What to See at the 2016 Atlanta Jewish Film Festival

The largest Jewish film festival in the world returns for its Sweet Sixteen. Here is a list of titles for you to check out during the 23-day event.

We love that each new year of the Georgia film festival circuit kicks off with the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival. The city's most widely attended film event stretches out over three weeks at eight different venues across Midtown Atlanta, Buckhead, Alpharetta, Marietta, Vinings and Sandy Springs. No film festival in the state packs the house as consistently as AJFF and we are looking forward to joining in the opening night ceremonies on Tuesday, January 26 at the Cobb Energy Centre.

This year's lineup is as strong as ever, with films pouring in from all over the world and covering all sorts of thematic ground. Whether you want academic documentaries, Israeli award-winners, Japanese biopics, romantic comedies, musicals or whatever else you can think of—AJFF '16 has it.

We've compiled a long list of films you must see this year! See our picks after the jump.

The Goods: 20 Should-Be Oscar Contenders from 2015

The year is over. A lot of films have come and gone, but a few managed to stick in our heads for perhaps longer than we expected. Will these titles and their stars pop-up on the Academy's list in a couple weeks? Probably not, but maybe they should! 

We have compiled 20 should-be contenders this awards season. Some of them might surprise you! Who do you think should be in the conversation? Check out our list and leave a comment.

What to See at the 2015 Savannah Film Festival

The Savannah Film Festival has a special place in my heart because it was my coverage of the 2011 Savannah Film Festival that really launched Reel Georgia back four years ago. This will be my fifth time attending, and I'm happy that Lucy and Jessica will also be in Georgia's first city with me to cover the 18th annual event.

Opening night selection "Suffragette" and closing night selection "I Saw the Light" prove that Savannah has become a significant stop on the fall festival run. "Brooklyn," "Room," "Spotlight," "Truth" and "Youth" are just a few of the Oscar-bait titles screening at this years festival. A host of lesser profile prestige films, foreign titles and true indies dot the lineup. This really promises to be a great year.

We've highlighted over 30 films for you to check out at this year's festival. I know, that's an outrageous number of films to see in just eight days, but don't blame me—blame Savannah for upping their game!

The Goods: Emily Blunt's 10 Best Performances

One of the year's best films, "Sicario" continues to post gains in both box office revenue and awards buzz, especially for its lead, Emily Blunt. We've been fans of Blunt for a while here, following her from her early days in British indies through her Hollywood breakthrough in "The Devil Wears Prada" and her rise from solid supporter to bonafide leading lady. After her Georgia Film Critics Award nomination for "Looper," Blunt really started making some moves. Recent roles in films like "Edge of Tomorrow" and "Sicario" have us officially proclaiming—Emily Blunt has gone next level on us.

We know you love her too, so we put our heads together and came up with a list of the ten best Emily Blunt performances to date. Did your favorites make the cut?

Atlanta Film Festival and Sidewalk Film Festival Named Among "Coolest Film Festivals in the World" by MovieMaker Magazine

The list of 25 was picked from nominations by MovieMaker Magazine's 2015 Panel of Cool.

Since the first Venice Film Festival began in 1932, film festivals around the globe have evolved into the premiere events for the celebration of independent cinema. As film enthusiasts, we attend these events to experience the moving image in the best possible way—through exceptional programming in stunning venues surrounded by a crowd of equally passionate cinephiles.

Two of our favorite film festivals to attend, the Atlanta Film Festival and the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival, were recently recognized by MovieMaker Magazine as two of the 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World—and we couldn’t be more excited and proud!

14 Films to See at the 2015 Sidewalk Film Festival

This will be my third year attending Sidewalk Film Festival and there is just something about this three-day extravaganza in Birmingham, Alabama that gets me more excited than just about anything else that happens all year.

It's not just the fact that there are so many good films to see that you will inevitably kick yourself for missing one simply because you chose another (a great problem to have). It's not just the fact that they close down 3rd Avenue and have a street party all weekend long with food and games and vendors. It's not just that the Taste of 4th Avenue Jazz Festival is one block away, adding even more electricity to the city. It's not just the amazing staff of Sidewalk—all of whom I admire so deeply. It's not even just the cake bites from Urban Standard.

