Hallmark’s Hanukkah miracle, very Jewish series, Menzel and more

Stars of David

By Nate Bloom, Stars of David Contributing Columnist

Editor’s Note: Persons in bold are deemed by Nate Bloom to be Jewish for the purpose of this column. Persons identified as Jewish have at least one Jewish parent and were not raised in, or identify with, a faith other than Judaism. Converts to Judaism, of course, are also identifi ed as Jewish.

The Hallmark Channel will finally give the Jewish community a “sort-of” Hanukkah gift. Yes, Jewish characters have appeared, now and again, in the original Christmas films that Hallmark releases every year. But I believe this is the first time that Hallmark is releasing a “straightout,” just about Hanukkah original movie. By the way, in 2022, Hallmark has/will release(d) 39 original new Christmas movies and, well, one Hanukkah movie.

The film is entitled “Hanukkah Rye” and it will be released on the first day of the holiday (Dec. 18). Here’s the capsule plot: Molly (Lisa Loeb, 54) and Jacob (Jeremy Jordan, 37) are put together by a matchmaker and things are going great until they find out that they run competing delis. Will there be a Hanukkah miracle that will keep them together?

Loeb is a singer-songwriter best known for her 1994 hit song “Stay.” She has managed to keep her career alive in varied projects even though she has never regained her late ’90s popularity. It’s nice to note that she and her Jewish husband have two kids. He’s had a pretty good career as a Broadway musical actor. Jordan’s mother is Jewish.

Catch-up corner

“Fleishman is in Trouble” is a “very Jewish” 8-episode mini-series that started streaming Nov. 17 on FX/Hulu (new episodes weekly). It’s based on the novel of the same name by New York Times journalist Stephanie “Taffy” Brodesser-Akner, 46.

The novel and the series are about a just-divorced Jewish couple. It was a bitter divorce. The couple are Toby Fleishman, a physician (Jesse Eisenberg, 39) and Rachel (Claire Danes), a successful talent agent.

The couple’s two best friends (who are Jewish) are quite important characters. The friends are Seth (Adam Brody, 42) and Libby (Lizzy Caplan, 40). Josh Radnor, 48, plays Libby’s Jewish husband.

Early in the novel/series, Rachel disappears, leaving Toby with their two children. We see Toby trying to juggle his kids, new women and his job. In the midst of all this, Toby has a revelation: his wife’s disappearance is tied to things that happened in their marriage that he’s never honestly faced.

On Dec. 9, Disney+ will begin streaming a documentary about singer/actress Idina Menzel, 51. Entitled, “Which Way to the Stage,” the film will cover her life and career. It will end with her headlining a Madison Square Garden concert.

Menzel’s first big break came as a star of the hit stage musical “Rent” (1996). She became nationally well known as a star of the musical “Wicked” (2003). Worldwide fame followed as she provided the voice of Elsa in the megahit “Frozen” series of animated flicks.

“The Whale,” which opens in theaters on Dec. 9, stars Brendan Fraser as Charlie, a man who tries to make contact with his estranged daughter because he fears that he will die soon. Charlie left his family for another man. The man died and Charlie, guilty about his death, responded by becoming morbidly obese. Advance reviews are mostly positive, but this film is clearly not for everyone.

The film was directed by Darren Arnofsky, 53. None of his films are “easy” watches (His hits include “The Wrestler” and “Black Swan”).

I don’t particularly like “Yellowstone,” a modern Western series, and its frontier prequel, “1883.” But they have found an audience on Paramount+ and, on Dec. 19, another prequel, entitled “1923,” will premiere. All three series center on the Dutton family. “1923” will follow the family as it deals with Prohibition and the Great Depression. Harrison Ford, 80 (whose mother was Jewish) plays Jacob Dutton, the family’s patriarch. Helen Mirren plays Cara, Jacob’s wife.

Damien Chazelle has had a very good record as a writer and director. His films include “Whiplash” — a modest box office hit which critics loved — and “La La Land,” which everyone loved. Chazelle got the best director Oscar for “La La” and the film won five more. (Fun fact: while Chazelle was raised Catholic, he went to a New Jersey Jewish day school for four years. His parents thought it was the best local school.)

Chazelle is the director and writer of “Babylon,” which opens in theaters on Dec. 23. The film is about the transition to talking films in the 1920s. It stars Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie. Jeff Garlin, 60, has an important supporting role. Irving Thalberg, the head of MGM film production in the ’20s and early ’30s, is a character in the film.

The film’s score is by Justin Hurwitz, 37. He won an Oscar for best score for “La La Land.” He and Chazelle were Harvard roommates.