PopTorah

The new musical ‘Wonka,’ a prequel of sorts to the beloved Roald Dahl novel “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and the classic Gene Wilder film based on it, is a celebration of imagination, lovingkindness, and, of course, chocolate. Grab your golden tickets and go on a tour of the factory — watch out for that […]

It’s been an interesting and somewhat challenging year for superhero movies, with the once seemingly invincible Marvel Studios showing signs of wear and tear. For example, the studio’s latest tentpole team-up film (and one of its best in years), ’The Marvels,’ is now widely regarded as its first-ever commercial flop, and the actor Jonathan Majors, […]

The new sports comedy ‘Next Goal Wins,’ directed by Taika Waititi, is based on the true story of American Samoa’s soccer team as it attempts to overcome its embarrassing status as the worst team in the sport’s history. The film stars Michael Fassbender as Dutch-American coach Thomas Rongen, who has the unenviable task of helping […]

The new miniseries on Netflix, ‘The Fall of the House of Usher,’ is many things all at once: a love letter to Edgar Allen Poe, a gothic horror masterpiece, and a biting social commentary reminiscent of HBO’s ’Succession.’ Loosely based on a Poe story of the same name — and brimming with references to other […]

Taylor Swift’s long-awaited “Eras” tour was not only the pop cultural event of 2023, it was one of the most successful concert tours in music history. Each night Taylor took fans on an epic three hour tour of her career. And she has followed up on that success by releasing a film version of her […]

You know that Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky are lifelong friends, but did you know that they met as teenagers on a youth group summer trip to Israel? And did you know that they lived down the street from one another in Jerusalem for a year? Now, Israel is a central and inseparable part of their […]

Disney and Pixar’s latest animated feature, Elemental, became a sleeper hit at the box office this summer. Using the interaction of various elements as an extended metaphor for the immigrant experience and striking the balance between honoring one’s past while charting their own future, the movie has a lot of resonance with Jewish history and tradition. […]

Back in May, film and television writers went on strike. Actors joined them on the picket lines in July, leading to the longest strike in Hollywood history (the WGA recently ended it’s strike when it struck a new deal with the studios, and it is expected that SAG-AFTRA will follow suit shortly). In this very […]

Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky seem like they would be the target audience for Adam Sandler’s new Netflix movie, You’re So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah. But while the film covers some explicitly Jewish subject matter, the rabbis had mixed feelings about it — as an Adam Sandler comedy, and as a piece of Jewish art. […]

It’s official — ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ are this summer’s unlikely “it” couple! This summer, we’re all obsessed with the World’s Most Famous doll taking on the patriarchy and wrestling with mortality, and the Father of the Atomic Bomb struggling with his conscience and (maybe) starting a chain reaction that will destroy the world. It all […]

The Bear, whose first two seasons are currently streaming on Hulu, follows Carmy Berzatto, a rising superstar in the culinary world, as he seeks to revitalize his brother Mikey’s Chicago dive following Mikey’s suicide. The show masterfully explores very Jewish themes, like honoring difficult parents, carrying on a legacy, dealing with grief and guilt, the ethics […]

Indiana Jones is back! The dashing, swashbuckling, fedora-wearing, bullwhip-cracking, Nazi-punching archaeologist is literally racing against time in his fifth and, by all accounts, last, crusade. But did Disney choose wisely with this one, or does this iconic franchise belong in a museum? Join Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky to hear “just what the Hebrews thought” about […]

‘The Flash’ was supposed to be an exciting reset for the beleaguered DCEU, even heralded by some Hollywood luminaries as one of the greatest superhero films of all time. Instead, it was at least as much of a mess as many of its predecessors, and doubly burdened with instability at Warner Bros. (the parent company […]

‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-verse’ is the sequel to the hit 2018 animated adventure ‘Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse,’ and the second part of a planned trilogy following Miles Morales as the titular wall-crawler, along with hundreds of other spider-people. Our friendly neighborhood web-heads, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky, want to talk about the high-flying, wise-cracking, multiverse spanning […]

The hit HBO series Succession, currently in its final season, is deceptively complex. On the surface, it’s about members of a wealthy family vying for control of their father’s media empire. But while most similar shows would either glorify or revile wealth and power, Succession deals in shades of grey that are truer to life and closer to […]

The MCU has been in a bit of a rough patch lately, but ‘Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3’ gets things back on track. The final chapter of James Gunn’s trilogy about this wisecracking gang of galactic misfits has jokes, action, and lots of heart. In this episode, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky argue that the […]

‘The Mandalorian,’ whose third season is now streaming on Disney+, is one of the most critically and commercially successful offerings of Disney-era Star Wars. Noted Star Wars nerds Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky discuss the show’s very Jewish themes, its relationship to Torah and Midrash, and the relative value of complex mythology in modern pop culture. […]

