By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

Located on the Florida Atlantic University campus on 777 Glades Rd. in Boca Raton, Living Room Theater celebrates their one-year university next month. Given these rough economic times, The Living Room has managed to negotiate a unique partnership between the bureaucracy of education and the demands of private industry. It has triumphed by supplying culturally-diverse motion pictures to our community.

Based on the Best-selling memoir Retter in der nacht, by Marga Spiegel,  Saviors in the Night is a film that will find an audience within our community.  Directed by Ludi Boeken, Saviors in the Night is a 100-minute film about German farmers who hid Jews targeted for extinction by Adolph Hitler from 1943 thru 1945.

It opens in the trenches of World War I, in which young Jewish soldier Menne Spiegel earns the German Cross of Iron for his heroics in the trenches of battle. The film flash forwards and Menne is hunted by the German government that honored him 25 years prio.

Now with a wife Marga (Veronica Ferres) and child, Menne (Armin Rohde) has knowledge of family members being sent to concentration camps. For safety’s sake, the mother and child split from the father. After making a simple request for sanctuary, Menne leaves his wife and child with Herr Aschoff (Martin Horn), a German patriot whose son is fighting for the Nazis.

Up to this point, Saviors in the Night is a gritty war film with echoes of Schindler’s List, The Pianist and The Diary of Anne Frank. Yet it provides a different perspective of German individuals who are not Nazis.  Despite their political leanings, the Aschoff family has the humanity treat Menne’s family with dignity and respect. While the Nazi threat never dissipates, Saviors in the Night celebrates the domestic joys that enrich our lives.

One particular scene stands out for its cultural symbolism. As Frau Aschoff bathes in a bathtub, she invites Marga to join her. While modern audiences might interpret it as lesbianism, the scene represents the subtle baptism of two women washing away the ghosts of the cultural past.

This film is a triumph of individual actions over entrenched ideology. Given political current events and news, boy, do we need more stories about Aschoff, Pentrop, Sudfield, Silkenbohmer and Sickmann families to remind us how to be Saviors in our community.

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

In its second week of release, Dolphin Tale has not enjoyed the critical acclaim of 50/50 and Moneyball. However, this film will be remembered as an influential motion picture for young people with disabilities.

At a recent Saturday matinee screening, young people in wheelchairs cried, cheered and applauded this motion picture shot in Clearwater, Florida.

As the opening credits roll, we witness Winter (the marine mammal portrays herself) gallivanting in her element, under the sea in the Gulf Coast. When Winter becomes entangled in a crab trap and is beached, Sawyer (Nathan Gamble) contacts Dr. Clay’s (Harry Connick Jr.) Animal Hospital. The patient survives, but with the loss of her flipper.

Nonetheless, the animal rescue is a turning point for Sawyer, who is a shy student failing summer school. After much consternation from his mother (Ashley Judd), Sawyer finds his niche in the  marine world. When his wounded warrior cousin returns from the battlefield, Sawyer makes friends with Dr. Cameron McCarthy (Morgan Freeman), a man who specializes in making prosthetic limbs.  Together, Sawyer, Dr. Clay and Dr. Cameron pool their individual talents and create a special flipper for Winter.

Much like his previous motion pictures Air Bud and Stone of Destiny, Director Charlie Martin Smith creates personal movies about big subjects. While this movie bows to the concession of 3-D entertainment, Dolphin Tale provides a life-affirming story about growth, maturity and community. With Martin-Smith’s sure hand, Dolphin Tale is a rollercoaster ride from the height of comedy to the depth of tragedy.

While Connick Jr., Judd and Freeman provide strong ensemble support, this film’s success falls on the shoulders of Gamble as Sawyer.

For the first 15 minutes of the movie, Sawyer is a mumbling mess. When he finds acceptance from his single mother and Dr. Clay’s marine community, Gamble makes the transition believable.

Urban elitist critics have noted the mounting clichés in this motion picture – shy kid, injured animal, foreclosures, grumpy teachers; yet, there was no denying the tears of joy from the ticket-buying audience. The fact that Dolphin Tale was top at the box office last weekend, reveals that movie consumers are hungry for such a life-affirming motion picture.

Dolphin Tale is a gentle movie that approaches harsh subjects. As one little girl (perhaps 5 years old) whispered to her momma, “This is a good movie.”

