By Dave Montalbano

http://cinemadave.livejournal.com

2013 has shown that the youth and family markets drive the box office dollar. The Top 5 box office motion pictures, Iron Man 3, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Despicable Me 2, Man of Steel and Monsters University had a cumulative gross of nearly $2 billion.

With rising ticket prices, consumers are being pickier than ever. Social Media can destroy a motion picture before it can get out of the gate, witness The Lone Ranger.

A success two years ago (Machete) became one of the biggest box office bombs of the year (Machete Kills). Harrison Ford seemed to be on career redemption with 42, but he contributed to two of the biggest box office flops of the year, Paranoia and Ender’s Game.

Film festivals and conventions are becoming more and more important to the film industry. The major studios targeted the Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLIFF) with Nebraska, starring Bruce Dern, and August: Osage County, starring Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts. Gregory von Hausch, president and FLIFF CEO, managed to produce the best local film festival in five years. It helped that the celebrities he invited this year were Class Acts.

Class Acts are hard to find in the entertainment industry, most individuals are very self-centered. Lea Thompson, John Shea, Stephen Moyer, Tab Hunter and Ann Margaret proved to be Class Acts by living up to fan expectations and having grace under pressure at FLIFF. Behind the scenes, the volunteers and Cyndi Boyar helped make FLIFF run smooth.

Pain is a rude awakening from grief. Last January, my chronic back pain got the best of me and I have spent all of 2013 treating it. Besides reading my column on a regular basis, Dr. Thomas Goberville has gotten at the root cause of my problem, prescribing regular physical therapy. Thanks to the Angels at MedDiagnostic Rehab, I was released last Friday.

Any sense of self pity was knocked out of my psyche when the Palm Beach International Film Festival presented the documentary Comedy Warriors. Severely injured in Iraq and Afghanistan, these wounded warriors found therapy in making others laugh.

This lesson was reinforced at FLIFF with the screening of the documentary Cine- Ability featuring local Class Act and now BackStage Angel, Danny Murphy. This excellent documentary looks at how Hollywood views people with disabilities. When CinemAbility ends, one realizes that everybody faces hardship. How one reacts to such hardship defines if they are a winner or loser in life.

Do you believe in magic? Over the past few weeks, I have been asking this question? It all started with a commentary I was reading on a Parsha from the Torah, the one where Moses and Aaron go to Pharaoh; Aaron puts his staff down and it turns into a snake.

I don’t know about you, but if I saw someone do that, I would be pretty amazed. Yet, according to the Biblical account, Pharaoh is not amazed at all. In fact, according to Midrash, Pharaoh is rather bored with this feat.

And we find out why very quickly as he calls out the Royal Magicians and each of them is able to perform the very same magic trick. Better yet, according to Midrash, Pharaoh goes even further. He calls out his children and his wives and, they, too, are able to do this bit of magic.

How could this be? Well, for the very same reason that Pharaoh was not impressed at all with what Aaron had done. You see, magic was a regular everyday thing for the Pharaoh and his family. They were surrounded by magic tricks that were performed over and over again. They had seen them so many times that they were able to figure out how they were done. And because of that, those tricks had lost their magic.

I hear the word magic a lot, but I wonder how many miraculous things that occur all around us on a daily basis have lost their magic.

The funny thing is that, at the same time I was studying this chapter of the Bible, I found myself sitting with a patient in a health center when the doctor knocked on the door. As the doctor came in, I got up to give them some privacy, but as I headed out the door, I couldn’t help but hear the patient tell the doctor that he was having a problem with constipation and the doctor said, “Don’t worry, I will get you a pill that will work like magic for you.”

I don’t know if you are aware of it or not, but something as mundane as going to the bathroom is nothing less than miraculous; but, we seldom, if ever, see the magic of it until we have a problem with our plumbing.

In fact, traditionally we have a prayer that we say after using the bathroom, thanking G-d for the miraculous blessing of our urinary and our bowel tract working properly. The prayer might sound funny to many, but it sure reminds us of how amazing it is that our system works.

