By “Cinema” Dave

http://cinemadave.livejournal.com

Cinema Dave with music teacher Chai Latte. After teaching four lessons of ukulele, Chai Latte will conduct The Space Jam Ukulele Concert with her “graduate” students Thursday, Aug. 1 at 6 p.m.

It was a decade ago this month that I committed to publish my first book, The Adventures of Cinema Dave in the Florida Motion Picture World, which featured 652 pages of interviews, pictures and movie reviews from the Observer. Despite going through an economic recession in 2009, I was optimistic about the film industry.

Deerfield Beach was centrally located between multiple film festivals, the Delray Beach Film Festival, the Palm Beach Film Festival, the Miami International Film Festival, the Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival and multiple conventions and comic book film festivals.  Now, of those fests, only the Miami International Film Festival and the Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival have survived. [But other festivals have popped up].

Thanks to the adaptation of small screen telephones [and the ability to stream movies on the Internet], consumer interest did change. With the exception of a film like a Star Wars and a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie, seeing a movie as a communal experience has waned.  

If you do go to the movies this month, keep a keen eye out for The Peanut Butter Falcon, an independent film that features fine performances from Dakota Johnson, Bruce Dern, wrestler Mick Foley, John Hawkes and newcomer Zack Gottsagen. This entertaining movie, which features a roller coaster ride of emotions, is pure American cinema.

If you are looking to do something fun and free tonight, “The Space Jam Ukulele Concert” will be conducted at the Deerfield Beach Percy White Library starting at 6 p.m. This concert is the culmination of four weeks of ukulele lessons that library patrons have taken with music teacher Chai Latte. Honky-tonk pianist Kris Nicholson will tickle the ivories for this special evening. [He was part of the library’s “Blues School” event Feb. 2]. Join the fun this summer evening.

Cinema Dave with Kris Nicholson, the Honky Tonk piano player. After his contribution to Blues School last Feb. 2 at Deerfield Beach Percy White Library, Kris Nicholson guest stars in this evening’s (Aug. 1) free Space Jam Ukulele Concert.

Each moment of life, taken on its own, is imprisoned. It is a fragment and, as such, orphaned from its meaning, like torn pages of a book scattered by the wind. Remembrance creates a gestalt, a wholeness in which all things are redeemed and complete.

The most essential example: You probably have noticed that all the mitzvahs (Biblical commandments) we do are zecher l’yitsiat mitzraim — “a remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt.” It is this memory that takes a mitzvah out of its particular context and brings it into the larger drama of redemption. Each mitzvah becomes another step in an ongoing Exodus that began in Egypt and culminates in the final redemption.

To put it another way: On its own, a mitzvah is just another deed. In the context of remembrance, it becomes redemption: A redemption of that person at that moment and another step in the redemption of the entire world.

[In reference to a parent who has lost a child]: The point at which your child was lost, I’m sure, was impossibly painful. Experiences such as these often become barriers between the present and the past. Memories are lost or tainted by the pain. But if you could see the entire picture as a whole, from beginning to end, the beauty would return to all of it.

I remember a music professor who would start the class by playing a chord on the piano and asking us to write down the notes. The chords became more and more sophisticated as the classes progressed: minor 9ths, suspended, augmented, 13ths… Then, one day, he played the ugliest chord imaginable — and, this time, not only were we asked to write the notes, but to tell him the era and composer, as well. All were convinced it was post-Wagnerian. Most placed it as “modern ugly — likely from the 1920s.” Several suggested Arnold Schönberg. Then he played us the entire piece. It was a fugue from J.S. Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavichord. The voices of the fugue fought their way into a crescendo of complexity culminating in the agonizing tension of that chord…and then smoothly resolved back into the sweetest baroque harmony. Of course, it was all beautiful. But the most beautiful was that which we had first heard as the most ugly.

May we all merit to hear the entire symphony fulfilled, sooner than we can imagine.(A portion of an article by Tzvi Freeman on Chabad.org.)

