By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

Ten years ago, Sam Raimi wrote and directed Spider- Man, with Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst, which became the No. 1 Box Office Champion for 2002.

Five years ago, the same team produced Spider-Man 3, which disappointed many.

So there was little enthusiasm when Columbia Pictures announced The Amazing Spider- Man, a reboot of the comic book myth.

While we could have avoided another origin story involving the shooting of Uncle Ben (this time, Martin Sheen), The Amazing Spider- Man does work as a comic book recreation with a vivid color palette. Director Marc Webb’s palette is film noir, much influenced by the Dark Knight Returns and Sin City short story collections.

In the pre-credit sequence, we learn a little why a young Peter Parker came under the care of Uncle Ben and Aunt May (Sally Field). In High School, Peter (Andrew Garfield) falls under the spell of Gwen Stacy (Emma “The Help” Stone), the daughter of tough Police Commissioner Stacy (Denis Leary).

Gwen works for Dr. Connors (Rhys Ifans), an amputee with a connection to the disappearance of Peter Parker’s parents. As Peter investigates this link, he is bitten by a spider and undergoes a transformation. In his zeal to re-grow his amputated arm, Dr. Connors injects himself with an untested serum and terrorizes Manhattan as the notorious Lizard.

While most of the action scenes occur at night, Director Webb manages to create vivid battles between Spider- Man and the Lizard. It is special effects whiz bang, but manages to capture the smart aleck wit of Stan Lee’s original creation. (Lee’s cameo brought forth a round of applause at the Ft. Lauderdale Museum of Discovery IMAX Theater).

With last weekend’s record-breaking box office gross, Columbia Pictures has announced that The Amazing Spider-Man is the first of a planned trilogy that should conclude during the 2016 Presidential election season.

The Amazing Spider-Man is a complete story within itself, a visual treat and very entertaining. The opening narrative grabs you from the very beginning. What more can you ask from a big budget summer blockbuster?

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

Aung San Suu Kyi with Jim McNalis

It was announced this week that Marvel’s The Avengers has become the 3rd highest grossing motion picture of all time, behind Avatar and Titanic. With The Amazing Spider-Man opening this holiday weekend at the Museum of Discovery IMAX Theater, costumed superheroes have consumed the international box office.

Speaking of heroism, The Lady will make its South Florida premier this weekend at the Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival’s Cinema Paradiso. This long-awaited biography acknowledges the heroism of Aung San Suu Kyi, the 1991 Noble Peace Prize winner who had been under house arrest for two decades in Myanmar, formerly known as the country of Burma.

Best known for portraying karate sidekicks to Jackie Chan, Jet Li and James Bond, Michelle Yeoh will portray The Lady. With Rebecca Frayn’s screenplay in hand, Yeoh presented the project to Luc Besson, a French director best known for action flicks like The Fifth Element, The Professional and La Femme Nikita.

Besson said, “One day Michelle came to see me for help. She told me she had a compelling screenplay about Aung San Suu Kyi and was looking for a producer, and that it would be great if I were free to direct it. At first, I told her I wasn’t available. But then I read the script and I was blown away!”

Despite the gulf between eastern and western cultures, Besson revealed his need to tell the story about The Lady.

He said, “I was very moved by the story of this woman about whom I realized I knew almost nothing, except for the tip of the iceberg I’d read in the papers.” While The Lady was in production, government relaxed restrictions upon Suu Kyi. She is currently on an international tour in Europe and was honored by former President George Bush last May in Washington D.C.

The first screening of The Lady will be Friday evening at 6 p.m.  It will be followed by a Q&A by artist and activist Jim McNalis, who created a sculpture of the Nobel Prize winner and was able to meet her. He will be discussing that meeting last December. (Next, McNalis will be leaving on a lecture tour in North Carolina). For more information, call 954-525-FILM or visit www.fliff.com.

Michelle Yeoh plays “The Lady”

Jim McNalis created a sculpture of Aung San Suu Kyi

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

As the locally-produced Rock of Ages floats into Summertime box office oblivion, it seems as if you have to be a team of superheroes (Marvel’s The Avengers) or animated characters (Madagascar 3, Brave) to have any box office traction this summer.

Released three weeks ago, Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted finds our heroes, Alex the lion (Ben Stiller), Marty the zebra (Chris Rock), Melman the giraffe (David Schwimmer) and Gloria the hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith) enjoying the easy life living in Africa.