There is magic all around us, but we so often behave like Pharaoh. We have become so accustomed to being surrounded by it that we don’t even notice it is there. And that is why I started my Health Center Services the other week by asking if those in attendance would like to see a bit of magic.

When they said, “Yes,” I stood up from the chair I was sitting in and put out my hands dramatically and said, “Ta- Da!”

Those who were stuck in wheelchairs saw the magic. Those who needed walkers saw the magic. Those who had trouble standing saw the magic. They all knew how miraculous and magical the simple act of being able to stand is.

Dear readers, being able to hear is magical; being able to see – wow!— being able to walk – amazing — being able to talk – unbelievable— being able to dance –heavenly— the sun coming up each day —awe inspiring—the ocean waves — magnificently magical.

Do you believe in magic?

Shalom my friends, with wishes for a miraculously magical New Year!

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

Rabbi Ezring is the spiritual leader of Temple Beth Israel of Deerfield Beach. We welcome you to join our warm and caring family for Shabbat and festival services. We’ll make your heart glow…who knows, you might even fall in love with Shul all over again

Since our family, the Eller family, has lived in Deerfield Beach since 1923, I’ve often been asked to put in writing some of the history of the area, either experienced personally, or that I heard from my parents or grandparents. For some of you old timers that might be worried about certain old “scandals,” don’t worry, I won’t be writing about those (smile).

David Eller, Publisher

My most memorial Christmas yet my wife’s best and worst

For a Christian, having your birthday on Christmas Eve is a bummer. People can give you a present and say, “This is your birthday and Christmas present. This actually happened to my wife’s father, Arthur, and her mother’s father, Edward, both of whom were born on Christmas Eve. Therefore, when my wife, Deborah, was pregnant with our first child in 1971 and the doctor predicted our baby would be born toward the end of December, we all laughed about it making some sort of record if our baby was also born on Dec. 24.

However, on Dec. 23 about 4.30 p.m., our baby son, Dana, decided he wanted out of his mama’s belly and started kicking hard. This was before cell phones. My wife was at home, and I was driving around locally delivering Christmas gifts to some of our customers and calling her from a customer’s office every hour. I’d just talked to her about 4:15 p.m. and she told me everything was fine. Therefore, I was having a good time at Consulting Engineer John Grant’s office party in Boca Raton. But, when I called home about 5: 15 p.m.and no one answered, I knew I was in trouble. My wife, shortly after talking to me on the phone had suddenly gone into hard labor. Not able to reach me, she called my mother who lived nearby, who rushed over to drive her to Bethesda Hospital in Boynton. My mother, very excited, got lost a couple of times trying to find the hospital, but they finally got there just a few minutes before my wife gave birth. I also arrived to the hospital just in time to also welcome our first born, son Dana, into this world. It was 42 years ago this week. He weighed 7 pounds 11 ounces and was 20 inches long.

The next day, Dec. 24,I went to the store and bought a little boys’ red outfit 20 inches long with Santa and reindeers on it. It turned out to be way too big, as I had forgotten to adjust the length down for his head sticking out of it.

However, unbeknownst to me, the “fun” had just begun. The next day, Christmas, Dec. 25,1971, the Miami Dolphins were playing the Kansas City Chiefs in Kansas City for the AFC divisional championship.

Both had identical 10-3 records. I just had to watch this game and figured I could visit my wife and new son in the hospital as soon as the game was over. I had no idea that this game would ultimately go down as the longest professional football game in history.

Meanwhile, two of my mother’s brothers arrived in town to visit my grandmother in Boynton. They were big Kansas City supporters and they invited me to watch the game with them and make a $100 bet for the Dolphins to win. I agreed since I figured I would still have time to visit my wife and new son after the game. Big mistake. Miami spent most of the game playing catch-up to Kansas City. Miami tied the score at 24-24 with just 1:25 left in regulation when Bob Griese threw a 5 yard pass to Marv Fleming.

