CLOSE

Archives

by -
0 475
Photo courtesy of Fathom Events

Calling all Trekkies! In addition to being the 55th anniversary of Star Trek, this year also marks the 35th anniversary of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. To celebrate, Paramount Pictures and Fathom Events will “beam” a remastered version of The Voyage Home to select movie theaters nationwide on Thursday, Aug. 19 (which also would have been Gene Roddenberry’s 100th birthday) and Sunday, Aug. 22.

This special screening will also include a featurette called “Three Picture Saga,” featuring cast and crew exploring the backstory of the story arc seen in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

Plot: When a mysterious alien power threatens the atmosphere of Earth in the 23rd Century, Captain Kirk and his crew must time travel back to 1986 San Francisco to save mankind. Exploring this strange new world, they encounter punk rock, pizza and exact-change buses that are as alien as anything in the far reaches of the galaxy. 

“We are so proud to work with Paramount to bring this Star Trek film back to theaters for the 35th anniversary,” said Tom Lucas, VP of Studio Relations at Fathom Events in a statement. “Between being nominated for four Academy Awards and the unconventional storyline, this film, in particular, deserves the big-screen treatment.”

The event is set to coincide not only with the film’s 35th anniversary, but also with its upcoming release on 4K UHD Blu-ray in Star Trek: The Original 4-Movie Collection, set to hit shelves on September 7.

Screenings will be held at AMC Stony Brook 17, 2196 Nesconset Highway, Stony Brook at 3 and 7 p.m. on both days and at Island Cinema De Lux, 185 Morris Ave., Holtsville at 7 p.m. on Aug. 19 and 3 p.m. on Aug. 22. To purchase tickets in advance, visit www.fathomevents.com.

by -
0 571
1 of 4
From left, Councilman Ed Smyth, Nicole Rosenberg,  Legislator Susan A. Berland, Rachel Epstein, Supervisor Chad Lupinacci, Izzy Epstein, Rabbi Paul Swerdlow, Anita Epstein-Leibowitz, Rabbi Howard Buechler and Rabbi Orrin Krublit.
From left, Councilman Ed Smyth, Rachel Epstein, Sup. Chad Lupinacci and Leg. Susan A. Berland
'Sublime' by artist Thea Lanzisero
Rachel Epstein

Suffolk County Majority Leader Susan A. Berland (D-Dix Hills) joined Town of Huntington Supervisor Chad Lupinacci on July 11 at Arboretum Park in Melville to co-host the Town of Huntington’s annual Anne Frank Memorial Garden Ceremony in recognition of Anne Frank’s 92nd Birthday.

The ceremony featured remarks from guest speaker Rachel Epstein, a Holocaust survivor; Town of Huntington Deputy Supervisor, Councilman Ed Smyth; Rabbi Howard Buechler from the Dix Hills Jewish Center; Rabbi Orrin Krublit from the South Huntington Jewish Center; and Rabbi Paul Swerdlow, lead chaplain at the Northport VA Medical Center. The Presentation of Colors was provided by Jewish War Veterans Post #488 and refreshments were served courtesy of Hummel Hummel Bakery of East Northport and King Kullen.   

After the ceremony, guests visited the Anne Frank Memorial Garden in the park which symbolically captures the journey of Anne Frank’s life. The circular pathway through the garden leads to a sculpture of a lace wedding dress reflective of Anne’s childhood innocence and adolescent hopes and dreams which were cut short. Titled “Sublime” by artist Thea Lanzisero, the empty dress symbolizes our temporary physical presence having possibility of continued lasting memory and the armor-like lace structure of the dress is vulnerable yet fearless, representing the eternal strength that Anne held within her. Along the path visitors can see quotes from Anne’s diary as well as a Horse-Chestnut tree, the same type of tree that Anne described seeing from the small window in the attic. 

“This touching event honors the memory of Anne Frank and recalls her legacy, her courage in the face of unspeakable tragedy and her genuine belief in the goodness of mankind despite the ugliness of war and discrimination. May Anne’s legacy and wisdom continue to teach and inspire us for generations to come,” said Leg. Berland. 