It's all of this and more—an x-factor, if you will—that this incredible film festival possesses. A charm all it's own, amazing theaters, wonderful film programming, great parties, delectable food. I'm gushing, I know, but I simply can't help it. Sidewalk is The Perfect Storm.

At the heart of it, though, is truly the love of film. It reflects in their program every year and this year is certainly no exception! I have compiled a list of 14 can't-miss films for you to check out this year, and then added 8 more that you might have already seen on the Georgia film festival circuit, but certainly warrant a revisit.

2015 Macon Film Festival Complete Lineup Revealed

This year's Macon Film Festival is bound to be the biggest event yet. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, Macon announced last year that it would move the four-day event from February to July, coinciding with the city's annual Bragg-Jam Music Festival—creating a ten-day mega event in downtown Macon.

Kicking off our annual coverage of middle Georgia's premiere film event, we are pleased to showcase the entire lineup! Several great films are to be showcased this year, including many Georgia features and shorts, several films that also played the 2015 Atlanta Film Festival ("Divided Time," "Frame by Frame," "Old South," "Wildlike") and some very special presentations to be attended by #GAfilm icon Burt Reynolds.

OPENING NIGHT:

MAVIS!

USA (Director: Jessica Edwards) – Mavis Staples of the Staple Singers inspired millions and helped propel the civil rights movement with their music. After 60 years of performing, legendary singer Mavis Staples' message of love and equality is needed now more than ever.

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS:

Special Screening of DELIVERANCE (1972) 

USA (Director: John Boorman) – Burt Reynolds scheduled to attend a Q&A following the screening of this iconic Georgia film. 

HOW SWEET THE SOUND: BLIND BOYS FROM ALABAMA
USA (Director: Leslie McCleave) – Directed and Produced by Leslie McCleave Filmed over the course of ten years, How Sweet the Sound tells the story of The Blind Boys of Alabama. They met as children in the 1930’s at a state-run segregated vocational school and would become one of the last great gospel quartets, traversing the famed “gospel highway” and beyond. As the surviving band members recount their unlikely success story, we see a rare, frank view of life on and off the road with these renowned performers, now in their 70’s and 80’s.

LIVE FROM NEW YORK!
USA (Director: Bao Nguyen) – "Saturday Night Live" has been reflecting and influencing life in the United States for 40 years. Live From New York! goes deep inside this cultural phenomenon exploring the laughter that pulses through American politics, tragedy and popular culture.

Special Screening of SHARKY’S MACHINE (1981) 

USA (Director: Burt Reynolds) – Reynolds scheduled to attend a Q&A following this Closing Night screening. 

SLOW WEST

United Kingdom/New Zealand (Director: John Maclean) – "Slow West" follows a 16-year-old boy on a journey across 19th Century frontier America in search of the woman he loves, while accompanied by mysterious traveler Silas. The film stars Michael Fassbender and Kodi Smit-McPhee.

WESTERN
USA (Director: Bill Ross IV and Turner Ross) – For generations, all that distinguished Eagle Pass, TX, from Piedras Negras, MX, was the Rio Grande. But when darkness descends upon these harmonious border towns, a cowboy and lawman face a new reality that threatens their way of life.

What to See at the 2015 Atlanta Jewish Film Festival

Six continents are represented across dozens of narratives, documentaries and short films in this diverse program from the 15th edition of the Southeast's largest film festival. Here are 23 films you need to see this year.

In its 15-year history, the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival has risen to the top of Georgia's and the Southeast's film festival circuits in terms of both attendees and expansive programming. Now spanning 25 days of film screenings at 7 venues—plus numerous parties—AJFF is one of the most well orchestrated and highly publicized events in the state each year.

This year's program offers the same great range in international Jewish or Jewish-interest films we've come to expect from the festival. You certainly don't have to be Jewish to attend or to enjoy these films; the festival's biggest hurdle being that of reaching beyond their obvious clientele. All that simply matters for you to enjoy AJFF is that you must like great films!

Whether you check out Israel's biggest hit films from the last year (Golden Globe nominee "Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem" or "Zero Motivation") or you want to educate yourself through a variety of non-fiction films ("Above All Else," "Raise the Roof"), there is something for everyone. There are world premieres ("Dough") and special anniversary screenings ("Avalon," "The Shop on Main Street").