They were still tied after the first overtime. But, midway through the second overtime, Miami kicker GaroYepremian, with shoe laces still untied, kicked a 37-yard field goal to win the longest game in NFL history.

I collected my winnings from my uncles and headed off to the hospital. I arrived just as visiting hours were over. But, when I explained why I was late, I was able to convince them to let me have a short visit with my wife and new son. My wife was not a happy camper, but our new son didn’t seem to care, and, now, he has four sons of his own.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

By Gary Curreri

Zion Lutheran School junior forward Keith Stone is certainly making up for lost time on the basketball court.

After a strong summer of playing with Nike Team Florida in the AAU Showcase and then playing in the AAU National Championship game on ESPN, Stone has had nearly three dozen NCAA Division I colleges come through to evaluate his talent on the basketball court. Not a bad accomplishment for someone who has been playing basketball for just four years.

“It’s going good,” said Stone, 16, of Deerfield Beach. “It’s slowly happening, but I am glad I am starting to see what my options are.”

Stone, a 6-foot, 7-inch, 225-pound junior forward from Zion Lutheran, scored 32 points to lead the Lions to a come-from-behind, 60-54 victory over Coolidge High of Washington D.C for third place in the Rock Challenge Bracket of the recently concluded Kreul Classic at the Coral Springs City Gymnasium. The Lions are 8-4 on the year.

“I really wasn’t that good before,” said Stone, who played goalkeeper in a recreational soccer league and in baseball before giving basketball a try when he enrolled at Zion Lutheran. “I spent a lot of time in the gym with (Zion Lutheran boys’ basketball coach John Guion) and the other coaches.

“I love everything about basketball, getting up and down the court, shooting, all of that,” added Stone, who also maintains a 3.2 grade point average in the classroom. “I do feel pressure to contribute, but I don’t let it affect my game. I just go out and try my hardest and try and prove everybody wrong.”

Stone said he’s surprised that he is starting to get the attention of colleges, but said he’s also glad his hard work has paid off.

“I couldn’t make a layup, or dribble when I first started,” Stone said. “I have improved my shooting a lot. I figure I’ll play the three (small forward) or the four (power forward) in college.”

Guion said the attention that Stone is getting is also opening the doors for his teammates like Vince Stubbs, a 6- foot, 3-inch junior forward who is also drawing interest at the next level.

“Keith has not missed a workout in three years,” said Guion, who is in his third year as basketball coach and is also the school’s assistant athletic director. “He is the first one to get in the gym and the last one to leave. He’s a doer. He very seldom questions anything that is asked of him. He is new to the game and he understands he has to be more assertive.

“I am not surprised in how well he is doing,” Guion added. “He had decent hands and he is big. His feet weren’t horrible. We started him in the post and he is now playing all five positions. Being able to play multiple positions keeps you on the court longer.”

Guion hopes his team will make a deep run into the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) playoffs this season. He said his team has the potential to do well; however, it needs to gel as a team.

“It’s December, and it’s a process,” Guion said. “I think we have steadily shown progress. The Lions returned all of its starters from last year and will return everyone next year as well.”

Guion said the last two weeks have challenged his team and in the end, they will have to get past Grandview Prep.

“That’s a great team,” Guion said. “They are a big roadblock. I am not concerned with how far we go. I just want everyone to play to their strengths and we’ll throw that in the bucket and be strong.”

The Lions finished last year 22-8 and enjoyed the best season in school history after it won the district championship and reached the Class 2A regional finals where it dropped a 71-48 decision to Westwood Christian. It had been a dozen years since Zion Lutheran had reached the state tournament.

By Dave Montalbano

http://cinemadave.livejournal.com

In storytelling, the most affecting tragedy includes the tears of a clown. Shakespeare includes comic relief even in his tragedies. The terror of the original “Wicker Man” is made more horrific by the goofy characters and cheesy music that is played previously. Given his work in Dangerous Liaisons, The Grifters, Mrs. Henderson presents… and The Queen, director Stephen Frears knows how to balance the humor and sadness of Philomena.