“While we all come from different backgrounds and walks of life, we can all relate to the humanity and innocence of Anne Frank’s writings, which remind us that in a world filled with light, there is opportunity for evil to trespass against us,” said Supervisor Lupinacci. “Despite our differences, we must stand together as we do, united in the Town of Huntington, as one people, one community, in the face of evil and those who seek to divide us.” 

“Anne Frank was a gifted young writer but as I reviewed some of the passages in her diary, one of the great takeaways I found from her writing is that it demonstrates how ordinary of a young girl she really was. What happened to her could have happened to any one of us; the evil perpetrated during the Holocaust is still possible to this day but only if good people don’t stand alert and on guard against it. This is why we must remain vigilant against ignorance and hate,” said Councilman Smyth.

See a video of the event here.

 

by -
0 263

The Staller Center for the Arts at Stony Brook University welcomes fans and filmmakers alike back into its theatres tomorrow night as it features new independent films from over fifteen countries at the Stony Brook Film Festival presented by Island Federal on Thursday, July 22 through Saturday, July 31. The popular Festival, now in its 26th year, brings a highly selective roster of diverse films, making it a favorite of moviegoers and filmmakers alike.

The Festival kicks off with the world premiere of The 5th Man, a documentary on Paul Limmer, a former track coach at Bellmore’s Mepham High School. During his 50-year career there, Limmer racked up hundreds of wins, though director Trey Nelson focuses on the story of all the other kids – the ones who never felt “seen” – until Paul Limmer came into their lives. The film will be preceded by Feeling Through, an Oscar-nominated short featuring deaf-blind actor Robert Tarango of Selden.

Produced by Staller Center, the Festival pairs unforgettable short films with a selection of features you won’t see anywhere else. The Stony Brook Film Festival presented by Island Federal is one of the first film festivals to announce its return, and it brings in filmmakers, cast, and crew who field questions after the screenings, adding a unique interactive dimension to the experience.

In addition to the live in-person Festival, the Stony Brook Film Festival will be screening the Festival virtually following the Live in-person Festival. This Virtual Festival will be available on IndieFlix Festivals August 5-30, and it will be an encore screening of the films shown live at Staller Center.

Please note: The Staller Center for the Arts is committed to your safety and will be following CDC, State, and University guidelines regarding health & safety protocols. All patrons will be required to comply with the guidelines in place at the time of the event.

Covid Guidelines for the STONY BROOK FILM FESTIVAL: At this time, masks are optional for guests who are fully vaccinated. For guests who are unvaccinated or those who are not fully vaccinated, we ask that you continue to wear face masks at all times inside the building.

QUICK FACTS

• THE 5TH MAN – Paul Limmer, was a world class track coach at Mepham High School in Bellmore, Long Island.

• Rachel Keller (of Legion, Fargo, Dirty John, and Tokyo Vice) is planning to attend for her film THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

• The entire short film NOISY was filmed on a single subway train ride to Coney Island, with the two actors sitting among regular passengers who ignored them as the film crew sat at the front of the car, hanging on through the lurching stops and starts of the train.

• The feature ANCHORAGE was shot chronologically over five days in the California High Desert with a cast and crew of ten people shoved into a few vehicles. This darkly comic, intense and even frightening film stars director Scott Monahan and screenwriter Dakota Loesch as low-level, opioid-addicted brothers who plan to drive their stash from Florida to Alaska and sell it for a huge profit.

• Ruby Barker, Marina Thompson in Bridgerton starred in HOW TO STOP A RECURRING DREAM before being cast for her role in Bridgerton.

STONY BROOK FILM FESTIVAL

WHEN/WHERE: Thursday, July 22, through Saturday, July 31, at Staller Center for the Arts at Stony Brook University, or virtually, from the comfort of your own home Thursday, August 5, through Monday, August 23.

