Search - Sabor Tropical (Unrated Director's Cut) on DVD

Panamanian Carnival

Amos Lassen | Little Rock, Arkansas | 09/11/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

""Sabor Tropical"

Panamanian Carnival

Amos Lassen

I just finished watching the Ariztical screener of "Sabor Tropical" which is filled with beautiful photography of the Carnival old Las Tablas of Panama. I loved the scenes of the festivities as they reminded me so much of Mardi Gras in my hometown New Orleans. Amidst all of the festivities is the story of Brian (Matthew Leitch who appears naked throughout the film) who is sent to Panama to cover the carnival for an online website.

There are a lot of mysteries and dangers in Panama especially for tourists and Brian is so outgoing that he finds himself in the thick of danger. And violence. We see the carnival is not only frivolous but serious and director Jorge Ameer gives us an insider's look at Panama. The scenes in the opening credits are not for the queasy and Leitch has a [...] scene that is just amazing. He later finds himself in a desperate situation.

The story may be short on plot but it is long on beauty. It is a festival of color and traditions and if for no other reason should be seen for that."

Fresh, original, raw, violent. An unapologetic masterpiece..

cinephile | 08/03/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"An adventurous travelogue through the eyes of journalist/ tourist Brian. Highly recommended. This film has many unexpected twist and turns. At first, it seems like a documentary selling Panama as a tourist destination. but it goes far beyond that as the story evolves. Don't wanna give too much away because giving too much would spoil it for u. The message of this docu film should not be taken for granted. Educate yourself and know the culture you are about to visit. Matthew Leitch does a fantastic portrayal of the very socially inept Brian while Ameer's direction is fluid and gripping. This director is definitely evolving and I look forward to seeing many more fresh, original stories coming from him. I noticed on imdb he's working on a new film D'agostino that looks quite disturbing. Can't wait to see it!. One of my favorite scenes were of Carnaval Las Tablas. A well crafted festival of color, culture and tradition. This film made we want to start making my reservations for next year. Raw, violent and disturbing it is, but well recommended!."

Powerful Performances

Guy Paul Swenson | Austin, TX USA | 06/03/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This film really drew me in and it is not at all what it first appears to be. I completely believed in the characters, so much so that I actually took it for a travelogue with a few quirks. Matthew Leitch has the most convincing breakdown on screen I think I've ever seen. You'll be horrified by him, but really care about him at the same time. The story is violent, stark, raw, and heart-wrenching, despite being set against such a colorful and celebratory event as Carnival, and it doesn't spoon feed the plot to the viewer. The direction is so subtle that you won't notice the dialog; it feels like these are real people. I liked it even more the second time I watched it. Jose Rosete is also remarkable as a man Leitch's character encounters in Panama."

Panamanian Carnival

Amos Lassen | Little Rock, Arkansas | 06/26/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

""Sabor Tropical"



Panamanian Carnival



Amos Lassen





I just finished watching the Ariztical screener of "Sabor Tropical" which is filled with beautiful photography of the Carnival old Las Tablas of Panama. I loved the scenes of the festivities as they reminded me so much of Mardi Gras in my hometown New Orleans. Amidst all of the festivities is the story of Brian (Matthew Leitch who appears naked throughout the film) who is sent to Panama to cover the carnival for an online website.

There are a lot of mysteries and dangers in Panama especially for tourists and Brian is so outgoing that he finds himself in the thick of danger. And violence. We see the carnival is not only frivolous but serious and director Jorge Ameer gives us an insider's look at Panama. The scenes in the opening credits are not for the queasy and Leitch has a masturbation scene that is just amazing. He later finds himself in a desperate situation.

The story may be short on plot but it is long on beauty. It is a festival of color and traditions and if for no other reason should be seen for that.

"