Search Results for: blog esther 2000

King George and the Ducky (2000)

When I first heard that the folks at VeggieTales were going to do the story of Bathsheba, I thought their brains must be the size of peas. How would you tell that story in a way that is appropriate for children? Well, I should have had a little more faith. They not only did it, but they did it very well. Taking their cue from the fact that there was a bath involved in the original Bible story, they created a storyline where the object of desire was a rubber duck. Larry the Cucumber plays King George, a man who … Continue reading →

Esther (2000)

With the addition of “Esther” to the VeggieTales movie lineup, we see these ordinarily cheerful vegetables take on a story that’s a little hard to recount. How would you tell the story of Esther in a way that children could relate to without getting nightmares? First, you would take a cute scallion and ask her to play Esther. Then you’d cast Pa Grape in the role of Mordecai (although how we’re supposed to believe that a grape could be a scallion’s cousin, I don’t know.) A twist here, a plot change there, and you’re good to go. The king awakens … Continue reading →

One Night with the King (2006)

I love the story of Esther. You may have guessed that, given the large number of times I’ve blogged on Esther-related subjects. (Links to these are at the end of this article.) So it should come as no surprise that I’m reviewing “One Night With the King” today. Beautiful costuming, lush sets, and gorgeous scenery accent this already impressive film. Tiffany Dupont stars as Hadassah, a beautiful Jewish orphan who has been raised by her cousin Mordecai (John Rhys-Davies). When Queen Vashti chooses not to appear at a banquet held by the king to rally support for the war against … Continue reading →

Lord of the Beans (2005)

Those rascally vegetables have done it again – pulled off a hysterical spoof of a blockbuster movie, “Lord of the Rings.” But in this version, there were powerful beans created, beans that would give the owners clothes, food, and power, and one bean with the power of them all. The fate of those first beans was pretty tragic – they got eaten. But the last bean ended up in the hands of a Flobbit named Billboy Baggypants, and then passed down to his nephew, Toto. Toto saw the effect the bean had on his uncle, how he used it and … Continue reading →

Jewish Books for Everybody

Here are some great books for everybody, Jewish or not. I really, really love Doesn’t Anyone Blush Anymore, Rabbi Manis Friedman(1996). Bob Dylan also loves this book, as you can see his comment on the cover. Rabbi Friedman is certainly among the great thinkers of this generation, and this book is essential reading if you are interested in a happy marriage and family life (or if you are single and want to find happiness) The Committed Life by Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis (HarperSanFrancisco, 1999). I read this book when it was first published, and it had an immediate effect on my … Continue reading →