TICKETS & INFORMATION: stonybrookfilmfestival.com/
Single-day tickets are $20; virtual passes are $85; festival passes are $125; gold passes are $250

For the Stony Brook Film Festival schedule and descriptions of all films go to stonybrookfilmfestival.com/films/

by -
0 985

Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at Stony Brook Medicine, Dr. Miguel Saldivar, wants residents to make vaccine decisions based on scientific information, rather than Internet speculation. Saldivar, who joined Stony Brook just months before the pandemic hit Long Island, sees improvement in the overall infection numbers, which have declined in recent weeks to about two to three percent from closer to five to six percent. In a wide-ranging interview (which can be seen online at tbrnewsmedia.com), Saldivar answered a host of questions.

TBR: Do you have any concerns about the number or percentage of people who are not lining up for vaccination?

Saldivar: In general, what we are more concerned about is the amount of misinformation that is out there. If you go on social media — if you go just on the internet, period — there’s a lot of people who are spreading lot of information that is really frankly inaccurate.

TBR: What are Stony Brook and others trying to do to counter misinformation?

Saldivar: There are a number of things we hear fairly frequently, probably the more common one I personally have heard, because Pfizer and Moderna are based on mRNA technology, everybody hears the term RNA and is worried that it’s going to change my genetic code and turn me into a mutant or cause a disease down the line. The first thing to understand about that, the way both of those vaccines work, it’s a set of instructions being given to the body cells, the moment it’s been delivered, the mRNA dissolves. It has no way of getting into the deeper part of the cells to change your genetic code.

TBR: Black and brown communities have a distrust of the federal government after some well known problems regarding Tuskegee Experiment and other issues. Is there broader acceptance now compared with a month or two ago?

Saldivar: Statistically, if you compare how this disease has affected minority communities, the risk of a severe outcome, hospitalization intubation and death is almost universally higher among minority communities. That has a number of factors, not just the disease itself. It’s also the fact that within those communities, it is more frequent to find some of the risk factors, meaning diabetes, obesity, preexisting pulmonary disease so on and so forth … What I have been personally involved with is reaching out to the community, we have found a lot of community centers have been very ready and willing to engage in a conversation. We have found places of worship to be wonderful places to have that conversation

TBR: What does the data tell you about the pandemic?

Saldivar: The last numbers I heard from the meeting this morning were between two to three percent positivity. We’ve been there for a week. Before that, we were staying pretty stable at like five to six percent or thereabouts. It looks like finally, this may be the effect of the vaccine, the numbers are finally starting to little by little trend their way down. We’ve been cautiously optimistic. There seems to be a little bit of a light at the end of the tunnel.

TBR: You have a bachelor’s degree in classical guitar performance. How did you wind up in infectious disease?

Saldivar: Through the nonprofit circle, I landed a job with the medical center at UCLA. That’s where I met a very, very good friend and mentor. She was key to helping me shape the path. I feel incredibly lucky to be part of this profession.

by -
0 761

New York State’s new “Stay Awake! Stay Alive!” effort to combat drowsy driving kicked-off March 13 with a creative boost from Suffolk County Community College students who produced two of the three public service announcements for the campaign.

Jenna Capozzi

A “Stay Awake! Stay Alive!” message is being promoted on message signs on the New York State Thruway, other state roads, and on social media before and after the recent Daylight Saving Time change. In addition, there is targeted outreach to college students who are among the most at risk of driving drowsy.

As part of the education effort, college students were invited to create a public service announcement (PSA) highlighting the dangers of drowsy driving. Two of the three winning PSAs being aired on social media and at Department of Motor Vehicle offices throughout the state were created by Suffolk County Community College students who took home prizes for first and third place. The first-place winner received a $2,000 cash prize, the second-place received a $1,500 and third-place $500.

Suffolk liberal arts major Jenna Capozzi, 21, from Lake Grove teamed up with friends she graduated with from Centereach High School, Vincent Meyers and Matt Kopsachilis to produce the winning 25-second PSA.

Radio and Television Production major Samantha Fowler, 19, from Medford captured third place.

“I was inspired by a story one of the organizers told us about losing a sister due to drowsy driving,” Fowler said. “I have a sister as well, and really wanted to focus on that emotional aspect of it.”

