By Dave Montalbano

http://cinemadave.livejournal.com

After a drought of almost two decades, the Thanksgiving Box Office broke records last weekend. The one-two combination of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and Frozen proved to be indomitable family entertainment.

A film that continues Suzanne Collins’ Young Adult novel series, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire was buoyed by additional screenings at Ft. Lauderdale Museum of Discovery’s IMAX.

After their unique victory in their first movie, Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) fulfill their obligatory celebrity roles. Through their victory, Katniss and Peeta have sparked a quiet political evolution against the president (Donald Sutherland) and his oppressive policies. Thepresident recruits Plutarch Heavensbee (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) as his trusted advisor to quell the rebellion.

Although the first half drags a bit, these expository scenes set up the arch of the trilogy. When the games begin, character and story intensity pick up with personal violence and hidden character motives. Like The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, this is an entertaining middle film that promises a fine conclusion.

On the smaller screen at the Florida Atlantic University Living Room Theater, one can have an intimate experience with Italy’s Le Grande Belleza (The Great Beauty). Director Paolo Sorrentino tells the tale of Jep (Toni Servillo), a 65- year-old man who is tired of living in “La Dolce Vita” culture since the 1960s. Having written an influential novelette decades ago, Jep lives a shallow life in which he has lived off the reputation of his book. He undergoes a spiritual revelation when he meets a nun his age who has lived a life of chastity and poverty.

For local interest, don’t miss Bettie Page Reveals All, a documentary featuring the iconic Pin-Up girl and a bit of Boca Raton history. We learn that Bettie attended “Bibletown” (now Boca Raton Community Church) and she shot her famous jungle photos a few blocks south in the old Africa- U.S.A. park (now a housing development). Narrated by Bettie, Bettie Page Reveals All is a documentary of contrasts.

Throughout the movie, we see her glamour in various stages of dress and undress. Yet through the dead pan narration, we learn about Bettie’s battles with abuse, censorship and her own mental illness. Not seen since her spicy photographs from the 1950s, Bettie narration is hauntingly off-camera. While the woman embraces her sexual legacy, her deep-voiced southern drawl presents a warning to naïve young people everywhere.

By Rachel Galvin

The Miami Book Fair International (held Nov. 17-24) has an excellent section called Children’s Alley. Children can visit with characters who roam the area. They can make an artist’s journal at The Paintbox, learn about musical styles at The Rhythm Factory, build large scale projects at Tot Time Play and Learn, build robots or learn about the ocean at Mad Science Lab, learn about taking care of themselves at Healthy Bodies, Healthy Kids or create a mask and learn about culture at One World, Many Stories. The Kids Book Fair is part of Generation Genius, a literacy and learning initiative for children and teens.

Kids from schools all over the Tri-County area swarmed the entire book fair meeting authors and buying books when not enjoying the activities specifically geared to them. More than 9,000 school children were slated to attend, many leaving with free books.

http://www.miamibookfair.com.

By Gary Curreri

Pompano Beach Swim Team coach Jesse Vassallo hoped for a Top 10 finish in the 23rd annual Speedo Winter Championships at Plantation Aquatic Complex this past weekend.

His team had an outstanding meet and came up just a little short of its goal, and it finished 11th overall with 484 combined points. Pompano Beach took seventh in the boys’ division with 321 points, while the Piranhas placed 17th in the girls’ rankings with 163 points.

“My goal was to be Top 10 this year,” said Vassallo, who took over the program 2-1/2 years ago with 44 beginner swimmers. They brought 41 competitive swimmers to the four-day meet, which ran from Thursday to Sunday. “We came in the first time with nine swimmers and we didn’t even score. The second time, we came in 19th and then 13th last year. From there, we will go down until we win.”

Vassallo, who was also a swim coach at Ft. Lauderdale Aquatics and the former president of the Puerto Rican Swimming Association, has 178 swimmers in the program.

“That is extremely cool,” said Vassallo, who is the lone full-time coach and has a total of six coaches in the program. “I am really, really excited every time I step on deck because I see the growth. I have the coaches in place. I have a great coach dealing with the little ones. I have a great coach dealing with the developmental kids, and great coaches with the age group coaches. It is really coming along. To see them succeed, it fills my heart.”

