By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

Forget last summer’s girlie man movies like Prince of Persia: the Sands of Time and Sex and the City 2, with Fast Five’s opening gross of $86 million, the Summer 2011 blockbuster season has begun!

Currently screening at the Museum of Discovery’s IMAX, Fast Five has the energy, action and humor expected from a Summer Blockbuster.

While some of the action sequences have a taint of Attention Deficient Disorder editing, the stunt work, car chases and heists are well-directed. The climactic fight between Dwayne (the Rock) Johnson and Vin Diesel does not disappoint, but it is the quiet moments that will resonate … in particular, when Vin Diesel’s outlaw character reminisces about going to church with his father and the Sunday afternoon barbecues for the neighborhood.

Written and directed by Max Winkler, Ceremony is the kind of movie that most filmmakers don’t make anymore. Children’s writer Sam (Michael Angarano) tricks his friend Marshall (Reece Thompson)  into driving to Eastern Long Island. What is first promoted as a youthful road trip becomes a journey toward obsession. Sam wants to disrupt the wedding of the love of his life, Zoe (Uma Thurman).

Given that Sam is in his twenties and Zoe is in her forties, Ceremony is an odd movie with allusions to F. Scott Fitzgerald and Jonathan Ames. Angarano’s Sam makes the convincing transition from fake Marlboro Man look-a-like to that of man-child who finally becomes an adult. There is much situational humor.

Also opening this weekend is Werner Herzog’s 3-D documentary The Cave of Forgotten Dreams. Best known for his intense films like Fitzcarldo, Aguirre: The Wrath of God and Grizzly Man, Herzog obtained exclusive access to film inside the Chauvet-Pont-d’Arc Cave of Southern France, believed to include the oldest pictographs on earth.

The Caves of Forgotten Dreams is a beautiful and approachable film. Herzog, who also narrates, brings a childlike joy through his grandfatherly German accent. The visuals are exceptional and the stories told about the artifacts are life-affirming.

Opening this weekend at the Movies of Delray will be 100 Voices: A Journey Home, winner of the Audience Award at the 16th Annual Palm Beach International Film Festival. This documentary celebrates song and faith as a group of Cantors travel to Poland to sing.

There is so much to do this Mother’s Day weekend, make the most of it!

One of the most endearing characters in the annuls of Winnie the Pooh is an elderly donkey named Eeyore. His name came up recently when someone asked me if they were spelling the name of the Hebrew Month that just began correctly. Actually, in most transliterations the month is spelled I-Y-A-R, as in Iyar. But, I found something fascinating with connecting the Hebrew month of Iyar with the lovable character known as Eeyore.

For instance, when Eeyore is first found by Pooh and his friends, he is found floating in the water. On Passover, we retell the ancient story of the baby Moses being found, just as Eeyore was, floating in the water.

Eeyore spends a lot of time wandering and, as you are most certainly aware, our people spent a lot of time wandering through the wilderness. As we wandered, we set up temporary huts, which we still put up in our yards each year on the Festival of Sukkoth. Those huts are made out of a bit of wood and branches or thistles.

Now, it is true that Eeyore likes to eat thistles, but, it is also true that his house was built out of sticks, and, just as when we spend time in the Sukkah, we realize how fragile life can be and how everything we have can be wiped out in an instant, so Eeyore finds that a house of sticks is not necessarily the best thing to build a house out of.

This donkey, this lovable character, always ready to lend a helping hand to his friends, also comes out with one of the greatest lines for us to connect to our faith. He says, “If honey’s what you’re looking for, I know just the place to find it.”

There was a wonderful musical out many years ago that points the way in lyrical fashion as they sing about The Holy Land of Israel with the words, “This is the land of milk and honey.”

By the way, Eeyore isn’t the only name that is similar to the month of Iyar. There are women who are dubbed with the Hebrew name, Iora, and if you know what Oro means in Spanish, then you probably can guess that Iora means “gold.” One of the most famous songs of all time in Israel is Naomi Shemer’s “Yerushalayim Shel Zahav,” which means, Jerusalem of Gold.

