ATL Flick Chick

Oscar Speech Denied

2018-03-12T10:16:00.001-04:00

Barry Jenkins recently appeared at SXSW and took the opportunity to give the speech he would have given at the 2017 Academy Awards ceremony for winning Best Picture for Moonlight had the accountants done their jobs properly. The speech appears below.

Tarell [McCraney] and I are Chiron. We are that boy. And when you watch Moonlight, you don’t assume a boy who grew up how and where we did would grow up and make a piece of art that wins an Academy Award — certainly don’t think he would grow up to win Best Picture. I’ve said that a lot and what I’ve had to admit is that I placed those limitations on myself. I denied myself that dream — not you, not anyone else — me. And so, to anyone watching this who sees themselves in us, let this be a symbol, a reflection that leads you to love yourself. Because doing so may be the difference between dreaming at all and somehow, through the Academy’s grace, realizing dreams you never allowed yourself to have.

h/t deadline.com

5 Movies to Watch If You Can't Stand Nazis

2017-08-16T17:07:00.000-04:00

In no particular order, here are some movies that might entertain you more than watching Richard Spencer getting punched in the face.

Marathon Man--Watch Dustin Hoffman outrun the likes of Sir Laurence Olivier who plays a sadistic Nazi dentist hellbent on finding some diamonds. For added fun, take a swig of an adult beverage every time Sir asks, “Is it safe?”
American History X--It takes a stint in prison to make a buff Edward Norton change his evil neo-Nazi ways. Will Norton be able to save his younger brother, played by an only slightly annoying Edward Furlong, from following a similar path of hate?
Neo Ned--Jeremy Renner plays a mentally ill neo-Nazi (duh) who falls in love with an equally disturbed black woman (Gabrielle Union) who thinks she’s Hitler. Say what?!!!

[Sadly, no official trailer. Boo!]
Dead Snow--Nazi Zombies! Zombie Nazis! In any case, they are all dead. In the snow.
Raiders of the Lost Ark--Watch a Nazi’s face melt off! You don’t have to watch any other scene in the movie.

Enjoy!

P.S. On a more serious note, Rest in Power Heather Heyer. #Charlottesville

BOLO--New Documentary Alert

2017-06-13T10:16:00.000-04:00

Be on the look out for this new documentary called Talking Black in America produced as part of the Language and Life Project at North Carolina State University. Screenings are taking place at various universities around the country.

Black Folks & Horror

2017-02-23T09:45:00.000-05:00

The NPR podcast Code Switch had this great episode on black people in horror movies. I've shared the embed below. Enjoy!

That's What You Told Me, Baby

2016-07-20T15:23:00.000-04:00

I am a monster.

That’s what you told me, baby!

And so goes the chorus to the song “Monster” by the heavy metal band Unlocking The Truth (UTT). I am quoting these lyrics because I just checked out Breaking a Monster, a documentary about the band. And what is so interesting about this metal band? It’s gotta be the shoes packaging. [Channel the patron saint of Brooklyn Mars Blackmon here.] UTT is composed of the most unlikely of metalheads --Malcolm Brickhouse, Jarad Dawkins, and Alec Atkins--three African-American kids from Brooklyn. They started out as 11-year-old buskers on the streets of New York, posting their performances on YouTube. Their videos eventually caught the attention of Alan Sacks, a television producer whose claim to fame includes the creation of Welcome Back Kotter and The Jonas Brothers tv series, and he became their manager.

