By Dave Montalbano

http://cinemadave.livejournal.com

This Friday, Active Fox Productions will release two motion pictures, 36 Saints and Tio Papi. Both films are the brainchild of Joey Dedio. Last year Dedio’s Tio Papi was an award winner at the 27th Annual Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival.

Dedio has the title role in Tio Papi, a film he co-wrote with Brian Herskowitz. He plays Ray Ray, a bachelor saddled with his late sister’s six kids, ages preschool through high school. Not equipped to handle such a diverse brood, Ray Ray makes arrangements with a social worker (Kelly Mc- Gillis) to find foster homes for his nieces and nephews. While his housewife skills need improvement, Ray Ray and his family become closer together. Unfortunately, the social worker thinks otherwise and seeks to take the children away from their Tio Papi (translated Uncle Daddy).

Dealing with contemporary issues, Tio Papi is a family drama with humor. A career workaholic, Ray Ray slowly adapts to his new life as a father of six. The kids are cute; but, being kids, the young ones often create mischief for the leading man. There is also love and romance for young adults and older people who should know better.

There are negotiations to bring Tio Papi to Miami as a television series. Given the loss of revenue with the cancellation of The Glades, Magic City, etc., this is welcome news for seasoned production crews in South Florida. With a four-decade career in the motion picture industry that began with ABC Afterschool Specials, Dedio seems to be at the right place at the right time.

“We have taken Tio Papi to many festivals and the response has been consistently good. Regardless of upbringing and culture, people are responding to the message of family,” Dedio said.

Tio Papi and 36 Saints seem to be the flip side of the same coin.

I asked Dedio about the diversity of each production.

“With 36 Saints, I was fascinated with the uncovered world and the authenticity of myths and Jewish mysticism. I sought opinions from priest and rabbis,” he said.

When I challenged Dedio about the dark nature of 36 Saints, Joey responded with a smile,“In darkness, there is always light. That is what I loved about the character of Tio Papi. Many people had not seen me in that light.”

By Emily Rosen

ERosen424@aol.com

www.emilyrosen424.com

Hieroglyphics, quills, couriers, Pony Express, Gutenberg’s printer, U.S. Mail, telephone, e-mail, social media and, finally smartphones, texting and who knows what in the next five minutes. Oh, how our ability to remain in contact with each other has evolved. We are currently at what one might call the most sophisticated era of human communication and, yet, our abundance of choices has in a way confounded us with obstacles. Whenever people have so many options, it becomes evident that one size does not fit all and, with people personalizing their preferences, the door is opened for missed connections or over-connections.

I have friends whose sole mode of communication is texting. I rarely text, and, therefore, often forget to check for text messages. This morning, I found one that had an urgency that defied its origin. Why didn’t she CALL me with that message? Because “she” is so totally into text messaging that the possibility of using a telephone had eluded her. I, on the other hand, have so adapted to hourly e-mailing that I lose sight of the fact that some people I know routinely open their emails less frequently even than once a week. So much for the written word.

As for the spoken word, I am somewhat telephone averse. I use it only when I have no other option or when I need to transmit a specific message and over and out. I reserve telephone “visits” for those people outside the geography of visiting availability. I often make a telephone date ahead of time and am prepared to “sit on the phone,” an activity for which I have very little patience except in such cases.

Also, I note that smartphone users have a tendency to react to every signal they get like Pavlov’s dog. They get notified of a text message and – boom! – immediate response. In the middle of a social event when their email signal rings – oops, their eyes focus in like headlights. Granted, some of it is business related, but tell me — puleeze! — how did so many businesses flourish BEFORE they could connect 24/7?

Then there’s Facebook and Twitter and the like, and the competition for more and more “likes” and “friends,” and the inane postings about minute-by-minute activities … good for PhD theses on motivation, addiction and emotional neediness, as well as effectiveness of its marketing component.