Rabbi Tzvi Dechter is the director of Chabad of North Broward Beaches, located in the Venetian Isle Shopping Center at 2025 E. Sample Rd. in Lighthouse Point. For all upcoming events, please visit www.JewishLHP.com.

By Gary Curreri
First Tee of Broward County Director of Operations Jack Bloomfield was the guest speaker at the Exchange Club of Pompano’s weekly luncheon recently.
The Pompano Exchange Club has been lending support to the First Tee of Broward County chapter for the past three years by playing in their fall golf tournament and annual Golf Marathon as well as volunteering at weekly programming.
“The Exchange Club is an all-volunteer, national service organization for men and women who want to serve their community, develop leadership skills and enjoy new friendships,” Bloomfield noted. “The Exchange Club is made up of nearly 1,000 clubs and 33,000 members throughout the United States and Puerto Rico.”
Bloomfield also thanked Exchange Club member Dr. Gene Perkins, who is the owner of Coastal Chiropractic in Pompano Beach, for his support.
Pompano Beach Men’s Golf Association results
The Pompano Beach Men’s Golf Association recently held several tournaments for its players.
 They held a Two Best Ball Of Foursome tournament at the Pines Course and the team of Jim Blake, Frank Cutrone and Willie Smith shot 116 to win by two strokes. The team of Bill Hazlett, Robert Raser and Dennis Sejda shot a 118 and won on a match of cards over the third place team of Robert Blau, Gary Gill and Jim Greeley, who also carded a 118.
Dennis Sejda won the closest to the pin contest on hole No. 15. 
In an Individual Play (Low Gross & Low Net In Classes) tournament, George Disch won the Low Gross honors for Class A with an 82. Len Ackley shot 69 and won on a match of cards with Chuck Brown for Low Net honors in Class A. Jim Blake carded an 88 to take first in the Low Gross competition for Class B.  Oscar Aleman won Low Net for Class B with a 71, while Robert Raser was second with a 72. 
In Class C, Jim DeCicco won the Low Gross with a 93. The winner of the Low Net competition was Willie Smith with a 65, who finished two shots ahead of runner-up Bob Mascatello.  The closest to the pin winner on hole No. 7 was Robert Blau.
The Pompano Beach Men’s Golf Association also held a One Best Ball Of Foursome tourney, which was won by Dave Dowling, Jim Greeley and Roy Wilhoite with a 51. The team of Len Ackley, John Grether and Mike Grimaldi took second with a 53. Jim Blake, Bill Delaney and Lee Hammer placed third with a 57 and the team of Tom Breur, Jim Foster and Willie Smith placed fourth and won on a match of cards after carding a 59. The winner of the closest to the pin on hole No. 3 was Bill Hadersbeck.

By “Cinema” Dave

http://cinemadave.livejournal.com

Filmed in South Florida, The Beach Bum celebrates the dregs of society. Matthew McConaughey portrays Moondog, a successful poet with a trophy wife, Minnie (Isla Fisher). Moondog spends his days drunk and stoned on the streets of Key West. Living on the golden canals of Miami, Minnie is having an open affair with Lingerie (Snoop Dogg). Given their Woodstock culture, there is no conflict between the three individuals that a snort of cocaine can’t fix.

Moondog and Minnie hold a family reunion when their daughter Heather (Stefania LaVie Owen) gets married to a guy that neither parent likes. A dramatic event occurs and Moondog’s life is forever changed. But, then again, under the influence of alcohol, cocaine and marijuana, does Moondog even notice?

Released during the recent spring break, The Beach Bum garnered terrible local reviews. Now that this film is available on DVD, the critics have been kinder, much like the history of Caddyshack 39 years ago. Like Caddyshack and The Big Lebowsky, The Beach Bum has all the markings of a cult following.

The cinematography sells the South Florida scenery.  The boats on the river with the sun setting on the horizon, is a strong reminder how beautiful our neighborhoods are. The soundtrack features Classic Rock with snippets of Edgar Winter, Bertie Higgins, and, of course, Jimmy Buffet, who has a cameo in the movie. Yet, The Beach Bum is more spectacle than a realistic look at people who we would not like having next door to us.