Vassallo said when he first began in Pompano they were still transitioning from a recreational swim program to U.S. Swimming.

“I believe the mentality is still recreational,” Vassallo said. “It is a process. It doesn’t change overnight. The motivation is there. The recreational swimmer trains maybe for an hour three times a week. The 12-unders train two hours a day every day. The rec kids do it for a couple of months, and we do it all year round.”

Vassallo was also pleased with the performance of the high school athletes in the program as nine made it the state finals for their respective high schools.

“I would like to see the program grow to 250 swimmers,” Vassallo said. “I think that is the limit because it is a public pool.”

Pompano’s Victoria Miyamoto, 13, turned in the strongest performance for the Piranhas as she took third in the high point for her age division. She won the 100-breaststroke, the 100-IM event; second in the 50 and 200-breaststroke events, and was third in the 400-IM.

Other Top 3 performers for the program included Mattheus Santos, Fatimah Westbrook, Jake Schulte and Austin Saunders. The boys 11-12 age group 200-Free relay (Santos, Shane Schulte, Raphael Santos and Christian Henderson) also took home top honors.

Bucks, Tigers fall in football

Deerfield Beach’s quest for a perfect season came to a crashing halt as it lost its Class 8A regional semifinal football game to host Miramar, 43-6.

The much-anticipated matchup between nationally-ranked and undefeated 11-0 teams — Miramar (16th) and Deerfield (19th in this week’s USA Today poll) — was well over by halftime.

Miramar’s Nick Jeanty threw two touchdowns and ran for another to put the Patriots in the driver’s seat as Miramar scored on four of its first five possessions and ran away with the win. The Bucks’ lone score of the game came on Aeron McNeal’s two-yard touchdown run 11 seconds into the fourth quarter.

Blanche Ely also suffered the same fate, as it was also blown out with a 49-7 defeat at the hands of Dwyer in the Class 7A regional semifinals on Friday night.

Blanche Ely, which finished the season on a fivegame win streak, was unable to contain the Panthers’ Alonzo Smith, who carried 25 times for 245 yards and two TDs. The Tigers’ lone score of the game came on a 41-yard scoring toss from Nelson Ervin to Edward Walker in the third quarter, which cut the lead at the time to 28-7.

Stardara Jewelry is having the  big annual sale at the Holidays.

By Rachel Galvin

For this year, which marks the 30^th anniversary, the Miami Book Fair International chose best-selling author Dan Brown to kick off the event. The performance by the New World School of the Arts Symphony Orchestra, Flamenco dancers and remarks by Miami Dade College President Dr. Eduardo J. Padron and his Royal Highness, the Prince of Asturias, Crown Prince of Spain was hard to follow, but Brown managed to do it with style. With wit and candor, humility, generosity and curiosity, he speculated on the dichotomy of religion and science, the schism and the commingling of the two.

His fascination with these subjects seem to stem from his upbringing. In front of his parents in the audience, he sheepishly told tales of his childhood, admitting he was self-editing a bit as he went along, mentioning they had not seen him speak before. Brown was raised by a math teacher and a church organist. While his mom conducted the church choir looking the part of SNL’s “the church lady,” his dad stood in line at the local pizza joint with his Texas Instrument calculator determining the most economical way to buy a pie. Home life was filled with reciting hymns in wilderness Sunday services held on canoes tied together drifting in the river and dinner time was math lessons about geometric shapes that could be made utilizing vegetables. His father also introduced him to the enormity of space and presented questions on infinity.

It wasn’t until he was an adolescent that he began to question religion and science. How could both be correct? The Bible said the world was created in seven days. In school, he learned about the Big Bang. The Bible talked about Adam and Eve. In school, he was learning about fossils. He asked his priest which world view was correct. His priest said, “Nice boys don’t ask.” But that answer did not satisfy him.

He began gravitating to science. However, he said that the more people study science, “the mushier it gets,” with margins of error, imaginary numbers and unanswerable questions. He realized that science and religion are actually “partners… two different languages telling the same story.”

