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Reel Paradise

Play trailer Poster for Reel Paradise R 2005 1h 53m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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70% Tomatometer 47 Reviews 66% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
New York film programmer John Pierson decides to pull up stakes and relocate his wife Janet, son Wyatt, and daughter Georgia to Fiji for a year. It's there that he purchases the 180 Meridian, ostensibly the most isolated movie theater on Earth. Despite a multitude of problems -- a drunk projectionist, bouts with dengue fever, local priests who disapprove -- the theater proves a success with locals, and documentary filmmaker Steve James chronicles the last month of their experiment.
Reel Paradise

What to Know

Critics Consensus

The travails of the Piersons as they try to adjust to a radically different culture while introducing American cinema to it makes for amusing viewing.

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Critics Reviews

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Desson Thomson Washington Post 10/25/2005
Highly watchable. Go to Full Review Joe Williams St. Louis Post-Dispatch 10/25/2005
B
The director's visit wasn't long enough to fully humanize this culture clash, but some of the movie's conclusions seem universal. Go to Full Review Ty Burr Boston Globe 10/21/2005
2.5/4
An amusingly damning portrait of a man trying to impose his will on a world that, really, has better things to do. Go to Full Review Ethan Alter Film Journal International 03/01/2007
A fascinating study in cross-cultural communication, as well as a deeply personal examination of family dynamics. Go to Full Review Boston Phoenix 10/25/2005
3/4
What is learned? Not so much how cultures impinge on each other as how cinema shapes our lives. Go to Full Review Stephen Schaefer Boston Herald 10/22/2005
3/4
Ultimately, it's the movies shown that make Reel Paradise so buoyant, for it speaks to the universality of a medium we often take for granted. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Kae T @RT28472826 08/20/2024 Cross-cultural communication and the magic of cinema bringing everyone across world together in one in spite of their differences were key points in the movie. Absolutely great! See more Bulgantamir B @RT36664197 08/02/2024 It's a movie you won't regret watching See more Bahad j @RT27093708 08/01/2024 I felt like the characters in this movie could feel the happiness and difficulties that they faced in real life. See more Бавуу Э @RT26109709 08/01/2024 New York film programmer John Pierson decides to pull up stakes and relocate his wife Janet, son Wyatt, and daughter Georgia to Fiji for a year. It's there that he purchases the 180 Meridian, ostensibly the most isolated movie theater on Earth. Despite a multitude of problems -- a drunk projectionist, bouts with dengue fever, local priests who disapprove -- the theater proves a success with locals, and documentary filmmaker Steve James chronicles the last month of their experiment. See more Geke g @RT40239519 07/29/2024 It gives me a huge motivation to go on a trip See more 06/19/2012 If you enjoy both movies and traveling then I think you will really be engaged by this film. See more Read all reviews
Reel Paradise

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Steve James

Director

Steve James

Producer

Scott Mosier

Producer

P.H. O'Brien

Co-Producer

Janet Pierson

Executive Producer

John Pierson

Executive Producer

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Reel Paradise

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Movie Info

Synopsis New York film programmer John Pierson decides to pull up stakes and relocate his wife Janet, son Wyatt, and daughter Georgia to Fiji for a year. It's there that he purchases the 180 Meridian, ostensibly the most isolated movie theater on Earth. Despite a multitude of problems -- a drunk projectionist, bouts with dengue fever, local priests who disapprove -- the theater proves a success with locals, and documentary filmmaker Steve James chronicles the last month of their experiment.
Director
Steve James
Producer
Steve James, Scott Mosier
Distributor
Wellspring Media
Production Co
View Askew Productions
Rating
R (Brief Crude Humor|Language|Including Sexual References)
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 17, 2005, Original
Release Date (DVD)
Feb 14, 2006
Box Office (Gross USA)
$31.0K
Runtime
1h 53m