By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

Thirty two years ago, bad boy Dustin Hoffman accepted his first Oscar for Kramer vs. Kramer on behalf of all actors.

Being a Dillard School of Performing Arts acting student, I thanked Dustin in the journal we were required to write to my teacher, Mary Helen Rassi.

The next day in class, Ms. Rassi acknowledged Dustin’s passionate speech. However, she focused on several Broadway performers who thought they “had it made” when they were featured on A Chorus Line. When their careers did not evolve, some of these performers suffered nervous breakdowns and turned to substance abuse. To quote my mentor from this day, April 15, 1980:

“It is important to be successful, but it is even more important to know your own success.”

Those words have been a comfort to me, given my inability to win an Oscar in the past 32 years.

After reviewing my experiences in the entertainment fields, I’ve realized that much of the glitz and glamour are synthetic by-products.

My joy has been creating the actual product, whether writing, directing, producing, acting or research-and-development. My Dad taught this value to me.

During my “unemployment years,” I was getting frustrated watching some unscrupulous people succeed in the entertainment and educational fields. At my brother’s request, I went to house-sit, which lasted six months with no television. The highlight was working with my dad for several weeks.

We did simple repairs, upping the value of the house by $10,000. He reminded me of the carpenter’s motto, “Measure twice, cut once” and that there are no shortcuts to success.

Since that time, I have been blessed with steady income and many conversations with my parents.

Starting in his 70s, my dad became a master model boat builder, the culmination of his craft, talent and experience over the years, with a mindset rivaling the likes of Michelangelo and Da Vinci.

Coverage of the Oscars seemed to focus more on the red carpet and less on the artistic success of The Artist and Hugo, which reminded me of Mrs. Rassi’s words from 32 years ago.

On the other hand, my dad has been happily married for 65 years, raised three kids with master’s degrees, mentors his five grandchildren and quietly turned 90 this week.

My Dad has lived by example and I love him for that.

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

Despite a critical pummeling, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island has been resilient at the box office.

Currently, the IMAX treat at the IMAX Ft. Lauderdale Museum of Discovery until March 9 (when John Carter opens), this film is a fun adventure movie for the whole family.

A loose sequel to Journey to the Center of the Earth:
3-D, Josh Hutchenson returns as Sean, a teenage rebel with some intelligence. He has received a secret ham radio code from his long lost grandfather, Alexander (Michael Caine), a character who could be Kungaloosh, a member of the dearly-departed Adventurers Club. Despite protests from his Mom (Kristin Davis) and Stepfather (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson), Sean embarks on a quest to find his grandfather.

This film is a trademark of producer Charlotte Huggins, whose previous MODS IMAX credits include Encounter in the Third Dimension,  Alien Adventure and the first Journey.

Oscar events

Four years ago, while promoting his original Journey, Hutchenson was honored by the Palm Beach International Film Festival (PBIFF).

This Sunday, PBIFF will  host an Oscar party at Mizner Park. Officially sanctioned by Oscar, the event will feature a LIVE broadcast in the Count de Hoernle Amphitheater. Admission is FREE. Dress like your favorite actor. Bring a towel and sit on the grass. Silent auction will feature the second Cinema Dave Adventure Pack. Enclosed in a large painter’s box, this pack will feature movie memorabilia, social science artifacts and my book The Adventures of Cinema Dave in the Florida Motion Picture World. www.pbifilmfest.org.

Meanwhile, The Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLIFF) will host their Oscar party at Cinema Paradiso in Ft. Lauderdale starting at 6 p.m.

Meals will be named after this year’s Oscar contenders, including Moneyball Miso Soup, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close Thai Curry Coconut Shrimp Soup, Hugo Vietnamese Spring Rolls, Midnight in Paris Stir Fried Veggie Rice, The Artist Steamed Dumplings, War Horse Teri-yaki Meatballs, Tandoori Chicken and for dessert … The Tree of Life Ginger & lemon cake, refreshing The Descendants Sorbet Bar and The Help Rice Pudding with a complimentary glass of Sake. (www.fliff.com)

Regardless of whether you Journey 2 the Oscar parties in Cinema Paradiso or Mizner Park, Billy Crystal will be host at both events. Stay tuned past the Oscars and you might see my old classmate “Jake Byrd” from the red carpet on The Jimmy Kimmel Show.

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

If you enjoyed the cold temperatures from this past weekend or received a cold-hearted Valentines, then Thin Ice is the movie for you. Greg Kinnear portrays Mickey, an insurance salesman in Minnesota. While attending a convention in the tropics, Mickey meets a blond femme fatale. When he returns home to his broken marriage with Jo Ann (Lea Thompson), Mickey realizes that he might have the potential expense of alimony.

