"Sausage Party" Review (***½)

Editor's note: Christopher Escobar is probably the busiest man in Georgia. In addition to his duties as Executive Director of the Atlanta Film Society, Executive Director of the Plaza Theatre Foundation, Filmmaker/Owner of Escobar Pictures and Vice President of Georgia Production Partnership—plus his roles as a father and husband—he is also making his film review debut here at Reel Georgia. We are lucky to have him on board to share his thoughts with us. -CM 

"Sausage Party" provides a thematic foil to the animated offerings of Pixar.

Until now, I haven't been—by any stretch—a film reviewer or someone who considers my opinion about films all that important. But I know that a lot of people are curious about "Sausage Party" and are on the fence about seeing it. To cut to the chase—yes, it's worth seeing if you can handle really crude humor. Should you see it in the theaters? I'll let you decide.

As for the film's chief strengths, there are some really funny puns, moments and character relationships. I laughed pretty hard quite a few times. There is a great cast and everyone does a fantastic job with their role.

"The Martian" Review (****)

Matt Damon stars as Mark Watney in "The Martian."

“The Martian” is an emotional, ruthlessly realistic space-travel survival story that never once overwhelms you with the scope of it, with the concept of interstellar isolation, or with hopelessness. Instead, it magnifies the magnificence of everything within its frame. Ridley Scott is practiced and controlled and patient with the grandeur of space, and “The Martian” is arguably his loosest and most playful project to date. And with Drew Goddard adapting Andy Weir’s bestselling novel for the screen, this film can’t be anything but good… and it is. Honestly, it is. “The Martian” never maroons you within the darkest pits of Mars, never speaks in platitudes about the smallness of humanity, never reduces itself to cliché. It’s a champion of exploration, of adventure, and of knowledge and innovation. I doubt there’s much contention in me saying that “The Martian” will be the blockbuster film of 2015.

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.

"Anchorman: The Legend Continues" character posters released

Paramount Pictures has released four new character themed posters for "Anchorman: The Legend Continues." Featuring the franchise's four main stars—Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, Steve Carrell and David Koechner—the colorful one-sheets are, frankly, perfect for the film. But don't let the landmarks and iconic imagery of New York City fool you, "Anchorman: The Legend Continues" was filmed almost entirely in Atlanta. Some necessary scenes were filmed in New York towards the end of shooting, but the film is most definitely a Georgia production.

You might remember this spring when Ferrell, Rudd, Carrell, Koechner and co-stars such as Christina Applegate, James Marsden, Kristen Wiig, Harrison Ford and Meagan Good were all spotted around town for a few months. There was even a field trip to St. Simons Island for a few days of shooting and an already famous scene filmed in Downtown Atlanta's Woodruff Park that featured dozens of cameos from the likes of Jim Carrey, Sasha Baron Cohen, Kirsten Dunst, Tina Fey, Liam Neeson, Nicole Kidman, Amy Poehler, John C. Reilly, Vince Vaughn and Kanye West.

"Anchorman: The Legend Continues" opens nationwide on December 20th. Check out the rest of the posters after the jump!

Exclusive photos from "Anchorman: The Legend Continues" Atlanta set

Paul Rudd.
Photo: Skip Hammerman

As more stars pop up in Atlanta to film scenes for "Anchorman: The Legend Continues," you can expect more set pictures to surface. All sorts of photos—from high-rises, from the street, at hotels, at restaurants—have made their way on to the internet. These photos are a Reel Georgia exclusive, shot at the Woodruff Park set this Tuesday and Thursday.

Stars Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, David Koechner and director Adam McKay can all be seen on set. Other actors in town this week for the production include Sasha Baron Cohen, Steve Carrell, Jim Carrey, Kirsten Dunst, James Marsden, Tina Fey, Liam Neeson, Amy Poehler, John C. Reilly, Vince Vaughn and Kanye West. Christina Applegate, Meagan Good and Nicole Kidman have also been in town recently. Harrison Ford will also feature, but he has not been spotted in Atlanta yet. Kristen Wiig has been in Atlanta filming for weeks, but returned to New York City this week to host Saturday Night Live. Will Smith is rumored to have a cameo as well.

Check out seven more exclusive photos after the jump!

Star spotting 04/19: Colin Farrell, Jon Hamm, Nicole Kidman, Robin Williams, Reese Witherspoon

Colin Farrell, Jon Hamm and Nicole Kidman have all found work in Atlanta this spring.

It is certainly no secret that "Anchorman: The Legend Continues" has been filming all over Atlanta for the last month-and-a-half. Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig, Steve Carrell, Paul Rudd, Christina Applegate, James Marsden, Harrison Ford and David Koechner all star in the film that has covered the city with production crews from Turner Field and Summerhill to Upper Midtown and the West End. Apparently, Nicole Kidman was even in town briefly last week, filming a cameo appearance. Adam McKay directs.

"Solace," directed by Alfonso Poyart, will begin shooting in Atlanta in May. Colin Farrell, Anthony Hopkins, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Abbie Cornish will star in the psychic crime drama. Although the genre might be a bit overdone these days, this cast promises good things. Some reports suggest filming will also take place in Detroit. More details to come.

Reese Witherspoon has been in town shooting "The Good Lie" from director Philippe Falardeau ("Monsieur Lazhar"). Corey Stoll and Arnold Oceng also star in the film about a Sudanese refuge who is taken in by an American woman. Filming has taken place in Atlanta, Dunwoody and Lawrenceville so far. Production will move to Africa after it wraps in Atlanta. Witherspoon shot another upcoming release "Devil's Knot" in Georgia last year.

"Million Dollar Arm" is the latest Disney movie that will film in Atlanta. Jon Hamm, Alan Arkin and Suraj Sharma will star in the film about a sports agent who recruits Asian cricket stars to play Major League Baseball. Production begins next month. Send crew résumés to milliondollarprods@gmail.com. Craig Gillespie ("Fight Night," "Lars and the Real Girl") directs a script from Thomas McCarthy ("The Station Agent," "Up," "The Visitor," "Win Win").

"A Friggin' Christmas Miracle" began filming in Atlanta last week. The film will star Robin Williams, Lauren Graham and Joel McHale. All three of these are gifted comedic talents, but lets hope they come up with a better title before this fall's release. Tristram Shapeero ("Community," "New Girl," "Parks and Recreation") directs.

"The Surgeon General" is a CBS television pilot that has been filming throughout downtown Atlanta and the Cobb Galleria area in Vinings. Sean Astin, Kathryn Morris and Jason Isaacs star in the prospective fall drama.

Spotted any celebrities or film crews around the state? Email us at reelga@gmail.com with the details and we'll post it here.

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.