OK. So here’s my case. If you call me on my cell when I’m out of the house, I’m not likely to rush to answer you unless we are meeting that day and I anticipate a possible emergency change of plans. Text me, and it’s Russian Roulette as to when I respond. E-mail me when I’m out of the house, and, if I happen to have a very l-o-on- g red light, I may check the message. Yes, you’ll get me on my cell phone if I am out of town, and you’ll surely get the real me on my house phone (unless I’m checking caller I.D. and avoiding you deliberately – ah, but why would I? (If you’re reading this column, I’m loving you) or my home computer, which is your best bet.

What? You don’t want to reach me by any method?

Is that a definite — or can we talk?

Just before The Jewish New Year began, one of the battery run candles that I bring to health centers would barely light up. Many immediately assumed that the candle was broken. Of course, I wasn’t so quick to toss the candle out. I tried some new batteries and, not only did the candles start glowing again, they were brighter than they had been in a very long time. The new batteries recharged the candles and gave them new life.

The period in between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur is about recharging our batteries. It is about getting re-energized. I was at a Zumba class recently. I was excited to be there as my favorite teacher was away at the Zumba Convention in Orlando the week before.

Well, she just about killed everyone in the class. No, she wasn’t angry with us. It’s just that she was so full of energy that we were all sweating like crazy. The class was great and, as it ended, I joked with the instructor that, next year, we are not going to let her go to the convention. She knew why I said that ,and she gave a big smile and a hearty laugh. Then she told me that she hoped she didn’t work us too hard, but that her time at the convention with all the other Zumba teachers had renewed her energy; it had recharged her battery, and, while she always loves teaching the classes, having just come back from the convention everything seemed fresh and new again.

So, since so many people have lost contact with the Temple, lost their enthusiasm for their faith, and since so many people who come regularly to worship have simply made it into a blah routine, perhaps we should look at the Holy Days as a Judaic Super Convention. This is a convention in which Jews of all denominations, those who are members and those who have no affiliation, have a decision to make.

What is the decision? Am I going to attend the convention? Am I going to pay the price of a ticket? Am I going to come together with all the others who have lost, or perhaps never had a passion for their faith, the faith of their Fathers — Abraham, Isaac,and Jacob, the faith of theirmothers — Sarah, Rebecca, Am Igoing to commit myself to learn the steps of Judaism?

Rosh Hashana is over [ends tomorrow at sundown], but you still have time to attend the convention. You might not be all that familiar with the prayers. Well, when people first start Zumba, it takes them time to learn the steps and some are harder than others.

Some may know the prayers with a certain melody and might hear the Cantor use some newer melodies. In Zumba, part of the excitement is learning new steps. It keeps you on your toes.

I have been doing Zumba for a long time now. I am decent at it, and I love going to class. I love the steps that are familiar to me, but I also love when the instructor adds something new, something different; and, I know I still have much to learn.

Judaism is similar in that respect; those who think they cannot take part give up without taking the time to learn the steps; and those who think they know it all, well, they close their hearts to learning anything new; and in our faith, there is always something new, there is always room for improvement.

So come to Temple, learn the steps to Judaism. Come dance with us, and, together, we will dance with G-d.

Shalom my friends,

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

Rabbi Ezring is a member of the National Association of Jewish Chaplains and of the Association of Professional Chaplains, He works professionally in this capacity with a number of healthcare facilities in the area, and with hospice. Rabbi Ezring is the spiritual leader of Temple Beth Israel of Deerfield Beach. High Holy Days tickets are now on sale in the Temple office off of Hillsboro and Military. Regular Shabbat services are open to everyone on Saturday mornings from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

By Gary Curreri

Pompano Beach’s Maddie Cooper got a chance to kick start her travel soccer season along with about a dozen others as they took part in the Simply Soccer Four Fields Complex at Pompano Community Park recently.

Cooper, 11, and her two brothers, Jacob, 11, and Ryan, 7, spent the week refining their old soccer skills and learning new ones as part of the annual camp. The camp marked the seventh year that the city of Pompano has hosted the Simply Soccer camp for boys and girls ages 5-14, of all skill levels.

“This was a lot of fun,” said Cooper, who along with her twin brother, Jacob, play soccer for the Team Boca travel soccer club. “We learned some skills, scrimmaged and got to go the pool. I like coming to the camp.”

