Week of October 30 to November 5 (Mann)

What’s on at the Tropic
By Phil Mann

Take a deep breath. First you have to get through Fantasy Fest. To help you, the Tropic is going to be closed on Saturday (Oct. 31).But on Friday, and picking up again on Sunday, they’ve got a movie fun fest scheduled for this week. So sober up and sit down at 416 Eaton Street. Check out the new façade if you haven’t already, and get ready to laugh..

Let’s start with THE INVENTION OF LYING. Ricky Gervais (the Brit comic who “invented” The Office) is the writer/director/producer and star of this social satire comedy. The underlying idea is simple. Suppose there are no lies, not even socially smoothing white ones, and then someone discovers the concept and works it to his advantage. The Tropic sometimes seeks local businesses and organizations to sponsor its movies – like a restaurant to sponsor Julie and Julia or Reef Relief to sponsor The Cove. Who do you think would be appropriate for The Invention of Lying? Umm, just kidding. Anyhow, this is a hoot, “a remarkably radical comedy… [and] a sweet love story” says Roger Ebert. What more could you want?

Also in the comic realm is WHIP IT, which might be characterized as Little Miss Sunshine meets The Natural. Pert little Ellen Page (Juno) rebels against her mother’s attempts to make her Miss Bluebonnet and instead joins the Hurl Girls roller derby team as Babe Ruthless. With Saturday Night Live regular Kristen Wiig (Maggie Mayhem), Juliette Lewis (Iron Maven), and Drew Barrymore (Smashly Simpson) on her team, you better watch out. This is a directorial debut for the multi-talented Barrymore, and she has a deft touch with her winning cast. It’s “ridiculously, utterly entertaining” says the Miami Herald.

Speaking of Juno, that film’s writer Diablo Cody authored a new screenplay, which is opening this week. It’s JENNIFER’S BODY, starring Megan Fox (Transformers and No. 17 on the Maxim magazine Hot List) as a flesh-eating high school teen queen. It’s quite a combination, Cody’s great snarky dialogue and a hot horror script. “Wicked black comedy …one of the most purely pleasurable movies of the year,” says Slate.

THE INFORMANT starts off a bit more seriously. From director Steven Soderbergh, it stars Matt Damon as Mark Whitacre, a whistle-blower on his employer, agri-business giant Archer-Daniels-Midland. But then Whitacre gets carried away in his new role as an FBI wire-wearer, and the film segues into a “whimsical, semi-comedic romp” (ReelViews).
Michael Moore’s tragic-comedy documentary is held over for another week, completing an engaging full house of fun film.

IN SEARCH OF BEETHOVEN, is the only truly serious movie in the theater. It’s a fascinating documentary and bio-pic exploring the composer’s character and his music. Combining performances of the work, interviews with performers like Emanuel Ax who describe the challenges of playing it, and a narrative of Beethoven’s tormented life, the film is “a revelation to the uninitiated and a joy to music lovers” (L.A. Times). History buff? Music lover? It’s for you.

[from Key West, the newspaper - www.kwtn.com]