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

At the poster unveiling at the Hilton Hotel last Thursday, Sept. 22, Festival Director Gregory Von Hausch announced the expansion of the 26th Annual Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival (Oct. 21-Nov. 11). While Cinema Paradiso will act as the main hub, venues are expanding as far west as Sunrise and as far north as Muvico Pompano on Federal Highway. Info: www.fliff.com

Among the films premiering at the Muvico Pompano is the documentary about cowboys, Florida Cracker, and a WWII documentary titled Lost Airmen of Buchenwald. About 50 is a comedy about middle age. Newlyweds is a project from FLIFF25 honoree Ed Burns. The Last Rights of Joe May features Dennis Farina in a performance generating Oscar buzz.

Dennis Farina, Penelope Ann Miller, Piper Laurie, Senator George McGovern, Dennis Haysbert and son of acting legend Glenn Ford, Peter Ford, will be at this year’s festival. Ford has recently compiled his father’s biography, Glenn Ford: A Life and will attend a retrospective at Cinema Paradiso on Nov. 10. Besides selling and autographing his book, Ford will answer questions about his family (his mom is Eleanor Powell) after the screening of original 3:10 to Yuma, starring Glenn Ford in the Russell Crowe role.    FLIFF remains a vacation from ordinary film and a
celebration of our unique Florida culture. On Tuesday, Oct. 25, FLIFF will present The Legend of Ivan Tors, a documentary about the producer of such iconic Florida animal shows as Gentle Ben and Flipper. Sponsored by Carrabba’s Grill, this evening will feature a baked dinner alfresco in the courtyard. A regular sponsor of FLIFF, Carrabba’s also sponsors a monthly opera series at Cinema Paradiso featuring the works of Verdi and Puccini.

Released last week, Alice Cooper’s Welcome 2 My Nightmare should be considered a modern day Rock Opera. A sequel to the similarly-titled album rock classic from 1975,W2MN features Alice’s modern nightmare involving inferno, hip hop music, elevator music and auto tuners. For the most part, the W2MN music is fun, energetic and humorous with songs titled Disco Bloodbath Boogie Fever and Ghouls Gone Wild. However, there are some tear jerking ballads (I Am Made of You, Something To Remember Me By) and two operatic moments worthy of the opera Don Giovanni. With the Miami Dolphins going zero and three this season, W2MN provides a comforting solace.

Barry S. Anderson will be at Spooky Empire. Will you?

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

Last Monday night at Bru’s Room, the Deerfield Beach Reunion Committee adjourned for 10 years, making plans for the 40-year class reunion in 2021.

Many of us felt we had arrived at a domestic crossroads; one individual is buying her first house, some were dealing with their children graduating high school and  some are dealing with being the guardian to aging parents.

Opening tomorrow in limited release, My Afternoons with Margueritte is a beautiful and poetic French film about many characters at their crossroads. Gérard Depardieu portrays Germain, the town handyman who feels short-changed by life. His true solace is spent on the park bench with Margueritte (Gisele Casadesus), a 92-year-old bibliophile. Beyond talking about life, liberty and romance, the couple take pleasure in naming pigeons.

Told with flashbacks, Ger-main recounts having a verbally abusive mother. Margueritte becomes Ger-main’s mentor. Conflict ensues and Germain must set things right. Since the drama is not forced and the acting is subtle, this film becomes a pleasant cinematic choice.

For those seeking, instead, experiences of horror and terror, Spooky Empire’s Ultimate Weekend of Horrors will commence the second weekend in October. (www.spookyempire.com). The guest list now includes Malcolm McDowell, horror author Clive Barker and Barry S. Anderson, renaissance artist. Like Bill Hinzman, Anderson holds perfect attendance with Spooky Empire.

A “monster kid” from upstate New York, Anderson came to South Florida during Spring Break, got a regular job in Miami Vice and stayed here. He later joined Tom Savini’s special effects and makeup team on the set of George Romero’s Day of the Dead (1985).

He said, “This was a dream come true for a ‘monster kid,’ who grew up during the 60s and 70s watching Chiller Theatre every Friday and Saturday night while eating Jiffy Pop Popcorn!”

Besides a 17-year stint with Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum, Anderson has contributed to the motion picture industry in a variety of films, from Hairspray to his recent independent feature shot in Orlando, Astro Zombies M4 Invaders from Cyber Space, which features a cameo appearance from his wife of 22 years, Chickie, and 9-year-old son, Miles.

