Week of June 21 to June 27 (Rhoades)

Tropic Cinema’s Summer Fare Offers Best of Both Cinematic Worlds

Reviewed by Shirrel Rhoades

Two new films hit the Tropic Cinema’s screens this week -- “Frances Ha” and “Iron Man 3,” about as different in tone as you might imagine. Films from two different cinematic worlds, yet both worth your attention.
“Frances Ha” stars Greta Gerwig (“Greenberg”) as a dancer whose life is discombobulated when her roommate moves out. Seems her BFF has outgrown her, a painful lesson in life. Can she work through it? Directed by Gerwig’s boyfriend Noah Baumbach (ditto: “Greenberg”), it’s a tragicomic look at female friendship. Gerwig co-wrote the film with Baumbach. The Boston Globe calls it “a love letter to an actress and her character.” And Quickflix says, “Frances Ha is a sympathetic but not uncritical depiction of a girl’s gradual evolution into a woman.”
“Iron Man 3” is (as the number suggests) the third entry in this blockbuster series. Robert Downey, Jr. is perfectly cast as Marvel’s flawed superhero. Media Mikes says it’s “packed with virtually non-stop action from start to finish.” And CinemaDope calls it “.. best Iron Man yet.”
Still playing at the Tropic is “Kon-Tiki,” the story of explorer Thor Heyerdahl’s journey from South America to Polynesia on a flimsy balsawood raft. Philadelphia Inquirer calls the film “a widescreen man-against-nature epic, beautifully shot and boasting seamless, stunning visual effects.”
Also holding over is “Star Trek Into Darkness,” the sequel to the J.J. Abrams reboot of the “Star Trek” franchise. Here Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock (Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto) face off against Kahn, a superior being out for revenge against the Starfleet command. Wall Street Journal says, “While the action is often electric, it’s the relationships that matter.” And Fan the Fire adds, “There’s really very little to complain about in this warp-speed sequel.”
Summer blockbuster action combined with indie film gems -- that’s this week’s lineup at the Tropic Cinema.
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