During the month of Iyar, we observe Yom Hazikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day, and then, the very next day, we celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israeli Independence Day. It may sound almost ludicrous to go from a national day of mourning right into a national day of rebirth and joyous celebration, but it sure fits the month of Iyar.

According to the Sages, Iyar is a time of healing. The word “Iyar” is an acronym for “Ani Hashem Rophecha” (“I am HaShem your Healer.”)

On Passover, we celebrated our freedom from slavery. We spent so many years as slaves and then, one day, suddenly, we were freed from the pain of our taskmasters’ whips. Today, many of us are still enslaved by various forms of illness. In this month of Iyar may we, like Eeyore, should be ever ready to help a friend in need and may our visits and ministrations be as sweet as honey. And to those of you who are dealing with illness, remember that just one day can make all the difference in the world.

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.

The Phillies Kyle Bombardier tags out the Marlins’ Louis Esposito in a Deerfield Beach Little League Majors Division game. Photos by Gary Curreri

By Gary Curreri

Joey Zingarella pitched four solid innings and delivered a clutch 2-out, 2-run double to lift the Phillies past the Marlins, 8-6, in a Deerfield Beach Little League Majors Division game Friday night.

Zingarella went the final four innings and struck out the final Marlins batter as the Phillies improved to 9-5 with its sixth consecutive victory. Zingarella finished the game with six strikeouts.

Kyle Bombardier, Kyle McSweeney and Andrew Putney all scored two runs in the win, while Marcel Prummel had a key defensive play in the outfield.

“We are one of the teams to beat,” said Phillies coach Chuck Brown. “I gave my younger kids a chance to play and it showed they have to show up to play every inning.”

The Phillies jumped out to a 5-2 lead before the Marlins rallied to tie the game at 5-5 in the fourth. The Phillies broke the deadlock in the fifth as Kyle DeFrancisco doubled, Bombardier had an RBI singled and Alec Brown singled. Bombardier stole home and Brown scored on an error for an 8-5 lead. The Marlins’ Evan Dolan scored in the top of the six, but Zingarella shut the door and struck out the last batter to end the game.

Brown has been coaching eight years and said he enjoys working with the players. Most of the players in the Majors Division are between 10 and 12 and have baseball experience. He said they have one practice and two games a week. If he can get some hitting in at local batting cages, they also try and do that.”

“When we start off, I really want to find out their skill level and try to develop them and make them better by the end of the season,” Brown said. “If everybody improves, then it is a mission accomplished.”

Shane Reilly, another veteran coach of the Deerfield Beach Little League, said he was happy how his Marlins’ team kept battling back in the contest. The team slipped to 5-8 on the season with the loss.

“They kept battling,” Reilly said. “They always do. We have only lost one other one-run game. Usually, if we are in it, we win it.”

Louis Esposito, who went 2 for 2 with two walks and a run scored, led the Marlins. Zach Audet was hit by a pitch, walked and had a double, while Wade Patton had a walk, single and a sacrifice fly.

Reilly said his team has five games left before the playoffs, and they have some tinkering to do.

“We have to get better with our defense and our base running,” Reilly said. “That’s where we have struggled this year. We had five outs on the base paths today and that’s where we lost it. The main goal is to get better every game, both as an individual and as a team. Our goal is to get better for the playoffs.”

Shane Lovello bears down on a pitch for the Phillies in a Deerfield Beach Little League Majors Division game.

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

Scream 4 opened two weeks ago with disappointing box office results. It is a sequel that was 11 years in the making to the original Scream trilogy, which had already suffered from the laws of diminishing returns. In this film, Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) returns to her hometown, the site of the original murders and the death of her mother. Sidney is in town to promote her self-help book.

