| January, 2016

BSO arrests two Deerfield youths for series of ATM robberies

Posted on 28 January 2016 by LeslieM

A third person is being sought

On Monday Jan. 25, a Broward Sheriff’s Office surveillance operation paid off when three men were spotted loitering near a Pompano Beach bank. Between mid-December and mid-January at least five robberies at walk-up and drive-through ATMs were reported in Deerfield Beach and Pompano Beach, prompting the BSO’s VIPER response team to set up the surveillance post.

The robbers’ method was for two of the men to startle victims and hold them at gunpoint while demanding cash from the ATM; they would then flee with the loot.

As the VIPER team approached the three loiterers on Monday, they fled on foot. Two 17-year-old male residents of Deerfield Beach were apprehended, while a third escaped and is being sought. The two in custody have admitted committing at least five robberies, and were planning another one when interrupted by the BSO.

Anyone believing they have been victimized by these robbers, or with information leading to the third robber, should contact the BSO robbery detectives at 954-321-4270.

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Allianz Golf Championship returns Feb. 1 – 7

Posted on 28 January 2016 by LeslieM

sports012816By Sandy Johnson

The Allianz Champions Golf Tournament is returning to the Old Course at Broken Sound Country Club from Feb. 1 to 7.

Imagine people all over the world, shivering in the winter cold, tuning in to the Golf Channel and watching beautiful, sunny, warm South Florida!

This annual event is enjoyed by many and has a major impact on our local area. Last year alone, they contributed over $600,000 to local charities, including Boca Raton Regional Hospital, Junior Achievement and many others. The estimated effect on our local economy is $29 million for the week’s events.

The activities begin on Monday, Feb. 1 with a women’s event hosted by PGA Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam. The actual tournament runs from Friday at 10 a.m. through Sunday starting at 9 a.m. (Earlier Sunday start so that everything will be buttoned up by 3 or 4 o’clock in time for the Super Bowl!) Admission is free Monday through Thursday for practice rounds and Pro-Am and is free for the entire weekend for those under 17 and over 70.

Last year’s champion, Paul Goydos, returned last week for media day and talked at length about his win. It was his first tournament as a senior, as he had just turned 50. He said that he was here for just one week, but the tournament organizers and the Broken Sound people worked the other 51 weeks to make everything so perfect for players and spectators.

The PGA Tour, both the regular and the championship, has contributed over $120 million to charity! Think about the fact that there are no team owners to take a lion’s share of the profits. The money goes to the golfers with a huge amount going right back to the community charities in all the local venues!

For more information and full schedule of events, go to www.allianzchampionship.com.

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Locals fare well in Deerfield tourney

Posted on 28 January 2016 by LeslieM

By Gary Curreri

When it comes to competition, Lighthouse Point’s Simone Babb is right at home on the tennis court. The 18-year-old North Broward Prep High School senior has played tennis for 10 years and has aspirations of someday playing college tennis.

I like the competition and playing in matches and tournaments,” Babb said. “I won a couple of matches in a Level 5 state designated tournament near Orlando and that was really fun because it was near Universal, and I beat some top players in the state.”

Playing for the Eagles, Babb has also had success in the FHSAA District tournaments in her previous three years.

My doubles partner and I got to the district finals and I also reached the district semifinals a couple of times as a singles competitor,” Babb said. “This year, I would love to make it to state.”

Babb fell to Margate’s Samantha Fine, 6-4; 6-3 in the round of 16 in the Girls’ 18 Singles at the recent Deer Creek Holiday Classic Level 6 at the Deer Creek Tennis Resort in Deerfield Beach. A total of 106 players took part in the tournament that featured age divisions from 12s to 18s.

The sport is super important to me because it teaches you how to compete in athletics and it keeps your brain stimulated,” Babb said. “The competition is what makes it fun.”

The different challenges that a player faces is what Babb likes the most about the sport. She said playing in a tournament like the Holiday Classic was good for her confidence and it keeps her match tough. She plays in a tournament every other weekend.

Anybody can beat anybody on a given day, so you can’t think [about] whether or not they have beaten you before,” said Babb, who is ranked 95th in the state in Girls 18s. “It is like every day is a different day.”

Every time you play someone it is always different,” she continued. “The court is going to be different. The weather is going to be different. You are going to be feeling different so it really doesn’t matter. You have to take every match as a new situation. You just keep playing. You know it is for fun and you keep playing and enjoy it because it makes you feel better.”

