Back by popular demand, the Bahamas International Film Festival (BIFF) is proud to announce the return of its popular Screenwriters’ Residency Program (formerly known as the Filmmakers Residency Program), which provides screenplay writers from around the world the chance to tell their stories, with the opportunity for participants to receive invaluable mentoring from industry professionals.

BIFF’s Screenwriters’ Residency Program seeks to nurture new filmmakers and screenwriters by providing them with an unrivaled opportunity to spend a full day with accomplished professionals who make a living working in the industry from Los Angeles and New York.

The esteemed group of Screenwriters’ Residency advisors presiding over this year’s program and evaluating candidates includes Vince Gerardis (producer of HBO’s “Games Of Thrones”), Dan Guando (executive vice president, acquisitions, production and development at The Weinstein Company), Taylor Benzie (literary manager at Kaplan/Perrone Entertainment), Sean Covel (producer of “Napoleon Dynamite”, “Beneath” and “Café”), Matthew Helderman (co-CEO at Buffalo 8 Productions and Bondit) and Cameron Cubbison (development executive and co-founder of ScreenCraft).

Emerging filmmakers participating in the program are Amanda Glassman with her film “A Most Dangerous Current”, Andrew Wood with “Human Resources”, John J. Griffin with “Crater”, Karyn Kobayashi with “To Provincetown”, Kendell Courtney Klein’s “Chas Addams” and co-writers Pamela Jaye Smith and Monty Hayes McMillan with “The Cuban Circuit”.

The program will take place in Harbour Island, Eleuthera during BIFF, from December 1 – 4, when screenwriters and advisors will be introduced, followed by one-on-one meetings. Toward the end of the week, participants will come together so that each person can ask questions in a group dynamic. Finally, the advisors will meet with each other and give feedback on each project, which will provide the filmmakers with comments from an impressive cross-section of expertise.

There will be an award presented following the program to the first, second and third place winners.

The 2015 Screenwriters’ Residency Program is presented by Bahamas International Film Festival, Buffalo 8 Productions and ScreenCraft, and is held over the first four days of the festival.

BIFF Founder and Executive Director Leslie Vanderpool said, “This is always an exciting time in the lead-up to the festival, announcing the writers who will join us in our spectacular Bahamas setting for four days of intense and enjoyable career and project development. Our impressive lineup of industry experts mentoring these writers will ensure this is a creatively fertile residency for the participants. We are thankful to Buffalo 8 Productions and ScreenCraft for their support to continue this sought-after and highly regarded program.”

BIFF 2015 begins Tuesday, December 1 in Nassau and runs through Saturday, December 12. Additional announcements pertaining to the festival will be made in the coming weeks. For additional information please visit www.bintlfilmfest.com.

The Bahamas International Film Festival is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing the local Bahamian community and international visitors with a diverse presentation of films from around the world. In addition to offering films that might not otherwise be released theatrically in The Bahamas, BIFF provides a unique cultural experience and set of educational programs and forums for exploring the past, present and future of cinema.

The Bahamas International Film Festival (BIFF) was launched in 2004 with its mission as a non-profit organization dedicated to create a cine-literate arts community, bridging cultures, gaining knowledge and attracting a targeted tourism sector through the film industry.

The Visit (Rated T)
Cast: Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould, Peter McRobbie, Deanna Dunagan
Genre: Horror Comedy
Dwight’s Rating: 3 Stars

Black Mass (Rated C)
Cast: Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Rory Cochrane
Genre: Biography Crime Drama
Dwight’s Rating: 3 Stars

Johnny Depp and M. Night Shyamalan — Box Office Poison and The Box Office Poisoner!

Their two names have struck terror in the hearts and minds of filmgoers in the last decade. Not because of any particular horror genre elements to their work, but because of how horrible a lot of their work has been!

The last 10 years have not been kind to either gentleman. Depp, the once-acclaimed and celebrated superstar actor, and Shyamalan, the once-acclaimed and celebrated writer/producer/director have both put out questionable work of steadily declining quality.

For Depp, a career filled with many stupendous highs has devolved into unimaginable lows like “The Lone Ranger”, “Dark Shadows”, “Transcendence”, and especially “Mortdecai” — released earlier this year, and still the very worst movie so far for 2015.

And since Shyamalan’s amazing masterpiece “The Sixth Sense” way back in 1999, each and every movie he’s done has been progressively worse than the one before — each containing the now infamous and expected Shyamalan collapse. We saw it with “Unbreakable”, being outstanding through about three-quarters of the film before falling off a cliff; “Signs” collapsing about half-way through; “The Village” inducing pain after about one-third of the movie; “The Happening” being seriously challenged from the start; and “Lady in the Water” — one of the worst movies of all time — being a disaster even before the film was rolling.

