, Want To Win At The Box Office? Cast A Woman As Your Lead.
Women may have more earning power than men at the box office. According to a new report from the Creative Artists Agency and tech company shift7, the top films of 2014 through 2017 that had females in lead roles outperformed male-led ones. The New York Times reports that the CAA and shift7 came together through…
-
Art How A German Art Collective Got Neo-Nazis To Identify Themselves
Following this August’s far-right rallies in Chemnitz, Germany, many participants got off easy. Of the estimated 7,000 attendees, many of whom were caught using illegal Nazi salutes and accosting immigrants, nearly all evaded arrest and, crucially, identification. Now, The Daily Beast reports that an effort by the German leftist art group the Center for Political…
Explore
Most Popular
In Case You Missed It
-
Opinion Who’s responsible for deadly antisemitism? Everyone will hate the answer
-
Looking Forward Stumbling across Jewish history in a vintage store
-
Film & TV Remembering Siskel and Ebert’s great debate: Mel Brooks or Woody Allen?
-
News A Jewish gun club teams up with the NRA, in pursuit of self-defense
-
Shop the Forward Store
100% of profits support our journalism