The 15th annual Atlanta Jewish Film Festival kicks off next Wednesday, January 28th at the Cobb Energy Center and runs through February 19th at several different venues in Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Marietta and Alpharetta.

Check out nearly two dozen of our picks for this year's festival!

The Goods: Ranking Wes Anderson's Feature Films

We love Wes Anderson. You love Wes Anderson. The whole world does, really. This man has made some of the funniest, most adorable, most colorful, most uniquely singular films ever and in doing so, he has created a distinct style that is often imitated, but never duplicated. His brand is so built into our culture, even parodies are mostly just homages. His frequent collaborators—Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Luke Wilson, Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, Anjelica Huston and Tilda Swinton, to name a few—feel like family members to us.

Released early in 2014, "The Grand Budapest Hotel" has remained one of the year's best films as well as a bright spot on Anderson's already sterling résumé. As we gear up for end-of-the-year superlatives and Oscar nominations, we've ranked all of the films in Wes Anderson's glorious filmography. Where does his first feature, "Bottle Rocket," fit in? How about his latest, "The Grand Budapest Hotel?" Find out after the jump!

The Goods: 13 Should-Be Oscar Contenders from 2014

Enough about the middle-of-the-road "The Imitation Game." We should focus on the best and most deserving films and not just the films that best fit into the Oscar cannon. Some of these 13 films, actors and actresses are already being mentioned—just not enough as they should be. For instance, Bill Plympton's animated feature "Cheatin'" has made the shortlist for a nomination, but can it overcome big studio films like "Big Hero 6" and "How to Train Your Dragon 2" to get one of the five slots? It very well should. Wes Anderson's "The Grand Budapest Hotel" might get some craft category nods, but why isn't anyone talking about just how great Ralph Fiennes is?!

We have compiled a baker's dozen of should-be contenders this awards season. Who do you think should be in the conversation? Check out our list and leave a comment with yours!

22 Films to See at the 2014 Savannah Film Festival

Did you know that in the now 17-year history of the Savannah Film Festival, it has never rained? Autumn in Savannah is an incredible thing. Warm days, cool nights and although the live oaks don't carry the same bright colors as the trees up north, this city is colorful enough. But the amazing fall feelings and beautiful weather are just a couple of reasons why we love attending this festival. A diverse and exceptional group of films is the main draw.

The usual Oscar players are in the mix this year, with films like "Foxcatcher," "The Imitation Game" and "Whiplash" dotting the lineup. Foreign fare like "Two Days, One Night" and "Parisian" add some cultural flavor while the slate of indie features seems like it might make for SAVFF's strongest competition lineups yet. Documentaries are plentiful, seeing as a 'Docs to Watch' series adds eight of the most highly buzzed non-fiction works of the year to an already healthy group of films. Georgia-based and produced documentary "Paradise Garden: Howard Finster's Legacy" has played at various places across the state in recent months and is competing for a jury prize here.

It is refreshing to see lesser-known—but still promising—titles like "5 to 7" and "Escobar: Paradise Lost" in opening and closing night slots, rather than some of the bigger titles playing mid-week.

We've highlighted 22—yes, twenty-two—films for you to check out at this year's festival. It's going to be a great one. You've got eight days, so get started!

Complete lineup of the 2014 Atlanta Film Festival

Less than two weeks away, the 38th edition of the Atlanta Film Festival is surely the most exciting yet. The lineup is striking—composed of previous festival hits and world premieres, international narratives and documentaries on a myriad of subjects. Cannes, Sundance, SXSW and Toronto all send their greatest hits of the past few months, but plenty of new local fare and standout docs from the Savannah Film Festival and Macon Film Festival ("Mayan Blue" [Savannah], "Brothers Hypnotic" [Savannah & Macon], "A Fragile Trust" [Macon]) dot the lineup as well.

Local feature titles include narratives "A is for Alex" and "The Unwanted" as well as documentaries "Limo Ride" and "Mayan Blue." Georgia-connected filmmakers share films like "Beside Still Waters" and "Bayou Maharajah" and a host of Georgia set, shot and connected short films feature in several different blocks.