The documentary tracks a year in UTT’s life after just landing a $1.8 million dollar record deal with Sony. The deal is a dream come true, but the realities of the music business bare down on the group. Although they have a ton of notoriety and invitations to perform (Coachella, anyone?), they don’t have a song recorded, much less an album. They are great instrumentalists, but their voices haven’t changed yet, and a lot of pressure is placed on lead Malcolm who has no confidence in his singing ability. Their parents are well-meaning and invested, but have no experience in the music game. Sacks is enthusiastic and helpful, but there is always a looming question as to whether he has the kids’ best interests at heart. Then there’s the reality that these are just regular kids, who like to skateboard and play video games, but are being held accountable for adult-sized obligations under the auspices of their record company handlers. Nothing is just about the music. In an ominous tone, as the kids seem burnt out over the prospect of doing yet another television interview, Sacks warns them that they don’t want to become like Bieber. Indeed, while the dynamic of the band is interesting, this documentary provides a rare look at the music industry itself. Rather than artists, bands are looked at as commodities that need to be packaged, marketed and sold in order to be successful. That reality leaves a bitter taste.

If you are interested in a double feature, I would recommend watching Breaking a Monster with the 2012 documentary A Band Called Death, which you can rent on Amazon. You can make it a triple feature by adding on the 2010 Fishbone documentary Everyday Sunshine, which is also available on Amazon.

Rock on.

I'm Back with The Fits

2016-06-28T16:14:00.000-04:00

So, I haven’t posted on this blog for a while. I’ve seen plenty of movies, but haven’t felt inspired to write. But I’m out of my funk, so to speak, and want to tell you about an indie called The Fits, which was an Official Selection at this year’s Sundance Festival.

The film’s protagonist is Toni, a tween girl who seemingly spends all of her time at the local community center boxing with her older brother. However, most, if not all, of the other girls at the center are involved with the championship dance team known as the Lionesses. Intrigued by the older girls who run the Lionesses, Toni decides to step out of her brother’s cocoon and join the dance team. Soon after joining the Lionesses, some of the older girls begin to suffer from a mysterious illness that induces a trance-like state and a jerking of the body similar to what one might witness in an old-school church when a parishioner “catches” the Holy Ghost. Toni and her friends are frightened by what they see and no one understands what’s happening to the girls, especially since the boys at the center are unaffected.

As the film progressed, I kept wondering if I was watching some sort of stealth horror movie or some cautionary tale about drinking the water (i.e., Flint, MI). But it’s not the water, we learn, or some demon possession. As the “fits” begin to plague more and more Lionesses, the girls start swapping stories of their experiences and a clear line emerges as to those who have had the fits and those who have not. If this film had a Hollywood treatment, our Toni would probably forge her own way and not be influenced by what everyone else is doing. But Toni is a keen observer of the other girls and their motivations and she is not confused by the choices she makes. And so in the final scene, we are treated to a rapturous dance by Toni to an ephemeral song that asks, “Must we choose to be slaves to gravity?” The other girls ooh and ahh as Toni takes her turn at the fits, and, just as the screen fades to black, Toni’s clear eyes stare back at us.

As my description indicates, The Fits is quite an unusual coming of age story, but that’s a good thing. [And yes, it is a girl's coming of age story, which some might equate to true horror. But I digress.] The film’s uniqueness, however, is not what struck me the most. I was captivated by the sweet relationship Toni has with her older brother and I was overjoyed to see African-American children being portrayed as children rather than mini-thugs or world-weary mini-adults. The visuals were also stunning. Indeed, I am always intrigued by films that can convey a rich story with very little dialogue.

My Youthful Heart is DOPE

2015-07-01T11:34:00.000-04:00

Dope is the type of movie I wish had come out when I was a teenager. Watching as a 40-something black woman, there were moments when I wondered whether I was too old to appreciate such a film anymore. [My tolerance for stoner comedies and gratuitous use of the n-word have declined over the years.] The movies available to me as a tween and teen were those trifecta of John Hughes films Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, and The Breakfast Club. And while those films resonated with my feelings on the inside, nothing on the screen was depicted to coincide with my outer reality, including characters who looked like me.