Recently, he showed Miles the original Boris Karloff Frankenstein movies.  At first fearful of the monster, Miles later told his father, “The monster wasn’t bad, he was just looking for a friend.”

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

Where Crabby Jacks [recently burned down in a fire] was located, the marquee for the only Drive-In movie theatre in Deerfield Beach once stood.

Spawning from there, 36 years ago, traffic jams were caused on Federal Highway, thanks to the release of the film Jaws.

During rush-hour traffic last Friday morning, commuters on I-95 may have witnessed the return of Jaws,  a Megalodon, a giant shark thought to be extinct from South Florida waters for thousands of years,  riding on the back of a truck headed to its new home at the Ft. Lauderdale Museum of Discovery and Science. It will be part of the Prehistoric Florida exhibit in the new EcoDiscovery Center, slated to open on Veterans Day, 2011.

Veteran’s Day will also mark the last day of the 26th Annual Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival.  Beyond screening foreign and homegrown motion pictures, FLIFF has invited some well-known celebrities.

Best known for her work in Carlito’s Way and Kindergarten Cop, Penelope Ann Miller will attend Gala Night with screening of The Artist, an award-winning movie on the European circuit this summer.

On Nov. 8, Piper Laurie will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award for her work in dramatic classics like The Hustler and horror classics like Carrie.

To find out more about this year’s festivities and surprise guests keep checking www.fliff.com.

Also Drive opens this weekend.  Ryan Gosling portrays a stuntman who moonlights as a get-away-car driver.  For years, his character has worked in partnership with Shannon (Bryan Cranston), who has ties with organized crime figures portrayed by Albert Brooks and Ron Perlman.  When one caper goes astray, Gosling becomes the surrogate husband to Irene (Carey Mulligan).

While Drive contains some great stunts and action scenes, this flick is more like a Film Noir drama.  Gosling gives a deadpan performance similar to what Robert Ryan, Robert Mitchum and Steve McQueen would have provided in their day. The best, most surprising performance comes from Brooks; the goofy comedian sinks his teeth into a monstrous role of a capo de capo.  Drive is off-road fun as a Saturday matinee.

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

The tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001 seems as fresh today as it did on that lovely Tuesday morning. Since that day, we have witnessed folklore and urban legends about the attacks upon our American soil, mostly for political gain.

The fog of war created a world in which some heroes are considered villains, and villains have become martyrs.

The Debt is a taut espionage thriller with the depth to confront the issues of collateral damage in the face of conflict.

In 1997, a historical book is written about three Mossad secret agents – Rachel (Helen Mirren), Stefan (Tom Wilkin-son) and David (Ciarán Hinds), who killed a Nazi war criminal in hiding. As Rachel reads to an audience about her heroics, David walks in front of a truck and dies.

The Debt flashes back to the early 1960s, when the young Rachel (Jessica Chastain), young Stefan (Marton Csokas) and young David (Sam Worthington) investigate, plot and execute their plan to locate Dr. Bernhardt (Jesper Christensen), a gynecologist with a good bedside manner.  To reveal more would be a big disservice  to the plot. Suffice it to say that The Debt is not settled until the final moments of the movie.

The conflicted characters and their motivations propel the narrative. Yet, Director John Madden adds little touches with camera framing to make the violent sequences more tense and personal.  One particular scene in the gynecologist’s office presents a dangerous woman in her most vulnerable position.  If he could get away with it in his day, Sir Alfred Hitchcock would be proud of the character dynamics of that memorable scene.

Last year, Christoph Waltz earned his Best Supporting Oscar for his work as a Nazi in Inglourious Basterds. This year, Christensen may be considered for a similar role. Given the cold-blooded actions of Rachel, Stefan and David, one almost sympathizes with this Nazi villain.  It is when Dr. Bernhardt plays the “victim card” that one truly detests this bureaucratic terrorist.

Known for his big screen heroics with Avatar and Terminator Salvation, Worthing-ton portrays another violent character. This time, he is the odd man of the team.

Sadly, Worthington’s elder counterpart looks more like Tom Wilkinson’s younger counterpart.  Fortunately, for the pivotal role of Rachel, both Jessica Chastain and Helen Mirren are equally matched in looks, temperament and heart.

