Review: "Everest" (***½)

Editor's note: We're excited to introduce our newest writer, Alexis Ahlzadeh, with this review! We think you'll enjoy her personality and confidence as much as we do. Love to write about the movies you love (or hate)? Email lucy@reelga.com with any interest in contributing. -LD

Josh Brolin stars as Beck Wethers in "Everest."

In previous years, the Venice Film Festival has kicked off its opening night with highly buzzed about, critically-acclaimed films like "Black Swan," "Gravity," and "Birdman." This year, that opening slot belonged to "Everest," the tragically true story of a guided expedition to the top of Mount Everest in 1996. The innate visual grandeur of the journey up Mt. Everest was left to carry the film as it failed to delve into the many interesting characters and artistic aspects that could have set it apart from other stories of its kind.

"Boyhood," "Nightcrawler" Win Big as Georgia Film Critics Split the Board

Richard Linklater takes top honors for both Picture and Director; "Nightcrawler," "The Grand Budapest Hotel" and "Selma" all take home two each.

For their 4th annual awards presentation, the Georgia Film Critics Association have decided to distribute the love pretty evenly. Of the ten Best Picture nominees, nine of them took home at least one award.

"Boyhood" took home the big prizes, Best Picture and Best Director for Richard Linklater. "Nightcrawler" won Best Actor for Jake Gyllenhaal and Best Original Screenplay for Dan Gilroy. "The Grand Budapest Hotel" won awards for Best Production Design and Best Ensemble. "Selma" won the Oglethorpe Award for Excellence in Georgia Cinema and Best Original Song for "Glory," performed by John Legend and Common.

Marion Cotillard won Best Actress for "Two Days, One Night," while Tilda Swinton and J.K. Simmons took home Supporting prizes for Best Picture nominated films "Snowpiercer" and "Whiplash," respectively. "Gone Girl" took home Best Adapted Screenplay honors, while "Birdman" won for Best Cinematography (This is Emmanuel Lubeski's third GFCA win, after "The Tree of Life" and "Gravity"). Hans Zimmer's score for "Interstellar" provides the film's sole win out of three nominations.

Best Foreign Film went to "Ida," Best Documentary to "Life Itself" and Best Animated Film to "The LEGO Movie." David Oyelowo won the Breakthrough Award, with all five of his films from 2014 sharing the mention.

Check out the full list of winners after the jump.

Review: "Prisoners" (****)

Jake Gyllenhaal and Hugh Jackman star in "Prisoners"

If 2012 was a banner year for film production in Georgia, 2013 has been what dreams are made of. The Atlanta Film Festival showcased more Georgia indies than ever before, including some of the best I've ever seen—"Congratulations!" and "euphonia." However, we mustn't neglect the films that were shot here but conceived outside of the state's boundaries. Hollywood studio productions that shoot here for the tax credits often use Georgia to double as locations that fit their story better, but the films still use plenty of local talent in terms of both cast and crew. Offering not only our talented actors and craftsmen, Georgia's geographic diversity also speaks for itself—allowing easy access to pretty much any type of setting the filmmakers need. We've already seen plenty of Georgia-shot films released in cinemas and VOD this year, including "42," "The Internship," "Jayne Mansfield's Car," "Killing Season," "The Reluctant Fundamentalist" and "Savannah." Several more releases are lined up for later this year, such as "ACOD," "CBGB," "Anchorman: The Legend Continues" and—the biggie—"The Hunger Games: Catching Fire." But if I were a betting man, I would count on Denis Villeneuve's "Prisoners" to still be one of the best by the time all is said and done.

Villeneuve first gained notice in the late 1990s for his native French Canadian work, but his career took off in 2010 with his Academy Award nominated film, "Incendies" (which coincidentally screened at the 2011 Atlanta Film Festival). Villeneuve's film contains a nearly tangible sense of his precise vision, echoed in the consistency and accountability between the striking visuals and stirring themes embedded deep in the screenplay. Making use of Georgia's bleak 'bridge ices before road' winter, famed cinematographer Roger Deakins turns our coldest season into a murky Pennsylvania fall, setting an unwavering, incredibly icy tone from start to finish. "Prisoners" boasts a stellar, all-star cast, but Deakins' photography is the indisputable standout.

All-star cast featured in Georgia-filmed "Prisoners" trailer

"Prisoners," directed by Denis Villeneuve ("Incendies") and written by Aaron Guzikowski ("Contraband"), is the latest Georgia-lensed production to release a trailer. The thriller hits theaters in late September, straddling the line between the Labor Day box office graveyard and the Fall Oscar-bait season. While this release date could suggest studio confidence in awards buzz potential, they could also just be releasing the film at a time when adult thrillers typically do best. Either way, a cast like this is going to turn a lot of heads. Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, Melissa Leo, Maria Bello, Terrence Howard and Paul Dano all star in the film.

You might remember filming taking place in Conyers all winter, with some scenes being shot in Atlanta and Tucker. The cast and crew were in town from mid-January through late March. The film's stars were frequently spotted out on the town in Atlanta when filming wasn't taking place.

Check out the trailer after the jump.

Star spotting 03/03: Kristen Wiig, Will Ferrell, Jake Gyllenhaal, Hugh Jackman, Keke Palmer

"Anchorman: The Legend Continues" is about to begin filming in Atlanta. Director Adam McKay's sequel stars Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig, Steve Carrell, Paul Rudd, James Marsden, Christina Applegate and David Koechner. The professional funny people have all been spotted eating and enjoying time out on the town. Restaurants like Barcelona Atlanta, Cypress Street Pint & Plate and Two Urban Licks have already been frequented by various cast members and Wiig was spotted at a spa inside the Loews in Midtown. This coming Tuesday and Wednesday mornings (March 5th & 6th), Peachtree Street south of 14th Street will be closed in segments for filming.

"Prisoners" has been filming in Conyers, Atlanta and Tucker for the past several weeks. The film stars Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, Melissa Leo Paul Dano, Maria Bello and Terrence Howard. The stars have been spotted all over town recently. The film, directed by Denis Villeneuve, is slated for a September release.

"The Vampire Diaries" has been a staple of Atlanta's television community for the last several years. In-studio shooting is currently underway in Decatur.

Marc Cherry, creator of "Desperate Housewives," has been in town filming his latest show, "Devious Maids." Ana Ortiz, Judy Reyes, Dania Ramirez, Roselyn Sánchez and Susan Lucci all star in the Lifetime series. Most recently, the show has been shooting on location off of Mt. Paran Road in Atlanta.

Upcoming BET show "Being Mary Jane" has also been filming in Atlanta. Gabrielle Union and Robinne Lee star. Lee recently attended the Macon Film Festival for her film "Miss Dial."

VH1 recently announced plans for a TLC biopic. The movie, currently titled "Crazy, Sexy, Cool: The TLC Story" will be directed by Charles Stone III and has cast Keke Palmer as Chilli (Rozonda Thomas), Drew Sidora as T-Boz (Tionne Watkins) and Lil Mama as Left Eye (Lisa Lopes). CL  Casting is issuing casting calls as needed. Production begins this month in Atlanta.

"Prisoners" casting call

Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal are set to star in "Prisoners"

Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, Melissa Leo, Maria Bello and Paul Dano are all signed on to star in "Prisoners." The film will be directed by Denis Villeneuve ("Incendies") based on a screenplay by Aaron Guzikowski ("Contraband"). The story involves a working-class Boston man's clash with a local detective as he tries to track down his daughter's kidnapper. Shooting will take place in and around Conyers from January 16th through March 26th.

Check out the casting call from Tammy Smith Casting after the jump.