"Frame by Frame" Review (*****)

Farzana Wahidy in the documentary "Frame by Frame."

“Frame by Frame” is an elegant and symphonic documentary tribute to the empathy and integrity of the photojournalist, and it might be the most impactful documentary of my generation.

In a country once ruled by a regime that criminalized photography for half a decade, directors Alexandria Bombach and Mo Scarpelli weave together the ground-breaking work of four photojournalists capturing the aftermath of a post-Taliban Afghanistan.

Review: "Inside Out" (*****)

Joy (Amy Poehler) and Sadness (Phyllis Smith) star in "Inside Out."

Pixar, the studio that has brought us some of the most unique memorable and iconic films of the past two decades has a new instant classic on their hands. "Inside Out" is not only a return to form for the animation house—after a few years of sequels and somewhat uninspired films—but a reminder of just how powerful and profound the best Pixar films are capable of being.

The story revolves around an 11-year-old girl named Riley. Riley loves her family, playing hockey and being a goofball with her friends. Riley also has a lot going on in her mind—which is where the majority of the story takes place. We’re introduced at the beginning of the film to Riley’s five core emotions—Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger and Disgust. Each of these emotions are characters working together to control how Riley feels about everyday situations. The film’s main protagonist is Joy. Amy Poehler voices Joy and gives the character so much life and energy it’s impossible to imagine anyone else in the role. Joy introduces us to the other emotions as well as how everything in Riley’s head works—memories, day dreams, expectations, etc. Pixar’s vision of the inner mind is absolutely a dream to watch. It’s just as adorable as it is brilliant.

Savannah: "Silver Linings Playbook" (*****)

Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence star in "Silver Linings Playbook"

The 15th annual Savannah Film Festival kicked off October 27th with "Silver Linings Playbook." I was in town for the entire festival, a spectacular eight days, and will be sharing plenty of reviews, pictures and recaps in the coming weeks.

If you are looking to attract some awards attention, bringing together recent Oscar nominees like David O. Russell, Jennifer Lawrence and Jacki Weaver might do the trick. Throw a living legend, say, Robert De Niro, into the mix and then add two box office stars like Bradley Cooper and Chris Tucker. You're potentially looking at a very big hit, both commercially and critically. "Silver Linings Playbook" lives up to every bit of its potential. Each piece of the sprawling cast is exceptional, with Cooper and Lawrence running away with the show. Lawrence, in particular, demonstrates how she has earned every bit of her phenomenal ascent to the top.

Review: "Beasts of the Southern Wild" (*****)

Quvenzhané Wallis stars in "Beasts of the Southern Wild"

Rare is a film that comes along and wins awards at both Sundance and Cannes. Until now, no film that has accomplished both feats has ever been anchored by a five-year-old or set in a place called 'the Bathtub.' After learning that the casting call was for six to nine-year-olds, Quvenzhané Wallis lied about her age in order to secure an audition. Boy, was that a good move! As far as I'm concerned, Wallis' performance as Hushpuppy catapults this film into iconic territory. This is not just a precocious kid getting fed good lines. Wallis' face speaks words that she isn't even old enough to have learned yet.

While no doubt remains that this film belongs to Wallis, her performance is just one piece of a larger puzzle that "depends on everything fitting together just right." Everything fits together more than just right and I'm thrilled to award Benh Zeitlin's "Beasts of the Southern Wild" a five-star rating.

AJFF: "Rabies" (*****)

Ofer Shechter, Yael Grobglas, Ran Danker and Ania Bukstein star in "Rabies"

Marketing "Rabies" as Israel's first horror film is a smart move, although labeling a film as 'horror' usually limits the public's perception. "Rabies" is a horror film, perhaps the best I've ever seen; but it must not be exclusively labeled as such. The genre is full of copycat films, flash-in-the-pan trends, remakes and movies made for sheer shock value. This film is simply too good to be counted as just another one of those. An instantaneous cult classic, "Rabies" is the first narrative feature I've had the pleasure of awarding a five-star rating.

AJFF: "Incessant Visions" (*****)

Filmmaker Duki Dror recreates Mendelsohn's sketches throughout the film.

Equal parts 'film nerd' and 'architecture nerd,' I was always going to love this film. I already counted myself as a fan even before having seen it. A film about a deservedly renowned architect doesn't get released without catching my attention. (Can "How Much Does Your Building Weigh, Mr. Foster?" please get released soon?)

What makes "Incessant Visions" so wonderful is that it's not just a film about Erich Mendelsohn's work, it's about his life, his marriage and his passion. The film beautifully renders a picture of the icon's brilliance and his personality. This remarkable documentary receives my first five-star review.