Movie Reviews
Get the latest movie reviews from our in-house critics, Shirrel Rhoades and Ian Brockway. You’ll also find reviews from film festivals and advance screening movies. Do you have what it takes to be a Guest movie reviewer? Send us your review to info@TropicCinema.com for approval and maybe you’ll earn a spot! Want to make sure you never miss a review? Follow the Tropic on Facebook for daily updates!
Tropic Sprockets: Booksmart
This vivacious and carbonated film is about friendship. Here are two young women without demeaning pratfalls, sophomoric gross-outs, imbecilic interludes or elementary silliness. The narrative is vivid, lasting and profoundly uncynical. “Booksmart” is refreshingly simple, warm-hearted and wonderful.
READ MORE
Front Row at the Movies: The Intruder
At any rate, I’m not buying a house from Dennis Quaid, no matter how friendly he is in those TV commercials.
READ MORE
Terry George, Terry Gilliam and “Films that Changed Films”
“This combined screening,” says host Terry George, “is a warning to all who venture into the business of filmmaking, and a tribute to the tenacity and visual genius of filmmaker Terry Gilliam. I’m looking forward to a fun night.”
READ MORE
Tropic Sprockets: Shadow
“Shadow“ is a counterpoint to the blunt crunching and artery-bursting of “John Wick.” In Yimou’s realm, murder is an impulsive spirit of movement, akin to calligraphy.
READ MORE
Tropic Sprockets: John Wick – Chapter 3: Parabellum
John Wick and Reeves by extension become living figures in a comic book. This makes the hyperactive hollow-points compulsively watchable, even though it does qualify as a guilty pleasure. As campy as Keanu is, he delivers his lines with such mirthless monotone, he fuses the actor as hitman and the hitman as actor into Pop Art.
READ MORE
Front Row at the Movies: Carmine Street Guitars
Carmine Street Guitars was a place like that -- off the beaten path, but you’d find it if you were a musician looking for a handmade guitar. Rick Kelly finds his wood for making guitars all over the city, from dead trees and torn down buildings, and even a historic tavern. Then he artfully crafts it into a guitar designed to make the angels listen.
READ MORE
Front Row at the Movies: John Wick – Chapter 3: Parabellum
In the world of John Wick, the underworld is everywhere – from street vendors and waiters to shoe shine guys and dog-walkers and homeless people – all acting as the eyes and ears for the High Table. And the organization has more assassins chasing John Wick than troops in a military parade in Red Square.
READ MORE
Front Row at the Movies: Penguins
Admittedly, “Penguins” takes an anthropomorphic view of its subject matter, imbuing penguins with human-like qualities, but nonetheless you will enjoy the simple storyline (“a hugely entertaining underdog hero’s journey”) and the outstanding cinematography.
READ MORE
Tropic Sprockets: Hail Satan?
Though offered with a fair amount of quirk and camp, ”Hail Satan?” is a serious film about the need for alternate beliefs to attain equal representation. Some will ridicule these ebony-cloaked emancipators, but through humor and stern spirit, they uncover the forever rebel that resides within the hearts of many.
READ MORE
Tropic Sprockets: Tolkien
“Tolkien” has a warm and easy spirit showing the gift of friendship for what it is: a visitation of magic that occurs in reality, as adamantine as a ring.
READ MORE
Become a Tropic Insider
Enter your email below to get the latest on showtimes and events.