Mario, Luigi, Toadstool, Princess Peach, and Bowser are back — this time in the cleverly-titled blockbuster animated comedy ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie.’ Is it super? Or is it the film equivalent of hitting a banana peel on Rainbow Road? What does it say about the state of entertainment and society? And what does it […]

‘Shrinking,’ the new series streaming on AppleTV+ boasts some big names (have you heard of this guy Harrison Ford? We think he’s got a promising future in showbiz…) and a big premise: what would happen if therapists got more involved in their patients’ lives, and let their patients get more involved in their own lives? […]

It finally happened! The sequel to Mel Brooks’ 1981 classic ‘History of the World: Part I’ that nearly every Jew of a certain age has been waiting for is here at last. Was it worth the wait? Is it the greatest sequel in ‘The History of the World: Part II’? Or is it more of […]

The 95th Academy Awards are fast approaching, and Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky are here to talk about the Torah of this year’s Best Picture nominees. In this special episode, we discuss Avatar, Elvis, Top Gun, The Fabelmans, and more! Who should walk away with this year’s top prize? Who will win? And, most importantly, which movie […]

The new HBO series, ‘The Last of Us,’ based on the acclaimed video game of the same name, explores what life might look like 20 years after a pandemic decimates the world. The show features plenty of terrifying zombies (especially if you’re freaked out by fungus), but more importantly explores what remains — love and […]

The new Netflix film ‘You People,’ starring Eddie Murphy and Jonah Hill, is a romantic comedy in the mold of ‘Meet the Parents.’ The twist, however, is that this time, the parents are African American members of the Nation of Islam, and the prospective son-in-law is a white Jew from West LA. While the movie […]

The first three seasons of Darren Starr’s guilty pleasure series ‘Emily in Paris’ are now streaming on Netflix. Most viewers agree that the show is the pop culture equivalent of junk food: delightful, but mostly empty calories. But what would happen if we took the show (too) seriously? Thankfully, that is Rabbi Knopf and Rabbi […]

The new film Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is Rian Johnson’s follow-up to his critical and commercial 2019 hit Knives Out. Once again starring Daniel Craig as “world’s greatest detective” Benoit Blanc and an all-star cast (including some incredible cameos), Glass Onion finds Blanc attempting to solve a mysterious murder that has taken place against the backdrop […]

The follow-up to the smash HBO limited series ‘The White Lotus’ explores issues of sex and relationships, trust and power, class and privilege, beauty and treachery in a new luxurious setting. Also, can you believe that <SPOILER> died?! And also <SPOILER>, <SPOILER>, and <SPOILER>?! Intrigued? Enticed? Enjoy a romantic, exotic, and dangerous getaway with Rabbis […]

The new Hulu series ‘Fleishman is in Trouble’, starring Jesse Eisenberg and Claire Danes, is a show about how love can become hate, marriage can devolve into divorce, midlife can spiral into a crisis, comfort can turn into boring routine, and the blessing of kids can turn into the thankless burden of parenting. In other […]

‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ is the eagerly-awaited sequel to one of the most critically and commercially successful films of all time. The original ‘Black Panther’ was not only a mega-hit, but a watershed in pop culture, particularly for many in the African-American community. Adding to the significance of ‘Wakanda Forever’ is the fact that the […]

The new Prime Video series ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,’ is based on one of the most popular book and film series ever, and is the most expensive TV show ever produced. Does it rule them all? Has the king returned? And just how Jewish are harfoots and hobbits, anyway? Rabbis […]

The new FX/Hulu series The Patient is a psychological thriller about a therapist, played by Steve Carell, who is kidnapped by and forced to treat his patient, a serial killer, played by Domnhall Gleeson. The show touches on many powerful Jewish themes appropriate for the High Holy Day season, as well as the complicated dynamics of families […]

The new Marvel TV series ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ is currently streaming on Disney+, “hulking out” on subjects ranging from toxic masculinity to celebrity culture to embracing one’s power and taking responsibility for others. As always, Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky have thoughts. What does this series say about the state of the MCU, and what […]

So much great TV, so little time! Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky recap everything Jewish about the 2022 Emmy awards. Who won, who was robbed, who wore what best, and who got that coveted PopTorah bump? Plus we discuss what the night’s biggest winners and losers tell us about the state of pop culture today, and what it […]

Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky are back from summer vacation and eager to catch up on everything Jewish about our favorite pop culture offerings of the summer. Join us as we discuss the blockbuster film Thor: Love and Thunder, the provocative Netflix docuseries Trainwreck: Woodstock ’99, the Apple TV+ gem For All Mankind, and the latest Disney+ MCU series Ms. […]

Rabbis Michael Knopf and Jesse Olitzky are lifelong friends, pop culture fanboys, and lovers of all things Jewish. Join them every other week for a conversation about what’s going on in pop culture from a Jewish perspective and about Judaism through the lens of pop culture. Rabbis Knopf and Olitzky just finished binging the fourth […]