The Atlanta Film Festival has worked very hard in recent years to clarify its voice and put on an organized, polished presentation. It has continued to grow and mature, leading up its 40th birthday in 2016, a feat that few festivals can boast—many likely never reaching that far.

You can bet that Reel Georgia will feature plenty of coverage of this very promising edition of the Grande Dame of Georgia's festival circuit. Look forward to a massive 'What to see,' Georgia film spotlights, red carpet interviews and reviews in the coming weeks. For now, check out the complete lineup!

OPENING NIGHT PRESENTATION

Joe
directed by David Gordon Green USA, 2014, English, 114 minutes
A gripping mix of friendship, violence and redemption erupts in the contemporary South in "Joe," directed by David Gordon Green. "Joe" brings Academy Award® winner Nicolas Cage back to his indie roots in the title role as the hard-living, hot-tempered, ex-con Joe Ransom, who is just trying to dodge his instincts for trouble—until he meets a hard-luck kid played by Tye Sheridan (“Mud,” “The Tree of Life”), who awakens in him a fierce and tender-hearted protector. With a screenplay by Gary Hawkins, “Joe” is based on the novel by the late Larry Brown (“Big Bad Love,” “Facing the Moon”), the former Mississippi firefighter renowned for his powerful, gothic storytelling and universal themes of honor, desperation and moral rectitude.

CLOSING NIGHT PRESENTATION

The Double
directed by Richard Ayoade UK, 2013, English, 93 minutes
Simon James is a ghost. Friends, family, and coworkers meet his every action with complete indifference. He grimly goes through the motions, hoping for recognition that never comes. All of this changes when James Simon arrives. Physically, James and Simon are dead ringers. Yet in temperament, James is everything Simon is not: personable, spontaneous, assertive and desirable. When James begins to take over Simon’s life, he is forced to act. Jesse Eisenberg’s fantastic double performance is bolstered by a cast of seasoned character actors who bring Simon James’s gloomy retro world to life. Directed with a deftly comic hand and assured visual technique by Richard Ayoade, "The Double" is a stylish black comedy with acerbic wit to spare.

Our Oscar predictions, 2014

By the time the big night rolls around, it always seems like Oscar season has taken an extra long time to wrap up. This year is no different, although the schedule has shifted a bit this year due to the Winter Olympics. Nonetheless, it's hard to mind a long deliberation time when the quality of content you are considering is this high.

This year in film has given us so much quality to celebrate, and literally several of the nominees would be worthy 'Best Pictures' in any given year, despite how it may seem if you are championing a singular selection. Personally, I can't imagine anything besting "Gravity"—a film that contributes more to the art and craft of cinema than any other title in recent years. However, it would be silly of me to discount "12 Years a Slave," "American Hustle" or "Her" as perfectly acceptable titles in the Oscar cannon, should they be bestowed the honor. They are all much better than "Argo," after all.

All three of us—Cameron, Christo and Lucy—have given you our personal picks, be they 'will win' predictions or 'should win'/'want to win'/'should be here instead' favorites. We've abstained from the Documentary and Animated Short categories, as none of us have seen any of these nominees.

[Edit] RESULTS: Christo wins! Though our final picks might have changed by the time the telecast started, the results from our picks below are:

• Cameron: 17 correct, 4 incorrect, 1 abstain
• Christo: 19 correct, 2 incorrect, 1 abstain
• Lucy: 16 correct, 5 incorrect, 1 abstain

What to see at the 2014 Macon Film Festival

Middle Georgia's premiere film event gets ready to kick off its ninth year of festivities with film screenings, workshops, celebrity guests, after parties—and of course, its signature drink, the Magatini.

The 9th Annual Macon Film Festival happens this week, kicking off Thursday, February 27th and running through Sunday, March 2nd! I'm excited to say this will be my third year in attendance; Macon having become one of my year's biggest highlights.

The Macon Film Festival is an excellent display of community—both in terms of local arts fans and filmmakers alike. This year's events look to be their most high profile yet. Not only are several filmmakers scheduled to attend, but Matthew Modine—award-winning actor of film, television and stage—will be honored Saturday, March 1st with a 30th anniversary screening of "Birdy."