Samantha Fowler

“I personally thought it was a good idea to produce the video,” Capozzi said, “even if we did not win the contest, the message was an important one to spread.”

“Drowsy driving is something we can all relate to. That struck me as something that I wanted to be a part of,” said Meyers.

“The chance to create something that’s really special and very, very unique was a great opportunity,” cameraman and editor Kopsachilis said.   

The team collaborated on writing and pulling together on creation of the video, with Meyers doing the acting and Kopsachilis handling the camera and editing the piece that ultimately won the competition.

“Hopefully this message reaches a wide audience and it helps open up people’s eyes to what we don’t want to admit that they drive drowsy. At the end of the day I don’t think any of us really thought we were going to win. But it was very nostalgic, in the sense that we kind of came back to our old roots, where we like first met each other through theater,” said Capozzi.

Capozzi said she expects to graduate in May, and pursue a degree in aerospace engineering. Fowler said she will graduate in December.

“I definitely want to get some experience underneath my belt,” Fowler said, “I might take a gap year just to see what jobs are available for me in my field.”

According to the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), 24 hours without sleep has similar effects on driving ability as a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.10 percent. GHSA also estimates that drowsy driving is a contributing factor in 328,000 crashes nationwide, annually, and more than half of them involve drivers age 25 and younger.

 

by -
0 756

In celebration of it 65th anniversary, “The Ten Commandments” heads to select theaters nationwide on Sunday, March 28, courtesy of Fathom Events, Turner Classic Movies and Paramount Pictures.

Yul Brynner and Anne Baxter in a scene from the film.

Throughout film history, Hollywood has produced a number of sweeping epics and generation-defining movies. However, one Biblical saga – Cecil B. DeMille’s “The Ten Commandments” – has withstood the test of time.

Shot in Egypt and the Sinai on one of the biggest sets ever constructed for a motion picture, the 1956 film is universally acknowledged among critics as a cinematic masterpiece with a legendary cast including Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner, and Ann Baxter. From its Academy Award-winning director and revolutionary Oscar-winning special effects to its sweeping score and unforgettable sets, “The Ten Commandments” tells the inspiring story of Moses in all its stunning glory. Once favored in the Pharaoh’s household, he turns his back on a privileged life to lead his people to freedom.

In addition to numerous awards and accolades, the movie remains one of the biggest box office successes in cinema history (with theatrical sales adjusted for inflation).

The screening includes exclusive insights from Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz.

In our neck of the woods the film will be screened at the AMC Stony Brook 17, 2196 Nesconset Highway, Stony Brook at 1 p.m. and again at 6 p.m. Running time is 3 hours 55 minutes. Rated G. To purchase tickets in advance, visit www.fathomevents.com.

by -
0 276

With flu season’s arrival amid the coronavirus pandemic and public division over preventative protocols, residents and staff of the Gurwin Jewish Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Commack took matters into their own hands, launching their first-ever Public Service Announcement (PSA) educational campaign. The 45-second PSA video highlights simple everyday practices to keep illness at bay while the nation awaits the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Preventing the spread of illness in the elderly population is critical, and during the current crisis has taken on more urgency. Mitigating the flu through vaccine and personal hygiene habits has been shown to reduce sickness and hospitalization, this at a critical juncture when healthcare resources are strained due to the pandemic. Calls to “Wear a mask,” “Wash your hands” and “ Do your part” can be heard throughout Gurwin’s “Stop the Spread” video campaign from both employees throughout the 460-bed nursing home, as well as the residents themselves, who are among the most vulnerable. Social distancing and flu shot recommendations are also voiced by campaign participants.

by -
0 277

Following the success of her recent single “Optimist,” which went to #50 on Mediabase’s Top 40 Radio chart and was featured by Just Jared Jr. and American Songwriter, 15-year-old singer/songwriter and Broadway alumna Ava Della Pietra has released a live performance of “Christmas Tonight,” her beautiful and uplifting song about the magic of the holiday season. “As we near the end of an extraordinary difficult year,” Ava explains, “I hope this song will remind us of some of the little joys that are still available to us – a fresh snow, shimmering lights – and the hope of friends and family coming together next year to celebrate once again.”

