By JERUSALEM POST STAFFUpdated: JANUARY 4, 2018 14:54In the new TV series SMILF, Bridgette Bird (Frankie Shaw) is a smart, scrappy young single mother trying to navigate life in South Boston with an extremely unconventional family(photo credit: COURTESY HOT)1. MEDIA WARS Steven Spielberg directs The Post, a film about the unlikely partnership between The Washington Post’s Katharine Graham, who was the first female publisher of a major American newspaper, and editor Ben Bradlee, as they race to catch up with The New York Times to expose a massive cover-up of government secrets that spanned three decades and four US presidents. The two must overcome their differences to help bring long-buried truths to light. With Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep.2. BLOOD, TOIL, TEARS AND SWEAT In the film Darkest Hour, set just before WW II, days before becoming prime minister of Great Britain, Winston Churchill faces one of his most defining moments: exploring a peace treaty with Nazi Germany or standing firm to fight for the ideals and liberty of a nation. As the Nazi forces roll across Western Europe and the threat of invasion is imminent, Churchill must rally the country and attempt to change the course of history. With Gary Oldman, Ben Mendelsohn, Kristin Scott Thomas.Blood, toil, tears, and sweat3. INSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE The documentary The Final Year, a unique insiders’ account of president Barack Obama’s foreign policy team during their last year in office, will be screened at the Tel Aviv Cinematheque as part of the Docaviv series through January. Featuring unprecedented access inside the White House and the State Department, the film offers a view of the inner workings of the Obama Administration as they prepare to leave power after eight years.Tel Aviv Cinematheque on January 6 at 8:30 p.m.; January 12 at 2 p.m. For more dates and times: www.cinema.co.il 4. A NEW FAMILY Chris Rock Monologue (YouTube/Saturday Night Live)In the new TV series SMILF, Bridgette Bird (Frankie Shaw) is a smart, scrappy young single mother trying to navigate life in South Boston with an extremely unconventional family. She struggles to make ends meet, which leads her to make impulsive and at times immature decisions. Above all, she wants to make a better life for her son. The sitcom takes on motherhood, co-parenting and female sexuality through a raw and unfiltered lens.Mondays at 10 p.m. on YES Edge (Y18) and YES VOD 5. ULTIMATE ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE The Chicago-based tribute band Led Zeppelin 2 will present four concerts in Israel. Considered the “Ultimate Led Zeppelin experience,” the band is known for being able to recreate the sights, sounds and rock and roll euphoria of a prime Led Zeppelin concert. They perform such rock classics as “Whole Lotta Love,” “Stairway to Heaven,” “Kashmir” and “Dazed and Confused.”January 7 and 8, Charles Bronfman Auditorium (Heichal Hatarbut), Tel Aviv; January 9, Performing Arts Center, Beersheba; January 10, Haifa’s Congress Center (Courtesy) (Magnolia) (Courtesy) (Inbal Marmari) (Barry Brecheisen) (Courtesy) RHEINHOLD6. BRITTEN & THE BARD IN HOLLYWOOD Ido Ricklin returns to the Israeli Opera to direct Benjamin Britten’s score of Shakespeare’s comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Ricklin places the new production in Hollywood, bringing together film favorites such as Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire, Shirley Temple, Charlie Chaplin, Groucho Marx, Dorothy and the lion from Oz. They are all busy making movies, until the lights go out and the real magic begins. With British and Israeli opera soloists.January 4 to 17, Opera House, Tel Aviv. For tickets, call (03) 692-7777 7. BACH, HANDEL, HUMMEL Avner Biron conducts the Jerusalem Camerata Orchestra in a concert with trumpet player Rheinhold Friedrich (Germany) and soprano Evmorfia Metaxaki (Greece). On the program: Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F Major; Violin Concerto No. 2 in E Major; and Cantata “Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen!”; Handel’s Gloria in Excelsis Deo for soprano, strings and continuo; Johann Hummel’s Trumpet Concerto in E Major.January 9 at 8 p.m., Jerusalem Theatre; January 10 at 8:30 p.m. Savyon Beit Hatarbut; January 12 at 1 p.m., January 13 at 8 p.m. and January 14 at 8 p.m., Tel Aviv Museum of Art8. ROCKING THE ARENA Acclaimed American comedian Chris Rock will perform his Black Out Tour in Tel Aviv. He became famous with Saturday Night Live, and then acted in movies such as Beverly Hills Cop II, Lethal Weapon 4, Madagascar and Laughing Dead. In 2005 and 2016, he hosted the Academy Awards ceremony.January 8, Menorah Mivtachim Arena, Tel Aviv. Doors open a 7:30 p.m. Show starts at 9 p.m.9. ALL ABOUT AFRICAThe first edition of the African Film Festival takes place this month in cinematheques around the country. The program of the five-day event includes some of the best movies about Africs, such as Facing the Wall (2016); Captain Thomas Sankara: The Upright Man (2014); Wulu (2016); Rain the Color of Blue with a Little Red in It (2015); and Democrats (2014), a Danish documentary film about politics in Africa. The festival also features lectures, documentary screenings and live radio.January 16 to 20 at the Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa cinematheques 10. SEVEN UP Composer and pianist Gil Shohat returns with another edition of his successful 7 Grand Pianos, One Stage production, this time with special guest Harel Skaat. The concert, which was rated most popular classical-pop concert in Israel, will feature the original cast: pianist, conductor and musical director Shohat; pianist and singer Rami Kleinstein; pianist and singer Shlomo Gronich; pianist and singer Leonid Ptashka; pianists Omri Mor, Michael Zartsekel, Victor Stanislavsky and Tal Samnon; and soprano Daniella Lugassi.January 6 at 8:30 p.m., Haifa Auditorium; January 20 at 8:30 p.m., Charles Bronfman Auditorium, Tel Aviv (Courtesy of YES) Brecheisen) RHEINHOLD FRIEDRICH (Rosa Frank)