Dope, which was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, tells the story of Malcolm, a straight-A high school senior looking forward to applying and going to Harvard. He and his two sidekicks, Diggy (a girl) and Jib, are nerdy teens who like girls, computers, playing in their punk band, and 90s fashion and hip-hop. [When was the last time you saw a Cross-Colours shirt or hat?] But life for Malcolm and friends is not easy as they navigate the streets of Inglewood, California where dangers lurk in the form of gangbangers and drug dealers. Things go awry when Malcolm unwittingly ends up with a bag full of cocaine and has to get rid of the drugs, while also nailing his entrance interview and recommendation for Harvard. If I had to compare Dope to any film of my generation, it would be Risky Business, minus the prostitutes, tighty whities and that old time rock n’ roll; but just as full of all the angst and exuberance that young people experience when coming of age in the modern world. Thrown in with the comedic elements is some consciousness of the times, as Malcolm dons a hoodie, looks into the camera and asks, “Am I a geek or a menace?”

So Dope speaks for a generation that is not me anymore, but syncs up to my youthful heart just the same--and, unlike then, has characters who look like me. As icing to the cake, Dope also features a catchy 1990s soundtrack which put a big smile on my face. If you don’t come out of the theater doing the Humpty Dance, then something is wrong with you. Check it out.

P.S. I need someone to make a "Dopeified" version of Sixteen Candles and Pretty in Pink.

A Chick Has Hatched An E-Book

2015-05-12T19:47:00.000-04:00

I've recently published my short screenplay as an e-book for Kindle. Get your copy here. Enjoy!

Malevolent Robot

2015-04-28T16:57:00.001-04:00

The first thing I thought after watching Ex Machina was that I needed to disengage myself from all of my social networks. Did I do that? No (of course not). But just what is being done with all that data? Surely there must be a use for it beyond just trying to sell us stuff. What if all that data was being funneled and archived to create the most sentient artificial being imaginable? This question is one of the thought-provoking premises addressed in Ex Machina. The story follows Caleb who has just “won” the opportunity of a lifetime to spend a week with his reclusive employer Nathan. Nathan is some sort of coding prodigy who has built a social networking empire called BlueBook. [Really? Facebook much? Not only is this the partial name of a car-buying guide, but it’s also the name of a legal citation guide published by my alma mater. A big fat D for originality on this bit. But I digress.] Nathan asks Caleb to test his latest and greatest creation, Ava, an artificially intelligent robot, to gauge her human-like qualities. But like all dystopian thrillers, Nathan isn’t quite what he seems and neither is Ava. And Caleb, to his detriment, is the last to know.

It occurred to me that in many stories about intelligent machines, the circumstances of human beings take a turn for the worse. Is this because all machines are inherently evil or because machines inevitably take on the worst characteristics of the human beings who build them? Pinocchio was a liar before he was a real boy, after all. Are we gods creating superior gadgets, or are we men creating flawed apparatuses? The Terminator series of films answered similar questions with sturm und drang; Ex Machina, in contrast, is quiet and subtle, but just as dire in its examination. In a year that has so far been unsatisfying in its cinematic offerings to date, Ex Machina is a welcome respite from mindless fare cluttering the cinemaplex.

[In addition, the visuals are quite striking, including the Norwegian mountainside used as the site of Nathan’s home. Also, listen out for echoes of the chords from Close Encounters of the Third Kind throughout the score.]

