By Dave Montalbano

Two movies playing at our local cinemas are the commercially-hyped Super 8 and the critically-acclaimed Woody Allen movie Midnight in Paris. Both movies fulfill their dedicated audiences’ expectations.

Super 8, in part, is about some middle school students who produce a zombie film in small town Ohio, circa 1979, the year most Class of ’81 graduates earned their driver’s licenses. Production Assistant and model-maker Joe Lamb (Joel Courtney) is the troubled son of Deputy Jackson Lamb (Kyle Chandler), who is a recent widower. Deputy Lamb blames white trash Louis Dainard (Ron Eldard), whose daughter, Alice (Elle Fanning), is the leading lady of the boy’s Super 8 zombie opus.

To writer/director J.J. Abram’s credit, he has captured the joy of creative teamwork as the young people produce their movie inspired by George Romero. Discussion about plot, characters and audience empathy will make English teachers and film columnists hopeful towards the future of filmmaking. During the post-credit sequence, patient ticket buyers are rewarded with the punchline of the student’s masterpiece.

But, Super 8 splits between the teenagers’ movie making, Area 51 and a shadowy monster. The action sequences overall are well-directed with an important message about understanding and cooperation. Sadly, verisimilitude is lost when teenagers dodge train wrecks, tanks and explosions with nary a scratch.

Super 8 seems like an homage to producer Steven Spielberg’s earlier motion pictures like E.T: The Extra Terrestrial and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. In turn, Spielberg was inspired by films like Earth Vs. The
Saucers and The Day the Earth Stood Still. There is no denying that Super 8 will have a positive influence on today’s young people.

Woody Allen wears his intellectual and artistic influences on his sleeve in Midnight in Paris, a witty romantic comedy about a rich couple who visit France before their wedding. On a midnight stroll in the streets of Paris, Gil (Owen Wilson) encounters Ernest Hemingway. Heming-way invites Gil to a party that includes Gertrude Stein (Kathy Bates) and Salvador Dali (Adrien Brody) – three idols who died a few generations ago.

With gorgeous cinematography capturing the hues and colors of Monet, Midnight in Paris shares much in common with Super 8. Both films pay homage to nostalgia, while imploring their respective audiences to enjoy the manna of the day.

I officiated at a funeral the other day. This family had tsouris (problems). But, they knew the import of family, of loving and of caring. The widower had been married for 64 years and he arrived at the chapel an hour before the funeral service of his beloved wife.

He hurt, he hurt a lot, and, yet, he concentrated on the positives in his life. He spoke about how wonderful his sons were and I let him know that he and his wife must have done something right to have raised such caring children. Then, he talked about how loving his grandchildren were. And they were indeed a pillar of strength and a blanket of warmth for the elder members of the family.

But, it was when I saw the first friend come in to the family room to extend condolences that I realized what a fine example he was to his children and his grandchildren because, as the woman approached with a look that seemed to say, “I wish I knew the right words to say,” the widower took her hand in both of his and said, “I know your husband has not been well, how are you holding up?”

In the midst of his pain, he could still recognize pain on another’s face. He still knew that others had troubles in their lives and, even in the midst of his own pain, he wanted to let them know that he, just like them, wanted to be a source of comfort and strength.

As he inquired as to the woman’s well-being and that of her husband, tears began to fall down the woman’s cheeks. She was awed as this widower, whom she had come to comfort, came out of his own anguish and became the comforter … and I believe that that moment of sensitivity and awareness, that moment of being there for someone else, reminded him of the strength he had within. It was then and there that he knew he would find a way to go on.

It was shortly afterward that one of his grandchildren began to weep and he held her close to him. I believe that at that moment, somewhere deep inside, this sweet man knew that he was still the patriarch of the family, that he was still a source of strength and comfort for his children, and his grandchildren.  And, now he had a reason for sticking around because anytime he was with his family, a part of her would be there as well. This reminded me that the day before the service, when I met with the family, no one could talk about one of them without the other, for they truly were, and to the family will continue to be, one heart and one soul.