Dave Montalbano & Michael Berryman

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

Hurricane Irene damaged the box office. Don’t Wait Until Dark performed poorly, but this Guillermo Del Toro production has a second chance this weekend for much-deserved redemption. This great date movie is the summer’s best monster movie.

With no relation to the Lee Marvin classic from 1967, Point Blank is a French Film with English subtitles that needs no dialogue. This visual treat opens at a breakneck pace and never lets up, yet provides just enough character identification to merit audience empathy.

When a thief with mob connections ends up in the hospital, an unlucky male nurse is blackmailed by the mob bosses to free the thief. To make matters worse for the male nurse, his wife is suffering from a problem pregnancy when she is kidnapped by sinister forces. Point Blank draws the audience into a roller coaster world in which the bad guys are not so bad and the good guys are not as good as they appear. Not a moment of film is wasted up to the final frame.

As the summer blockbuster season slows down, the convention and festival season pick up. Six years ago, Petey Mongelli staged Screamfest in Coral Springs and Hurricane Wilma destroyed Broward County for two weeks. Screamfest, which began in 2002 originally, outgrew Broward and evolved into Spooky Empire’s Ultimate Horror Weekend, the biggest horror movie convention in Southern United States.

Staged in Orlando, this year’s Spooky Empire will be held Oct. 7-9 (www.spookyempire.com). Headliners include Malcolm McDowell, Lance Henriksen, Michael Berryman, and artist Barry Anderson and Night of the Living Dead’s Bill Hinzman continue their perfect attendance.

When asked about the migration to Orlando, Petey replied, “We outgrew Broward. The convention grew bigger and bigger, and the Wyndham Hotel on International Drive provided a suitable venue for the Creepy Car/Hearst Show and the Zombie Walk, which involves thousands of volunteers.” While Petey will continue his Spooky Empire in Orlando, next year he plans a 10-year retrospective in Broward County.

As Spooky Empire concludes, the 26th Annual Ft. Lauderdale Film Festival begins. Director Gregory von Hausch has been playing close to the vest, but this Labor Day weekend, he plans to reveal the listing of filmmakers, special guests and key dates for festival screenings, parties and events. (Fest runs Oct. 21-Nov. 11). For more information, visit www.fliff.com.

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

If Hurricane Irene leaves us alone, two varied movies opening this weekend will provide a fine diversion.

Don‘t Be Afraid of the Dark is a great date movie to end this summer’s blockbuster season. Chasing Madoff is an espionage documentary about the Gordon Gekko of our time, Bernie Madoff.

In the recent decade of irrational exuberance, money managers missed the signs of approaching doom. Much like ignoring hurricane warnings, people like Harry Markopolos warned the watch dog organization of Wall Street, the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC). When Madoff’s financial abuse made front page news,  the SEC lost credibility with independent investors. The sins of Madoff have affected charitable fundraising on a local level.

Sometimes veering too much toward dramatic comedy, Canadian director Jeff Prosserman’s superficial approach deflates Harry Mark-opolos’ emotional sacrifice.  That said, this film simplifies Madoff and his Ponzi schemes, making a complicated financial con job approachable for the layman.

For the past decade, Guillermo Del Toro has directed some of the most consistently interesting motion pictures; starting with The Devil’s Backbone, both Hellboy movies and Pan’s Labyrinth. He has also produced the gothic thriller The Orphanage and this summer’s best monster movie Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark.

Based on a 1973 teleplay staring Kim Darby and Jim Hutton, “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark” opens with a scary myth-making prologue, good old fashioned opening credits that foreshadow the plot structure and an entertaining balance between laughs and scares.

Vulnerable from the opening scene, Bailee Madison plays the disregarded daughter of Guy Pearce, a real estate speculator who is trying to sell the Blackwood Mansion. Dealing with dueling divorced parents is trauma enough, but little Bailee must contend with scurvy little demons under her bed at the Blackwood Mansion. Once awakened, these intelligent little devils need a human sacrifice to be placated.

The success of this motion picture weighs heavily on 9-year-old Madison, a Ft. Lauderdale native. Along with the nifty special effects, Madison holds her own with veteran actors Katie Holmes and Guy Pearce. Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark is good popcorn-eating Saturday Morning escapism.

By Dave Montalbano

While attending a Family Reunion in Alabama, circa 1969, my dad made a point of introducing Annie Laurie to me. Annie Laurie was the Watson family cook for many decades.