A Thief in the Night

2014-12-06T17:12:00.000-05:00

In the first five minutes of Nightcrawler, we meet Louis Bloom who is in the middle of stealing a wire fence to sell it for scrap. While he's at it, he also attacks and steals a watch from a security guard who catches him in the act. So right off the bat, we know that Louis, as embodied by a eerily emaciated Jake Gyllenhaal, is not the most scrupulous person on earth. Yet Louis is not content with being a petty thief as he repeatedly asks any and everyone he encounters for a job. But no luck--he is a bit creepy and a thief, after all. But then he stumbles upon a profession he actually has a knack for--riding around L.A. at night and trolling the police scanners to get video footage of crime scenes and accidents to sell to a television news producer played by Renee Russo. As Louis gets more successful at "nightcrawling" and his business becomes more lucrative, the lines between documenting the news and creating the news begin to dissipate. Indeed, Louis is not above blackmail, sabotage, obstruction, and murder to get the best footage first. As Louis states, if you see him hovering about, you're probably having the worst night of your life. I thoroughly "enjoyed" Nightcrawler as a dark character study of a talented "twerp" with no moral compass and a perverse view of the world. [Just imagine if Bill Gates had used his genius for evil; you'd get someone like Louis Bloom.] Nightcrawler is also somewhat of a critical social commentary about the television news media. Nina, the t.v. news producer played by Russo, is convinced her viewers only want to see violent suburban crimes with rich white victims and horrific accidents. Is that all we want to see or is that all we're shown?

Nightcrawler is currently playing in Atlanta at Phipps Plaza.

Costume Change

2014-11-20T14:55:00.000-05:00

I was underwhelmed by Beyond the Lights. I think it was because the film was mostly focused on the point at which the protagonist Noni had already achieved mainstream success as a singer in the fickle music industry. While the messages about the negative trappings of fame and the misogyny in the record business rang true, I didn’t feel I had much vested in Noni as a fully-realized character. Rather than experiencing a full character arc, we are treated to what is essentially a costume change where Noni goes from a Rihanna/Nicki Minaj mash-up to Corinne Bailey Rae. I get the sentiment of an artist’s struggle to be true to herself, but I would have liked to have seen more of how Noni achieved her success and what made her tick. As I walked out of the theater, I still had no idea why Noni was contemplating death just at the moment where her career is about to rocket forward. And while the romantic relationship between Noni and Kaz, the cop that saves Noni from herself, is sweet, it isn’t that dynamic. [And the subplot of Kaz’s dalliance with a career in politics is never fully fleshed out either.] Also, for a movie about the music industry, the music in the film was decidedly lackluster. [The only musical bright spots were a few emotional renditions of Nina Simone’s “Blackbird,” a song which has great importance to Noni in the story]. Despite all the negativity that’s going on in this review, I will say that I really like the lead actors--Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Noni and Nate Parker as Kaz. Their acting abilities are far better than the material they were given in this film. I also like the film’s director Gina Prince-Blythewood who, over the years, has managed to bring universal stories featuring black people to the big and small screen. But, if you want to see the true force of her work, Love & Basketball is the far superior film and has a better soundtrack to boot.

Jazz & Candy

2014-11-09T15:57:00.000-05:00

Jazz...

The percussion-filled score for Birdman (or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) was written by jazz drummer Antonio Sanchez and its sleek cacophony is a perfect companion to this dark dramedy starring Michael Keaton. Keaton plays Riggan Thompson, an aging actor whose main claim to fame was a movie superhero called Birdman. The film follows Riggan as he tries to resurrect his acting career by staging a Broadway play he has written and is directing. Riggan, however, has a loose relationship with reality and is plagued by his Birdman alter ego. Riggan's connection to reality becomes more tenuous the closer he gets to the opening night of his play. What I have described thus far is an accurate description of the movie. But, at its core, Birdman is really about the fear and anxiety that go hand-in-hand with trying to do something that makes us relevant as human beings. Who hasn't wrestled with the voices in their head and the unsteady footsteps that accompany the fear of failure? Birdman writer and director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu does a nice job of juxtaposing the vagaries of the theatre and acting worlds with the magical realism that is the onscreen manifestation of Riggan's psyche. Keaton is a force as are his co-stars Edward Norton, Naomi Watts, Emma Stone, and Zach Galifinakis (who plays the most normal person in the film). Just like an astute jazz performance, Birdman is both frenetic and familiar in its pace, leaving you scattered but whole.