So, if you, like probably many others, cringed at the mere mention of new film releases involving Depp and Shyamalan, it’s completely understandable. The only thing more frightening than the thought of watching a new movie starring Johnny Depp or a movie written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan would be the prospect of the two collaborating on a film.

That’s why it is so shocking, unexpected and refreshing to announce that the latest movies from these two, are among the best releases this month, featuring some of the best acting performances so far this year.

First — to Shyamalan’s “The Visit”.

Last week, I made the mistake of watching the ridiculous “The Perfect Guy” instead of this immensely enjoyable horror/comedy. Yes, that’s right — horror/comedy. How’s that possible? Well, it’s spooky and creepy, and yet incredibly funny.

It tells the story of Becca (Olivia DeJonge) and younger brother Tyler (Ed Oxenbould). They say goodbye to their single mother (Kathryn Hahn) as they board a train and head deep into Pennsylvania farm country to meet their maternal grandparents for the first time. Welcomed by Nana (Deanna Dunagan) and Pop Pop (Peter McRobbie), all seems well until the siblings start to notice increasingly strange behavior from the seemingly charming couple. Once the children discover a shocking secret, they begin to wonder if they’ll ever make it home.

“The Visit” succeeds on many levels. Written, directed and co-produced by Shyamalan, it is by no means a masterpiece; this is not his new or next “The Sixth Sense”. But it is quite creative and fresh. While it is filmed in that camcorder documentary style that went so horribly wrong in “The Gallows” (possibly the second worst film so far this year), this increasingly overused trope is expertly managed in Shyamalan’s hands.

The story is told through the perspectives of the children. And the two young teenage actors are spectacular. Australian actress DeJonge is great as Becca. But the scene-stealer — the entire production stealer — is the amazing Oxenbould as Tyler. Oxenbould, who is also Australian (both actors mask their accents better than many adults) actually gives one of the best performances (definitely one of the best comedic performances) so far this year, delivering some of the biggest laugh-out-loud moments. The sky’s the limit for this young man!

All of these elements come together to create a lively experience that builds tension and drama, while still maintaining its humor. And judging by the number of screams and laughs at the showing I attended, it strikes a near-perfect balance. Simply, it’s just a ton of fun! And unlike the awful “Lady in the Water”, you’ll be laughing with, not at, this movie.

With the other big surprise: Johnny Depp’s performance as James “Whitey” Bulger is electrifying — one of his best in years.

And as an added bonus, this is no “Meryl Streep is excellent as Margaret Thatcher but the ‘Iron Lady’ sucks” exercise. “Black Mass” is a pretty decent film.

It’s the true story of Bulger, who spent about 12 years on the FBI’s most wanted list. While his brother Bill (Benedict Cumberbatch) remains a powerful leader in the Massachusetts Senate, hoodlum Whitey continues to pursue a life of crime in 1970s Boston. Approached by FBI agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton), the lawman convinces Whitey to help the agency fight the Italian mob. As their unholy alliance spirals out of control, Bulger increases his power and evades capture to become one of the most dangerous gangsters in U.S. history.

Based on the book, “Black Mass: The True Story of an Unholy Alliance Between the FBI and the Irish Mob”, the story spans most of a nearly two-decade reign as Bulger muscles his way to the top of the criminal underworld in Boston and beyond. It’s told through a mix of chronological order beginning in the 1970s, and through flashbacks, which we presume are set in the 1990s. It’s a little confusing at first, as it’s sometimes hard to tell when something is part of a flashback. But the further we get into the film it becomes clearer what’s happening, especially as the use of the flashbacks is gradually reduced.

Director Scott Cooper — who directed Jeff Bridges to an Oscar for Best Actor in “Crazy Heart” — does a pretty good job of giving “Black Mass” the look of a 1970s and early 80s movie or TV show. The visual effect works well with the great attention paid to period fashions, autos, décor and other details.

Being about gangsters, there is definitely a good deal of violence — guns, beatings and strangulations. And if someone could be given a couple dollars for every F-word used, I’d have enough to finance the production of a special effects-intensive summer blockbuster!

But beyond that, this is a performance-driven drama — not necessarily action. And all eyes are on the top performance — that of Depp, who, speaking of eyes, is downright terrifying, with those creepy blue contacts.

