Sunshine State

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State</div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="501" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 146 WIDTH="495"><div> <IMG SRC="12f9608c0.jpg" border=0 width="96" height="140" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <A HREF="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00006L926/reelmoviecriticc"> Sunshine State on DVD</A>  </div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="579" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 23 WIDTH="575"><div> <B>Sunshine State</B></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>êê<B>ê</B>ê<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" >  </FONT></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 23 WIDTH="575"><div> Rating</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 ><NOBR><div> PG-13 for brief strong language, a sexual reference and thematic elements</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="19" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="575" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><div> Director</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><div> John Sayles</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="19" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="575" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 23 WIDTH="575"><div> <B>So, this is progress</B></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="19" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="575" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><div> Starring</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="579" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><div> Angela Bassett</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><div> Edie Falco</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><div> Timothy Hutton</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><div> Bill Cobbs</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><div> Mary Steenburgen </div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> Corporate real estate development weaves itself into the lives of one community, which long ago separated into two camps. One, middle to upper class white and the other middle and working class black. The movie focuses on race in an understated manner. The real topic of discussion is about the money.</div> <bR> <div> The story revolves around the lives and people who surround two women, Desiree (Angela Bassett) and Marly (Edie Falco). Marly manages a local motel and restaurant situated on prime coastal property in the town of Delrona, Florida, which developers are eyeing for expensive condos and smart shops, a la Hilton Head Island, S.C. </div> <bR> <div> Just down the road in neighboring Lincoln Beach, populated by long time black residents, the fight against encroachment is led by Dr. Lloyd (Bill Cobbs), who tries to motivate his community to protect what they have when most tend to be concerned with just getting through the day. Between predatory buyouts and eminent domain, both communities struggle to have a future other than a footnote in history in the name of economic development.</div> <bR> <div> After leaving town many years ago as a pregnant teenager, Desiree returns to Lincoln Beach with her new husband, Reggie (James McDaniel). She and her mother, Eunice (Mary Alice), want to make amends but are not sure how. Reggie tries to bond with juvenile delinquent Terrell (Alexander Lewis), an orphan whose great Aunt Eunice has taken him in. Reggie also senses that a significant relationship may have taken place between Desiree and Flash Phillips (Tom Wright), a college football star, when she was a teenager. Reggie is such a fish out of water being in the south that he's perplexed to not face discrimination when he and Desiree go into Marly's restaurant. </div> <bR> <div> In Delrona, volunteer do-gooder and wanna be society maven, Francine (Mary Steenburgen) sobs, "No one realizes how hard it is to create a tradition," as she gets Buccaneer Days jump started in what is now a mall town. The state of both towns is best symbolized by Francine's husband Earl (Gordon Clapp), who has a smile on his face to his wife and the world, but is clearly an unhappy person. </div> <bR> <div> "Sunshine State" (SS) is powerful with its many small moments of significance. Flash Phillips cruises back into town in a sports car and claims to want to revitalize Lincoln Beach. He tries to buy up land and uses his blackness and money as lures for better times; while in Delrona, real estate salesman Jack (Timothy Hutton) gives Marly a list of reasons why she should sell to the developers he represents. At one point after the two of them have been out drinking and sex is in the air, Marly tells him, "Making love to me when I've had this much to drink is like being at the dentist when you've had novocaine. You can tell something is going on but you don't know what it is."   </div> <bR> <div> If you are not familiar with John Sayles as a movie director, get ready. One of his movies, "Lone Star," is on our all time best list. Another film, "Limbo," although not a classic, is very good. The ending gives the film its title. When you see a film by Sayles, you will be entertained and the experience will not fade from memory as just another movie at the multiplex. And that leads to the next point; his films will tend to not be at the multiplex, but rather your local art house theater. It's worth the trip.</div> <bR> <div> "Sunshine State," like "Lone Star," speaks to our history as well as our future. When we first saw "Lone Star," as the credits were rolling, George felt so strongly about the film that he said, "That's one of the best movies I've ever seen". Pam agrees. Both films have a social message as their common thread. There may be a little bit of Michael Moore (best selling book "Stupid White Men…and other sorry excuses for the state of the nation") in Sayles. SS is a wonderful film, even though it's a little preachy about it's view that the influx of money to a community often comes with a rope around your neck rather than simply strings attached.</div> <bR> <div> In the end, only luck seems to halt progress. Using a combination of subterfuge and Slick Willy salesmanship, people are encouraged to sell their land. Our desire for the homogenization of products and services appears to be the American Dream, (e.g., Holiday Inn Express rather than a no name, one of a kind motel that might be a better value). Or a family business where the next generation has the passion, interest and skill to pursue the occupation of the parents; the Wal-Marting of America seems inevitable. </div> <bR> <div> That's why when we visit a new place, we like to find out "where the locals go," so the tourist traps can be avoided. If everything becomes some sort of franchise, there may be a day when there are no local places. If there was ever a statement for the maintenance of open space, wet lands, and the preservation of old buildings, this is it. </div> <div>   </div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="621" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="617"><div> George O. Singleton  © 2002</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="617"><div> <A HREF="mailto:Reelmoviec@aol.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:Reelmoviec@aol.com"><U><U>Reelmoviec@aol.com</U></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>