Candy

I think Gone Girl is probably the best film I've seen this year. And I'm going to give all credit to the writer here--Gillian Flynn who wrote the book on which the movie is based and wrote the screenplay. No, I have not yet read the book and so I went in with no knowledge of the story, no preconceptions, and no expectations. I had only seen the trailers. I can only liken the experience of watching Gone Girl to a dark piece of gooey chocolate filled luscious goodness. Before it hits your tongue, you're in a good place, but when you've taken a bite you might have reached Nirvana. Gone Girl is just dark twisty good fun. And the best part is that it ends in a place you might not want to be, but you sure had a hell of a time getting there. The basic premise is that Nick Dunne's wife Amy has "gone" missing and no one knows why or what has happened to her. Nick (Ben Affleck), at first a sympathetic character, soon becomes a suspect and the twists and turns ratchet up from there. I'm not a super fan of Affleck's acting (I think he is a much better director), but I thought he did a pretty decent job here. Rosamund Pike's embodiment of Amy really carried much of the movie. But again, I think it's the writing, more so than the acting and directing (sorry David Fincher), that makes Gone Girl so good. Nothing is better than a juicy story with mystery, blood, and intrigue. Even Tyler Perry as Nick's slick lawyer couldn't muck it up. Whether you've read the book or not, you're in for a sinfully delightful good time. Get gone.

Horror Movie Trivia Contest

2014-10-30T10:16:00.000-04:00

#LionsgateHorror

Just in time for Halloween.

Answer all of the below trivia questions correctly and you could win a digital download code of the 1999 cult classic The Blair Witch Project from Lionsgate. All entries must be sent to amused0472@gmail.com by 11:59 P.M. EST on November 3, 2014 to be eligible. The winner will be selected randomly from all correct entries timely submitted. Please include your full name and mailing address with your entry. Winner will be contacted by November 8, 2014.

How long did it take to shoot The Blair Witch Project?
What horror novelist bought out an entire showing of the film 28 Days Later (my personal favorite horror movie) in New York City?
What was the first horror film to be nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award?

Have at it!

[Legal Stuff: Each household is only eligible to win One (1) Digital Download code for The Blair Witch Project via blog reviews and giveaways. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.]

Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday

2014-10-12T22:13:00.001-04:00

Enjoy!

Tuesday (10/14)

Shakespeare’s Globe on Screen @Landmark Midtown Art Cinema--The Taming of the Shrew--7p, $15

Wednesday (10/15)

Dinner and a Movie @Negril Village--$20
Martin Scorsese Presents: Masterpieces of Polish Cinema @Emory--Eroica--7:30p, FREE

Friday (10/17)

Spooky Film Festival @Atlantic Station--Casper--Dusk, FREE

Japan Foundation Film Series @Emory--Abacus and Sword--7:30p, FREE

Gangsters Gangsters Everywhere: The Tales of Two Bobs

2014-10-12T16:44:00.000-04:00

So recently the movies I’ve been watching have been full of gangsters, particularly of the Eastern European variety. I suppose the Mafia and Yakuza are so passè these days. Whatever. First up is The Drop. This slightly offbeat film is based on a Dennis Lehane short story called Animal Rescue. [And if you ask me, that is a better title than The Drop, but, again, whatever.] The Drop stars Tom Hardy as Bob, a seemingly unassuming guy who tends bar at his cousin Marv’s (James Gandolfini) place in Brooklyn. But Marv’s is not just your run-of-the-mill neighborhood filling station. For reasons that are only vaguely revealed, Marv’s place also serves as a money drop for Chechen mobsters. When Bob finds a pitbull puppy in a trash can and the bar is robbed of its drop money, the two incidents cause an unexpected chain of events with a twist. Truly, by the end, you’ll be wondering which animal is in need of rescue, the dog or the man. Hardy and Gandolfini, in one of his last roles, give finely-tuned performances which underscore a slow-burning chemistry. Marv’s storm and chaos is well-balanced by Bob’s reserve and stoicism. And, of course, like any good gangster movie, there’s no shortage of violence. It may not be The Godfather, but The Drop is good stuff.