When journalist Martin Sixsmith (Steve Coogan) loses his high profile job with a national newspaper in Great Britain, he begins slumming in “human interest stories.” Given his international career covering the fall of the Soviet Union, Sixsmith finds “human in- terest” stories beneath his standards. Desperate for income, Sixsmith gets in contact with Philomena (Judi Dench).

When she was a naive teenager visiting the county fair, Philomena had a son out of wedlock. Without parental support, Philomena is forced into indentured servitude at a Catholic nunnery. When the boy is born, Philomena’s maternal instincts kick in. One day, rich parents from Washington D.C. adopt Philomena’s boy, while the heartbroken mother continues to fulfill her medical debt to the nunnery. Fifty years later, Philomena wants to know what happened to her baby boy.

With a mystery afoot, Sixsmith and Philomena uncover clues. Why is there an unkempt graveyard of young mothers and premature babies? How does the Reagan Administration fit into this mystery? Philomena answers these and many more questions, but it is personal resentment and human interest that form this core mystery of evil. As Philomena, Judi Dench will provide Meryl Streep competition during awards season. Dench retains the grit from her previous acting challenges as Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria, but with Philomena, the actress reveals a vulnerability not seen in many decades.

Best known from his British comedy performances, Steve Coogan co-wrote and produced this film. With low key precision as the straight man, Coogan lets Dame Judi Dench shine without shadow. With Philomena,

Coogan enters the next stage of British Royal filmmaking.

“Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.”

(Matthew 1:23)

One of the least recognized lessons from Joseph in the Christmas story highlights the importance of change; the willingness to change when we should, stay the course when we should and the wisdom to know the difference.

We all have “God surprises” from time to time and it goes without saying that Mary’s surprise is unmatched in the history of humankind. The divine delivery speaks for itself, but Joseph took a good jolt himself and he eventually did exactly what he needed to do.

Change is hard once we are invested where we are, once we are invested in where we think we’re headed. How does the saying go? “The more we care, the longer we’re there, the less likely we’ll dare to change!”

You don’t have to live very long to learn the greatest blessings in the world involve God surprises. We had one of these God surprises and big changes in our family over Thanksgiving when our middle child announced she was going to have a baby.

How cool is that?

Talk about a big change that leads to a little blessing and a little blessing that that leads to a big change. Some of the more emotional people in my family get all teary in the eyes when they hear about this sort of God surprise. I only required a small towel…

Christmas is a great big God surprise, although it shouldn’t have been a surprise at all given the predictions… You know the story. Joseph and Mary are betrothed. They have wedding plans and they’re excited as any young couple would be. The families long-since approved. Nazareth is a small town. Word gets around.

Joseph and Mary are mentally, emotionally and personally invested when Mary turns up with child. Joseph may have been teary in the eyes, too, given the story told that Mary is still a virgin. How could that be true?

I personally think it would have been great if the angel appeared to Joseph back when the angel appeared to Mary. Gabriel could have just held a little premarital counseling session with the two of them and let them wrestle with the news about the baby together.

But God surprises have a way of happening the way God wants and not the way we want! And we’re left to wonder and believe, or not .

There is disbelief in Joseph’s first change of plans, which is to quietly send Mary away. This remains his plan until Joseph is shown an angel of his own. With the help of the angel, Joseph eventually has the right frame of mind. He changes when he needs to change and stays the course when he needs to stay the course. Ultimately, Joseph does what all of us are supposed to do. He uncrosses and opens his arms to the will of God.

Pray for God surprises in 2014, little blessings, big blessings and maybe even an angel or two to give us the wisdom and willingness to change when we need to change and stay the course when we need to stay the course. But be prepared to be a little teary in the eyes because God knows sometimes it takes a good jolt to change…

Reverend Dennis Andrews

Reverend Andrews is a 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

It’s been quite a winter for Deerfield Beach’s Megan Moroney in the pool.

The 16-year-old won two state titles for St. Andrew’s at the Class 1A state high school championships. She captured the 200-yard freestyle (1:46- .51) for the second consecutive year and the 100-yard butterfly (54.39) for her third consecutive win in the event at state. She was also a member of the silver medal winning 200 and 400-Freestyle relays.