Yet, the four friends miss their zoo in Manhattan. Consulting with the penguins, the four heroes revamp their makeshift aeroplane and decide to cross the Atlantic.

Of course, things go wrong and the four friends crash land in a Monte Carlo Casino. The intrepid Captain Chantel Du Bois (Frances McDormand) gives chase … and chase … and chase … until the film’s conclusion.

The visuals are fantastic and Chris Rock’s one-liners are being quoted on the street. Children will be engaged for the hour and a half, but adults will be checking their watches.

Brave is Disney/Pixar’s 13th release. Given this partnership’s box office returns and Oscars on the shelf, one feels a sense of diminishing returns with Brave.

Set in mythical Scotland, Princess Merida (Kelly MacDonald) is an un-ladylike tomboy, much to the displeasure of the queen (Emma Thompson). Seeking to enhance the bonds between the three regimes, t h e k i n g ( B i l l y C o n n o l y ) o f f e r s h i s daughter’s hand in marriage. The clichés kick in and with a spoonful of supernatural occurrences, it makes for an entertaining afternoon for mothers and daughters.

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

When Rock of Ages began production in South Florida, I was happy that this film was boosting the local film industry. At the Buck’s 30-year reunion last summer, Don Abbatiello showed me pictures of his stunt work in the film. With this kind of perspective, it is hard to dislike Rock of Ages, much like it is hard to hate locally-filmed movies like Hoot, Caddyshack and Body Heat.

Rock of Ages is no Marvel’s The Avengers or Prometheus, but is a two-hour revival of 1980s MTV, complete with sizzling guitars and big hair Stealing some plot lines from Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers musicals, Rock of Ages introduces us to a pretty blonde from Oklahoma, played by Julianne Hough.

She skips into Los Angeles and meets a young man her age played by Diego Boneta, a singer who works for the proprieters of The Bourbon Room (played by Alec Baldwin and Russell Brand). The Bourbon Room will host the final performance of Stacee Jaxx (Tom Cruise), a rock god who has seen better days.

Clichés pile up when socalled political conservatives (Bryan Cranston, Catherine Zeta-Jones) want to censor the heavy metal rock star and close down The Bourbon Room. The only cliché missing would be a Mickey Rooney cameo during the sappy climax.

The Dictator is a rude, crude and socially unacceptable contrast to Rock of Ages. This is another politically incorrect comedy from Sacha Baron Cohen.

Unlike his serio-documentary comedies, The Dictator hires actors like Sayed Badreya, Ben Kingsley and Anna Faris, who hopefully know that they are playing fictitious characters. There are genuine belly laughs from the exhibitionist Cohen, but the laughs are more shocking than humorous.

Given the low budget of The Dictator, the film has earned back its production budget; it is doing better overseas than in America. Yet, one wonders if Cohen’s comedies have reached the point of diminishing returns, like Adam Sandler. Ten years ago, Adam Sandler was a box office god; his recent film, That’s My Boy, was a Father’s Day box office disaster last weekend.

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

For most of his life, director/ writer Guillermo Del Toro dreamed of adapting H.P. Lovecraft’s novella “At the Mountains of Madness” into a film. He came close a few years ago, but funding fell apart. After a screening of Prometheus a few weeks ago and its similarities to the story, Del Toro no longer feels he needs to produce it.

Prometheus became the first motion picture to open at the Ft. Lauderdale Museum of Discovery with an “R” rating. While lacking gratuitous violence and sex, it features intense scenes that are personal, painful and gory. This film also features good old-fashioned Sci-Fi fun with interesting theories about origins, science and theology.

While spelunking in the caves of Scotland, archaeologist Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) connects pictograph dots that are similar to those seen in pictographs of Egyptian, Mayan, Aztec and Sumerian Cultures. Using the technology of the late 21st Century, Professor Shaw interprets these pictographs as road maps to the future.

She finds a sponsor in Peter Weyland (Guy Pearce), assembles a crew and blasts off on the spaceship “Prometheus.” Four years later, the Prometheus crew lands on an uncharted planet with an alien fortress.

Revealing more about the plot would be a disservice to the big screen experience. Suffice it to say that reviewing the previous four Alien, three Predators and two Alien vs. Predator movies will increase your viewing pleasure. A review of Lovecraft’s novella and Erich von Däniken’s drugstore bestseller “Chariots of the Gods” will enhance comprehension of the deeper themes.

In a good way, Prometheus feels like older and more literature- based Sci-Fi. After 33 years, director Ridley Scott returns to the same universe that he helped create in Alien. What Prometheus lacks in narrative structure, Ridley Scott makes up with visual clarity.