In the hands of a less capable actor, Bulger would or could have been portrayed as an over-the-top, one-note sociopath. But with Depp, we see some very different sides to the man – how he was indeed capable of human emotion and pain, especially when facing a family tragedy. And we also see that other side, the dark side, when Bulger is an unfeeling robot, practically a serial killer, who apparently views other humans as just disposable objects.

Depp’s performance is smooth, seemingly effortless, and even subtle. That allows other actors to shine as well. The chief beneficiary is the excellent Joel Edgerton (another Australian! What are they doing Down Under?) as FBI agent Connelly.

Also, Rory Cochrane’s quiet performance as Bulger’s chief henchman — and as a sort-of narrator through those flashbacks —is powerful. He doesn’t say all that much, but we see the pain in his eyes as he increasingly recognizes that Whitey is possibly the most dangerous person in the world.

Julianne Nicholson is also memorable in a small role as Connolly’s wife, Marianne. And Dakota Johnson’s cameo as Bulger’s baby-mama may result in some forgiveness for the nonsense that was “50 Shades of Grey” earlier this year. And there are many other decent performances from the large cast, including Peter Sarsgaard as a drug-addicted contract killer, and David Harbour and Kevin Bacon as bumbling FBI agents.

Overall the film is entertaining, but it’s clear that it’s the performances that standout. So much so, that it’s possible that they may be rewarded come awards season. A case could be made for Edgerton’s supporting role. But even though it’s early still, Depp is definitely deserving of recognition for his outstanding work.

So, Depp and M. Night! Who would have thunk it in 2015? It’s far too early to declare that Shyamalan has got his mojo back. His batting average is not very good. And by most estimates, he’s really only come out with two-and-a-half good movies in 16 years — and that’s including “The Visit”.

Maybe, if his next one is passable, then we can talk. But this is a welcome and surprising development, nonetheless.

And is Depp out of his slump? Again too early to tell! But we certainly hope so. It’s good to be reminded as to why he’s been held is such high regard all these years. It’s sad that he’s been reduced to “box office poison” taunts, and it’s sad that he makes such horrible role choices. We want him to be back, and we want him to be great again!

So keep your fingers crossed that Depp and Shyamalan have put these long and painful periods behind them. And who knows, maybe these two should consider working together. All of a sudden, that’s not as frightening a thought as it would have been even six months ago.

• Dwight Strachan is the host/producer of “ Morning Blend” on Guardian Radio. He is a television producer and writer, and an avid TV history and film buff. Email dwight@nasguard.com and follow him on twitter @morningblend969.

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (Rated T) Cast: Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg Genre: Action Adventure Dwight's Rating: ***

Tom Cruise is officially back!

Of course, he didn’t really go anywhere, and he never stopped acting. He did however seem to lose his way for a bit by the middle of the last decade, with a series of lackluster films.

His trek “back” unofficially began last year with a fantastic performance in the amazing — and underrated — sci-fi adventure, “Edge of Tomorrow”. Cruise displayed a renewed sense of energy and excitement, skillfully striking the right balance between the witty humor and reluctant action-hero called for in that script.

Proving that this wasn’t all a fluke, Cruise returns with another slam-dunk; the fifth film in his “Mission: Impossible” series, “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation”. It’s among the best in this long-running franchise, with almost everything anyone could want in a summer popcorn movie. (I actually found myself gobbling down the popcorn at a furious pace during some of the more exciting scenes!)

I haven’t always been a fan of this franchise. Up until last year, when a cable channel was rebroadcasting the first movie — which came out way back in 1996 — I could barely recall the different plot intricacies of the earlier movies. (Seriously, do you remember anything about 2000’s “Mission: Impossible II”?) Seeing it again reminded me how the first movie was stylish, slickly directed and lavishly produced, with a dramatic score and distinctive ‘90s-era, pseudo-art house-style cinematography, replete with unusual camera angles, close-ups and long zooms. But there also wasn’t anything particularly memorable or groundbreaking about it.

Things changed for the better when J.J. Abrams (“Star Trek” (2009) and TV’s “Lost”) came on as director for “Mission: Impossible III”. Abrams — who wrote and directed this year’s highly anticipated “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” — has remained as a co-producer, along with Cruise and others, ever since.

The high point for the franchise, though, was with the fourth and most recent installment, 2011’s “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol”, directed by Brad Bird (“The Incredibles” and “Ratatouille”) in his first live-action film. It went on to be the highest grossing of the “Mission: Impossible” films, and Cruise’s biggest blockbuster to-date. Those are some tough shoes to fill. But “Rogue Nation” acquits itself with a well paced, less weight-of-the-world tone than some of its predecessors.