To score quick cash, Mickey finds a cash cow in Gorvy (Alan Arkin), a seemingly senile man with a valuable violin. Taking advantage of Gorvy’s mental condition, Mickey tries to steal the artifact, but runs into the crosshairs of a prissy salesman (Bob Balaban) and a greedy handyman (Billy Crudup).

This is a dark comedy with a definite payoff. Kinnear is adept at playing sleazy roles like Mickey, yet he manages to find a way for the audience to sympathize with him. Arkin’s Gorvy is the most
sympathetic character and Crudup’s brutal handyman is funny with a touch of Moe Howard.

On a far more serious note, the French Film La Rafle opens this weekend. An award-winning film from American film festivals, including the best audience award from the Miami Jewish Film Festival, this film stars Jean Reno and Mélanie Laurent. La Rafle (translation – The Round Up) explains lost French innocence under Nazi Germany.

On a far less serious note, MegaCon in Orlando commences this weekend. Held in the cradle between Universal and Disney World, this annual convention features the best, and worst, synergy between the comic book and motion picture universes.

While this summer’s corporate blockbusters feature a showdown between the Marvel Comics Universe (The Avengers) and D.C. Comics (The Dark Knight Rises), look for small business to rake in some profits.

My buddy for over 33 years, CJ of CJ’s Comics, is taking two van loads of Superhero supplies. CJ expects to return with one empty van. www.megaconvention.com.

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

It is almost a year since Navy Seal Team 6 killed terrorist Osama bin Laden. Rival studios plan to produce a film about the Seal Team 6 mission, with release dates projected to be around election day in November. It is nothing new for Hollywood to release films promoting Democratic leaders (The Contender in 2000, Fahrenheit 9/11, in 2004, W in 2008) at the expense of Republican leadership.

With the exception of W and John F. Kennedy’s heroics in PT 109, most politic biopics like The Iron Lady are produced after the political leader is out of power.

From the leadership of British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Pope John Paul II and President Ronald Reagan, the world became a better place 30 years ago. Given current affairs, young people today should review this conservative lesson from recent history. When Thatcher proposes politically unpopular choices in budget cuts, she is vilified. Sound familiar?

Sadly, The Iron Lady is a flick that fears teaching a history lesson regarding Thatcher. While Meryl Streep is picture perfect as the title character, the perception of The Iron Lady is from a screenplay suffering from dementia. The framing story involves the widow Thatcher and her delusional conversations with her late husband, Denis (Jim Broad-bent, who seems to be recreating his Oscar-winning role from Iris, a better drama about celebrity dementia).

For the next 105 minutes, the film becomes unstuck in time; we see young Margaret as storekeeper’s daughter, followed by various scenes of Mrs. Thatcher arguing in the House of Commons. These individual scenes vary in quality of short storytelling. Streep gives a great performance, but The Iron Lady deserved better.

The Conquest deals with current Prime Minister Nicolas Sarkozy and the rise of conservatism in France. Politically, Sarkozy (Denis Podalydès) brings a fresh perspective to the bureaucratic decay of the French political system. Personally, Sarkozy does not know if his wife will be with him on election night. This film succeeds in presenting the double-headed dragon of public and private life.

It opens with the disclaimer that “this is a work of fiction based on public records.” Thus, the ticket buyer becomes the jury and the movie producers – the attorney. With one side of the story being presented in biopics like The Conquest and The Iron Maiden, one wonders if there will be time for rebuttal in the movies.

Paragon’s Mike Whalen with Lt. Commander Leo Gray and Mayor Peggy Noland.

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

The Paragon Theater in Deerfield Beach deserves honors for screening Red Tails last Friday evening with a featured appearance by Tuskegee Air Core pilot, Lt. Commander Leo Gray, (ret.) USAF.

More than 14 World War II veterans were acknowledged with prolonged applause in the sold-out auditorium.

In the past, I have written how certain movies from my childhood provided inspiration. These older films contain outdated production values today, yet a film like The Alamo still influences my life. I wonder how young people will respond to a movie like Red Tails (Many were in attendance, wearing cadet uniforms).

Red Tails tells a traditional story with a clear beginning, middle and end. With the backdrop of the World War II European campaign, Red Tails celebrates the Negro pilots from the Tuskegee Air Core training program.

The characters are archetypes. The flight commander secretly drinks alcohol to cope with the stress of command and the second-in-command has a rebellious streak because he is an excellent daredevil pilot. Then, there is “the innocent,” a young pilot who is yet to be tested in battle. Each character fulfills his character arc with little emotional connection with the audience.