Within moments of Sidney’s book signing, a body is found in the trunk of her car. Sheriff Dewey (David Arquette) is called to investigate. Proving to be as incompetent as ever, Sheriff Dewey watches the body count rise as the ghost face killer murders the neighborhood cool kids. Feeling bored and neglected by living in a small town, Dewey’s wife, Gayle (Courtney Cox), becomes inspired and begins investigating the murders.

Scream 4 is an improvement over of Scream 3. The self-conscious humor about horror movie clichés remains. The biggest flaw with each successive Scream flick, the body count gets bigger and bigger. This makes the surviving characters from each film as indestructible as horror movie icons, while victims become anonymous. As he has done in the past, director Wes Craven strives for deeper meaning, but the superficial characters and plot by numbers mars any serious discussion about violence in the media.

One fun subplot of the Scream franchise is the creation of the fictional Stab movie-within-the-movie series that comments on the exploitation of horror films. This subplot is used in Tambien La Lluvia (Even the Rain), a Spanish movie that comments on the exploitation of the poor in Bolivia.

Humanitarian movie producer Costa (Luis Tosar) is shooting a biopic about Christopher Columbus and his exploitation of Native Americans. He and his director Sebastian (Gael Garcia Bernal) choose Bolivia because they can find cheap help. As they mock Columbus’ religious motivation, the production team is blind to their own treatment of their poverty-stricken employees.

Unlike the blatant slice-and-dice action of Scream 4, Tambien La Lluvia  presents passive-aggressive horror inflicted upon the poor. While filming their Columbus opus, the crew learns that a mean corporate entity plans on privatizing the water supply. This backstage drama is played out against the production of the motion picture. Unlike the solid conclusion of Scream 4, Tambien La Lluvia concludes upon lyrical symbolism that is more meaningful.

Are you ready for Mother’s Day? It’s less than a few weeks away. I know it’s a little early, but I wanted the opportunity to give the ladies the honor they deserve. For you history buffs, let me fill you in on some of the Mother’s Day details. Mother’s Day in the USA started long ago when Anna Jarvis organized a day to raise awareness of poor health conditions in her Appalachian community. She called it “Mother’s Work Day.” When she died in 1905, her daughter began a campaign to memorialize her mom. In 1914, Anna, the daughter named after her mother, saw her hard work pay off when President Woodrow Wilson signed a bill recognizing Mother’s Day as a national holiday. Today, the second Sunday of May has become the most “dined out” day of the year, and telephone companies record their highest volume of calls. The flower and candy businesses are not bad either. Oh, let us not forget about “the card.”

2 TIMOTHY 1:5

5 I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

NIV

You are important and you will leave a mark on this earth. It’s up to you as to what you leave behind and pass on. All throughout the Bible, women have played an incredible role in the plan of God. We see women being used by God in amazing ways, helping to fulfill His divine plan. Women have always played a key role in God’s plan, and I want to make sure we never lose sight how important they are to all of us. Take the time to thank the women in your life who have helped shape you into the person you are today.

Proverbs 31:10

10 A capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman—who is he who can find her? She is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies or pearls.

AMP

What’s the most important Mother’s Day ever? This one! Oh, I am sure you can recount some very special Mother’s Days. But the one you observe this year should be the best ever. Also, make sure your kids do the right thing. Honor the special ladies in your lives by recognizing the valuable contribution they make at church, as well as at home. It’s not easy being a wife, mother, churchwoman, bread-winner, homemaker, taxi driver — you name it! Let her know how you feel.

If I can speak to moms, and women in general, on behalf of the husbands, fathers, brothers and sons today, I would like to say this. The music of your life is beautiful. You are a beautiful flower with delicate petals and a wonderful fragrance. We envy the relationship you have with our children and grandchildren. God created you beautiful in the depth of your being, and it is that beauty that draws us to you. We praise God for you and thank God for you, even though we don’t tell you nearly as often as we should.

Pastor Tony Guadagnino

Christian Love Fellowship Church

Cameron Ogbourne returns a shot during the District 11-4A tennis tournament final against Douglas’ Scott Korefsky. Photo by Gary Curreri

By Gary Curreri

If Cameron Ogbourne were to rank his first year playing high school tennis on a scale from 1 to 10, it would be an 8.5.