The day consisted of a group warm-up with all campers before they broke into groups based on age and skill levels. The first part of the day was learning a skill (dribbling, passing, receiving, heading/chipping, shooting) and then playing games or activities utilizing that particular skill.

After a short break for lunch and some time at the swimming pool, the campers were right back out for end-of-the day scrimmages.

“Friday is our World Cup tournament where we break the entire camp up into small teams (5v5) and play during the morning,” said Simply Soccer coach Jim Cappello. “At the end of the day, we gave players their evaluations and certificates. We try and make it as fun as possible so they learn and want to keep playing the sport.”

By Dave Montalbano

http://cinemadave.livejournal.com

In his book Sex Money Kiss, Gene Simmons discussed the importance of self publication because bookstore retail was based on “the loss leader principle,” in which a major author like James Patterson or J.K. Rowling would draw consumers into the store. Once in the store, the customer would discover other lesser-known writers. The Motion Picture Industry uses the same approach, which is why economics are so dire in these entertainment fields, especially when the loss leader fails to perform.

Paranoia is such the case. With leading man responsibilities on Chris Hemsworth’s shoulders and the re-teaming of veterans Gary Oldman and Harrison Ford, one expected respectable box office return. Instead Paranoia has become the biggest loser of the year. The two-week box office gross of $6 million cannot match the $35 million production cost. This film features the corporate cat & mouse game between Ford and Oldman, with Hemsworth caught in the middle while wooing the leading lady, Amber Heard. The topical theme features cell phones and public privacy. So why did Paranoia fail? The screenplay is another Hollywood factory-produced model. Why pay for a story when one can see the same story on television in the comfort of your own home?

In contrast to a bloated Hollywood extravaganza comes 36 Saints, a small independent thriller produced and written by Joey Dedio. This small budget film is far more thought-provoking than Paranoia. Dedio’s film, with roots in Jewish mysticism, is about 36 individuals or saints who have the responsibility to protect mankind from Lillith [said to be Adam’s first wife who left the Garden of Eden rather than be subservient to Adam], who has appeared to cause chaos.

With names like Joseph, Eve, Sebastian, Valentine and Michael, it is easy to pick out the surviving members of the 36 Saints. It is actually trickier to figure out who Lilith is, it seems she masterminded the plane crash that caused the demise of most of the Saints. As the surviving saints die, it seems as if Lilith’s powers will lead the world into eternal darkness. When 36 Saints opens on Sept. 6, let’s hope the box office revenue merits the already scripted sequel.

Based on a novel by Doris Lessing, Adore opens tomorrow starring Naomi Watts & Robin Wright as two Australian Best Friends Forever. It is a gorgeous, yet peculiar, movie about two women and their relationships with her sons.

Happy Labor Day weekend!

The start of the school year always brings with it a sense of new beginnings. There’s new work to be done, new friends to make and new experiences to enjoy.

You don’t have to be a current student, or the parent of a student, to appreciate the renewed energy that comes with this time of year. No matter your age or stage in life, the late-summer fresh start is yours to enjoy.

But even with all the excitement that another academic season brings, one thing is for sure: there will also be major doses of difficulty as the year progresses.

Hardships are inevitable. That’s why every new beginning also signals a fresh opportunity to face life’s unavoidable problems with revitalized strength. When the storms of life whip up around you over the next year, here are 3 steps you can take to stand unshakable in their midst:

1) Sidestep Surprise – The situations that have the most power to shake you are the ones that seem to come out of nowhere. When you’re sideswiped by a problem you didn’t anticipate, it’s easy to become vulnerable. So choosing to not be surprised when the going gets tough is key to standing strong.

God never promised that life would be easy, but he did promise to be with you every step of the way. You will encounter trouble in this world, but take comfort in Jesus’ assertion that He has already overcome every trial and tribulation you face (John 16:33). No matter what is going on around you, you have the assurance of his peace.

