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.

AJFF: "This is Sodom" (***)

Assi Cohen stars in "This Is Sodom"

"This is Sodom" managed to shatter all sorts of box office records, going on to become Israel's highest grossing film in nearly 30 years. The film was produced out of Israeli TV hit "Eretz Nehederet," a sketch show similar to "Saturday Night Live," so it is no wonder the film's outrageous humor covers all the bases; raunch, slapstick and satire.