Deerfield Beach’s Daria Drobotova, 8, also played in the Holiday Classic; however, her goals are obviously slightly different that Babb’s. The third grader at Del Prado Elementary School in Boca Raton has played tennis four years, but mostly against girls three and four years older.

It is hard to play with an older girl, but I still keep trying to beat her,” Drobotova said. “But if I lose to her, it is okay because she is older. If I am playing someone who is older, I sometimes get nervous, but then I feel like it is okay. It doesn’t matter. If I lose, I lose and if I win, I win.”

Drobotova, who entered the tournament as the top seed, fell in the Girls 12 Singles Semifinal to Delray Beach’s Sabira Mohamed, 7-6(3); 6-2 and advanced to the Girls’ 12 Singles Consolation final where she dropped a 6-3; 6-4 decision to Melbourne, Australia’s Lara Tovich.

I have played a lot of matches in the 12 & Unders,” Drobotova said. “I lost to them, but I kept trying and trying and one of them I won.”

Drobotova said it is important when she wins her matches because it shows her that she is playing better.

It shows that I am playing better than the other girls and that I am trying harder,” Drobotova said. “It is really a fun sport. When you try it, and you get it, it is really easy.”

Deerfield Beach’s Adelya Mukhutdinova won her Girls’ 14 Singles Consolation Final as she swept Allison Isaacs (Dana Point, CA) 6-0; 6-1.

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FLICKS: 45 Years & The Hateful Eight

Posted on 28 January 2016 by LeslieM

By “Cinema Dave”

http://cinemadave.livejournal.com

The Oscar-nominated 45 Years opens tomorrow in local theaters. Starring Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay, this film feels like 1970s old school Oscar nominations: the performances are excellent, the cinematography enhances the simple story with subtle symbolism and the slow pace builds to a subtle climax that is haunting.

While preparing to celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary, Kate (Rampling) and her husband Geoff (Courtenay) receive some surprising news. Geoff’s deceased girlfriend of 46 years has been found frozen in ice after falling off the Swiss Alps. This revelation mars the gala that is supposed to celebrate marital stability.

After screening 45 Years, you will be thinking about this film afterward and will likely want to go back and review certain scenes. At one point, Kate makes a comment that in 45 years of marriage, the couple has no photographs in the house. Later, Kate goes to the attic and discovers slides of Geoff’s late girlfriend in Switzerland.

With this scene alone, veteran Charlotte Rampling earns her Oscar nomination. It is a subtle performance that chips away at a stoic character’s strength. With pure professional understatement, Rampling reveals the empty soul of her Kate. While this film will not be embraced by a callow generation, 45 Years will resonate with individuals with life experience.

Like a delicate flower, Charlotte Rampling blossoms in 45 Years, a film that should not be forgotten in overproduced marketing hype.

With much hype and Oscar hyperbole, Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight will be leaving the big screen soon. Despite three Oscar nominations for cinematography, musical score (by Ennio Morricone) and best supporting actress (Jennifer Jason Leigh), The Hateful Eight is Tarantino’s first financial flop and will likely secure his place in the Academy of the Overrated.

The first third of the film features the vast, wide open spaces that celebrate the best that the American Western has to offer. After introducing four of the Hateful Eight on the stagecoach, the film makes a pit stop at Minnie’s Haberdashery. The rest of the film becomes more claustrophobic and the tone shifts from an adventuresome Western to that of an Agatha Christie parlor mystery. With this claustrophobic scenery shift, why bother seeing The Hateful Eight on the big screen? Its running time feels longer than the Arizona Cardinals/Carolina Panther’s playoff game.

With long-winded conversations, explosive violence and repetitive motifs, the quirky Tarantino has reached the law of diminishing returns with this motion picture.

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CRIME WATCH

Posted on 28 January 2016 by LeslieM

Deerfield Beach

Jan. 11: It was reported that two generators valued at $5,000 each were stolen from work trucks at Andersen Material Handling at 1360 SW 32 Way.

Jan. 12: A woman reported that three men tried to break into her car at 722 SW 10 St.

Jan. 12: A woman and a man working together were observed stealing three vacuums from Target at 3599 W. Hillsboro Blvd.

