Adina Bernstein

There’s something fascinating about learning who a respected artist was as a child. Seeing who they were and who they grew up to speaks volumes about who they are as human beings and a creator. Recently, two new films delved into the childhoods of two revered filmmakers: Steven Spielberg and James Gray.
Over the last few months, both filmmakers released films (both of which were based on their childhood): Spielberg’s The Fabelmans and Gray’s Armageddon Time. Within each narrative, hate and pr...

Abortion is one of those topics that are guaranteed to generate strong opinions, regardless of where one stands on the political and religious scale. At the end of the day, it is just another medical procedure. But over time, it has become a stand-in for other cultural touchstones that may never be resolved.
The new movie, Call Jane, is set in Chicago in 1968 and based on a true story. Joy (Elizabeth Banks) is a traditional housewife. Happily married to Will (Chris Messina), she has a teenage...

There are inside secrets in any industry that are only known to those who make a living from it. I’ve been in customer service for most of my career. Though my job may seem simple, it’s not. What am I about to tell you will make your experience a pleasant one and my job much easier.
Note: The following emails are based on real emails/voicemails/messages I have received over my career.
Customer Email: I need an update on my order. (Note that the email is lacking any information in regards to w...

Social media may seem innocuous. It is an opportunity to expand your world, connect with other people, etc. But like anything in life, there is a downside.
After nearly a year of speculation, Elon Musk announced that he had finally purchased Twitter. One of his aims with the platform is to ensure that free speech continues to be the raison d’être of the site. He also plans to limit permanent bans of those who have been considered to be problematic (he who shall not be named among them). By th...

Since March 2020, working from home has become the new normal for many white-collar jobs. Though it is tempting to spend all day in your pajamas, I believe that it is important to get dressed.
It provides a similar psychological effect to being in the office: There is a certain energy that comes with working on location. I can’t build up that energy while in my night clothes. Even if it is comfy pants and an old concert t-shirt, I need to get changed to get myself in the right frame of mind.
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After two and a half years, I would love to say that Covid-19 is firmly in the rearview mirror. But it is not. Approximately 400 Americans still die every day from the virus.
The Jewish High Holidays (Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur) were two weeks ago and last week, respectively. They are three of the most important days on the calendar. Traditionally, Jews take off from work and school, ask for forgiveness, and hope/pray for another year of life.
Though the synagogue that I go to did not have ...

I don’t know about anyone else, but working from home is a new phenomenon. Before the pandemic, the only times that I was not in the office were either during a snowstorm or when I had to be home to let a cable technician in. When it became obvious in March of 2020 that Covid — 19 was more than your average cold, it was understood that those who could, would be working from their respective homes.
More than two years later, the virus has (hopefully) been tamed. Many companies have reopened fo...

In an ideal world, writers would be able to earn a living via their figurative pen and not rely on a day job. The truth is that while many of us dream of giving up our day jobs (myself included), the main source of income is not our writing. I’ve been freelancing and blogging on the side for nearly a decade. I hope that what I have learned will help other writers in the same position.
Keep a schedule that works for you: Some people wake up an hour early and write before work. Others use their...

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Adapting a beloved novel for the screen or the stage is not as easy as it appears to be. Though the characters and narrative are already set, it is up to the writers to transport the soul of the text and the voice of the original author. Without them, the adaptation rings hollow and empty.
Recently, two different small screen rewrites of Jane Austen’s novels were released. Hulu released Fire Island. It is Pride and Prejudice set among a group of five queer friends who are going on their...

We all know the stereotype of a fairy tale princess (who may or not be unconscious) waiting for a man to rescue her and save the day.
The new Hulu movie, The Princess, takes this stereotype and smashes it into pieces. When we first meet the title character, simply known as the Princess (Joey King), she is laying on a bed and wearing a beautiful white wedding dress. Opening her eyes and sitting up, she discovers that her hands and legs are chained together. After refusing to marry Julius (Domi...

Learning to write can only be described as a process of trial and error. For every polished piece or story that is published, there are others that are still in messy draft form.
Many writers (myself included) started writing via fanfiction. Fanfiction is fiction that is based on previously released work. The beauty of this genre is that there are so many opportunities to take the narrative in a new direction. The story can be a prequel, a sequel, go inside a character’s head, take place in a...

The new non-fiction book, Pandemic, Inc.: Chasing the Capitalists and Thieves Who Got Rich While We Got Sick, by J. David McSwane, was published in April. Since Covid-19 entered the United States in January of 2020, the government has spent billions of dollars to keep the nation economically afloat. One million lives have been lost. While I feel that we have to remember that this virus is new to us and therefore a medical hurdle in its own right, we also have to recognize the chaos, corruptio...

There is something about a British accent that is compelling to the American audience. It makes the viewer sit up a little straighter and pay attention. It helps, of course, if the voice is that of a redhead. Below is a list of six female British redhead performers to watch (if you’re not watching them already).
Rebecca Mader
This Cambridge-born actress is best known for playing Charlotte Lewis on Lost and Zelena/The Wicked Witch of the West on Once Upon a Time. Known to her fans as Bex, she ...

Thirty years ago, A League of Their Own hit theaters. Starring Geena Davis, Madonna, and Tom Hanks, it told the true story of the AAGBPL, an all-female baseball league that played in the lieu of the men who were fighting overseas during World War II. At the time, the movie was a massive hit. It was supposed to open the door to more on-screen female-based narratives that were based on more than love, marriage, and motherhood. “Supposed” is the keyword here.
Can There Be More Than the Token Fem...

The best stories are universal. Regardless of the period it takes place in, the language, and the culture, there is something or someone for the audience to understand as their own.
In 2002, the indie film, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, became an unexpected hit. The heroine of the film, Toula Portokalos (Nia Vardalos) is far from the usual romantic comedy female lead. She is not a size 2, not a blonde with blue eyes, and is, well, ethnic. Put upon by her large, and outspoken Greek-American family...