[My column last week about the Golden Anniversary of Apollo 11 provided me much feedback on social media, local reaction and personal messages on e-mail. As a writer, it is thrilling to receive such a positive response, though no one noticed a mistake in my column — Ron Howard did not direct Apollo 11; he directed Apollo 13, an exciting film about not landing on the moon!]

The 2016 Olympics were memorable for numerous events that had viewers glued to their television screens. Whether in the swimming pool, during gymnastics competition, or in track and field, records were set, victors emerged and champions were crowned. Swimming champion Michael Phelps came out of retirement to attend his fourth Olympic Games and to attempt wins against much younger competitors. He had won gold in the 200m individual medley in 2004, 2008, 2012 and was hoping to win a fourth in Rio. Many of the younger swimmers had grown up watching and idolizing Phelps. Some were eager to prove themselves by beating the aging champion. As the first 50m got underway, Phelps was clearly behind but by the last 50m he had pulled ahead and finished to win a historic fourth gold medal in convincing fashion. It’s not how you start but how you finish that matters most.

How are you faring with your initial goals, resolutions and objectives for this year? Are you on target or have you given up? Hebrews 12:1-2 offers advice for winning the spiritual race, but the same directives can inspire our life goals as well. Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of God.

There are several practical steps one can take to be assured of attaining objectives and finishing strong:

• Elimination (laying aside) is a process of removing and disposing of things that are not conducive to our well-being. Take inventory of your life and assess your readiness to secure what you’re after. You may find you need to let go of things, thoughts or habits that are preventing your progress.

• Determination (running with patience) is cultivated by realizing that life is a marathon not a sprint. Good things take time to develop and discipline is required to stay the course. A system or regimen of action will help you to get closer to the goal one step at a time.

• Motivation (looking to Jesus) can be found in observing others who have similarly pursued goals, faced obstacles and eventually succeeded. Every person who made it to the summit of a mountain had to navigate some obstacles to get there. Their stories can provide the inspiration we need in times of our own uncertainty.

British runner Mo Farrah was hoping to repeat a win in the 10,000m during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, and 11 minutes into the (30 minute) race he was tripped accidentally and tumbled to the track as other runners leaped over and dodged around him. Instead of remaining down and feeling discouraged, Farrah jumped up immediately and continued his run. Despite falling and losing momentum, he regained his composure and got back on pace. He would later win the race and secure a repeat as 10,000m champion.

There is a champion in each of us, but he or she is not revealed until the race is won, the battle is over or the goal is achieved. Preparation (physical, mental and spiritual) is a necessity for the athlete and any of us who set goals and objectives for our lives. Challenges will come along the way, and we may face discouragement and disillusionment when the unexpected happens. Advice such as this derived from the writer of Hebrews will help to keep us on track and on target to fulfilling our objectives. If you’ve fallen behind or stumbled along your way, you’re probably not alone. There’s still time to make a course correction and refocus. Get up with renewed determination; get back on track and finish strong!

Bishop Patrick L. Kelly is the pastor of Cathedral Church of God, 365 S. Dixie Hwy., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. 954-427-0302.

By Gary Curreri

Grace Parnas had a stellar effort at the recent United States Lifeguard Association Southern Regional event at Lake Worth.

The 14-year-old Pompano Beach resident won six of the nine events she was in and placed second in another for the Pompano Beach Junior Lifeguards in the Girls A Division. Parnas, who will be a sophomore at Calvary Christian Academy in the fall, took first in the run-swim-run, paddleboard race, beach flags, rescue race, iron guard and the swim relay. She got silver in the run relay.

“I’ve been competing for four years and been doing the camp for six years,” Parnas said. “It’s so fun. Most of the people say it is so hard, but I get to see my friends and then compete with them.”

She gets lost in the adrenaline rush. 