Jan. 17: A man was observed stealing five headphones from Target at 1200 S. Federal Hwy.

Jan. 20: Unknown suspect(s) smashed three windows of the victim’s vehicle parked in the apartment complex lot at 1751 NW 2 St.

Jan. 20: A Target employee (suspect) gave unauthorized discounts on five separate occasions for five different items, total loss of $309, at 3599 W. Hillsboro Blvd.

Lighthouse Point

Jan. 1: Someone damaged a vehicle with white paint on a driver’s side door at 2611 NE 50 St. Estimated damage was $150.

Jan. 2: A store employee spotted a male subject concealing $119.99 worth of shrimp in bags and leaving the store at 2450 N. Federal Hwy. without paying for them. As the employee gave chase, the subject fled.

Jan. 4: Someone slashed a tire on a 2008 Chevy Cobalt in the parking lot of an apartment complex at 2131 NE 41 St. while the victim was out of town. The damage was $80.

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Posted on 28 January 2016 by LeslieM

RE: Open carry of firearms

Dear Editor:

The last thing that Florida needs now is looser restrictions on gun use. Over the last few decades, it has become abundantly clear that our state is dealing with significant problems in the areas of gun deaths, violence and safety. In 2000, the total [percentage] of murders that were caused by the use of a firearm was 56.1 percent; in 2010, this figure increased to 67.8 percent, and, in 2014, this figure had further increased to 70 percent. These numbers do not even factor in homicide where the shooter claimed self-defense.

Despite all this, Pro-Gun Legislators in Florida are now pushing for looser restrictions on gun use. One bill would allow the carrying of concealed weapons on college campuses, even though 73 percent of Floridians say that this is a bad idea. Another introduced piece of legislation would even allow individuals to bring guns to public meetings. Most menacingly of all, House Bill 163 and Senate Bill 300 would legalize “open carry” in Florida, which would allow citizens to openly carry guns almost anywhere concealed carry weapons are permitted. These pro-gun bills would have the dangerous effect of allowing more Floridians to have more guns in more places, a situation we should avoid.

Given the elevated gun violence levels in our state, this is not the kind of legislation that Florida needs.

We must implement stricter and safer gun control legislation that would counteract those issues, not enhance them. Florida deserves common-sense gun control and funding that would provide additional mental health programs.

These are precisely the kind of measures I will support during the upcoming session.

When our forefathers drafted the second amendment to the Constitution, they did not envision that someone who was found mentally incompetent would be guaranteed the right to carry a loaded firearm. There is much talk today about money running policy.

Check your legislator’s record and their NRA rating to see who they are representing in our state capitol: the People or the NRA lobbyist?

This is important as we start the second week of session in which we will be sure to see pro-gun legislation introduced.

Maria Sachs,

Florida State Senator,

District 34

Delray Beach

RE: SW 10 St. improvements

Dear Editor:

Last year, the Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization (Broward MPO) developed a consensus building initiative with the communities along the SW 10 Street corridor to discuss the future of the corridor between Florida’s Turnpike and I-95. The purpose of this initiative was designed to identify concerns on current and future conditions and to develop consensus on potential near and long-term transportation improvements.

Nine representatives were selected from Deerfield Beach to serve on the Community Oversight and Advisory Team (COAT). Over the past several months these volunteers have worked tirelessly to give input on this project and to address some of the many issues facing those who live and work along SW 10 Street. This team has worked very hard to try to limit the negative impact a project like this could have on our city. It has become evident that this project will be a significant one, with negative and positive effects on our city. While we are limited in what we can control on this project, our input will count towards limiting the negative impact on our community.

I implore you to let your voice be heard this Saturday, Jan. 30 at 10:30 a.m. in the North Regional Broward College Library Auditorium, located at 1100 Coconut Creek Blvd., Coconut Creek, FL. This is the final meeting for public input before being presented to the Broward MPO board.

Please come out and participate in this very important meeting. The City of Deerfield Beach will be providing bus service to and from the community workshop.

Bus pick-up locations will include City Hall, Century Village Main Clubhouse, and Target on Hillsboro Boulevard and Powerline Road. Buses will be leaving each location promptly at 10 a.m. Buses will be returning from the library at 11:30 a.m., and 12:30 and 1:30 p.m.