We all have awe-inspiring moments – it might be a half hour, 15 minutes or just a minute or two at a time. So, let’s not waste a moment. Let’s make every minute count.

Shalom My Friends,

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

Rabbi Ezring is a Hospice Chaplain and Member of the National Association of Jewish Chaplains. He also provides Professional Pastoral Care Services to a number of health centers in Broward County.

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

The Bucks 30-year class reunion has been set, starting with an informal get-together at Bru’s Room on Friday, Aug. 19. The formal/informal reception is confirmed for August 20 from 7-11 p.m. at Deer Creek Country Club, with dinner, open bar and music.

This is quite an achievement, considering that the world almost ended before my classmates and I were born. The Cuban Missile Crisis and JFK assassination weighs heavily upon our prenatal and post-natal years.

The Cuban Missile Crisis is an important plot point in the recent box office champion, X Men: First Class.

Given that X-Men: First Class is a reboot/origin story, producer Lauren Shuler Donner and Bryan Singer acknowledge the preconceived notions of the fan base. Like the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962; the audience knows the final results, the suspense derives from the mystery of the moments.

In this case, we learn why old friends Professor X (James McAvoy) and Magneto  (Michael Fassbender) become arch-enemies. We learn how the Xavier School of Gifted Youngsters works in partnership with the American government. We uncover the reason why Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) likes to walk around naked in her scaly blue skin.

Much like the original X-Men, this science fiction parable opens in stark seriousness; Erik Lehnsherr (the future Magneto) is dragged into the gates of Auschwitz. Lehnsherr’s metal manipulation ability comes into the focus of Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon), a German scientist who believes that mutants are the next step of human evolution. Adopting the methods of the Nazis, Shaw tortures Lehnsherr, who spends the rest of the movie plotting revenge.

Shot in the style of a Sean Connery/James Bond adventure, X-Men: First Class is entertaining from beginning to end. It contains a globetrotting narrative that avoids a major pet peeve of this columnist; this showdown culminates during daylight in wide open spaces.

Since 1997, it seems as if most big-budgeted summer releases save their climatic scenes for nighttime in claustrophobic settings.

The success of the X-Men franchise is its multidimensional characters. From the first X-Men, sides of good and evil were easily drawn. Director/co-writer Matthew Vaughn reverses these expectations and finds a way to find a satisfying conclusion. A clever cameo links all five movies.

Granted, there is free drama on TV, as the Miami Heat strive to reclaim their NBA Championship. But take time to see X-Men: First Class at a matinee price.

By Scott Morganroth

There is one thing that FAU Baseball has successfully accomplished that football is working on, and that’s being a good feeder system for the professional ranks as it builds a tradition.

Football Coach Howard Schnellenberger is working on that after being on the gridiron 10 years. With a new on-campus stadium on the way, there is plenty to look forward to.

Meanwhile, the Owls just completed their baseball season with a 32-25 record and finished 25-9 at home. They were 17-13 in conference play to tie for fourth place.

A real major bright spot for FAU was the performance of senior shortstop Nick DelGuidice, who enhanced his chances of getting drafted this month in the Major League Baseball Draft by ending his career in style. He was named to the Sun Belt Conference’s All-Tournament Team.

He drove in six runs, scored four more and posted a .417 batting average in the Owls three games.

The Miami native had five RBIs, including a two-run home run on Wednesday, June 1, during an extra-inning game against the Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers.

He added a pair of singles in FAU’s game on Saturday against the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, the eventual tournament champion. He went 5-12 at the plate in the tournament.

DelGuidice earned second team all-conference honors for a regular season in which he led the team with 50 RBIs and 20 doubles. He set a school record with 58 career doubles.

He ended the season with a .341 batting average and scored 34 runs.

Meanwhile, the Florida Atlantic Softball team lost to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (ULL), 8-0, in five innings in the championship game of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament on Saturday, May 14.

It was the second trip for the Owls to the Sun Belt championship game in three years. The Owls (34-25) lost to ULL, 8-3, in the finals of the Sun Belt Tournament in 2009.

