By Dave Montalbano

http://cinemadave.livejournal.com

While it is later this year, it is hard to believe that the 29th Annual Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival concludes this weekend. One of Robin Williams last films, A Merry Friggin’ Christmas will be screened this Sunday night at Cinema Paradiso. The two screenings will also present a special tribute to the fallen idol.

This weekend also features multiple tributes to Palm Beach resident George Hamilton. While best known as a sun-tanned icon from 1960s beach blanket movies, Hamilton’s resume is far more diverse and concrete. In the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, Hamilton produced and starred in Love at First Bite (as a disco dancing Dracula) and Zorro: The Gay Blade. Both were lightweight comedies, conservatively produced, and provided Hamilton a nice nest egg for his later years.

Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Hamilton revealed performance potential at an early age when he attended Palm Beach High School. His first film Crime & Punishment, U.S.A was a modern adaptation of Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky Crime & Punishment. His persona as a “sun burned lothario” became evident in color motion pictures, most notably Where the Boys Are and Light in the Piazza, starring Yvette Mimieux and Olivia de Havilland.

When Robert Duvall turned down his appearance in The Godfather: Part III, Hamilton became Al Pacino’s lawyer. In contrast to portraying a smooth professional in Brooks Brothers suits, Hamilton gave a sincere performance as singer Hank Williams in Your Cheatin’ Heart.

While Hamilton will be acknowledged at the Awards Gala Friday night, this Saturday evening he will be hosting, At Home, On Stage at Cinema Paradiso- FTL.This program is a 90 minute presentation that features film clips and montages. Hamilton will be the Master of Ceremonies of this one-man performance and will be taking questions from the audience. Info: www.fliff.com

With FLiFF29 wrapping up this weekend, it is now time to consolidate my top 10 list for the end of 2014. At the moment, there are not enough films for a Top 10. Therefore, I am reviewing DVDs from highly recommended word of mouth considerations.

By Dave Montalbano

http://cinemadave.livejournal.com The place for movie lovers to be this weekend will be downtown Ft. Lauderdale. The Ft. Lauderdale Museum of Discovery and Science (MODS) opens Writer/Director Christopher Nolan’s eagerly awaited Interstellar on the recently remodeled 5-storey IMAX screen with new 56 sound speakers. Interstellar is expected to docked at MODS until the final episode of The Hobbit trilogy burrows in for Christmas.

The red carpet for the 29th Annual Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLiFF29) will be unfurled Friday night at the Amaturo Theater with a screening of Lucky Stiff. Lucky Stiff is a farcical comedy about a British nephew who must fulfill his late uncle’s wishes, or lose $6 million inheritance. While the film features one of the last performances of FLiFF favorite Dennis Farina, the film will showcase FLiFF honoree Jason Alexander.

Jason Alexander and Pamela Shaw in “Lucky Stiff.”

While best known for playing George Costanza in Seinfeld, Alexander started his career in theater. When he landed his first job on Broadway, he dropped out of his theater studies in Boston.

Working with Liza Minnelli, Chita Rivera, Neil Simon, Hal Prince and Stephen Sondheim proved to be enough education for Alexander. He has worked steadily as an actor. It is refreshing to see Alexander pop up in movies like Pretty Woman, Shallow Hal and Star Trek Voyager. He is scheduled to walk the Amaturo Theater red carpet Friday night (be there by 7:10 p.m.).

Also expected to walk the red carpet Friday night is local celebrity The Amazing Randi. With the help of Kickstarter, The Amazing Randi, aka James Randi, has been working with Directors Justin Weinstein & Tyler Measom to create An Honest Liar. This is a documentary about Randi’s unique career as an illusionist. While he gained fame on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, Randi built Alice Cooper’s guillotine and used his “free time” to debunk phony psychics. The South Florida premier of An Honest Liar is this weekend.

James “The Amazing” Randi with “the head of Alice Cooper.”

FLiFF29 features a unique movie from Denmark, The Salvation. Best known for his work as television’s Hannibal Lechter, Mads Mikkelsen stars in this Danish western about a settler who kills, his violence breeds violence and the fine line between cowardice and bravery is revealed. This film will be screening Veteran’s Day at Cinema Paradiso-Ft. Lauderdale and is sponsored by Rob Davis.

FLiFF29 will be an intense, but fluid event for the next three weeks. To keep in touch with the latest schedules and times, please visit the website www.fliff.com.