Named one of Tiger Beat Magazine’s “Best Holiday Songs” alongside Alessia Cara, Jonas Brothers, and Liam Payne, “Christmas Tonight” was written with the help of producing partner Will Hicks (Ed Sheeran, Jamie Lawson), who said “it has all the ingredients of a new Christmas classic.” The song was streamed more than 32k+ times in just a week after its release, leading Newsday to call Ava a “Rising Star.” One of fifty songs that Ava has written, and the first of ten already produced, to be released in the coming months, the live performance of “Christmas Tonight” is a fitting follow-up to “Optimist,” an inspiring new song about keeping a positive mindset that Just Jared Jr. called “perfect for the time we’re in right now.”

“I wrote ‘Optimist’ because there are a lot of problems that face society today,” Ava told American Songwriter. “No matter how hard it gets, we need to realize that we are one community, and together, we can have hope for a better future. With all the adversity, we must take action, rise above, and know that we will be alright. We all need a little optimism right now.”

“Optimist” will be featured on Ava’s debut EP, slated for release later this year. Featuring material she collaborated on with producers Will Hicks, Justin Gray (Avril Lavigne, Mariah Carey), Adrian Gurvitz (Andra Day, Jesse McCartney, Cheetah Girls), and Brian Malouf (Michael Jackson, Sabrina Carpenter), the EP will also feature songs like “Forgotten,” dedicated to the people of Puerto Rico suffering in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, and “Home,” inspired by the devastating stories of families torn apart on the southern border. 

A multi-instrumentalist who plays piano, bass, guitar, violin, and ukulele, Ava began performing at age four and writing songs at age five. She performed on the national tours of Les Misérables and White Christmas before joining the original cast of Broadway’s School of Rock, and has been featured on Good Morning America, Sesame Street, the Tony Awards, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, and more. Ava has performed at the Sundance Film Festival, the Great South Bay Music Festival, the New York Tennis Open, and at Madison Square Garden in front of 20,000 Knicks fans, as well as at My Father’s Place in Roslyn, New York, and in front of a sold-out crowd at NYC’s Rockwood Music Hall. Most recently Ava was featured on the soundtrack for Secondhand Lions: A New Musical, and also launched “Talking Tunes with Ava Della Pietra,” a new music column with Teen Kid News, where she is reviewing popular hits.

A supporter of both local and national charitable organizations, Ava is dedicated to advocating for young people, inspiring others to believe in themselves and follow their dreams. For more information on Ava Della Pietra, please visit https://www.avadellapietra.com/

by -
0 320

The Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport presents Bright Lights, a month-long holiday celebration on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights through December 20 from 5 to 9 p.m.

Evenings will include holiday lights, themed light-up displays, festive foods, music, and Santa Claus and his friends — reindeer, snowmen, gingerbread people, nutcrackers, and elves — all portrayed by costumed actors. The Vanderbilt Mansion gardens will be decorated for the season. The Museum is presenting the event in collaboration with Redmax Events.

“We’re thrilled to invite everyone to kick off the holiday season and celebrate with us. The decorated Estate grounds will become a winter wonderland,” said Elizabeth Wayland-Morgan, executive director of the Vanderbilt Museum. “Bright Lights is our first-ever holiday winter walk and will offer evenings of family fun for all.”

For everyone’s safety, all visitors must adhere strictly to all current public health and safety guidelines and practices, including social distancing. All guests must wear a mask when unable to maintain six feet of social distance.

Tickets to the event are $25 adults, $20 members; $15 children under 12, $10 members. Children under the age of 2 are free. To order, visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

*Video is from Vanderbilt Museum’s Facebook Page

Prev1...789...13Next Page 8 of 13
TBR News Media is your local news and entertainment website.
We provide you with the latest breaking news and information for your community.
Contact us: [email protected]

Most Viewed

©