🔪 🩸’Shelby Oaks’ ramps up gore
In the thick of it Oct Happy Friday It s an ACTION packed newsletter this week with not one not two but three reviews for your reading pleasure there would have been four but alas my poor brain can only take so much and If I Had Legs I d Kick You will have to wait for next week A little inside baseball for you we are fully in the thick of awards season which means my inbox is constantly flooded with interview requests and screeners both in-person and virtual I do my best to line everything up with release dates whether that s in theaters or on streaming one of in the current era s reviews releases on Netflix the present day But during this time of year when Oscar campaigns are already ramping up and every weekend is jammed with several new releases it can get formidable Between keeping track of release dates embargoes critics often can t reveal their thoughts about a movie until a specific date screening dates and the expiration dates on virtual screeners because they do in fact expire my brain looks like an Excel spreadsheet fully consumed with CINEMA My apologies if you try to talk to me about anything else before March Without further ado Action The Atlanta Film Festival has opened a Seed Spark campaign to help raise money leading up to its th anniversary next year This week TCM shone a spotlight on Atlanta s beloved Plaza Theatre the city s oldest cinema Check out the full spot on The Plaza s Instagram Despite reports to the contrary Warner Bros Discovery disclosed this week it will be putting itself up for sale after unsolicited interest from multiple parties The company reportedly rejected a second bid of per share from Paramount while other companies like Netflix and Comcast have also expressed interest California is putting its money where its mouth is pumping million in tax credits into the production of big budget films such as the next installment of Jumanji and Heat The two-hour series finale of Stranger Things will play in theaters on Dec marking a change in tone from Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria previously hand waved the idea back in September In other Stranger Things news an immersive VR experience called Stranger Things Catalyst is now open at all Sandbox VR Atlanta locations For Georgia Voice Jim Farmer interviewed Nina West and Tomas Matos two of the stars of the new film Queens of the Dead Out on Film is at this time taking submissions for its Reel Resistance Fellowship venture a six-month operation designed to empower LGBTQ filmmakers in Georgia The application closes on Oct This week s newsletter includes conversations with filmmaker and YouTuber Chris Stuckmann about his new film Shelby Oaks as well as with the cast and creative crew behind the film Re-Election We ve also got those three reviews I mentioned up top Springsteen Deliver Me From Nowhere Blue Moon and A House of Dynamite Plus what s playing at theaters this week and particular reading and listening recommendations for your lunch break We ll be back with Spotlight next week Thanks for reading Sammie Photo provided by NEON Chris Stuckmann talks the making of horror movie Shelby Oaks In March Chris Stuckmann primarily known for his film-centric YouTube channel launched a Kickstarter campaign for his horror movie Shelby Oaks which he co-wrote with his wife Samantha Elizabeth He eventually raised almost million not a small amount of money but not a large one for a feature film They may have beaten their fundraising goal but the film still ran out of money before they were done shooting everything in the script The crew carried on and Shelby Oaks premiered at the genre-focused Fantasia International Film Festival in When Neon eventually acquired the rights to the movie they pitched in and paid for three extra days of filming allowing Stuckmann to capture those missing scenes and ramp up the gore The outcome is a solidly spooky debut about a paranormal investigator who goes missing and the sister who won t stop searching for her I spoke with Stuckmann about the making of the film You can check out that conversation here Flavor and fun starts in Chamblee SPONSORED BY DISCOVER DEKALB In Chamblee excitement tastes a little spicier The rd Spot Watch Party Series turns every match into a celebration of global flavor and neighborly fun Watch the battle but stay for the vibe local chefs lively patios and an atmosphere that s pure group enjoyment Beyond the screen explore international markets population art and live music that bring the city s practices to life Chamblee is where big moments and small delights meet creating memories that linger long after the final play Photo provided by Picturehouse Adam Saunders goes back to school in Re-Election For various of us high school was a time of awkwardness and pain But for Jimmy Bauer Adam Saunders in Re-Election it was the greatest time of his life In Re-Election which was also written and directed by Saunders Jimmy s life post-high school hasn t turned out exactly as planned After his rival Manish Singh Rizwan Manji beat him out for senior class president Jimmy took a downward spiral He didn t finish high school and now at the age of works at his father s memorabilia shop But after learning that Manish is running for a second term as the governor of Texas Jimmy decides to go back to high school and completely become class president Generational differences and hijinks ensue but Re-Election ultimately becomes a sweet story about finding yourself and the importance of putting the community first when it comes to society institution I spoke to Saunders Manji and Atlanta actor Bex Taylor-Klaus about the making of the movie Check out that conversation here
