Aug 25: Summer Cinema

These are summer's lazy days. So I want to offer a thought for South Florida tourists. And maybe for South Florida residents too. Sure, yes, this is a fine time of year for a long morning at one of Greater Fort Lauderdale's Blue Wave beaches. Or for sitting at a waterside café with a Happy Hour mojito. But just now, when the heat and humidity reach their seasonal peak and when afternoon tropical cloudbursts are common ... now is also a fine time for a good flick. Of course it's easy enough to open the newspaper and pick out a theater that's near wherever you happen to be. But Fort Lauderdale draws an increasingly sophisticated crowd of tourists who may want something more than the latest Hollywood action picture. Tourists who prefer a quality independent or foreign film but who probably have no idea where to find that.

So I'm about to tell you. And for the locals who already know the Broward County art houses, I'm going to make a suggestion that may help you enjoy these lazy days I mentioned. It won't be long before the heat will begin to dissipate and we'll move toward autumn weather. Right now is the perfect time for summer cinema.

First, for the tourists among you: there are three movie theaters where you can find some of those independent or foreign films you're looking for. The most reliable art fare is at Cinema Paradiso at 503 SE Sixth Street in Fort Lauderdale, 954-525-3456. This is a place that only screens the kind of movies we're talking about. Right now, for instance, one of two films at Cinema Paradiso is "Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child." I'm not familiar with that particular movie but anything that focuses on the life of this famous street artist clearly won't be mainstream fare. The other theaters you might want to check out include the Gateway at 1820 East Sunrise Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, 954-763-7994 as well as Sunrise Eleven at 4321 Pine Island Road, Sunrise, 954-748-0333. Each frequently shows films that wouldn't have a chance of making the screen at other local theaters - I've seen many quality flicks at both of these moviehouses. So, ok, the tourists among you know where to enjoy a cool cinematic break from the beach. But as for you locals? My idea is just this: take the afternoon off during the work week and head to the movies for a matinee. Bail out of the office early some day, maybe, or call in sick for one full Mental Health Day or whatever. It feels decadent. And delightful. That's especially true in the summer, I find, when it's so refreshing to sit in a dark air conditioned theater during a blistering afternoon. I did this myself just a week or so ago after a grueling week. When I walked out of that movie theater, believe me, I felt better. Sometimes a summer cinema can be just what the doctor ordered.