Next up is The Equalizer. Entertainment Weekly gave the movie “D” and I have no idea why because I thoroughly enjoyed it. What red-blooded woman wouldn’t want to watch Denzel Washington go to any length to defend the honor of a young woman? What dude wouldn’t want to watch all the ways you can kill gangsters just using stuff you find in Home Depot or Lowes? Sounds like bloody good fun to me. Based on the ‘80s television series of the same name, Washington plays Bob [sound familiar], some sort of inactive government agent [CIA or B613, anyone?] who comes out of retirement to take on Russian gangsters who are preying on a young prostitute named Teri (played by Chloe Grace Moretz). Before coming to Teri’s rescue, Bob has been spending his “retirement” toiling away in a home improvement warehouse by day and hanging out in the local diner by night when insomnia gets the better of him. It is only by taking up Teri’s cause and helping others in seemingly hopeless situations, that Bob is able to find his purpose and get some sleep. It’s a good vehicle for Washington. Pairing once again with Antoine Fuqua who directed him in Training Day, Washington is able to be a badass without being a baddie. In fact, The Equalizer reminded me a lot of Man on Fire in which Washington’s character killed many Mexican gangsters to save a kidnapped girl. Unlike Man on Fire, however, The Equalizer is ripe for a franchise. And at 59, Washington has proved that he can still carry the box office all by himself. I am so ready for The Equalizer 2!

Atlanta Film This Week Sept. 23-Sept. 28, 2014

2014-09-21T22:09:00.000-04:00

Fall is off to a great start for film lovers! Enjoy!

Tuesday (9/23)

@Emory--Connected by Coffee--7p, FREE
@Landmark Midtown Art Cinema--David Bowie is--7p, $15

Wednesday (9/24)

Emory Cinematheque--Double Door and Supernatural--7:30p, FREE

Thursday (9/25)

WonderRoot's Generally Local, Mostly Independent Film Series--9:30p, $10

Friday (9/26)

Pinter Fest @Emory--The French Lieutenant’s Woman--7:30p, FREE
The Black Audio Film Collective Screening & Lecture Series

Saturday (9/27)

The Black Audio Film Collective Screening & Lecture Series

Sunday (9/28)

Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday

2014-09-09T09:36:00.002-04:00

Enjoy!

Tuesday (9/9)

@The Plaza--Hamburger America--7p, $18 (benefit for Atlanta Film Festival)

Wednesday (9/10)

Emory Cinematheque--Mantrap and Midnight Madness--7:30p, FREE

Friday (9/12)

@Emory--The Servant--7:30p, FREE

@Atlantic Station--A Place at the Table--7:30p, FREE

Short Film Saturday: White Space

2014-09-06T06:00:00.000-04:00

In this short, a poet makes his debut. It's not what you expect. Enjoy!

h/t Shadow and Act

Short Film Saturday: United

2014-08-30T06:00:00.000-04:00

This short is from Atlanta-based filmmaker Artemus Jenkins and chronicles the Atlanta response to the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. #HandsUpDontShoot

h/t Shadow & Act

What's a Chick Been Watching?