If you are seeking one of the most cerebral motion pictures of the summer, then see Prometheus before it departs the big screen. The Amazing Spider-Man takes over the IMAX screen on July 3.

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

This week’s column will review two diverse motion pictures, winner of Cannes Un Certain Regard Special Jury Prize, Elena, and the Museum of Discovery IMAX theater documentary To the Arctic 3D. Despite widespread production values, both films share a similar theme about maternal survival.

From Russia with English subtitles, Elena (Nadezhda Markina) and Vladimir (Andrey Smirnov), who are 60-year-old spouses on their second marriage. While the two enjoy this symbiotic relationship, both individuals dislike their new step children. Vladimir’s daughter has been estranged for many years and Elena’s son is struggling to feed his own child.

When Vladimir falls ill, the family dynamic changes. Elena becomes concerned about her future domestic life when Vladimir’s daughter returns to visit her ill father. Elena is oddly reflective of the South Florida senior culture. For those seeking a respite from high octane summer blockbusters, Elena is the slow-paced film for you.

To the Arctic 3D presents the story of mother Polar Bear’s fight to protect her cubs from predators and global warming. The film is pure Darwin; it is about the survival of the fittest.

Narrated by Meryl Streep with musical accompaniment from Sir Paul McCartney, To the Arctic 3D presents eyefilling landscapes and waterfalls on the IMAX six-story screen. Yet, for all of the beauty, the polar bears are presented as vicious beasts and are frequently shown with blood on their white fur.

FYI: Ridley Scott’s longawaited Prometheus will be shown at this IMAX; this is the first time in their history a rated “R” motion picture will be screened there.

Marvel’s The Avengers remains the best motion picture of the year, despite the full court synergy of Men in Black III, which opened last weekend with a $70 million gross.

The new Men in Black is the second best movie of the trilogy, which is an easy thing to write considering how limp Men in Black II was.

Men in Black III opens on a prison moon base. Boris aka “the Animal” (Jemaine Clement) escapes to settle a score with MiB Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones). Back in 1969, Agent K amputated Boris’ arm as Apollo 11 prepared for blast off. Agent J (Will Smith) is kept in the dark to this history, until Agent K disappears into thin air.

With the help of Agent O (Emma Thompson), Agent J time travels to 1969 to kill Boris and rescue Agent K. On the radio, Agent J drives big cars with fenders and listens to rock ‘n roll on AM radio. He meets Andy Warhol (Bill Hader), who may be a MiB Agent. The MiB3 plot meanders until the predictable climax during the Apollo 11 lift off.

After the climax, MiB3 contains a surprisingly emotional revelation that explains the relationship between Agents K & J. This one emotional scene makes up for all of the superficial action of MiB2 and MiB3 combined.

As the younger version of Agent K, Josh Brolin does a decent impression of TommyLee Jones. Will Smith takes center stage this time, but like a good ringmaster, he knows when to defer the spotlight to his supporting players.

Cinema Dave had the chance to meet many celebrities at the May-Hem horror convention in Orlando Memorial Day weekend. (Pictured) Cinema Dave and actress Linda Hamilton, who is known best for her role as Sarah Connor in Terminator, but also played in TV’s “Beauty & the Beast,” the film “King Kong Lives” and others.

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

Given the juggernaut release of Marvel’s The Avengers and Dark Shadows at the Museum of Discovery IMAX Theater, this weekend’s big release, Men in Black 3 lacks the excitement of previous Memorial Day releases (There is no Batman, Star Wars nor Pirates of the Carribean).

For those wanting to go out of town this Memorial Day weekend, May-Hem, a horror convention, is being held this weekend May 25-27 in Orlando at the Wyndham Orlando Resort. (This is the last time at this location.) A long list of horror actors are scheduled to attend, everyone from The Terminator’s Linda Hamilton to Austin Powers’ Verne Troyer. The horror convention concept was begun nine years ago in Plantation by Petey Mongelli and moved to Orlando seven years ago. The popularity of the event has grown now that Petey has two conventions, his usual Weekend of Horrors in October and Memorial Day Weekend May-Hem.

Petey explained, “Spooky Empire grew bigger and bigger; we simply outgrew Broward County. We became one of the most respected horror event promotions companies in the United States, bringing to life two of the most popular horror conventions in the nation, with fans attending from all over the world.”