The Ragin’ Cajuns (49-9) scored in the first inning when an FAU fielding error allowed the run to score. ULL hit three homers on the day, which scored six of the eight runs. Rose Gressley and Ashlyn Parmerter had hit for the Owls in the game.

FAU has never had a losing season in its 17 years of softball, recording a .500 record only once. Senior pitcher Gressley and junior second baseman Heather Barnes were both named to the Sun Belt All-Tournament Team.

Scott Morganroth can be reached at www.scottsports33.com.

By Deron Peterson,  senior pastor at First Baptist Church, Deerfield Beach

This past Memorial Day weekend, I had the opportunity to travel to upstate New York, where I grew up. I always enjoy going back there for a visit.

This place is in the heart of the Adirondack National Park, the town, Schroon Lake. A small community with a population of 1,735, according to City-Data.com, that transforms itself into a thriving metropolis the day after Memorial Day. We used to say; “They roll out the sidewalks on Memorial Day and roll them back up on Labor Day.”

A short drive through Schroon Lake belies the sparse population as you see small houses, cottages really, scattered along the shores of the lake.  The reason for the inconsistent population, however, is the summer residents.  They begin to invade Schroon Lake not long after Memorial Day, as tradition dictates, and return home around Labor Day, leaving behind a little ghost town … our little ghost town.

I try to make it a habit to spend 4th of July in Schroon Lake … parade, patriotic concert on the beach, and the most amazing fireworks you could ever imagine. I went there last July with my kids, believing there is no way it would live up to my memories. I was wrong. It’s not that it’s the biggest parade, it’s actually quite small. The concert is not the best, just local artists singing their best in honor of God and country, and the fireworks are not the biggest, but quite impressive for a small mountain town of only 1,800. What makes this place so spectacular? Tradition. You’ve heard the saying, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” Well, that’s Schroon Lake.

I talked with an 89-year-old man a couple of weeks ago who used to vacation in Schroon Lake. He showed me a picture of the town from 1985. When I arrived on May 27 and drove down Main Street, that picture from 1985 could’ve been taken today and it would look exactly the same. Stewarts is still one of only two gas stations and the only one that serves Ice Cream. “Make your own sundaes” are their specialty. Then there’s Decesear’s Pizza — the only pizza place you pay $20 for a pizza you would pay $10 for anywhere else and you still feel like you got a bargain. Why. It’s the only pizza place in town. Then there’s my personal favorite, Pitkins. The local diner where the owner, Marie, still waits tables with a smile as she sits down at your table and talks about the good old days. She’ll remember your name and even ask you how your family is doing. It’s a place where every stranger feels at home. It’s a place where it’s still like it used to be in the “good ole days.”

Do you have a Schroon Lake? Do you have a place that always feels like home, which seems to never change, that you can count on year after year? At our church, we celebrate Jesus Christ. You know what it says about Christ in Hebrews 13? It says, “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever.”

Isn’t that amazing? Finally, something you can count on, someone who cares, someone who loves you enough to die on the cross for you, someone who says, “There is no one left to judge you, and neither do I,” someone who will receive you with open arms and someone who you can depend upon day after day.  While trying to keep up with our fast-moving, ever-changing world, there is Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever.

By Gary Curreri

(Left) Savannah Davis returns a shot in a recent Florida Beach Volleyball Tour 18-under girls division match in Ft. Lauderdale. Photo by Gary Curreri

Kristina Pellitteri and Savannah Davis have a lot in common. Both live in Deerfield Beach. Both are Pompano Beach High School students, and both love the beach.

So why not parlay that into a possible future in beach volleyball? They are well on their way, as they have been tearing it up on the beach volleyball junior circuit. The duo, who also play on their high school volleyball team, have won the past four tournaments they have played in together.

Pellitteri, who has been playing beach volleyball since her freshman year, took first place with her older sister Stephanie in an AAA Division earlier in the year and won the last four tournaments in the Florida Beach Volleyball Tour in the 18-under girls division with Davis.