Please contact the City Manager’s Office at 954-480-4263 to reserve a seat. Reservations must be made by Friday, Jan. 29.

If unable to attend the meeting, all interested persons are encouraged to attend, send a representative or express their views by email to info@SW10thstreetvision.org.

For more information regarding the SW 10 Street corridor improvements, please visit www.SW10thStreetvision.org.

Vice Mayor Bill Ganz

Deerfield Beach

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HAPPENINGS

Posted on 28 January 2016 by LeslieM

Friends of the Arboretum Membership Drive

Now through Jan. 31

Deerfield Beach Arboretum

Constitution Park

2841 W. Hillsboro Blvd.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33442

Join the Deerfield Beach Arboretum for $25 through Jan. 31 and receive a free polo shirt with embroidered logo. White or dark green, mens or womens, S, M, L, XL or XXL. Send order with a check to Jack Pernatin, membership chairman, Friends of the Deerfield Beach Arboretum, at the address above. Pick up your shirt at the next meeting or add $4 postage to have it mailed. Call 954-480-4495 or visit www.treezoo.com.

60s “Sit in”

Thursday, Jan. 28, 5 to 7 p.m.

Boca Raton Historical Society & Museum

71 N. Federal Hwy.

Boca Raton, FL 33342

Don your bell bottoms for this‘60s style sit-in to launch the opening of the Boca Raton Historical Society & Museum’s newest exhibit, “Those Were The Days My Friend: Boca Raton in the 1960s”. $5 adults, $3 students, free to members.

Movie: Road to Hope

Friday, Jan. 29, 7 p.m.

First Baptist Church

701 Eller St.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Florida is ranked third in the amount of human trafficking/sex trafficking nationally. This short film mixes interviews and dramatizations to highlight the risks young people face. Donation to benefit Grace Place School. For information, call Diana Rice at 954-817-0175.

Aunt Mary’s Annual Attic Sale

Saturday, Jan. 30, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

St. Paul the Apostle Church

2700 NE 36 St.

Lighthouse Point, FL 33064

Household items, furniture, clothes, jewelry, small appliances and more. Refreshments for sale. Call 954-943-9154.

Estate Yard Sale

Saturday, Jan. 30, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

2765 SE 3 St.

Pompano Beach, FL 33062

Partial proceeds benefit Community Presbyterian Church, Deerfield. Furniture, hospital bed, household goods and more. Call 954-934-5588.

Community Yard Sale

Saturday, Jan. 30, 9 a.m.

Hillsboro Cove Condominiums

1365 E. Hillsboro Blvd.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Rain or shine event. Furniture, household goods, sporting goods, baked items and more.

Annual Winter Tea

Saturday, Jan. 30, 2 to 4 p.m.

Oveta McKeithen Recreational Complex

445 SW 2 St.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Bring your favorite teacup and join in an afternoon of food, friendship, entertainment, prizes and tea! Hat and gloves requested, but not mandatory. Register at any community center or online at www.deerfield-beach.com/registration. $15 per person.

Copacabana Night Fundraiser Dinner

Saturday, Jan. 30, 6:30 p.m.

Lighthouse Point Yacht Club

2701 NE 42 St.

Pompano Beach, FL 33064

Fundraiser for Exchange Club in support of many local charities, including the Children’s Healing Institute and the Broward Children’s Center. $150 per person includes dinner, open bar, music, dancing and prize entry. Guest tickets $100. Call 954-941-7283.

Pet CPR Course

Sunday, Jan. 31, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Florida Humane Society

3870 N. Powerline Rd.

Pompano Beach, FL 33073

Learn pet CPR and first aid. Please bring an item to donate to Florida Humane Society. Register in advance at www.PetTech.net. Call 954-974-6152. For Pet CPR or human CPR classes, please call CPR Training 2 Go, 954-461-8203.

Garage Sale at Butler House

Sunday, Jan. 31, 1 to 4 p.m.

Historic Butler House

380 E. Hillsboro Blvd.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Rent a spot and sell or come browse. Vendors: $10 per space (must supply own table). Contact Emily Lilly, 561-299-8684 or e-mail elilly707@aol.com.

Paws for a Cause “Pup-View”

Sunday, Jan. 31, 2 to 6 p.m.