2) Ask the Right Question of the Right Person, Right Away – When life goes wrong, your first instinct should be to turn to God. Too often, you and I are quick to ask our friends for advice, buy self-help books, or turn inward and start mining our own resources, rather than looking to Him.

While there’s nothing inherently wrong with any of these things, they shouldn’t be our first stop for support. When trouble is brewing, our reflex should be to look to God – and to ask Him the right question.

I’m sure you’ve known people in difficult situations who spend their energy questioning God, rather than trusting him. Asking why doesn’t accomplish anything. Try asking what instead. Rather than giving into the common temptation to demand, “Why did you let this happen to me, God?” ask “What do you want to teach me through this?”

3) Embrace Emotions – Once you have given God top priority in the difficulty you’re facing, embrace the emotions you are feeling. Tune in to what’s going on in your heart. God gave you your emotions; he doesn’t expect you to ignore them. You don’t have to plaster on a smile and muscle through. As you lean into God first, and then embrace the emotions that your situation is stirring, he will use what you are feeling to draw you closer to himself.

Staying steady when things get hard has nothing to do with how strong you are and everything to do with how strong God is.

No matter how smart, rich, connected or resourceful you consider yourself to be, you can’t make it through life’s toughest storms unscathed on your own. But as you build your life on the foundation of God’s strength and take these practical steps in every difficult situation you face, you will be able withstand whatever comes your way during this new year of fresh possibilities.

Nelson Searcy is the lead pastor of The Journey Church in Boca Raton. The 2.5 yearold church meets at Boca Raton Community High School (I-95 and Glades Rd) each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. For more, visit www.boca journey.com. He is the author of 11 books and served for 10 years as a pastor in New York City before moving to South Florida. Each person who visits The Journey Church in September will receive a FREE copy of his latest book “Unshakable: Standing Strong When Things Go Wrong” — on which this article is based.

By Gary Curreri

Lighthouse Point’s Stefanie Kenoyer is hoping the second time is a charm.

Kenoyer, 24, who was a contestant on Big Break Mexico earlier this year, will compete on Big Break NFL, which premieres on Oct. 8 at 9 p.m. on the Golf Channel.

“Not many people in our sport get this kind of opportunity to be on Big Break in the first place, let alone two Big Breaks in one year!” said Kenoyer, who was one of the more popular competitors on Big Break Mexico and was the sixth player eliminated from the series. “I’m blessed to have another opportunity to give it another go.”

Participating on two Big Break series this year was unique for Kenoyer. Big Break NFL Puerto Rico was shot the first two weeks of June while Big Break Mexico was airing on the Golf Channel. Her elimination episode on Big Break Mexico aired two weeks after she returned from Big Break NFL Puerto Rico.

“I have become an expert at keeping secrets, but this has been even tougher because I had to keep secret about not just one Big Break, but two,” joked Kenoyer, who was paired with 17-year NFL kicker Al DelGreco and Oren Geri in Big Break NFL. “All of the teams were full of great competitors! We had an absolute blast. I wouldn’t trade this experience in 2013 for the world.”

Big Break NFL Puerto Rico will be all about reunion, redemption and teamwork this fall when 12 previous Big Break competitors return to team up with six of the NFL’s all-time greats. Two past Big Break competitors – one male and one female, will join one NFL legend to form threeperson teams. The series will feature a new format twist to Big Break – teams will win or lose as teams. On the line will be $50,000 to the winning NFL legend’s designated charity, along with 2014 PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour tournament exemptions, cash and other prizes for the Big Break competitors.

“It is a pressure-packed, nerve racking situation every time you step out on the course on Big Break,” Kenoyer said. “When they called me and said, ‘we’d like to have you back,’ immediately, no questions asked, I said ‘yes’…to think I got to spend three weeks with six of some of the greatest football players there are was an incredible experience. There was no tackling on the golf course, thankfully; but we were all fierce competitors.”

NBC Sports’ Sunday Night Football sideline reporter and Emmy Award-winner Michele Tafoya joins Golf Channel’s Tom Abbott to cohost Big Break NFL Puerto Rico. Serving as the backdrop will be the luxurious Dorado Beach Resort in Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico.