“You honestly don’t remember a lot of the race,” Parnas said. “You have the adrenaline rush and you are going as fast as you can because you just want to win.”

“I never expected to be at nationals or regionals,” said Parnas, who has also fared well at the national event.

She won beach flags two years ago and placed third last year in the event and is the two-time defending paddleboard national champion. 

“It is incredible,” she continued. “I never thought I would win nationals. I don’t feel any (outside) pressure. It is more self-put pressure because I want to win a national championship again.”

Teammate Julia Freshour, 13, also of Pompano, turned in a solid performance as well. She won the Girls B Division surf rescue, paddleboard, run-swim-run, rescue relay, and moved up in both the Girls A swim relay and the U19 swim relay. She was second in the iron guard.

“I really love ocean swimming so it is probably that,” said Freshour, who is a Pompano Middle School eighth-grader and has competed since she was 7. “I like to race. The competitions are really important. I would skip anything that day to come to this.”

She also loves the adrenaline rush when she competes.

“I kind of tune everything out, and I get into this zone where I kind of go into autopilot and just go,” she said. “I don’t think about anything. I don’t feel anything. I can just go all out.

It is very important to win.”

Pompano Beach’s Victoria Scarpinito took second in the U19 Girls beach flags event. She’s competed for the past five years.

“I love the team spirit and team enthusiasm. I like the challenge and how you can push yourself,” said Scarpinito, 17, who will be a senior at Cardinal Gibbons in the fall. She is also a member of the school’s dance team and on the Pro-Am competition dance team.

“It is an amazing feeling once you are out there,” she said. “It is not the most important thing to win, but it is a good feeling when you do.”

Summer Schulte took first in the U19 girls Surf race (distance swim), paddleboard and iron guard, while Oliver Nagy was the top boys finisher for the Pompano program as he won three events in the Boys A Division. He won the surf swim, paddleboard and iron guard.

Rich Tammany, who heads up the host Lake Worth Junior Lifeguard program, said the event attracted about 200 junior lifeguards from as far south as Hollywood all the way north to Flagler Beach.

Among the other cities represented were Ft. Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, Deerfield Beach, Delray Beach and host Lake Worth.

“We were very excited,” Tammany said. “I have been doing Junior Lifeguards for 23 years and this is only the second time we have had it here. The other time we had it here was 2006. The kids are excited. The weather was good…water was good. It was a great day.”

This Saturday, July 20 marks the 50 Year Anniversary of when man first walked on the moon. For those who watched it that Sunday night on black and white television sets, it is a memory to cherish. For the post moon landing generations raised on Star Trek, Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the question is “So what is the big deal?”

The question raises the fine line between fantasy and reality. The current generation suckled by chronic video games, do not appreciate that a rocket ship with breadboard computers had the computer memory capacity of less than 5 percent of a current home computer. Circa 1992, I will never forget watching people wait in line for five hours in a walk-through Star Trek television exhibit, while ignoring Charles Lindbergh’s airplane, The Spirit of Saint Louis and the Columbia, the Command Module from Apollo 11, the mission that first put man on the moon.

Since October 23, 2007, the Broward County Main Library in Ft. Lauderdale is the steward of a moon rock sliver, which was donated by Susan Eisele Black, the wife of the late Apollo 7 astronaut Donn F. Eisele. The Eisele family and astronaut Walter Cunningham were in attendance. Besides the moon rock sliver, the sixth floor of the Main Library features a 20 minute film about the Apollo 7 mission, along with relics from NASA with bookmarks about astronomy.

This Saturday, June 20 at 11 a.m., the Deerfield Beach Percy White will host a screening of a free movie. It deals with that subject. Due to license agreements, we can not disclose the title of the movie. Suffice it to say, the movie deals with the first man to walk on the moon. At 1:30 p.m., the Pompano Beach Library will be hosting a Watch Party with an edible craft. All ages with care givers are invited to attend.