2014-08-28T17:39:00.002-04:00

What’s a chick been up to besides redecorating her site? Well, I haven’t been going to the movie theater that much. For me, the summer movie pickings have been pretty slim and I just haven’t been that inspired to go see much. Maybe the fall will be better as we move towards award season. Anyhoo, Netflix has pretty much become my means to stave off utter and complete boredom during these summer months. Binge watching tv shows has become a thing and I’ve been sucked in. I usually don’t write about tv shows, but I’d thought I mention one I just watched recently--From Dusk Till Dawn (The Series). Apparently this show originally aired on producer Robert Rodriguez’s cable channel El Rey and is now streaming on Netflix. Yes, it is based on the 1996 movie of the same name which was directed by Rodriguez and starred George Clooney and Quentin Tarantino, who also wrote the screenplay. And just like the movie, the story follows the outlaw Gecko brothers, the kidnapped Fuller family, and the deadly happenings at the Titty Twister bar. While the movie was all vamps and camp, the series is decidedly more nuanced, dark, and sexy. First of all, the monsters are not quite vampires but rather derive their dark powers from snakes. They have the same blood lust as vamps, but their fangs are decidedly snake-like and their movements just a bit slithery. The series also adds a character--Ranger Freddie Gonzalez who is after the Gecko brothers in order to exact revenge for the death of another ranger and who is apparently from an ancient bloodline of snake-killers. The chief baddies are Carlos (played by Wilmer Valderrama) and Santanico Pandemonium who actually met their end in the movie, but who in the show play the henchman and the queen of the snake cult, respectively. We learn that Carlos and Santanico Pandemonium have been supernaturally orchestrating the movements of the Gecko brothers in accordance with a prophecy that is only tangentially explained in the 10 episodes that make up season 1. The show is packed with so much background and character development that the 9+ hours that make up season 1 essentially leave off right where the 90+ minute movie ended. Are you intrigued yet? I was. Luckily, the show has been picked up for a second season. Of, course the bad news is having to wait for the next binge.

I Gots a New Look

2014-08-20T17:06:00.002-04:00

Check it out. Been having some fun with my iPhone.

On the Road with El Jefe

2014-08-16T21:10:00.000-04:00

Seeing the film Chef reminded me of why I like movies so much. The experience of leaving the movie theater in a better mood than when you entered is so worth the price of admission. Remember that feeling you had when you saw Swingers and discovered you were so money and didn’t even know it? Well writer, director, and actor Jon Favreau has done it again in this movie. Favereau plays Carl, a Los Angeles chef who has lost his mojo, so to speak. When an angry confrontation with a food critic goes viral over the internets, Carl loses his safe restaurant job and must find a way to start again. He ends up buying an old food truck, refurbishing it, and embarking on a cross-country trip that allows him to reconnect to his 10 year-old son and to his love of cooking. Hollywood should take note that you don’t need superheroes and CGI to make a good movie. What you need is HEART, as well as a good story and good performances. And Chef has HEART in spades. Although a relatively small movie, it’s also big on star power: Dustin Hoffman, Robert Downey, Jr., Sofia Vergara, John Leguizamo, Scarlett Johansson, Bobby Cannavale, and Oliver Platt. The music is excellent too. [Look out for a performance by blues musician Gary Clark, Jr.] And if you’re a foodie or just like to eat, you’ll be in heaven. So treat yo’self to Chef and be sure to sit through the credits. [Update: This indie gem is getting a nationwide re-release over Labor Day weekend, so get you some!]

Thursday, Saturday, Sunday

2014-08-14T10:13:00.006-04:00

Enjoy!

Thursday (8/14)

Coca Cola Film Festival @The Fox--Double Indemnity--7:30p, $10-$12
Movies in Central Park @Atlantic Station--Despicable Me 2--Dusk, FREE

Saturday (8/16)

Music & Soul in the African Diaspora: A Film Festival

Sunday (8/17)

Coca Cola Film Festival @The Fox--Double Indemnity--2p, $15-$20
Contraband Cinema--Zbigniew Rybcznski’s Media --7p, $5 donation

Short Film Saturday: Every Runner Has A Reason

2014-08-09T06:00:00.000-04:00

There's more to this short doc than meets the eye. Enjoy!

h/t Twisted Sifter

Yours Truly Got A Shout Out

2014-08-08T12:36:00.001-04:00

I got a shout out in today's Atlanta Creative Loafing. Much love to Adam Carlson who writes the weekly "ATLwood" article. Adam says I'm one of his most favorite local film bloggers. I'm blushing over here.