At the recent Winter Championships in Plantation, she was on the winning girls 800-free, 200-free, 400-medley relay and 200-medley relays; won the 100-back and took second in the 1,000 free and 500 freestyle events, in addition to placing second in the 50-fly.

At the state high school meets, she has accumulated five individual golds, a silver and a bronze and captured three relay gold medals, four silvers and three bronze medals.

Moroney recently returned home from the AT&T Winter National Championships in Knoxville, TN at the University of Tennessee where she also turned in some solid performances against some of the top swimmers in the nation.

“I did pretty well. I went a few best times so it was good,” said Moroney, a junior at St. Andrew’s School in Boca Raton.”

Moroney bettered her previous best time by three seconds in the 500-freestyle event when she went 4:59.83 and placed 22nd. Her effort in the 200-free was a little off her best time. She swam 1:47.30 in the prelims and came back with a 1:48 at night (16th place). She also broke the 50-second barrier in her prelim with a 49.96 in the 100. She followed that up with a 50.30 in the evening and took 21st.

“I was happy with my 500 and 100 free because I finally broke the two barriers I’ve been aiming for,” Moroney said. “I can’t be upset with my 200 free because it’s really tough to bounce back from doing a best time at states, but I wish it would have gone better. My 100 back and 200 fly were best times technically speaking, but I know I can go much faster in both. I was definitely tired from everything that was going on before, so, with that in mind, I was very happy overall.”

Moroney has been on the high school team at St. Andrew’s since sixth grade, so this is her sixth year on the squad.

“I just remember in the sixth grade how excited I was just to make it to regionals and I was so thrilled that I made it to states,” Moroney said. “I made it by 10ths of a second, and there was no greater feeling for me back then. I never imagined that this was where I was going to be.”

Moroney also went to the U.S. Olympic trials and hopes to someday represent the United States.

“It could have gone better,” she said. “It was totally different from any meet I had been to before. I had the cut in the 100 back and time trialed in the 400 free and 100 fly. What I learned is that there are so many fast people out there, that it is not just the people in South Florida. I will work really hard to get there.”

Moroney was looking forward to exams at school this week and will take a short family vacation before hitting the pool for more hard training.

By Dave Montalbano

http://cinemadave.livejournal.com

This month marks the 15th and last December thatMuvico Pompano will be in existence. Carmike Cinemas will take over ownership of Muvico in January.

Pioneered by Hamid Hashemi, Muvico brought back a sense of grandeur and elegance to the cinema-going experience. When ousted by the company that he built, Hashemi vowed to return and now owns the iPic Theater in Mizner Plaza. Hashemi’s commitment to the South Florida movie-going experience has created competition that forced rival theater chains to raise their games as related to customer service.

It’s the holiday season, Dear Reader, take the time to see a good film this week and next. Merry Christmas!

I was at a little breakfast nook the other day. The people I was eating with brought their young daughter with them. The dearest lady in my life happens to teach little ones. I am amazed at her ability to do so. At the end of the day, she always has a story to share. Sometimes, it is about an angelic child and sometimes it is about a holy terror, but there is always a story.

Well, it didn’t take long for me to get a story because as soon as the waitress came over to take our order, the little girl said that she would like a “proached” egg. Of course, her parents corrected her and told her that it is not a “proached” egg, but a poached egg.

But I could see that the little one was hungry and into “gimme” mode. She could care less how to pronounce it. She just knew that she wanted it and she wanted it now.

After a rather long wait to get our food, the waitress finally came over with plates in hand and set the eggs in front of the little girl. She picked up a little, blew on it and put it into her mouth. She immediately spit it out and cried out, “It’s too cold.” I told her not to worry that the waitress could have them heated up or poached again, which calmed her for a moment.

I told her how to nicely ask the waitress, instead of screaming at her. And she actually followed my directions because when the waitress came back over the little girl asked, “Can you reproach my eggs?”