In his stories, he explores science and religion, as well as real life situations and locations, interjecting fictional characters into the mix. It begins, he says, with location first. As a reader of only non-fiction, he enjoys dealing with real life circumstances primarily. His books **DaVinci Code,** **Inferno,** **Angels & Demons,** **Lost Symbol** and others take the reader on a suspense-filled journey through exotic locations. Brown also discussed the making of the movies based on his novels.

This prolific author is the first of about 400 authors who will be presenting at the Book Fair, which runs through Nov. 24. To get more information about the fair, visit www.miamibookfair.com.

POMPANO BEACH, Fla., Nov. 4, 2013 – A newly relocated Walmart will open Wednesday, Nov. 13, after a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony at 7:30 a.m. The new store at 5001 N. Federal Highway is conveniently located near the Lighthouse Point subdivision and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It will provide Pompano Beach residents with one-stop shopping convenience for their grocery and general merchandise needs. The store is relocating from its previous location at 300 W. Copans Road. The store also offers pharmacy services.

“Our city is extremely proud that Walmart selected to build yet another store that will now serve our northeast residents as well as our neighboring sister cities,” said Pompano Beach Mayor Lamar Fisher.  “With our current economic conditions, Walmart offers great value and products to its customers and more importantly will be creating job opportunities for our own residents. We look forward to continuing our excellent partnership with Walmart.”

One-Stop Shopping Convenience

The store features quality, value-priced general merchandise, including apparel, electronics, toys, sporting goods, and lawn and garden items. It also offers a full line of groceries, including organic and natural selections in addition to local favorites.

The pharmacy offers a full range of products and services. Pharmacy team members can answer product and prescription questions and customers can ask about health and wellness solutions.

 UPDATE: BSO arrested a 60-year-old Lake Worth man. Rosario Melici, DOB 5/3/53, will face two charges of murder. BSO arrested him Thursday with the help of the U.S. Marshals and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office at a Lake Worth Walgreens near his home on E Street. Detectives said victims Barbara and Philip Russo knew their killer.

Sheriff Scott Israel made a special appearance at the beginning of Deerfield Beach Vice Mayor Joe Miller’s District 1 meeting, Thursday night, to announce that an arrest has been made in the double homicide that took place in Deer Creek on Monday.

“This was not a random act of violence. These two unfortunate people were targeted and murdered. It was somebody they knew,” said Sheriff Israel on Nov. 7.

The subject was picked up in Lake Worth a few hours ago, Thursday afternoon, Nov 7.

At this time, only one arrest has been made.

On Nov. 5, the couple’s daughter discovered the bodies of Phil, 88, and Barbara, 78, Russo murdered.

The arrested subject has been charged with first degree murder of the couple and is currently being interviewed by Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) at the Public Safety Building at 260 W. Broward Blvd. before being booked into the Main Jail in Ft. Lauderdale.

See story in full in Nov. 14 Observer newspaper

Photo by Rachel Galvin

Oct. 26 marked the opening of J&J Farms for the season.

In the business of bringing fresh fruits and vegetables to consumers straight from the farm for 27 years, this locale always is bustling with customers.

Looking to maintain a country family feel while constantly upgrading the ambience, J&J Farms is known for their ripe tomatoes, potted herbs, hanging flowers, fresh bread and local honey. They are cutting down on costs and going green by asking customers to bring their own bags. Some employees here have been with the company for almost 20 years.

**J&J Farms is located at 2777 W. Hillsboro Blvd., Deerfield Beach, FL 33442. For more information, call 954-421-8650.**

Photos by Diane Emeott

About 500 area residents grooved to tunes like “Let’s Go Surfin’ Now,” “Help Me, Rhonda,” 409,” “Be True To Your School,” Saturday night, Nov. 2 in Lighthouse Point’s Frank McDonough Park – played LIVE by a Beach Boys Tribute Band.

Marlies, who came with neighbors Axel and Pauline, grabbed a tasty plate of food from one of the many food trucks.

Jeff Brand and Faith, 5, enjoyed a father/daughter night out at the event sponsored by LHP Cultural Committee.