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February 9, 2024

Antisemitism, Blazing Saddles Turns 50, and The Beatles

Email edition covers news updates on Jew-hatred, fundraising for a writers solidarity trip to Israel, Blazing Saddles, The Beatles, film reviews, home entertainment releases, interviews, and op-eds.

There is zero joy that comes in receiving antisemitic death threats. It takes time away from doing other things that need to get done, which impacts the schedule for later in the week. Not to mention the film reviews needing to be written.

The current levels of Jew-hatred is enough to where I'd honestly feel safer living in Israel. Work-related reasons are really the only reason why I haven't made aliyah at this point. Meanwhile, I have just under $1200 left to raise so that I can go back next month on a writers solidarity trip. If you're able to donate, please do. The trip is substantially different than the JNF and Birthright trips because those are heavily subsidized. As such, I'm having to raise the funds on my own. Anyway, this trip is going to be the most important thing I do all year, even more than writing a film or TV review. That's more or less where my headspace is right now.

I have friends and family living in Israel. No idea if I'll have the time to see anyone--unlike the volunteer trips, these trips more or less have a tight schedule and stick to an itinerary. I'll be using this newsletter to send out updates as my schedule allows in Israel.

L-R: Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder in Blazing Saddles.
L-R: Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder in Blazing Saddles. Courtesy of Warner Bros.

Speaking of headspace, I watched Blazing Saddles for its 50th anniversary on February 7. It just so happened to be the 10th anniversary of Lord and Miller's The Lego Movie, too. I was Wednesday years old when I realized they both opened on the same day. I did a rewatch last month either before or after watching Remembering Gene Wilder.

In other news, today marks the 60th anniversary of The Beatles making their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. Without them, I would never have picked up my first guitar. I never thought I'd see the day when we would get another Beatles song but sure enough, "Now and Then" was released in November. It's already been used in a feature film if you can believe it.

Film reviews:

  • Argylle

  • Doubt

  • Rachel Getting Married

  • Rhinoceros

  • Notorious

  • The Thomas Crown Affair

  • Blood Simple

  • Raising Arizona

  • Lisa Frankenstein

Home Entertainment Releases:

  • Witness for the Prosecution

Interviews:

  • Greg Levitan - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

  • Mike Andrews - Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

News:

  • Oscars Add Achievement in Casting

Op-ed:

  • Moana 2 and Disney's Focus on Theatrical Over Streaming

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