By Dave Montalbano
http://cinemadave.livejournal.com
Oscar nominations were announced this morning and it is business-as-usual for the Hollywood industry.
It is the earliest Oscar season and the ceremony will commence Feb. 24th. Expect to read about local Oscar parties that particular Sunday night.
To help launch the U.S. theatrical release of Nicky’s Family tomorrow, the Center for Holocaust and Human Rights Education (CHHRE) at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) and Menemsha Films are bringing Nick Winton, the son of Sir Nicholas Winton, from London to speak with students at area schools and movie-goers. Nick will be joined by a survivor from The Florida Chapter of Kindertransport Association.
A lighter version of Schindler’s List, Nicky’s Family presents Sir Nick’s one-man crusade to rescue Jewish children from Nazis in Czechoslovakia. Now in their seventies and eighties, many of the 600+ survivors speak fondly of their mysterious benefactor.
As Sir Nick celebrates his 100th birthday, he is greeted by thousands of the Czechoslovakia offspring that he helped create. Given the dark history of the Nazi Holocaust, the optimism of Sir Nick reigns supreme in the modern day.
The sleeper hit of the holiday season, Parental Guidance is a Billy Crystal comedy in the vein of The Cosby Show and Everybody Loves Raymond that is familyfriendly. Crystal and Bette Midler portray the grandparents of three uptight children (Bailee Madison, Joshua Rush, Kyle Harrison Brietkopf) whose parents (Marisa Tomei, Tom Everett Scott) are overworked neurotic messes.
The comedy is broad and includes successful slapstick sequences. One of the funniest gags involves the three children’s first taste of sugar with drunken results. Yet, there is much heart with individual moments of personal pain. In particular is Joshua Rush’s transitional performance as the son with a speech disorder.
Bailee Madison and Maverick Moreno (He portrays “Cody,” Bailee’s first onscreen love interest) attended a recent Friday night screening at Muvico Broward 18.
It was a wonderful night with a big crowd that concluded with the community shooting a viral video.
You don’t need to attend the Orange Bowl or fly to Hollywood to be entertained. Just go outside and visit local venues in our neighborhood to have a good and rewarding time.