“It really helps your defense a lot because you are used to playing with two people, and when you play indoors there are six,” said Pellitteri, 17, who also hopes to land a beach volleyball scholarship to Florida State University where her sister, Stephanie recently signed “It is not really a hard transition. It is probably a harder transition to go from beach to indoors than from indoors to beach.”

Pellitteri said it is exciting knowing that colleges are offering scholarships for beach volleyball.

“Before we were playing for fun and now we are playing to have people watch you,” Pellitteri said. “I don’t look around right now to see if there are college coaches around. I probably will be soon. It will probably make me nervous.”

“I think beach volleyball has improved my game all around more than indoors would because the conditioning is so much better,” Pellitteri added. “I just have more fun playing beach volleyball because that is what I want to do.”

Davis, 16, a Pompano Beach High sophomore, said she has teamed with Pellitteri for three years. She also likes the fact that there are college options on the horizon.

“It definitely gets more and more competitive as the season progresses, especially now that colleges are offering beach volleyball scholarships,” Davis said. “I was really excited because I liked beach more than indoor. It is more relaxed and you get to touch every ball.”

Davis, who used to play travel soccer, likes volleyball because her mom used to play, and her friends encouraged her to give it a try.

“I would love to play in the Olympics  or  be on TV,” Davis said. “I would definitely go that far. It would be a great opportunity. It would take drive and really being dedicated to the sport.”

Kristina Pellitteri returns a shot in a recent Florida Beach Volleyball Tour 18-under girls division match in Fort Lauderdale. Photo by Gary Curreri

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

With the financial success of The Hangover Part II, Bridesmaids and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, the movie industry is feeling confident that people are returning to the movie theaters, unlike last Memorial Day weekend, which pronounced the extinction of the community movie-going experience as we know it.  For the next two months, moviegoers can enjoy the traditional summer blockbuster fare.

Off the beaten track at the Ft. Lauderdale Museum of Discovery, one can find Born to Be Wild 3-D, a charming documentary about animal foster care in Borneo.  On the six-story IMAX screen, one can watch as two courageous women take in orphan orangutans and elephants.

The visuals are pure poetry.  We see elephants playing soccer.  Older orangutans teach the younger orangutans the value of swinging from trees and vines.  The most violent portion of this documentary is uttered from the lips of Morgan Freeman, who explains that these animals are orphaned because of the greed of poachers. Of all the movies released in 3-D this year, Born to Be Wild 3-D may be the most heart tugging.

Starting tonight and continuing through Sunday, the Ft. Lauderdale Interna-tional Film Festival Cinema Paradiso Theater presents its 2nd Annual Carrabba’s Italia Film Festa, featuring food, wine and 12 Italian films.

Among the highlights is Federico Fellini’s Oscar-winning masterpiece La Strada, starring Anthony Quinn and Giulietta Masina as carnival gypsies.  As a free Saturday Matinee, the theater will be screening Roberto Benigni’s Pinocchio, dubbed with the voices of Jim Belushi, Glenn Close and John Cleese.

This festa  will also present recent award-winning and critically-acclaimed motion pictures from the boot-shaped peninsula:

20 Cigarettes/20 Sigarette was recently honored at both the Venice and Dubai International Film Festivals. Anti-War protestor Aureliano Amadei is given the opportunity to go to Iraq as an assistant director. Ironically, Amadej becomes a victim of a suicide-truck bombing.

Martino’s Summer/L’Estate di Martino is a reflective drama featuring the terrorist attacks upon Italy during the Jimmy Carter Summer of 1980. Starring Treat Williams, this drama involves ghosts, surfing and personal redemption.

If you are a fan of Oprah’s, you are familiar with her book club. With the festival of Shavuot coming up, I thought it was very interesting that Oprah had not one, but two books with the name Ruth in the title …“Drowning Ruth” and “The Book of Ruth.”

Don’t get me wrong, her Book of Ruth was not the one from the Bible. But why is it that Oprah seems to have this penchant for books with a character named Ruth?

Well, I don’t know Oprah, although, if she ever reads this, I would love to meet her, but let me take a stab at answering the question from a Rabbinic viewpoint.