“The pressure on Big Break is an all-time high because in a normal golf tournament, you have 54 holes or 72 holes to make up for your mistakes,” said Kenoyer, who played high school golf at Cardinal Gibbons and Westminster Academy high schools before playing collegiately at Furman University.

“On the show, you literally had one chance and your team is counting on you and everyone at home is watching, and you have 80 people around you with the crew and all of the cameras … and never have I felt more pressure, and I played in the U.S. Open.”

Kenoyer, the lone contestant on Big Break Mexico to have competed in a major championship – 2009 U.S. Women’s Open, said she

knows what it is like to play in front of large crowds and cameras; yet, this was a different experience altogether.

“I still felt my hands shake and my heart beat out of my chest,” said Kenoyer, who is playing full-time on the Symetra Tour with a refreshed sense of confidence and passion following the experience.

Taylor Collins, also 24, of Ft. Lauderdale, won Big Break Mexico when she defeated Tampa’s Matthew Galloway in an intense 18- hole singles match on the season finalé.

By Dave Montalbano

http://cinemadave.livejournal.com

Oprah Winfrey’s The Butler … oops, I mean Lee Daniel s’ The Butler broke through the August box office doldrums with a $25 box office gross. As the title character, Forest Whitaker leads an ensemble cast with offbeat casting, most notably Robin Williams as President Eisenhower, John Cusack as President Nixon and Jane Fonda as Nancy Reagan. There are moments of domestic struggles mixed with family tension of the times. The matinee screening was well-received and people applauded at the end of the film, so expect some Oscar buzz. As a sharecropper’s son working in the cotton fields of Georgia, Cecil Gaines (Whitaker) witnesses the rape of his mother and the murder of his father by a white trash overseer. The plantation owner (Vanessa Redgrave) sympathizes with the boy and trains him to be a house servant. By paying attention to detail, Gaines grows up, leaves the plantation and eventually gets hired by the White House during the Eisenhower Administration. Gaines serves seven presidents, and, during this time, he raises two boys; the oldest becomes a community organizer with the Black Panthersand the youngest goes to Vietnam. His wife, Gloria (Oprah), has issues with sex, drugs and soul music. While being honored by President Reagan (Alan Rickman), Gaines has a crisis of identity and questions his whole life. Gaines retires from his job and eventually votes for Barack Obama.

While being advertised as a slice of history, this film is actually a fictional piece of rhetoric. Some moments are historical fact, while many fictional elements are created for artistic license … or, dare we say, political propaganda? There is enough information on the Internet to research the balance between fantasy and reality regarding this motion picture. Yet, as one learns in English composition classes, the final words spoken often reveal the author’s perspective.

While 15 minutes too long for its own good, The Butler is an entertaining movie. Oprah is likely to be Oscar nominated again. She and Whitaker share true chemistry. The celebrity/presidential cameos are an actor’s dream and the soundtrack is an effective toe tapper. Yet, the film feels like a manufactured Oscar contender.

The Artist and the Model opens tomorrow for a limited engagement. It is a pure “art house” movie, shot in black & white with English subtitles, and features a struggling artist who paints a nude model during war time. It ends the summer art house season as Renoir began, both films complement each other.

Our busiest days were when our three children were young and in school. I remember thinking, “Do they have to play so many sports, be on so many traveling teams, play musical instruments and join six clubs? Good grief!”

Looking back, I know I took a lot for granted.

We were a two parent family living in our hometown. We had good jobs. That meant we could afford one of those minivans with the sticky seats. The family nest, like the family school, was nice enough and safe enough. Siblings and grandparents were nearby. Church was a blend of family and friends. The weekly Bible study was at a neighbor’s house.

I miss those days!

My wife has been a public elementary school principal for several years now. Elementary schools tend to be happy places. The little people are usually excited to be there, which is great to see, and the big people are usually happy to be there too.

Almost everybody looks forward to the end of a school year, but you can still feel the excitement, some call it anxiety, when time rolls around for school to start again.

