Thrillers, comedies, animated fun, plays on film

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 a faith other than Judaism — and do not identify with a faith other than Judaism as an adult. Converts to Judaism, of course, are also identified as Jewish.

We are still in pandemic times, and because of that, premiere dates are often announced quite close to the actual premiere date. That’s why some late-in- May premieres are being reported in this column. The good news is that, with one exception, they are all on “watch anytime” streaming services.

“Blackspace” is an 8-episode, madein-Israel psychological thriller. It began streaming on Netflix on May 27. It follows the police investigation into a massacre of four students at an Israeli high school carried out by anonymous, unicornmasked figures. Key to the investigation is an app, Blackspace, that the school’s pupils use to communicate with one another, sharing their secrets out of view of their parents and the adult world. The cast and filmmaker are all Israeli. A second season has already been ordered.

“Plan B” is an original Hulu “dramedy” film that began streaming on May 28. A strait-laced South Dakota high school student has her first sexual encounter and, due to local laws, has to go out of state to get the “Plan B” morning-after pill.

The film was co-written by Joshua Levy, 30, who describes himself as “Jewish/Chinese.” This film could be a good “sleeper,” it is produced by Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, the writers of the “Harold and Kumar” films.

The original, 10-episode Amazon Prime drama series, “Panic,” also began streaming on the 28th. It takes place in a small Texas town, where every summer, graduating seniors take part in a series of challenges. The prize is enough money to get out of town and better their lives. But the challenges get riskier and more dangerous every year.

The film is based on a best-selling novel of the same name by Lauren Oliver, 39 (born Laura Schechter). Oliver wrote the “Panic” episodes, and she is the lead producer of the series.

“The Kominsky Method,” a hit Netflix series, streamed its third and final season on May 28. It was long known that co-star Alan Arkin, 87, didn’t want to do a third season. In the advance trailer, it is clear that Arkin’s character, Norman, a (Jewish) talent agent, has died and his best friend, (Jewish) acting coach, Sandy Kominsky (Michael Douglas, 76), has to find a way to function without his “wingman.”

Other trailer reveals: Kathleen Turner, who plays Sandy’s ex-wife, returns to help with their daughter’s wedding to a much-older man (Paul Reiser, 65); Norman’s drug-addled daughter (Lisa Edelstein, 54) will inherit Norman’s fortune if she follows certain conditions; and Sandy is offered a life-changing acting part by big-time director Barry Levinson, 79 (playing himself).

The original HBO film, “Oslo,” premiered on May 29. It’s based on the play “Oslo,” which won the Tony for best drama in 2017. It depicts the back story of the secret negotiations in Norway’s capitol that led to the Oslo Peace accords (1993). The play, by J.T. Rogers, was praised by Israelis and Palestinians alike, for depicting them in realistic terms without taking sides (Rogers is a self-described “WASP from California”). The film has Israeli actors play Israelis and Arab actors play Arabs. By the way, there actually is some humor in the script.

“Housebroken” sounds like a charming animated series. It’s about a very varied group of neighborhood pets who meet frequently and discuss their problems with each other and with humans. Lisa Kudrow, 57, voices Honey, a star character. Honey is a standard poodle who was forced into a “marriage,” by humans, to Chief, a sloppy St. Bernard (voiced by Nat Faxon, 45. His mother is Jewish). Other, more minor characters include Tchotchke, a slow loris. (The series began May 31 on Fox. New episodes air Mondays at 9 p.m.)

“Lisey’s Story” is an 8-episode Apple+ thriller series that is based on a novel by Stephen King. Two years after the death of her husband, Lisey (Julianne Moore) is forced to face memories of her marriage that she had blocked out. The main cast includes Jennifer Jason Leigh, 59. (It begins June 4).

On June 15, HBO will begin streaming “Revolution Rent.” It’s about the recent production, in Cuba, of the hit musical “Rent.” It has been 25 years since “Rent” premiered off-Broadway (Feb. 1996), and 25 years since its Broadway opening (April, 1996). Writer/composer Jonathan Larson, age 35, died suddenly on Jan. 25, 1996. He posthumously won just about every theater award, including the Pulitzer Prize.

“Good on Paper” is a Netflix comedy film written by, and starring, stand-up comedian Iliza Shlesinger, 38. She plays a stand-up comedian who meets someone who seems to be her ideal man. It starts streaming on June 23.