Savannah: "Quartet" (****)

Maggie Smith and Pauline Collins star in "Quartet"

Dustin Hoffman ranks highly on both my list of favorite actors and my list of the greatest actors. After spending 50 of his 75 years in front of the lens, he finally decided to step behind the camera and direct his first feature. "Quartet" is a cinematic palmier; fancy and made with great care, but light and sweet. The quartet of Billy Connolly, Maggie Smith, Pauline Collins and Tom Courtenay exudes just as much class and saintly charm as you would expect.

The Savannah Film Festival mystery Director's Choice screening

Crowds gather outside the Trustees Theatre on Broughton Street

One of the most anticipated events at the Savannah Film Festival each year is the Director's Choice screening, a surprise film that is only announced as it lights up the screen at the Trustees Theatre. Last year, "The Muppets" had its world premiere as the Director's Choice film. Doing some research, I learned that plenty of high profile films have filled the slot in years past. 

In 2010, Robert Redford's Savannah-filmed "The Conspirator" was screened. Jason Reitman's "Up in the Air" surprised on the big screen in 2009. There wasn't a director's choice film for 2008, but Oscar-nominated animated film "Persepolis" was the chosen selection in 2007. Pedro Almodovar's "Volver" held the honors in 2006, with Woody Allen's "Match Point" selected in 2005.

What is the chosen film this year? It's anyone's guess! Murmurings of "Lincoln," "Hitchcock" and "Life of Pi" can be heard around town. After last year's family-friendly fare, Disney's "Wreck-It Ralph" has also been mentioned. Will it be one of the film's I mentioned before the festival's lineup was announced? "Silver Linings Playbook," "Flight," "Quartet," "Rust & Bone," The Sapphires" and "Amour" were all correct guesses.

Follow us on Twitter to find out as soon as the projector starts to roll!

Diane Lane, Matt Dillon, Michelle Monaghan among honorees at 2012 Savannah Film Festival

The 2012 Savannah Film Festival honorees clockwise from top left:
Diane Lane, Matt Dillon, Geoffrey Fletcher, Michelle Monaghan

No stranger to big Hollywood names, the Savannah Film Festival looks to keep business as usual this year. Oscar nominees Diane Lane and Matt Dillon will both receive Outstanding Achievement in Cinema Awards at this year's festival. You might recall that the two shared the big screen together several times in the 1980s, in "The Outsiders," "Rumble Fish" and "The Big Town."

Michelle Monaghan, who has starred in films such as "Source Code," "Gone Baby Gone," "Eagle Eye" and "Mission: Impossible III," will receive the Spotlight Award when her film "Tomorrow You're Gone" screens Friday, November 2nd. Willem Dafoe and Stephen Dorff also appear in the film.