“I think I won more matches in the season than I lost,” said the Blanche Ely High School freshman. “My game is not where it needs to be. I need to improve my backhand.”

A favorable draw on the bracket, plus a victory over an opponent to avenge a regular-season loss, put Ogbourne in a rare notable spot for his high school tennis team.

For the first time in 15 seasons, a Tigers tennis player earned one of the final spots in the post-season district tournament. Ogbourne, who sports a 3.8 GPA in the BEHS magnet program, made a splash during the 11-team, District 11-4A tournament hosted by Taravella at Cypress Park Tennis Center in Coral Springs.

Representing the Tigers in the No. 3 singles bracket, Ogbourne used an unspectacular but patient baseline-to-baseline style of play to eliminate Coral Glades’ Jesse Sehr, 6-4, 6-2, in the first round.

The victory earned him a match in the semifinals against Coral Springs’ Jason Petusevsky, who a month earlier edged Ogbourne, 9-7, in a regular-season match at Coral Springs.

The Tiger freshman took advantage of his error-prone opponent, who committed 28 unforced errors (including 11 double faults) in the first set as Ogbourne prevailed, 6-3. In the second set, Ogbourne was even more flawless. After committing 18 errors in the first set, he cut it down to just six to prevail with a final score of 6-3, 6-2.

“As always, Cameron does a good job of keeping his cool no matter what the situation of the match is,” said Tigers fifth-year coach Concepçion Ledezma. “He’s been steadily improving as the season went along, and that’s a tribute to him, as well as the other guys, considering we hadn’t been able to practice at our own courts (due to construction work) all season long.

“I definitely see him challenging our No. 1 (junior Hashan Bhim) and No. 2 (junior David Bryan) next year,” Ledezma added. “As the season went along, the gap between them was narrowing.”

His district finals match against Douglas’ Scott Korefsky was cut short in the second set when Ogbourne twisted his ankle running down a deep, cross-court backhand winner. Korefsky went on to earn the points for repeating district champ Douglas with the victory (6-3, 4-2, ret.).

“It was pretty surprising for me to get as far as I did considering there wasn’t consistent practice time,” Ogbourne said. “I’ve been playing tennis since I was 5. I like tennis because it is a non-contact sport, unlike football or basketball. You can stay away from injuries and it is good exercise and a good way to have fun.”

Ogbourne doesn’t believe he will pursue a pro career in tennis; however, he would like to parlay his talents into a college scholarship.

“I believe that I will start next year at No. 3 and, hopefully I will move up to at least No. 2,” Ogbourne said. “I will have to work really hard and improve my backhand.”

Ogbourne and the rest of the Tigers found practice a challenge this year, as they scrambled for training locations because of the athletic facilities construction.

“A group of two to three (players) would go to a nearby court and others would go to another,” Ledezma noted. “I think Cameron’s biggest improvement was stamina, improving his advantage in the long rallies.”

It is a tough call, however. Ogbourne said it was more impressive to do well in the classroom than make history on the courts.

“Grades are important,” Ogbourne said with a laugh. “It was a nice accomplishment though. That’s a tough question.”

By Dave Montalbano

Franc D’Ambrosio (R) and Sharon Brooks, director of education, Broward Center for the Performing Arts.

www.AdventuresofCinemaDave.com

In the past month, Franc D’Ambrosio has worked in South Florida on at least three occasions — between business trips to California, New York and the Midwest.

Besides holding the record for being The Phantom of the Opera on-stage longer than anybody, D‘Ambrosio  portrayed Al Pacino and Diane Keaton’s son in The Godfather Part III, in which he sang the opera  Cavalleria Rusticana and “Speak Softly Love,” the famed “Love Theme from The Godfather.

When asked about a potential Godfather IV, D’Ambrosio said, “There has been discussions recently. I’d love to do it and will free myself from the concert schedule. Coppola is a genius.”