Fifty-two years after release, The Alamo retains classic status due to the well-directed action sequences. The same can be said of Red Tails, which features five aeronautical action sequences that even impressed Lt. Commander Gray.

Avoiding attention deficit disorder editing techniques, Director Anthony Heming-way provides clear and concise attention to detail without sacrificing human empathy.

Red Tails has not been a critical darling of the elitist critics circle, yet the sold-out audience at Paragon applauded the film at its conclusion. This crowd behavior is a harbinger for Red Tails durability for the next five decades.

Lt. Commander Gray best sums up my feelings of Red Tails with this quote: “This is a Hollywood version and enjoy it as such. Don’t let it bother you that a little bit of history was overlooked. It is still a good movie and the aeronautical sequences are going to blow your mind.”

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

Robin Williams took on his first serious role in The World According to Garp, though his costars Glenn Close and John Lithgow earned Best Supporting Oscar nominations. Lithgow portrayed Roberta Muldoon, an ex-NFL football player who became a transsexual. Thirty years later, Close has been nominated for best actress for Albert Nobbs, which explores the issues of sexual identity.

As the title character, Close portrays a woman who is identified as a skinny but reliable butler in 19th Century Ireland. Since it is not safe to be a single woman in that land, Nobbs blends into the scenery of an upper class household.

When handyman Hubert Page (Janet McTeer) takes on a job, Albert is forced to take in a roommate. This chance encounter forces the repressed Albert to think about other possibilities in living an authentic life.

With an attention to detail and a steady pace, Albert Nobbs is a thought-provoking movie in line with James Joyce’s short story, The Dead. A passion project produced by Close (who also co-wrote the theme song), this film captures the thin line between Irish tragedy and comedy.

With a strong ensemble cast, it shines with reliable performances. Upon first stereotypical appearances, both Close and Janet McTeer manage to invest audience empathy through nuanced performances. Both actresses have earned their actor’s kudos on the awards circuit.

Floating around at local art house cinemas is The House of Pleasures, writer/director Bertrand Bonello’s ode to the last brothel in Paris. A French film with English subtitles, House of Pleasures examines the business of lust. Like an employee primer, one is given a textbook procedure on how to seduce a person for cash.

Many characters cross the fine line between fantasy and reality in this film. One Madam scars her face into a permanent smile in a quest for eternal happiness. Both Albert Nobbs and House of Pleasures explore this fine line between fantasy and reality with stunning results.

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

War Horse is a modest motion picture; it raised $67 million since it’s Christmas Day release. It got shut out of last weekend’s Golden Globe Awards, but earned Best Picture Award through the National Board of Review and the AFI Movie of the Year Award.

Given these under-publicized honors, War Horse is destined to become a literary cinema classic for years to come.

Based on Michael Morpur-go’s award-winning juvenile fiction novel, War Horse tells the story of Joey, a horse raised on a farm in Ireland. Joey and Albert (Jeremy Irvine) develop a symbiotic relationship that saves the farm from a greedy landlord (David Thewlis) for one more year. When World War I raises its ugly head, Ted’s father sells Joey to the military effort.

Being the last war involving a Calvary charge, Joey is put in the front line against the German Army. Through war’s inferno, Joey ends becoming a German War Horse, but not before encountering such interesting characters as two war deserters, a farmer and his frail granddaughter.

Director Steven Spielberg is the perfect director for this type of motion picture, with echoes of E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial and Schindler’s List. The most powerful violence occurs off-screen, but the consequences of war are presented without blinking.

Being a student of film master John Ford, Spielberg’s visual homages are apparent.

The human actors are perfectly cast. If young Albert Narracott keeps his nose clean, War Horse will be a launching pad to a long career as a leading man.  Emily Watson and David Thewlis provide reliable support. While Joey is portrayed by 17 horses, the fictional character becomes real in War Horse.

Besides being technically proficient about the horrors of war, War Horse is a heartwarming movie about peace. Without special effects, explosions and computer animation, the thematic climax involves scared enemies in the trenches, barb wire and Joey trapped in the neutral zone. Resolution of this subtle scene is real.

For stoic people who shield their emotions, animals serve as a conduit. For me, the loss of Bill Elliott, who graduated with me from Deerfield Beach High School, became real when I saw his dog, Dinghy, standing guard over the dearly departed master during the memorial.

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

Grief is a confusing emotion. One reacts differently under each situation.

Last December, I lost my Uncle Paul and my buddy (“Scary”) Gerry Carter within three days of each other. The only emotional release I found was Matt “Guitar” Murphy’s Blues performance at Satchmo Blues Bar in Ft. Lauderdale a few nights later (see picture pg. 1).