Baja Café Dos

1310 S. Federal Hwy.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Adorable dogs available for adoption from Milo’s Dog Rescue. Live music, door prizes, raffle, food and drink specials. Preview of the main event coming up at the Deerfield Women’s Club on Feb. 27.

Philly & Jersey Shore Reunion and Jam Session

Sunday, Jan. 31, 4 to 9 p.m.

RIP Sports Bar at Diamond Strike Lanes

2200 N. Federal Hwy.

Pompano Beach, FL 33062

Music featuring Frankie “Fats” Montanna, Quaker City String Band, Judy’s Wildwood Mummers Brigade, DJ Eugene and more. Call 954-410-5536 or edreidy@comcast.net.

Food Truck Invasion

Thursday, Feb. 4, 5 to 10 p.m.

Quiet Waters Park

401 S. Powerline Rd.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33442

Enjoy fresh handmade gourmet food, from entrees to ice cream! Call 954-357-5100.

Save the Date! Lighthouse Point Keepers Day

Feb. 5, 6 and 7

Includes events at Lighthouse Point Yacht Club, Dan Witt Park, and Frank McDonough Park, a parade and more.

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CLERGY CORNER: Experiencing renewal

Posted on 28 January 2016 by LeslieM

Broadcast producers have found a goldmine in reality-based programming. From the network stations to cable, and even Internet channels, reality television is the flavor of the moment. From popular shows like Real Housewives of (pick your city) to Survivor, The Bachelorette, Dancing with the Stars, Biggest Loser and the Amazing Race, there has been an abundance of programming that is relatively unscripted, unrehearsed and reality-based.

One of my favorites is HGTV’s Property Brothers, where twins Jonathan and Drew guide couples through the process of purchasing and renovating fixer-upper homes. The premise is simple: most couples have a limited budget but an unrestricted wish list. They usually can’t afford the homes that meet all their demands and must pick from several homes that are in their reach but need a lot of work. The brothers have become masters at seeing past ugly paint colors, weird interior layouts and outdated kitchen appliances to imagining, and then producing, magazine-worthy homes that leave the new owners in awe.

The truth is that at one time those fixer-uppers were brand new and appealing. Time, use and wear inevitably took a toll on them, however, leaving them in need of refreshing, renewing and updating. Our lives and experiences, over time, can be such that they leave us weary, worn and dilapidated. Once bursting with energy, passion and zeal, we can look around one day to find ourselves weak, overwhelmed and dispirited. But, like those homes that can be re-imagined and repurposed, there is a potential and possibility that can yet be unleashed in us.

The start of a new year often presents an opportunity to review and renew our lives. Most of us make resolutions in an attempt to make improvements and change for the better. Losing weight, saving more money, giving up bad habits and learning something new are some of the more popular goals that people set for themselves at the beginning of each year. The truth is that we can begin new things or make adjustments at any time, but the first month of a new year provides the added benefit of an emotional boost. Everything seems fresh and most people seem to be filled with optimism about themselves and their prospects for the months ahead.

Opportunities are always around us, but sometimes we focus so much on our obstacles that we fail to notice them. Life doesn’t have to be so adverse that we feel trapped and unfulfilled. Like a dilapidated home that is re-imagined and given new life, we, too, can experience renewal and be refreshed.

Believers know that God is constantly calling us to renewal: spiritual, emotional and sometimes physical. His plans for us are far superior to what we can imagine, and, if we look to Him, we can experience His guidance. As Solomon observed in Proverbs 16:9, “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.”

As this year begins to unfold, be encouraged to embrace the opportunities you have to experience renewal, and to make changes for the better. Include God in your planning and discover the good things He has purposed for you. Begin each day by looking to Him for direction and heeding His instruction. The confident assertion of King David, in Psalm 16:11, is “You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” That sounds like a good plan to me. Try it, and may your year be filled with renewed joy, pleasure and fulfillment.

Bishop Patrick L. Kelly is the pastor of Cathedral Church of God, 365 S. Dixie Hwy., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. 954-427-0302.

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Jenkins steps down as Tigers coach

Posted on 21 January 2016 by LeslieM

SPORTS012116By Gary Curreri

With 20 returning seniors from last season, it wasn’t the season that Blanche Ely High School football coach Nakia Jenkins had hoped for; so, after careful thought, he told his players and administrators last week that he was resigning.