While he admitted that the set was ‘tense’ at times, D’Ambrosio stated that it was a thrilling experience.

“On my first day, I show up on the set and watched Al Pacino and Andy Garcia doing a scene. Al is such a method actor, we were only Anthony and Dad. Even off the set, I called him Dad and he called me Anthony.”

After viewing The Godfather Part III,” Luciano Pavarotti took interest in D’Ambrosio and he became Pavarotti’s apprentice. This is a tradition that D’Ambrosio has continued by teaching Master Voice Classes worldwide, including a recent stop at Broward Center for the Performing Arts.

For a nominal fee, D’Ambrosio listened to six singers, age 15 to middle aged. With each instruction, each student presented a stronger, more authentic performance. When class ended, D’Ambrosio stayed after school to work with additional students.

“A performance is not about you, but giving to the audience. That is what the people want and it is my job to provide that experience.”

Like his mentor Pavarotti, D’Ambrosio taught more than vocal technique. Pavarotti once said, “Franc, if you have to stop living to sing, stop singing.”

D’Ambrosio stressed this point further.

“I spend little time with high maintenance people. Life off-stage is full of adventure, not drama. I stay with good friends and drink good wine. I don’t let my mind get ahead of me, and I am careful about sleep.”

Beyond success in movies, opera and Broadway, D’Ambrosio explained his motivation.

“When you do what you love, it gives you energy. My Catholic faith is the center of my life, focusing on putting God first and nothing else … that’s how I live, to live for happiness and peace.”

Happy Easter, dear readers!

During the Passover Seder, there is a part that is usually reserved for the youngest person in attendance. It is known as The Four Questions. Why is this night different from all other nights of the year?

Most are familiar with the first of the questions asked pertaining to why we eat only matzah; but it is the fourth question that I wish to focus on today. The fourth question asks why on this night we all eat reclining. In our Haggadoth, many of us read the response as “To recline at mealtimes in ancient days was the sign of a free man. On this night of Passover, we demonstrate our sense of complete freedom by reclining during our repast.” But let me ask you something, which way do you lean? Do you lean to the left or do you lean to the right? And, exactly how far do you lean?

I posed these questions at one of the Seders and someone who was trying to be funny attempted to show just how far they could lean to one particular side. Do you know what happened? That’s right, (or maybe I should say, that’s left), they fell off their chair and wound up down on the floor.

Somebody chided that the reason the person had fallen was that they leaned to the wrong side. And to prove the point, this other person leaned himself all the way to the opposite side. And guess what? That’s right; he wound up falling off his chair as well.

So let me give you another way of looking at the question ‘Why do we recline?’ When you hear the word recline, you might envision your favorite chair … you know, one of those soft, comfy recliners. Those chairs are meant to make you comfortable. But if you think about it, Archie Bunker had his favorite chair and G-d forbid anyone else ever try and make themselves comfortable by sitting in it.

Archie was worried about his comfort, not anyone else’s. He didn’t care what he said that hurt others. He looked down on anyone who was different from him. He disliked anyone who viewed the world differently. He even felt his wife was so subservient that, in his mind, it was okay to refer to her as ‘dingbat.’

Let me get back on track and focus on the word ‘recline.’ In the dictionary, it says, “To cause or permit to incline backwards.” Let me be the first to tell you that there is a big difference between CAUSING someone to lean over backwards and PERMITTING them to do so.

Causing someone to lean over backwards is a form of slavery. Permitting one to do so is a form of freedom. On Passover, we are supposed to feel as though we, personally, were freed from slavery. So this year, stop causing yourself to be enslaved by leaning too far to the right or the left. This year, permit yourself to look at things from a different angle. Perhaps, it will open up a whole new world for you and give you a greater sense of freedom than you have had in a very long time.

