Review: "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" (****)

Ben Stiller stars in "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty"

The not-so-secretly talented Ben Stiller is at it again. “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” a remarkable tale about an average man, is the second film to adapt James Thurber’s 1939 short story by the same name. Samuel Goldwyn, Jr., whose father produced the original in 1947, oversaw sixteen years of developmental changes before finally taking root in a partnership with 20^th Century Fox. Stiller, who directed "Zoolander" (2001) and "Tropic Thunder" (2008), landed both the lead role and director’s honor.

Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller) is an affable, unassuming career photojournalist at Life magazine. When the magazine announces that the future of Life is Life Online, an internet-only format that threatens a number of tenured values and employees, Walter, who processes the negatives of any photo Life publishes, begins to worry. When he realizes he can’t find the negative planned for the final issue’s cover photo, he starts to panic. His international journey to uncover the photo’s whereabouts connects him with places he’s never heard of, fears he’s never faced, and a girl with whom he’s never had the courage to flirt in person.

Macon: "That's What She Said" (***)

Marcia DeBonis, Anne Heche and Alia Shawkat star in "That's What She Said"

Carrie Preston has become somewhat of an icon in Macon. The hometown girl worked hard to break into Hollywood, going from bit parts to scene-stealing roles in films like "Duplicity," "My Best Friends Wedding" and "That Evening Sun." Now, as evidenced by her work on "True Blood" and "The Good Wife," Preston is a widely sought-after actress. A triple threat, she also wears the hats of director and producer.

"That's What She Said" marks Preston's second directorial feature and third time producing. The film premiered at Sundance and was showcased as the closing night film at the Macon Film Festival less than a month later. Following the film, Preston was gracious enough to do a Q&A via Skype with the Macon audience, mostly talking about her experience making "That's What She Said." While the film failed to impress me, I did find some things to appreciate. At the top of the good column is Preston's promising future as a director.