So, first, she wanted a “proached” egg and now she wanted a “reproached egg,” and I have to say that the waitress was being an all-around good egg about it.

When the eggs came back from being “reproached,” the little one said that they were nice and “leyow,” and that “leyow” was her favorite color; and she went on to tell me that she also loved red and orange, and blue, like my shirt. The problem was that blue was not the color of my shirt, but that is what she saw when she looked at it. The little girl had a problem with colors. She saw the world a bit differently.

Her parents tried to correct her, but the little one begged to disagree … okay, she screamed in disagreement.

I realized they were trying to teach her, but I was not so sure that they would be able to even consider that their daughter might see the world differently. You see, they were doing exactly what their daughter did with her eggs. They were reproaching her.

We all perceive things a little differently. For instance, in your house of worship, one congregant might find the sanctuary too hot, another too cold, but one might be fortunate enough to find that the temperature is perfect, the seats nice and cushy, the company a delight and, with that perception, they see a place filled with joy and brightness.

Our perception creates our reality, but it isn’t just how we perceive things. It is also how we approach them. Sadly, far too many of us don’t show much brightness in the way we approach others. We are far too busy reproaching them.

Reproaching someone only works if you are wise enough to choose the right approach. Better yet, maybe take a moment to close your eyes and try to see things through someone else’s eyes. That should be a real eye opener.

Shalom my friends,

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

Rabbi Ezring is the spiritual leader of Temple Beth Israel of Deerfield Beach. We welcome you to join our warm and caring family for Shabbat and festival services. We’ll make your heart glow…who knows, you might even fall in love with Shul all over again.

By Dave Montalbano

http://cinemadave.livejournal.com

Forty one years ago, WPIX Channel 11 in New York broadcast Hans Christian Andersen, a MGM musical with lyrics by Frank Loesser and starring Danny Kaye in the title role. Originally, the film was to be a collaboration between MGM and Walt Disney animation, but two decades of business negotiations fell through and the studios developed their own projects.

Walt Disney Productions stuck with animation and developed the Oscar-winning The Little Mermaid, which has become culturally significant for the past three decades. Taking a dark fairy tale like The Snow Queen and mixing it with the Disney touch, Frozen has created a Hans Christian Andersen renaissance and is easily the best holiday motion picture for 2013.

The film opens in a magical kingdom that looks suspiciously like Denmark. Princesses Anna (voiced by Kristen Bell) and Elsa (Idina Menzel) love each other. However, big sister Elsa is a mutant who can shoot frost out of her fingertips. When Elsa frosts Anna’s brain and distorts her little sister’s memory, the king and queen teach the future Snow Queen to isolate herself from the world. These royal actions are observed on the sidelines by young Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) and his not-so-magical reindeer.

It is during Queen Elsa’s coronation that disaster occurs. Anna announces her impulsive engagement to a charming prince and Elsa flees into the forest to build her own ice castle. Anna recruits Kristoff in a vain attempt to get Elsa to return to the magical kingdom. With Queen Elsa and Princess Anna out of town, passive-aggressive evil brews.

One of the most overwhelming days that Disneyworld Orlando confronted this year was “Villain’s Day,” in which the Magic Kingdom was forced to stop admission. Given that The Snow Queen was one of Hans Christian Andersen’s premier villains, one expected Frozen to have sympathy for the devil. However, the dynamic between sisters keeps the villainy on a human level. In fact, it is good intentions and miscommunication that propels the plot.

The animation is filled with visual poetry, with the snowy landscapes invoking childhood Christmas season memories. There are some thrilling action sequences when Kristoff battles the Snow Beast or when the hero’s sleigh comes cliff-hangingly close to danger. There are enough action sequences to interest a father who has to babysit his kids.

Expect the song “Let it Go” to be Oscar-nominated for best song; it is a ballad tour de force sung by Idina Menzel and covered by Demi Lovato. From the breath taking opening to the clever post-credit closing gag, Frozen has all the entertaining qualities to melt one’s heart.