Short Take: "Blood of Man" - Atlanta Film Festival review

Lesley Warren and Cooper Guy star in "Blood of Man"

Right from the film's first frame, as an angry mother washes her son's mouth out with soap, I identified with "Blood of Man." Writer-director-producer Ben Watts' film takes place in rural Georgia in the late 1960's—a different world than my suburban Atlanta upbringing in the 1980's-90's, but the same ideals regarding the power of prayer, decency and moral obligation still ring true.

The late 60's will look different depending on where you focus your gaze. Look to New York and you would find the slick, modern mood of "Mad Men." Look to Atlanta and you would see a complex mosaic of race, class and power struggle amidst the Civil Rights movement. Look to the countryside and you'll find a slow pace and a simple life, but also the beginnings of a disenchantment brought on by the world seemingly getting smaller and meaner. "Blood of Man" captures that same rural sentiment with elegance. Watts shot the film in his hometown of LaGrange.

Review: "Lawless" (****)

Tom Hardy and Jessica Chastain star in "Lawless"

Step one: Get director John Hillcoat and writer/musician Nick Cave back together. Step two: Assemble names like Chastain, Hardy, LaBeouf, Oldman, Pearce and Wasikowska. Step three: Convince Emmylou Harris to work with Cave and Warren Ellis on some new music. Step four: Film in Georgia. This is a perfect recipe to gain my interest.

With my curiosity at an all time high, "Lawless" premiered at Cannes. While it didn't knock any socks off, it didn't receive many bad marks either. When the trailer hit a few weeks later, my expectations were put in check. I remained enthusiastic, but some wind was let out of my sails upon seeing what appeared to be more of a commercial play than an exercise in artistry. Now, having seen the film, I confess to being very pleased with the final product.