Music documentaries have a bright spotlight at this year's festival, with "Muscle Shoals" opening the fest and a handful of other selections dotting the lineup. Georgia productions are front-and-center as well, with "Brother's Keeper," "Congratulations!," "Desires of the Heart" and "The Space Jockey Pursuit" being just a few of the locally produced selections. As usual, documentaries account for some of the festival's most promising selections. "Brothers Hypnotic" and "A Fragile Trust" were both recently announced as selections for the 2014 Atlanta Film Festival as well, with the former having won the Documentary Jury Prize at the Savannah Film Festival last year.

There are plenty of great films to check out at this year's festival, in addition to some awesome conferences and panels held throughout the long weekend. After the jump, we've highlighted eleven features and four short films worth checking out!

Christo's Best Films of 2013

10

“Frances Ha”

Directed by Noah Baumbach

Reminiscent of some of Woody Allen’s early work, "Frances Ha" is a charming and endlessly surprising little film with amusing dialogue and one fantastic lead performance. Greta Gerwig, star and co-writer, is perfect in the role of Frances, an impulsive 20-something struggling to find her place in a world where rent isn’t cheap and all of her friends seem to have everything together. Directed by Noah Baumbach and shot in crisp black and white, “Frances Ha” is playful, smart and potent.

The Best Films of 2013

Sure, we are already into February now. But with years like 2013, it's never too late to celebrate such high quality cinema. Perhaps the best year since 2007 ("The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford," "Atonement," "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," "I'm Not There," "No Country for Old Men," "Ratatouille," "There Will Be Blood," "La Vie en Rose"), 2013 showcases strength across the board—in foreign and American films, in documentaries and narratives, in dramas and comedies—and perhaps most of all—in films that blurred the lines.

This past year's films showcased stories and craftsmanship as complex as the filmmakers themselves. From auteur-driven work like "American Hustle," "Gravity," "Her" and "Upstream Color" to a tremendous showing for American indies like "Hank and Asha," "Hide Your Smiling Faces" and "Short Term 12"—this list is probably the toughest I've ever put together. 

Several of these films played our local film festivals. "7 Boxes," "euphonia," "The Exquisite Corpse Project," and "Mud" all played at the Atlanta Film Festival. "Hank and Asha" and "The Past" both screened at the Savannah Film Festival. "Lore" was easily my favorite film from the 2013 Atlanta Jewish Film Festival. "Hide Your Smiling Faces" and "Short Term 12" were just two films from a remarkable lineup at the Sidewalk Film Festival in Birmingham last year. Some films featured at multiple festivals—"Congratulations!" played both Atlanta and Sidewalk and will screen at the Macon Film Festival later this month, "Muscle Shoals" screened at Sidewalk and will also play in Macon. "The Spectacular Now" played both Atlanta and Savannah.

Macon Film Festival releases 2014 Narrative, Student and Music lineup

The 9th Annual Macon Film Festival doesn't start for just under eight weeks, but preparations are well underway in central Georgia. Last week, the festival released the Documentary and Animation lineups. Now, the entire lineup has been revealed, including the Narrative Features, Narrative Shorts, Student Shorts, Music Videos and Music Documentaries.

Several selections are familiar to the Georgia circuit. Mike Brune's "Congratulations!" is one of my favorite Georgia indie films of all time and screened last year at the Atlanta Film Festival and the Sidewalk Film Festival in Birmingham. "Desires of the Heart" comes from frequent MAGA filmmaker James Kicklighter. "Brothers Hypnotic" and "Scarred but Smarter: Life n Times of Drivin n Cryin" have played to much success at the Savannah Film Festival and the Atlanta Film Festival, respectively.

MAGA kicks off on February 27th and runs through March 2nd. Georgia Film Critics Association Best Documentary nominee, "Muscle Shoals," will feature as one of the festival's special screenings. The other three (one per night) have yet to be announced.

Check out this year's films after the jump. More information can be found at www.maconfilmfestival.com. Buy your tickets and passes now.

Georgia Film Critics announce nominees for 2013 awards

"12 Years a Slave" leads in nominations, but indie films "Upstream Color," "Short Term 12" and "The Spectacular Now" make a splash.

