Natalie Portman in Black Swan.By Hap ErsteinGoing into today’s release of Academy Awards nominations, it looked like a two-horse race between The Social Network and The King’s Speech -- both superior pictures -- and nothing about the announcements from Hollywood changes that.Both movies, of course, made it into the field of 10 for Best Picture and they … [Read more...]
Film feature: Jewish film festival thriving as it turns 21
A scene from The Debt. By Hap ErsteinAt a time when film festivals are either shrinking or simply disappearing, the Palm Beach Jewish Film Festival is expanding as it turns 21.The annual celebration of Jewish culture on celluloid from around the world, a program of the Jewish Community Center of the Greater Palm Beaches, unspools beginning this evening, Dec. … [Read more...]
Film reviews: ‘Last Chance Harvey’ and ‘Revolutionary Road’: When stars make the difference
Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in Revolutionary Road.By Hap ErsteinMovie stars are what drives the commercial box office and sometimes it is hard to fathom why anyone would care about the characters without the enticement of getting to watch favorite actors.A case in point is this week’s new release, Last Chance Harvey, a predictable romantic comedy elevated substantially … [Read more...]