FILM REVIEWS
Variety Fills Tropic Cinema’s
Screens
Reviewed by Shirrel Rhoades
Assuming you’ve already
seen “Mud” -- Matthew McConaughey’s new film
that breaks him away from his rom-com roots -- the next one you’ll
want to put on your list to catch at the Tropic Cinema is “The
Sapphires.”
These are two very different
movies. But both great in their own unique ways.
“Mud” is the coming-of-age tale about two Arkansas
boys who stumble upon a wanted murderer hiding out on an island
in the Mississippi. I call it Mark Twain Updated -- a modern-day
Huck and Tom helping a leathery-skinned man on the run (McConaughey).
Reese Witherspoon, Joe Don Baker, and Sam Shepard provide a great
supporting cast, but it’s the two boys (Ty Sheridan and
Jacob Lofland) who carry this story about a man whose name is
Mud. The San Francisco Examiner calls it “fully satisfying.”
On the other hand, “The
Sapphires” is a soulful musical -- albeit with dramatic
moments. In it, an Irish talent scout (Chris O’Dowd) convinces
four Australian Aborigine singers to go Motown for a tour in war-torn
Vietnam. The soul sounds are great … what talented voices
here. You’ll laugh and cry as the singers confront their
own demons while dealing with a crazy Irishman who’s urging
them to sing “blacker.” The Denver Post calls it “sweetly
sublime.”
Also new to the Tropic screens
is “Reality,” an Italian dark comedy about a man who
wants to be a contestant on a TV reality show … but reality
and surrealism become confused as Luciano (newcomer Aniello Arena)
seeks his 15 minutes of fame. The Philadelphia Inquirer calls
it “A dark allegorical comedy.”
Add to that “A Place at
the Table,” an alarming documentary that examines hunger
in America. Not here, you say? Think again. Jeff Bridges and others
help expose this national disgrace: nearly 50 million Americans
can't afford to buy enough food. The Toronto Star says it’s
“a shocking indictment of how people are starving in the
land of plenty ...”
And finally -- for those who
didn’t choose to leave Old Town for this top-notch sports
film -- we have another run of “42,” the story of
one of the greatest baseball players of all time, Jackie Robinson.
Here’s the story about how Number 42 (Chadwick Boseman)
broke the color barrier with the help of Brooklyn Dodgers exec
Branch Rickey (played by Harrison Ford). Jam! Movies points out
“You don't have to love baseball to love the film.”
There you have it: Mississippi
meandering, Down Under soul music, Italian reality TV, hunger
in America, and a homerun for “42” -- what exciting
variety at the Tropic.
srhoades@aol.com
See
more at TropicCinema.com/blog…
where you can leave comments on all the films.
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