Shalom My Friends,

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

By Dave Montalbano

www.AdventuresofCinemaDave

After being involved with box office duds recently, Redford directs his first historical motion picture about the assassination of America’s first Republican president. The Conspirator opens with the murder of President Lincoln by John Wilkes Boothe. After a national manhunt, Boothe was shot in a burning barn and five associates were arrested and put to trial in a military tribunal. This is the most exciting and energetic portion of the movie.

When the court is in session (in candlelight — in a world without electricity) the pace of The Conspirator slows down and becomes a courtroom drama. Union Civil War Veteran Frederick Aiken (James McAvoy) becomes the public defender of Mary Suratt (Robin Wright), proprietor of the bed & breakfast where the assassination was planned. Surratt invokes the 5th Amendment and doesn’t speak to defend herself. While her actions are seen as a presumption of guilt, her motives are maternal; Surratt wants to protect
her daughter Anna  (Evan Rachel Wood) and son, John (Johnny Simmons), a young man implicated because he was friends with John Wilkes Booth.

As Mary Surratt, Robin Wright will be considered for an Oscar. Her stoic actions are only betrayed by the windows of the soul, her eyes. With his work in Atonement and the new X-Men movie being released this summer, James McAvoy will become a household name in the movies. As Aiken, McAvoy is the film’s narrator and masters a transitional performance. Enjoying the wigs, beards and 19th Century clothing, veteran actors Kevin Kline (as Edwin Staton) and Tom Willinkson (as Reverdy Johnson), sink their teeth into character roles. The new generation of ensemble players, Evan Rachel Wood, Alexis Bledel and Justin Long acquit themselves in this fine, but dark, drama.

• On a lighter note, Bill Cunningham New York is a cheerful documentary about a New York fashion photographer. Cunningham contributes to the Sunday edition of the New York Times  by photographing strangers on the street and noting the clothes they are wearing. From his randomly taken photographs, Cunningham and his assistants review patterns, trends and fads while fashion moguls like Anna Wintour, Annette De La Renta and Mrs. Vincent Astor are interviewed.

• And finally, the last local festival of the season –Downtown Boca Film Festival—held in Boca and Delray, concludes this weekend. For tickets and information, visit www.dbff.us.

By Scott Morganroth

A week ago, I drove by the new FAU Football Stadium and, after seeing the progress, it looks like everything is moving along in time for the upcoming season. Meanwhile, a half a mile on campus, the football team is conducting Spring Practice drills, as it prepares for the 2011 season. The annual Spring Football Game is scheduled for Saturday, April 23.

The Men’s Basketball Team concluded its season on March 16 in Coral Gables, as the Miami Hurricanes ousted the Owls from the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) by routing them 85-62. The Owls set a school record with 21 wins and finished the year with a 21-11 mark. FAU also set a school record for longest winning streak at the Division One level with eight.

This past weekend, the baseball team concluded a three-game series against the South Alabama Jaguars by winning two games at Stanky Field in Mobile, AL. The Owls won two of the three contests as their record stands at 19-13 overall and 7-5 in the Sun Belt Conference.

The Owls have faced a couple of key state schools.

On Feb. 22, Florida hammered FAU 13-2 at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter.

Twenty-four hours later at FAU Stadium, the Owls rebounded with a 7-4 win over the Miami Hurricanes. The two teams squared off again on March 15, but Miami avenged its loss with a 7-4 win at Coral Gables. Their final meeting will take place in Coral Gables on May 17.

Alex Hudak leads the team with a .439 average and also is tops on the squad with 50 hits. Nick Deljudice has 25 RBIs along with a .336 average. Andy Mee has four homers and a .323 average and 23 RBIs, while Raymond Church has amassed 17 walks.

Paul Davis is the team’s top pitcher with a 6-1 record, a 2.26 ERA in 51.2 innings pitched. RJ Alvarez leads the team with 39 strikeouts and has a 4-2 record. Josh Gonzaqa has compiled a 4-2 record with a 3.11 ERA with two saves.

The Owls will face Louisiana Monroe this weekend at FAU Stadium. After this series, FAU will travel to Orlando and face the University of Central Florida Knights on Tuesday, April 19.

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