Though they may be one of the later regional critics groups to release their year-end lists, the Georgia Film Critics Association always manages to give a tip-of-the-hat to the unexpected. Now wrapping up it's third awards season, the GFCA's ten members have put together a list of films that mixes the expected Oscar heavy-hitters with some of the year's most celebrated independent releases.

"12 Years a Slave" leads the way with ten nominations, followed by "American Hustle" and "Inside Llewyn Davis" each with seven nods. The tide then turns a little bit, with "Upstream Color" joining "Gravity" and "The Wolf of Wall Street" with six nominations each. Festival darling "Short Term 12" follows with five mentions. "Her," "Mud" and "The Spectacular Now" round out the remaining Best Picture nominees.

A few highlights include Amy Seimetz ("Upstream Color") in both Best Actress and Breakthrough categories, John Goodman ("Inside Llewyn Davis") and Sally Hawkins ("Blue Jasmine") in supporting shortlists and singular screenplay nominations for "Frances Ha" and "Prince Avalanche." Emmanuel Lubezki wound up with two nominations in Best Cinematography ("Gravity," "To the Wonder"), while Hans Zimmer pulled the same feat in Best Score ("Man of Steel," "12 Years a Slave"). Going back to "Upstream Color," Shane Carruth might be the real winner here, seeing as he served as the film's director, producer, writer, lead actor, editor and composer—personally earning credit for most of the film's nominations.

Plenty of these films featured on the 2013 Georgia film festival circuit. "Mud" and "The Spectacular Now" played at the Atlanta Film Festival, while "Nebraska," "The Past," "Philomena," "The Sacrament" and "The Spectacular Now" all screened at the Savannah Film Festival. "Lore" played at the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival and "Muscle Shoals" will screen in February at the 2014 Macon Film Festival.

The Breakthrough Award shortlist features actresses Sophie Kennedy Clark ("Philomena"), Brie Larson ("Don Jon," "Short Term 12," "The Spectacular Now"), Lupita Nyong'o ("12 Years a Slave"); actors Tye Sheridan ("Joe," "Mud") and Miles Teller ("The Spectacular Now," "21 & Over"); and actress-director-producer-writer-editor Amy Seimetz ("Lucky Them," "9 Full Moons," "Pit Stop," "The Sacrament," "Sun Don't Shine," "Upstream Color").

Winners will be announced Friday, January 10th. Check out the full list of nominees after the jump.

The Goods: 16 Breakouts from 2013 in Film

2013 happened to be a very good year for film. Thankfully, whether or not a particular year has been graced with good titles usually doesn't impact the number of stars that are born. This year, we've seen a number of filmmakers make striking debuts that announce grand new talents in screenwriting and directing. Some actors and actresses made their move behind the camera—with wonderful results. Plenty of this year's new stars are fresh-faced young actors and actresses in their first major film roles. Sometimes, though, you can be in your eighties and just begin making waves in the industry.

From new filmmakers like Ryan Coogler and Destin Cretton to actors like Chadwick Boseman and Oscar Isaac and actresses such as Brie Larson, Lupita Nyong'o and June Squibb—there are plenty of breakouts worthy of celebration this year. We've compiled 16 of this year's new stand-outs.

Macon Film Festival announces 2014 competition lineup for Animation, Documentary categories

The Macon Film Festival is getting an early start on its 9th edition. Today, the festival announced its competition lineup in the Documentary Feature, Documentary Short and Animation categories. The festival takes place from February 27th through March 2nd.

While the selections in these categories showcase films from the USA, Iceland, the Netherlands and Russia, the festival will also feature selections from France, India, Italy, Lebanon, Sweden and the United Kingdom. More films will be announced in the coming weeks, including the competition lineups for the Narrative Feature, Narrative Short, Student Short, Music Documentary and Music Video categories. Each night of the Macon Film Festival features a special screening, often including a special guest and/or anniversary presentation of a beloved film. Wonderful music documentary "Muscle Shoals" has already been announced as the first special screening for the 2014 festival.

Check out the first films announced after the jump. More information will be posted as it becomes available. In the meantime, check out www.maconfilmfestival.com for more information.