Besides directing the Oscar nominated Apollo 11, Ron Howard also produced the underrated documentary In the Shadow of the Moon. Featuring color footage forgotten in NASA vaults, this colorful documentary is thrilling to watch. Featuring most of the astronauts who flew in the moon missions, the narration is both funny and inspirational.

Produced by Tom Hanks, From the Earth to the Moon is a 13 part miniseries that earned HBO multiple Emmy awards. While most of the episodes focus on space travel, this fantastic miniseries also broached topics like geology, changing media ethics and the impact of the astronauts’ wives. These three video productions are available through the Broward County Library.

Believers of conspiracy theories and #FakeNews often deny that man walked on the moon, although high powered telescopes have located the six American flags planted on the lunar surface. For all of the criticism about our nation, the United States of America is the only country that successfully put 12 men on the moon and returned them safely to earth.  It is a big deal.

Bad choices, broken hearts, shattered dreams and irrevocable failures are all part of this thing we call life. Satan can use these things to paralyze us with guilt, but God can use these things to draw us closer to Him. He is willing to forgive our failures and to offer us a mulligan, a do-over or a second chance. Too often, people feel destitute after making one bad choice or experiencing a failure in life. I am so glad that God does not define us by our failures and is even willing to offer second chances. The Bible provides many examples of good people who were restored after making bad choices.

Moses is one of the great heroes of the Bible, but did you know that Moses failed in several areas? He was a murderer (Ex 2:11-12), he threw a righteous temper tantrum (Ex 32:19) and he directly disobeyed God (Num 20:8:12). In spite of Moses’ sin, God still used him to lead His chosen people to the edge of the Promised Land and to author several books of the Bible. God gave Moses a second chance and several more.

King David had an affair (2 Sam 11:4) and murdered the woman’s husband (2 Sam 11:15-17); but God still used David to lead the nation, to write many of the Psalms, to prepare for the building of the Temple, and to be in the bloodline of the Messiah. David’s broken and contrite spirit is recorded in Psalm 51 and God calls him a man after His own heart in Acts 13:22-23. God gave David a second chance and chose not to define him by his failures.

Scripture also records the story of a woman caught in adultery (John 8). According to Jewish Law, this sin was punishable by stoning; but Jesus stopped the religious hypocrites that were pointing out her sin and called attention to their own. The accusers left, Jesus forgave the woman and instructed her to go and sin no more. Again, we see a sinner, her repentance and God’s grace that extended to her a second chance.

Remember the story (I Cor 5:1,11) of the man having an illicit relationship with his stepmother? Paul instructed the church to break fellowship with him until he repented; but, following his repentance, Paul told them to receive him back into the church family and restore him (2 Cor 2:6-11). This man was given a second chance.

Finally, for now, we find the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-25). The boy spent his inheritance on parties and prostitutes. When he hit rock bottom, he repented and returned to his father. The father welcomed his son and celebrated his return. The father lovingly gave his son a second chance.

The chorus to one of my favorite songs reads as follows: “I don’t know what a sinner you are, but I know what a Savior He is. I don’t know where your feet have taken you, but His climbed up Calvary’s hill. I don’t know what kind of words you’ve spoken, but His words were Father forgive. I don’t know what a sinner you are, but I know what a Savior He is.” That song reminds me that God is still offering mulligans, do-overs and second chances. According to 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Dr. Gary A. Colboch is Lead Pastor at Grace Church located at 501 NE 48 St. in Pompano Beach. For more information, call 954-421-0190 or pastor@gbcfl.org.

By Gary Curreri

Deerfield Beach Little League President Jason Siracusa always believed his Senior All-Star team could advance to the state tournament. And they did not disappoint. The Deerfield Beach Little League Senior All-Stars defeated both Coral Springs and defending state champion North Springs to win the District 10 tournament and advance to Florida State Championship tournament. 

The Little League District 10 Seniors All-Star tournament at the Deerfield Beach Middle School Athletic Complex with North Springs topped Coral Springs, 8-1. Deerfield Beach then withstood numerous distractions lasting four hours, including a lightning delay to pull out a 10-inning, 7-6 win.