My mom, aunt and 10 uncles kept in touch with Annie Laurie until she died a few years back. It is nice to know that my family treated Annie Laurie with more respect than the Southern Belles treat The Help in this movie based on Kathryn Stockett’s best-selling book.

Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan (Emma Stone) returns from college and lands a job with the local newspaper, writing a “Dear Abby” column about household chores. Being a Dixie princess, Skeeter seeks advice from a friend’s help, Aibileen Clark (Viola Davis). Reluctant at first, Aibileen helps Skeeter with her column.

As Skeeter gains Aibileen’s trust, the young lady learns much about the subculture of The Help, black ladies who raise white women’s children. From cooking tasty food to changing diapers, these maids of Mississippi are the pillar of southern hospitality. Yet, in a culture where people are considered equal, but separate, the help are not allowed to use their employers’ bathrooms.

It is life’s details that plant the seeds of historical evolution. Ticket buyers witness the 1960s civil rights struggle of their neighbors. Director Tate Taylor takes Kathryn Stockett’s words and creates an entertaining motion picture with subtle depth.

Already, there is “Oscar” buzz about The Help. The SAG Awards will likely nominate The Help for Best Ensemble acting. 1970s veterans Sissy Spacek, Cicely Tyson and Mary Steenburgen sink their teeth into their small, but pivotal character roles, while Stone and Davis move the narrative along. Octavia Spencer will be remembered as the breakout star from this film.

Opening tomorrow is The Names of Love, a French romantic comedy that finds humor in religion, sex and politics.

Sara Forestier portrays Baya, an Algerian Arab hippie chick with leftist politics who is attracted to Arthur Martin (Jacques Gamblin) a straight-laced Jew whose parents are Holocaust survivors.

Taking a cue from Woody Allen movies, this film tackles dark themes with humor and has belly laughs involving social faux pas and Parisian nudity. Sara Forestier is a force to be reckoned with. She will next be seen in the U.S. as French pop star France Gall in Joann Sfar’s “Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life.”

By Dave Montalbano

While I am not a fan of end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it-flicks, The Rise of the Planet of the Apes was a pleasant surprise on so many levels — good story, interesting character development with a clarity of vision. Thought-provoking and fully entertaining, Rise of the Planet of the Apes has set a new standard with summer Science Fiction movies, while remaining true to the wild and original ideas of Pierre Boulle’s novella.

San Francisco Professor Will Rodman (James Franco) seeks to find a cure for Alzheimer’s Disease, as his father Charles (John Lithgow) suffers from this malady. When a female test subject reacts badly to treatment, Professor Rodman adopts her son, a baby ape. While Charles names the ape Cesar (Andy Serkis), Professor Rodman provides a nurturing environment and pharmaceuticals that promote intelligence.

Tragically, paradise is lost and Cesar ends up being a captive in a monkey house run by John Landon (Brian Cox)and his sadistic son Dodge Landon (Tom Felton).  After torture and abuse, Cesar organizes his cell-mates and creates ‘the rise of the planet of the apes.’

Director Rupert Wyatt provides realistic logic to Cesar’s evolution, making Cesar’s growth a joy to behold. The audience gets to know Cesar and his compatriots, as well as the rogues’ gallery of brutal humans. Wyatt is not afraid to present static scenes with no dialogue. When dialogue is spoken, the words actually have meaning.

In spite of the epic grandeur of this movie, this film is full of clever details for the Apes fans. Shortly before one climatic moment, a cameo appearance from the late Charlton Heston helps set the dramatic moment on a subconscious level.  It is a bone-chilling moment.

Given his performances as “King Kong” and “Gollum,” Serkis is the perfect actor to play Cesar in his motion-capture costume. The Academy Awards should create a special category for this type of performance. As Professor Rodman, Franco puts behind his public relations fiasco at this year’s Oscar’s ceremony. Given his success as Draco Malfoy, hopefully Felton will be able to play a nice guy soon, for the actor is quite good as the cad you love to hate.

On Aug. 20, Deerfield Beach High Class of ’81 reunion commences at Deer Creek Country Club. Tickets are $125 and include open bar, buffet, prizes and music. Save $25 by contacting Kelly Palmer-Skidmore at 561-445-6854 by close of business tomorrow, Friday, Aug. 12.