A member of the original Blues Brothers Band who performed with Howlin’ Wolf and Etta James, Murphy was backed-up by Albert Castiglia.

Castiglia will be performing at the Florida Blues Film Festival at Satchmo on Martin Luther King weekend. Presented by BlueAtHeart Productions, this festival features three documentaries that have been honored in the past year, Full Moon Lightnin’, Hard Times and M is for Mississippi. While the Blues acknowledges pain and suffering in the world, it’s often also the first step toward redemption. (www.bluesfilmfest.com).

For many, The Mill and the Cross could be considered a transformative motion picture. Featuring Rutger Hauer, Charlotte Rampling and Michael York, this Art House motion picture details Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s masterpiece The Way to Calvary, circa 1564.

The film is an entertaining art history lesson that looks at many phases of putting oil on canvas. It opens with models being positioned, while Bruegel (Hauer) provides commentary about character placement.

While the suffering of the Christ is the focal point, Bruegel explains why he hides Jesus in the painting while characters vie for the spotlight. A hit at last year’s Sundance Film Festival, The Mill and the Cross is the next best thing to going to an art museum this weekend.

For more traditional movie-going fare, The Adventures of Tintin is a fun diversion. The first of a planned trilogy, Tintin was produced by Peter Jackson, directed by Steven Spielberg and based on the much-loved European comic book character created by Brussels-born artist Herge.

From the opening notes of John Williams post-modernist score, the viewer is plunged into the animated world of Tintin (Jamie Bell) and his loyal companion Snowy, a dog. After purchasing a model ship at a street fair, Tintin learns about a valuable secret inside the vessel.

Unfortunately for Tintin and Snowy, the evil Sakharine (Daniel Craig) wishes to obtain the same secret.

With the exception of the visuals, this adventure may not contain an Oscar-winning narrative, but is 107 minutes of pure cinematic escapism.

In the summer of 2009, I wrote an article about Jim McNalis and his statue of “The Lady,” Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, who was finally released in 2010 from a nearly two decade imprisonment by the country of Myanmar (Burma). Jim was granted an audience Dec. 28.

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

You know you got to go through hell before you get to Heaven.

– “Jet  Airliner,” Steve Miller Band

This song lyric best summarizes my thoughts about 2011.

This year, I faced the devilish dark soul of show business, yet have been saved by the grace of so many Back Stage Angels: volunteers at Mega-Con, PBIFF, Spooky Empire, FLIFF, the Geeks of Comedy, C.J. Comics and anyone who purchased The Adventures of Cinema Dave in the Florida Motion Picture World.

While celebrity scandal and divorce made mainstream headlines, Florida was blessed with visitation by many Class Acts: Max Winkler, Kyra Schon, Doris Roberts, Jon Provost, Pamela Poitier, Orianthi, Pat Novak, Matt “Guitar” Murphy, Danny Murphy, Doug Jones, Steve Hunter, Tommy Hen-riksen, John Hamblin, Chuck Garric, Peter Ford, Dennis Farina, Barry S. Anderson and The Amazing Randi.

2011 Top films, in reverse alphabetical order: X-Men: First Class, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Muppets, Midnight in Paris, Hugo, The Help, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, Captain America: The First Avenger and The Artist.

Honorable Mention: War Horse, Soul Surfer, The Rum Diary, Into the Abyss, Insidious, Happy Feet 2, Gains-bourg: A Heroic Life, Drive, Dolphin Tale and Born to be Wild 3-D.

The Oscars are set for Feb. 26. Look for Glenn Close in Albert Nobbs and the movie Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close starring Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock.

Warner Brothers is projected to be King of the Box Office next year, based on two movies: The Dark Knight Rises (opens July 2012) and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, which opens 12-14-12, a week before the “end of the world” on 12-21-12, according to the Mayan Calendar. Although, world-renowned magician and hoax debunker James Randi predicts, “The end of the world will not happen.”

So we can rest easy, and I can expect to write another 52 columns.

Dear Reader, thank you for your interest in Flicks, which now begins its 13th year with The Observer.

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

While the story and characters are as interesting as the first movie, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows does not hold up as well as the original film.  Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law and Kelly Reilly reprise their roles with relish. While Noomi Ropace (the original Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) adds dimension to author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s world, the attention deficit disorder editing distracts from the action sequences.

Still, Director Guy Ritchie deserves credit for providing an interesting film that will satisfy both modern audiences and diehard fans. Like the first film, the organic musical score is a highlight. During a mountain trek, one can hear the theme song from Two Mules for Sister Sarah, which creates a subconscious link between Sherlock Holmes and the American cowboy.