You see, on Shavuot we read the Biblical Book of Ruth and, while many think that Ruth is the only woman in the story, there are others. One of those others is another Moabite who, like Ruth, weds a Hebrew and her name just happens to be Orpah.

No, that is not my dyslexia turning the letters around. The name is Orpah, but you should know that the name Oprah, as in Oprah Winfrey, is a variant spelling of that name.

Now, you might be wondering what the name Orpah means. It refers to a deer or a fawn. Have you ever had anyone “fawn” all over you? It can be a wonderful feeling or it can be a real pain in the “you-know-what.”

And as to the word deer, while I know they are beautiful creatures, I much prefer another spelling of the word … D-E-A-R! When someone fawns over you, it lets you know that you are very dear to them. In the Book of Ruth, we learn what is, or at least, what should be, very dear to someone. The love of your life should be very dear. The love of G-d should be very dear. The love of G-d’s Commandments should be very dear. The love of Torah should be very dear. And, if you think those are difficult, then let me remind you that through Ruth, we even learn that our Mother-in-laws should be very dear to us, that we should not desert them.

Speaking of dessert, okay, I toyed with the spelling again, there is a tradition to eat dairy product on Shavuot. This comes from the concept of Israel being the land of milk and honey … and it reminds us that the Torah … that G-d’s Word should be sweet and nourishing to our bodies and our souls.

And, just as G-d’s Word is nourishing to us, we should do what we can to nourish others, which brings us right back to the Festival because Shavuot falls in the harvest season. There is a wonderful commandment about the barley harvest where we are told that we are to permit the poor to glean the stalks that fall to the ground during the harvest.

Of course, the Book of Ruth’s main focus is Ruth herself. Ruth converts to Judaism. The other day, someone asked me if they could convert to the Jewish faith. I told them that it was a very lengthy process. And I used another meaning of the word glean in my talk with her. I told her that Judaism is not an instantaneous thing. It must be gleaned. Even after the conversion process is over, you must continue to learn, bit by bit. In fact, I am still gleaning. My mentors drop some of the stalks of their wisdom, permit me to pick them up, and those stalks nourish my soul. May you glean from my words and may they nourish you.

Shalom My Friends,

Rabbi Ezring

Rabbi Ezring is a Hospice Chaplain and member of the National Association of Jewish Chaplains. He also provides Professional Pastoral Care Services to a number of health centers in Broward County.

By Dave Montalbano

After the 9/11 attacks, B.B. King performed in the Pompano Amphitheater. The old Blues Boy was an appropriate anecdote to the healing process. By acknowledging pain and suffering, one could move forward toward redemption and hope. This Sunday, B.B. King brings his blues craftsmanship to Washington D.C. for the annual National Memorial Day Concert on PBS, joining regular hosts Gary Sinise and Joe Mantegna.

Each year, this bipartisan presentation honors all four branches of the American Armed Forces. There will be a tribute to the children of war, and the World War II generation will be acknowledged. These emotional tributes often require Kleenex for the viewer. Yet, this is a life-affirming program and should not be missed this Sunday night on our local PBS station.

On a lighter note, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides had the strongest opening of any movie released in 2011. This Walt Disney Studios franchise opens strong but fades toward a philosophical climax involving the Fountain of Youth. Given Florida’s connection to the Fountain of Youth in Saint Augustine, much local lore could have been included in this salty tale.

Given the complexity of the original trilogy, On Stranger Tides takes a minimalist approach and keeps the focus on Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp). Taken prisoner by the Royal Court of King George III (Richard Griffiths), Captain Jack is reunited with an old ally, Gibbs (Kevin McNally), and his arch nemesis, Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush).

Captain Jack escapes and eventually swabs the deck of the Queen Ann’s Revenge,  a voodoo-enchanted ship captained by the notorious Blackbeard (Ian McShane).  Having survived his beheading in the Carolinas, Black-beard is on a quest for eternal life by drinking from the Fountain of Youth.