Jenkins, who finished 2-9 this season and 8-14 in two seasons as the Tigers head coach, did manage to reach the playoffs in both seasons. The Tigers lost to Atlantic, 21-13, in the first round of the Class 7A playoffs last year and Dwyer, 16-14, this season.

I think it’s best for myself and the community that I move in another direction,” Jenkins said. “I think it’s best for my family and health to step away from the game of football.”

Ridley decides

Cavin Ridley is going from being a Buck to a Bulldog.

The Deerfield Beach High School senior receiver decided on the University of Georgia, surprising many who thought he would go to the University of Alabama, where he would join his older brother, Calvin, a freshman receiver and major contributor on the national championship squad.

This was by far the hardest decision I’ve had to make in my life,” Ridley wrote on Twitter. “As you all have seen, I have really struggled to choose between some amazing universities with outstanding football programs. I took a step back to go over my recruiting options and take an in-depth second look at all the schools on my final list.”

The four-star recruit is regarded as one of the top skilled players in the country and briefly committed to South Carolina before switching to Georgia two days later. Ridley helped the Bucks win the District 11-8A title this past season. Deerfield Beach fell to the eventual state champion, Flanagan, 17-0, in the Class 8A Regional championship contest.

Local cheer teams qualify for state

Several local high school cheerleading teams are headed to the Florida High School Athletic Association state finals following their recent performances in the Region 4 tournament at Dillard High School.

Blanche Ely had the highest finish of the local teams as it placed 6th in the Large Non-Tumbling Division, while Pompano Beach and Deerfield Beach placed 12th and 13th , respectively, in the Small Non-Tumbling Division at the competition. The three teams all scored at least 60 points and are headed to the state semifinals.

The Small Non-Tumbling, Small Varsity, Medium Varsity competitions will be held on Friday, Jan. 29, while the Large Non-Tumbling, Large Varsity, Extra Large Varsity, Small Co-Ed and Large Co-Ed competitions are on Saturday, Jan 30.

Beach soccer tourney slated

The South Florida United Youth Soccer League will host its inaugural SFUYSA Beach Soccer Tourney on March 12-13 on Pompano Beach.

The tournament, which is coordinated by Pro-Am Beach Soccer, will feature all divisions and age groups from youth to men, women and co-ed.

The tournament format will consist of Micro Soccer, 4v4 (4 field players, no goalie and small goals will be used); the Under-9 division plays 6v6 (5 field players, one goalie), while all other divisions play 5v5 (4 field players, one goalie).

The first place will receive a team trophy and player medals, while second place teams will receive player medals.

For more information, call 415-308-0603.

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FLICKS: 13 Hours

Posted on 21 January 2016 by LeslieM

In 2012, on the evening of the 11th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, a group of Islamic militants attacked two American diplomatic compounds in Libya, killing Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans, and injuring 10 more. The first response from the U.S. State Department was the claim that the attack was a protest over an anti-Islamic video that had surfaced on the Internet in July 2012. The “protest video” theory was proven false and [some say] was a diversion by the State Department, which had failed to provide adequate security for Americans on foreign soil.

Based on the book 13 Hours by Michael Zuckoff, producer/director Michael Bay has attempted to cut through the propaganda and present the story of the Benghazi tragedy.

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi opens and closes with Jack Silva’s (John Krasinski) arrival and departure in Benghazi. Leaving his large family at home, Silva is a security contractor for the American diplomatic compound and not-so-secret CIA annex. Silva works with a competent team of former military men, who are supervised by a boss with a Napoleonic complex.

The day of Sept. 11, 2012 starts off quietly, but Ambassador Stevens and the security team are advised to keep a low profile on this sad anniversary. As the sun begins to set, terrorist thugs begin encroaching upon the diplomatic compound. It is a subtle movement at first, but by sundown, barbaric intentions are revealed.

13 Hours tells a compelling story that is nuanced by the fog of war. Director Michael Bay uses many cinematic techniques that can trigger an emotional reaction. At the start of the battle, there is use of some frantic editing. As the battle rages on, there is some fantastic cinematography that is presented with concise visual clarity.

Best known for his comedic performances, Krasinski reveals more depth as an actor in this film. The actor’s ensemble is understated, capturing the fraternal culture of soldiers in the foxhole. Bay provides subtle moments for these men, showing moments of humor in the face of dread. This film provides an emotional wallop.

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