At some conventions and festivals, there is an invisible wall between the fan and the celebrity. Spooky Empire has consistently invited stars who are fan-friendly. As Malcolm McDowell said last October, “I try to do two or three of these appearances a year. It gets one in touch with the fan base. Ironically, you meet the sweetest people at horror conventions.”

To find out more about the convention, including the full schedule of events, visit www.spookyempire.com.

Have a great and safe Memorial Day Weekend!

The National Memorial Day Concert on PBS at 8 p.m. EST on Sunday, May 27, featuring Gary Sinise, Trace Adkins and Natalie Cole, looks like the best bet if you are staying local for the weekend.

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

There are people who have seen Marvel’s The Avengers three times already, making little time for Dark Shadows, which opened at the Ft. Lauderdale Museum of Discovery IMAX Theater last weekend.

Grossing a respectable $28 million, the Tim Burton/Johnny Depp collaboration, Dark Shadows, is a loving tribute to the old afternoon soap opera on ABC Network television.

This film has its ups and downs. On a positive note, director Tim Burton’s affection for the subject pays dividends for monster mavens, including cameos from Sir Christopher Lee, Alice Cooper and the original cast from the television soap opera. Sadly, this tribute drags in the second half and the fine line between comedy and terror loses its clever touch.

Opening tomorrow, Follow Me: The Yoni Netanyahu Story is a documentary about the older brother of the current Israel Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. This film is a biography of Yoni told within the timetable of the raid on Entebee, circa July 4, 1976.

Culled from letters and Yoni’s creative writing, Follow Me is eyewitness history about Israel’s early statehood. The Netanyahu family is presented as a typical loving family, who happen to have bombs dropping in their backyard.

As the violence becomes more personal, Yoni’s letters reveal a man whose concerns grow from trivial matters to that of national security. At age 18, Yoni joins the Israeli Military. After 12 years of honorable service, Yoni Netanyahu served in the Special Operations Unit during the successful raid on Entebbe.

First screened locally at the 17th Annual Palm Beach International Film Festival last month, Follow Me is an introspective documentary. In particular, one sees Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s steely resolve today when talking about his big brother’s sacrifice for the Israeli homeland.

Next weekend, the Memorial Day blockbuster movies kick into high gear with entertaining, but not very serious, flicks. While serious, Follow Me: The Yoni Netanyahu Story is a heartfelt documentary that will induce laughter and tears.

By Dave Montalbano

www.AdventuresofCinemaDave.com

The hype for Marvel’s The Avengers began quietly four years ago after the credits in an empty theater when the crowd departed “Iron Man.”

Sgt. Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) surprised Tony Stark, alias Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), and asked him to join “the Avenger’s Initiative.”

When The Hulk, Thor and Captain America were introduced, the “Avenger’s Initiative” began to take form, a plan to unite the afore-mentioned superheroes and their sidekicks in defense of planet earth.

Sgt.Fury’s precaution proved to be justified, as Thor’s brother and demi god, Loki (Tom Hiddleston), plots to enslave planet Earth. For the first time in four movies, Sgt. Fury appears worried. Picking up where the previous movies left off, Iron Man, Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Dr. Bruce Banner, alias Hulk, (Mark Ruffalo) are assembled.

With great superpowers, come great egos.

Upon their first meeting, Thor and Iron Man get into a fistfight. Captain America can’t understand his teammate’s narcissistic tendencies, while Dr. Bruce Banner tries to keep his temper in check. Until the Avengers learn how to play well with each other, Loki’s road to world domination seems assured.

From this point, Marvel’s The Avengers crosses the wall from fantasy to reality, especially given the high expectations of this superhero team up and box office potential. The astronomical box office records for a non-holiday weekend are now a given, but the plot, characters and spectacle remain variables. Until you see the movie…

Director and co-writer Joss Whedon managed to give every Avenger and their sidekicks a moment to shine with great visuals and brilliant dialogue about teamwork, sacrifice and individual heroism. This film is so insightful and relevant, Coach Erik Spoelstra should take the Miami Heat to go see this movie to motivate them to sweep the NBA crown.

Beyond the clarity of vision, Marvel’s The Avengers presents simple moments of subtle depth. When Loki makes his first cruel appearance in Germany and demands that people kneel before him, it is the courage of one elderly individual who refuses, based on memory of the Nazi tactics. This little moment teaches a major history lesson about living a life in freedom.

Are heroes an old fashioned notion? Marvel’s The Avengers debates this question with good old-fashion popcorn eating fun. Yep, this film will be on my Top 10 list for 2012.