Lacking the charisma of Captain Davy Jones and Barbossa, Blackbeard is a disappointing villain. Blackbeard’s saving grace is that he has a beautiful daughter (Penelope Cruz), a swashbuckling former nun whose youth was corrupted by one Captain Jack Sparrow. Whether dancing a tango or sword fighting, the chemistry of Depp and Cruz keeps On Stranger Tides afloat.

Given the last shot of the post credits sequence, expect Pirates 5 to continue the relationship between Angelica and Captain Jack. Expect Geoffrey Rush to return, because the on-screen feud between Barbossa and Captain Jack is fun to watch. Hopefully, the next Pirates will include more time on-deck and less time landlocked.

By Gary Curreri

Reg Cook said he’d spend more time with his family after stepping down as Athletic Director at Highlands Christian Academy. Photo by Gary Curreri

Reg Cook said he is not “relieved” to be giving up the reigns as athletic director at Highlands Christian Academy.

Cook, who turns 60 on Sept. 29, is completing his 37th year at the school. He told school officials recently that he would give up his duties as athletic director, but would stay on and help Jim Good as an assistant. Good would remain as head basketball coach as well.

“I wouldn’t use the word relief because it sounds like I am getting out of a job I hated, and that’s not the case,” said Cook, who went 518-265 at the school as its boys basketball coach for 28 years. The gym floor was named after Cook in 2005-2006.

“An athletic director (AD) puts in a lot of hours and that goes without saying,” Cook added. “At this time in my life, my new contract is less hours … It gives me some more time at my home with my wife. It is cutting back a little bit. It’s a great job, and Jimmy is a great boss.”

Cook started at Highlands when his father, Bernie, was the AD at the school. Cook began as a PE teacher and a coach. He piloted the JV team three years under his father, who was also the varsity coach and then took over the varsity team until six years ago when he handed that to Good as well. Cook has enjoyed his tenure at the school.

“Oh my gosh, it’s just been great,” said Cook, whose three children went to the school, and he was able to coach two of his brothers also during that time. “It’s been wonderful because I haven’t had to check the clock when it is time to go home. It’s a great job because I work with wonderful people. It was just a family affair, and I am not just talking about my own family, I am talking about the whole Highlands family.”

Cook said he enjoys staying in touch with former players and the fact that he has been able to work with his best friend and former college roommate, Ken Lopez, who is the school’s principal. He said he’s enjoyed “making a difference” in people’s lives. He’s toyed with the idea of stepping aside for the past three or four years.

“It wasn’t a matter of us waiting until he was ready,” Cook said. “Jimmy could have taken over years ago and done a super job. I don’t think it’ll change that much except he will be the one making the final decision. I am sure Jimmy has some new ideas, and I am totally excited about doing things in a different way. We don’t have to do everything the same way we have been doing.”

Good, 35, who lives on the property at the school and overlooks the softball field, is looking forward to the challenge.

“I am excited,” said Good, who has been at the school 14 years. “Those are definitely big shoes to fill. I know the athletic director position is a different set of challenges, but also a different set of rewards as well.”

Good is happy that his mentor of the past 14 years will remain on as an assistant AD, putting in between 30 and 35 hours a week.

“I don’t think words can describe what he has meant to the school,” Good said. “He has been the face of the athletic department since 1974. His priorities, focus and approach to athletics have meant a lot to me.”

Cook’s wife, Melanie, said there was a conversation she recalls her husband having with a new coach at the school. She said it sums up her husband’s influence with the students he coached.

“The younger coach asked my husband, ‘do you want the kids to like you?’” Melanie Cook recalled. “And he said, ‘I want them to like me five years from now.’ So his philosophy was that they would appreciate the discipline later. So many of these boys, especially the boys who grew up without dads, have said, ‘without coach Cook, I don’t know where I’d be.”

Melanie Cook said her husband never looked at his position as a job and never complained about going to work.

“He’s loved it, maybe a little too much,” she said with a laugh. “I’ll be glad to have him a little bit more. We are going to be doing some traveling —  a Mediterranean cruise later this year and a family trip to Africa next year.”

Reg Cook said the journey at Highlands was well worth it.