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50
June 21 • 2018
jn
Opening June 22: Jurassic Park: Fallen
Kingdom is the fourth sequel since Jurassic
Park, the blockbuster 1992 Steven
Spielberg film that posited that dinosaurs
could be brought back from extinction by
using their ancient DNA. The premise was
interesting, but what knocked everyone’s
socks off was the tremendous computer
generated (“CGI”) special effects that made
the dinosaurs come alive on the big screen.
Reviews for Fallen are mixed at best, but
many are like this BBC review: “The plot
might be ludicrous and the CGI below par,
but the latest dinosaur blockbuster is good
old-fashioned summer entertainment.”
As the last sequel ended, the island
theme park where the dinosaurs live has
been destroyed and the dinos fend for
themselves in the jungle. As the new film
opens, a long-dormant volcano on the
island comes to life, threatening to make
dinos extinct again. The effort to save them
is led by characters played by Chris Pratt
and Bryce Dallas Howard. The supporting
cast includes Ted Levine (Monk), 61. Jeff
Goldblum, 65, who co-starred in the first
two Jurassic pics, has a small but impor-
tant cameo. The script was co-written by
Colin Trevorrow, 41.
Advance reviews are great for Won’t You
Be My Neighbor?, a documentary about
the beloved children’s program host Fred
Rogers (1928-2003). Rogers certainly
wasn’t Jewish — his children’s program
began in Pittsburgh in 1954 and he simul-
taneously took theology classes at a nearby
Presbyterian seminary. He was ordained in
1963. He always intended to incorporate
his religious training into his TV hosting
skills.
In the Feb. 1, 2017, issue of the
Canadian Jewish News, there is an article,
by Michael Taube, about some of Mr.
Rogers’ Jewish connections. Summarized
here are three of the biggest. Taube’s
article was prompted by an award
(“Pursuer of Peace”) given in 2014 by
Pittsburgh Congregation Rodef Shalom to
Mr. Rogers’ widow. 1) Rogers’ book, The
Giving Box: Create a Tradition of Giving
with Your Children (2000), was inspired by
the Jewish tradition of the tzedakah box,
which promotes savings and philanthropy.
2) A prominent “Happy Chanukah” banner
appears early in the 1977 prime-time spe-
cial “Christmastime with Mr. Rogers.” Later
on, Rogers talks about Chanukah and even
spins a dreidel — and 3) Hedda Sherpan,
the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor,
was one of his program’s longest-serving
staff members (associate director and
producer). In October 2016, she said: “I had
such great respect for [Rogers’] wisdom
and his commitment to serve children and
families in an authentic and meaningful
way — so I wanted to do my very best.”
Jeff Goldblum
Colin Trevorrow
Fred Rogers
Howie Mandel
ANIMAL CORNER
Comedian Howie Mandel, 63, is the
host of the new Nat Geo Wild series
Animals Doing Things (it began on June
16. New episodes air Saturdays at 9
p.m.). The show will feature the best,
never-before-seen animal videos submit-
ted to the popular Instagram account @
AnimalsDoingThings. Each video is hosted
by Mandel, who provides funny narration
and witty commentary before and/or after
the videos. •