With Coral Springs and North Springs squaring off in the loser’s bracket game, Coral Springs got off to a strong start and pulled out a 12-3 win to advance to the final against Deerfield Beach.

After giving up one run in the top of the first inning, Deerfield Beach came out swinging and never looked back. Deerfield Beach put up 12 runs on 13 hits and handily won the game 12-5 sending the very talented squad to the Florida State Senior Division Little League championship in Lakewood Ranch from July 5-7. 

The majority of the Deerfield team played together in the Juniors Division last season where they went 13-1, winning their district championship and finishing second overall in the state of Florida.

At this year’s state tournament, Deerfield Beach overcame a rain delay and defeated St. Cloud, 4-1. The local squad then dropped its next two contests to finish pool play, 1-2.

Deerfield Beach lost to Hancock American, 14-2 and then fell to Land O’Lakes, 3-1. Land O’Lakes went on to win the state title with an 11-3 win over previously unbeaten San Mateo. Against Hancock American, Deerfield fell behind early and couldn’t recover. When Hancock defeated St. Cloud, it finished 2-1 in pool play and ended Deerfield Beach’s hopes of advancing to the championship round.

Deerfield Beach still turned in a solid performance in defeat against the eventual state champion. Deerfield Beach pitcher Brock Buerosse tossed a complete game and gave up 3 runs on 4 hits, but it wasn’t enough as Deerfield’s bats were virtually silent scoring 1 run on just 3 hits.

“This is the second year in a row Deerfield has sent a team to the state tournament,” Siracusa said. “We have made some improvements over last year’s (team) but left our core intact.

“But the competition at the state level is pretty fierce,” he added. “As one of the younger teams in the tournament, Deerfield held up against teams that were comprised of 16-year-old high school varsity players. Our team was made up of 16 players. Everyone had a role and when called upon they performed the way we expected. I’m proud of every single one of them.”

By “Cinema” Dave

http://cinemadave.livejournal.com

Inspired by true events, The Reports on Sarah and Saleem opens this weekend. It is a simple story about infidelity, and a love triangle that leads to a love rectangle. Tension builds when the affair sets off a potential civil war of international dimensions, for one lover is from Israel and the other lover is a Palestinian. 

With very little surprise, Spider-Man: Far from Home dominated the 4th of July holiday weekend. This epic Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movie ties up the loose ends of Avengers: Endgame, which is on the verge of supplanting Avatar as the worldwide box office champion of all time. This is the final Marvel Cinematic Universe movie of Phase 3 of a 24 film cycle and provides a fine denouement. The success of these MCU movies is that each film has its own unique story.

After the world changing events of Avengers: Endgame, high school student Peter Parker (Tom Holland) tries to return to a normal life and court the girl of his dreams, MJ (Zendaya). Being science nerds, the couple is excited to leave Queens and attend a science trip in Venice, Italy. Feeling a need to unwind, Parker attempts to take a vacation from his alter-ego, Spider-Man.

Like being a police officer, there is no rest for the weary, and Peter must put on his superhero suit to battle an Elemental monster from the Grand Canal of Venice. While performing his heroics to protect his classmates, Parker encounters Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal), who easily defeats the Water Monster. When Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) enters the scene, an alliance between Mysterio and Spider-Man is suggested.

Spider-Man: Far from Home is a timely motion picture. One of the themes is that of #FakeNews and one has to wait to see the end of the credits is to see all of how this theme plays out.

Grief has always been a strong theme in the life of Peter Parker. The loss of his mentor from Avengers: Endgame is prominent. However, there is an acknowledgement of the dearly departed Uncle Ben, the individual most influential in the creation of Spider-Man. 

This is the last MCU movie until Phase 4 begins in 2020.Spider-Man: Far from Home will only be on the Museum of Discovery IMAX (in Ft. Lauderdale) screen for another week, before The Lion King takes over. See the new Spider-Man on this six-story screen. The most breathtaking scenes are not the special effects, but the wide angle shots of the Venice canals in Italy.