Once Upon a ‘Night’
by Tzvi Kahn

On a blustery midsummer’s day in early August, hundreds of people gathered in the middle of Manhattan during the wee hours of the morning for the sole purpose of watching a group of famous Hollywood actors dress up as clowns, dim-witted knights, impertinent egotists, and members of the opposite sex.  Well, maybe that’s nothing new or surprising for movie stars.  Nevertheless, when the Bard opens his immortal theatrical storehouse of comedic goods— for free— in Central Park, cinematic headliners fervently desiring to polish their résumé, in addition to veteran New Yorkers anxious for a bargain and quixotic tourists eager to go stargazing, can only be expected— some would say obligated— to show up in droves...

Berlin’s Jewish Museum Fascinates, Disorients, And Disappoints
By Ruben Seth Fogel

BERLIN, Germany – Since the Jewish Museum of Berlin’s official inauguration last year, hundreds of thousands of visitors – tourists and locals alike – have trekked through its interior, including its permanent exhibition, “Two Millennia of German Jewish History.” The anxious anticipation surrounding the opening of the museum – and especially its permanent exhibition, which tries to offer a comprehensive journey through two millennia of Jewish-German history and culture – was particularly great as a result of the year-and-a-half delay between the completion of the building and the museum opening...

The ‘Clones’ Reviewed: The Force has Died
by Tzvi Kahn

Of course, for the folks over at Twentieth Century Fox, it really doesn’t matter how bad the latest installment in the “Star Wars” empire actually is.  Either way, the studio can rest assured this media megalopolis will continue to gross billions of dollars in ticket and video sales, toys, video games, action figures, and McDonald’s Happy Meals...

The ‘Clones’ Reviewed: The Force is Back
by Moshe Glasser

The latest “Star Wars” movie cannot be understood in a vacuum. It is part of a larger story, and must be viewed in that context. To truly understand “Star Wars” and its appeal to modern man, one must first understand the goal of its creator. “Star Wars” has been called science fiction, science fantasy, space opera, and other more or less conceptually accurate titles. But the most accurate is, of course, the one given by George Lucas: “The modern myth...”

Ingenuity? No Sign of it Here
by Ari Hoffman

Newsweek dubbed him the “next Steven Spielberg.”  His 1999 film, “The Sixth Sense,” was a runaway success.  But director M. Night Shyamalan’s latest sci-fi epic is, despite the excellent performances of its stars – like Mel Gibson – a major disappointment.  “Signs” constitutes a perfect example of a good idea turned bad by Hollywood “ingenuity...”

Table Tips: Gusto Va Mare
by Jessica Russak

This brick-walled bistro on the East Side has food that is as authentically Italian as the appearance of the restaurant itself. The atmosphere at Gusto Va Mare is relaxing and chic. Italian operettas play in the background, chiming in at the perfect moments. The lights are dimmed, and the tables are tastefully elegant...