Week of April 17 - 23 (Rhoades)

Tropic Overview

Two Plus Four Equals Six Films Not to Miss at the Tropic

Reviewed by Shirrel Rhoades

Film Critic, Cooke Communications

Two new film slip onto the Tropic screens this week joining four holdovers. One’s a crime-driven drama; the other’s an age-related dramedy.

"True Story" is in fact based on a true story about an Oregon man who murdered his wife and three children, then skipped off to Cancun using the name of a disgraced New York Times reporter. James Franco inhabits the soul of the accused killer, while Jonah Hill is convincing as the journalist who wants to understand this bizarre identity thief. Examiner describes it as "an offbeat crime drama that compels right from the start and will have audiences talking." And Spirituality and Practice finds it to be "a riveting and rigorous examination of lying."

Also new is "While We’re Young," the Noah Baumbach dramedy about a middle-aged couple (Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts) whose life gets overwhelmed when they befriend a younger couple (Adam Driver and Amanda Seyfried). Parade Magazine finds it to be "a human comedy of people growing up and growing older, finding out who they are and what they want out of life, and learning that every age -- and every stage -- has its joys as well as its jolts." And Denver Post says it’s "less about resentment than it is a celebration of romantic love. At least initially."

"Wild Tales" is a different kind of comedy, six dark vignettes that leave you shaking your head at their audacity. Note that this Argentine-Spanish production was nominated for an Oscar. Observer calls it "a splendidly anarchic portrait of a world on the verge of a nervous breakdown." And Scotsman says it "succeeds not only by being outrageously entertaining, but by functioning as a sort of hellish magic mirror...."

Don’t miss "Danny Collins," a bittersweet film about an aging rock star who decides to change his life after receiving a long-lost letter from John Lennon. SSG Syndicate proclaims, "Al Pacino delivers his best performance in years ... it’s engaging, captivating entertainment." And Sacramento News & Review concludes, "Pacino sinks his gleaming teeth into the role of Danny with a gusto that’s charming and infectious."

"’71" is a heart-pounding film about a British soldier (Jack O'Connell) trapped in the war zone that is Belfast during The Troubles in 1971. Denver News observes, "The film doesn’t take sides, but shows how conflict stirs the pot of human emotions and how quickly things can get out of control." And Commercial Appeal opines, "Jack O’Connell is our current saint of cinema suffering."

And still playing is "The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel," the sequel to the almost-same-named-movie about a group of Brits who retire to a crumbling hotel in India. Movie Habit says, "Judi Dench and Maggie Smith are the best excuses to see the second best film of the pair." And TV Guide’s Movie Guide concludes, "The elder actors are, of course, perfect. They never overplay the comedy or the drama, and this reserve works in counterpoint to Dev Patel’s high-energy patter."

Make sure you don’t miss these six films .…

srhoades@aol.com