Rabbis Michael Knopf and Jesse Olitzky are lifelong friends, pop culture fanboys, and lovers of all things Jewish. Join them every other week for a conversation about what’s going on in pop culture from a Jewish perspective and about Judaism through the lens of pop culture. Obi-Wan Kenobi is one of the most important characters […]

Rabbis Michael Knopf and Jesse Olitzky are lifelong friends, pop culture fanboys, and lovers of all things Jewish. Join them every other week for a conversation about what’s going on in pop culture from a Jewish perspective and about Judaism through the lens of pop culture. The new FX/Hulu miniseries Pistol tells the true story of The […]

Rabbis Michael Knopf and Jesse Olitzky are lifelong friends, pop culture fanboys, and lovers of all things Jewish. Join them every other week for a conversation about what’s going on in pop culture from a Jewish perspective and about Judaism through the lens of pop culture. Do you seek better work-life balance? Tired of taking […]

Rabbis Michael Knopf and Jesse Olitzky are lifelong friends, pop culture fanboys, and lovers of all things Jewish. Join them every other week for a conversation about what’s going on in pop culture from a Jewish perspective and about Judaism through the lens of pop culture. The new Hulu series ‘Under the Banner of Heaven,’ […]

Rabbis Michael Knopf and Jesse Olitzky are lifelong friends, pop culture fanboys, and lovers of all things Jewish. Join them every other week for a conversation about what’s going on in pop culture from a Jewish perspective and about Judaism through the lens of pop culture. The new HBOMax series ‘Winning Time: The Rise of […]

Rabbis Michael Knopf and Jesse Olitzky are lifelong friends, pop culture fanboys, and lovers of all things Jewish. Join them every other week for a conversation about what’s going on in pop culture from a Jewish perspective and about Judaism through the lens of pop culture. What does it mean to grow up? How do […]

Rabbis Michael Knopf and Jesse Olitzky are lifelong friends, pop culture fanboys, and lovers of all things Jewish. Join them every other week for a conversation about what’s going on in pop culture from a Jewish perspective and about Judaism through the lens of pop culture. ‘The Batman’, starring Robert Pattinson, is a newer, darker […]

Rabbis Michael Knopf and Jesse Olitzky are lifelong friends, pop culture fanboys, and lovers of all things Jewish. Join them every other week for a conversation about what’s going on in pop culture from a Jewish perspective and about Judaism through the lens of pop culture. The 94th Academy Awards are fast approaching, and Rabbis […]

Rabbis Michael Knopf and Jesse Olitzky are lifelong friends, pop culture fanboys, and lovers of all things Jewish. Join them every other week for a conversation about what’s going on in pop culture from a Jewish perspective and about Judaism through the lens of pop culture. The new Netflix limited series ‘Inventing Anna’ is a […]

Rabbis Michael Knopf and Jesse Olitzky are lifelong friends, pop culture fanboys, and lovers of all things Jewish. Join them every other week for a conversation about what’s going on in pop culture from a Jewish perspective and about Judaism through the lens of pop culture. The new ABC mockumentary series Abbott Elementary does more than fill […]

Rabbis Michael Knopf and Jesse Olitzky are lifelong friends, pop culture fanboys, and lovers of all things Jewish. Join them every other week for a conversation about what’s going on in pop culture from a Jewish perspective and about Judaism through the lens of pop culture. The new Disney animated feature ‘Encanto’, now streaming on […]

Rabbis Michael Knopf and Jesse Olitzky are lifelong friends, pop culture fanboys, and lovers of all things Jewish. Join them every other week for a conversation about what’s going on in pop culture from a Jewish perspective and about Judaism through the lens of pop culture. The new Netflix film ‘Don’t Look Up,’ starring a […]

Rabbis Michael Knopf and Jesse Olitzky are lifelong friends, pop culture fanboys, and lovers of all things Jewish. Join them every other week for a conversation about what’s going on in pop culture from a Jewish perspective and about Judaism through the lens of pop culture. When it originally came out, The Matrix trilogy was a pop […]

Rabbis Michael Knopf and Jesse Olitzky are lifelong friends, pop culture fanboys, and lovers of all things Jewish. Join them every other week for a conversation about what’s going on in pop culture from a Jewish perspective and about Judaism through the lens of pop culture. Hawkeye, the MCU hero everyone loves to hate (or […]

Rabbis Michael Knopf and Jesse Olitzky are lifelong friends, pop culture fanboys, and lovers of all things Jewish. Join them every other week for a conversation about what’s going on in pop culture from a Jewish perspective and about Judaism through the lens of pop culture. ’The Beatles: Get Back’ is a new three-part docuseries […]

Rabbis Michael Knopf and Jesse Olitzky are lifelong friends, pop culture fanboys, and lovers of all things Jewish. Join them every other week for a conversation about what’s going on in pop culture from a Jewish perspective and about Judaism through the lens of pop culture. The winter holiday season always heralds an abundance of […]