A new school year means new classmates, new teachers, new classrooms, new books, new technology, maybe even some new clothes.

From the parking lot to the front office, from building maintenance to food service, from transportation to recreation, from the new counselor to the new coach, from the new teacher who prepares her first classroom to the teacher about to retire who prepares her last, schools need rules to function well and the most important is golden.

Jesus says, “In everything, treat others as you would want them to treat you.” (Matthew 7, NET)

How can anything that sounds so simple be so hard? Good grief!

It doesn’t matter if it’s an elementary school, a middle school or a high school. If it’s a public school, especially in South Florida, then you can bet it is a diverse place and we all know students bring a lot more with them from home than a backpack.

Long before the youngest student arrives at school a unique personality is being formed. God-given seeds of talent are either being left dormant, nurtured or trampled. Young life experiences, mostly accumulated outside the school, are shaping every child’s expectations and dreams.

The highest ideal for school is that it be a safe place to lift expectations, to encourage learning, to inspire dreams.

But the pressures of school are not to be denied. Kids want to fit in, but not too much. They want to blend in, but, hopefully, only in a positive way; and how troubles loom large for the ones who don’t find a niche, a sport or a club; for the students who are different, too quiet and alone; for the ones who have troubles at home?

The truth is public schools need help in a lot of different ways these days. I write to encourage that we take the golden rule to school, that we volunteer to help a public school this year.

Google your public school corporation website today. Take a few moments to fill out the on-line Volunteer and Mentor Application or call a public school near you. I filled out the form online myself for Deerfield Beach Elementary and it only takes a few minutes. www.getinvolvedin education.com/volunteers/ application.htm

And just so you know, I realize you do not have to follow Jesus to practice the Golden Rule but it will not surprise you to know I believe Jesus is the only “everlasting way” to live by it. And if this causes you grief, then rest assured it is Good Grief! See ya in school!

You are also invited to join us Sunday at 8:30 a.m. or 11 a.m. for the message “The Golden Rule” based on the 7th Chapter of the Gospel of Matthew.

Reverend Andrews is Minister at Community Presbyterian Church of Deerfield Beach (Steeple on the Beach) located five blocks south of Hillsboro on AIA. See more at www.comm unitych.org or on Facebook.

By Gary Curreri

Noelle McGuire couldn’t have thought of a better way to spend her summer vacation than to be with her friends while making a little history along the way.

The 17-year-old Deerfield Beach teenager played a key role recently in helping her fast pitch travel softball team – the Sunrise Thunder – win the United States Specialty Sports Association 18-Under South Florida B State Championships with a 1-0 victory over the Palm Beach Pride Heat at Lake Lytal Park in West Palm Beach.

Sarah Maloney tossed five shutout innings, gave up one hit and struck out six for the Thunder in the championship game. Tiffany Thompson scored the winning run in the third inning when Heather Bramos was struck by a pitch with the bases-loaded. Bramos went 10 for 11 with seven RBI’s in the state championships.

“We’ve been through a lot,” said McGuire, who played second base for the Thunder and also plays for the Pompano Beach High School team where she is a senior. “We are competitive and we are good. We have a good bond.

“Winning a tournament like this is good for us because it gives us a good reputation,” added McGuire, whose team captured its firstever state championship together. “Winning this is great. This shows that hard work pays off and all of the hours we put into this was worth it.”

McGuire said the team would practice three days a week during the summertime for two hours a day. When her high school season starts, that amps up to five days a week.

The Thunder finished the tournament 6-0 and outscored the opposition, 47-6, in the tournament. Lenny Schlecker, who has coached the Thunder since 2007, said most of the team would continue playing softball in college. The team also went on to finish second in the South Florida A State Championships in Ft. Myers when it dropped a 5-4 decision to the Tampa Heatwave a week later.

McGuire has been on the team for two years and has played softball for 10 years.

“I like to come out on the weekends,” McGuire said. “I love the girls on my team and it makes it fun. I want to play college softball and I work hard every day. I work on my hitting at home. Our team is great and we are like a family. I would rather be in a softball uniform than anything else.”