Here, the Impossible Missions Force (IMF) has been disbanded, and Ethan Hunt (Cruise) is now out in the cold and largely on his own. Meanwhile, a team of highly skilled operatives known as the Syndicate is determined to establish a new world order through an escalating series of terrorist attacks. Hunt secretly gathers his team and joins forces with an apparently disavowed British agent, Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson). But it’s unclear whether she can really be trusted, as she may be a member of this “rogue nation”.

The plot is largely unremarkable, and similar to many editions of the various TV versions of “Mission: Impossible”. In fact, this could be the plot of any number of spy thrillers. But it actually works out well here. It avoids being unnecessarily complicated or convoluted, and allows director Christopher McQuarrie to stay laser-focused on the action and aesthetic details. And the action is spectacular! Every movement is expertly choreographed with amazing attention to detail — lighting, music, all perfectly coordinated to wring the most intensity from every scene. Edge-of-your-seat moments abound, particularly during a musically stirring opera performance in Vienna, and especially during a riveting, pulse-pounding motorcycle chase in Morocco.

There are, of course, computer-generated sequences, mainly for the wilder scenes. You can tell which ones they are, for the most part. But even so, it’s clear that it’s been very well done, and seamlessly integrated. Traditional fans may be disappointed that there’s less of those gadgets and gizmos that became hallmarks of the TV show from the 1960s and 1970s. And there are only a couple uses of those famous latex face masks. But that adds to the sense that “Rogue Nation” is less weighted down by gimmicks.

With the exception of the absence of those toys, what’s most remarkable is just how much “Rogue Nation” feels like an homage to another classic spy franchise — the James Bond films of the 1960s and 1970s. Few films since those Sean Connery and Roger Moore movies have so deftly blended compelling spy drama with sexiness and humor. (Conversely, the current Bond films starring Daniel Craig are more hardcore action — cold and severe.)

As such, we see the evolution of Cruise’s Hunt from a robotic, Spider-Man-like creature to one displaying more human characteristics, like a sense of humor. British Actor Simon Pegg, who previously was the primary source of comic relief, shines in a meatier role, and is allowed to demonstrate a few more emotions.

The real standout, though, is actress Rebecca Ferguson. All I could think while watching her was, “Who is she? And how and when can we see more?” The Swedish actress has already earned a Golden Globe nomination for her role in the BBC TV miniseries “The White Queen”. Her chemistry with Cruise is undeniable, and she effectively straddles the line as both the villain and the potential love-interest — the ultimate Bond Girl! I’m looking forward to more from Ferguson.

All of these exciting elements come together to form something that is a tad bit long, at just over two hours and 10 minutes. And it is curious that Ferguson is pretty much the only woman in the entire film. But, that a franchise in its 19th year, based on a TV-show that ran for seven seasons after premiering in 1966, can still have such strong legs, and with the same lead actor, is a shocking achievement. And that it appears to be getting better in many regards is simply mind-blowing. No surprise then that a sixth installment is in the works.

So, it’s good to see that Cruise’s career is not on a path to “oblivion” (the title of one of his recent, less-than-stellar cinematic efforts). And he will likely avoid further comparisons to flop-master Johnny Depp (whom I recently labeled as the ultimate box-office poison), or apparent social pariah Mel Gibson. And at 53-years old — and looking at least a couple of decades younger — and still said to be doing his own stunts, we can expect to be seeing a whole lot more of Tom Cruise in the years to come.

• Dwight Strachan is the host/producer of “ Morning Blend” on Guardian Radio. He is a television producer and writer, and an avid TV history and film buff. Email dwight@nasguard.com and follow him on twitter @morningblend969.

Ted 2 (Rated C)
Cast: Seth MacFarlane, Mark Wahlberg, Amanda Seyfried
Genre: Comedy
Dwight's rating:

The shiny halo that had been glowing around Seth MacFarlane is fading, and fast!

In some circles, MacFarlane has been seen as the new prince of comedy -- the heir apparent to prolific, legendary TV and movie producer-screenwriters like James L. Brooks ("The Mary Tyler Moore Show", "Taxi", "The Simpsons", "Terms of Endearment") and Mel Brooks ("Blazing Saddles", "Young Frankenstein", "The Producers").

Indeed, just over a half-decade ago, MacFarlane seemed on top of the world. His animated TV series "Family Guy" was a water-cooler sensation, and in 2009, became the first animated series since "The Flintstones" in 1961 to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award as Outstanding Comedy Series. Not even the illustrious, groundbreaking "The Simpsons" has achieved that feat.

By the end of the last decade, the Fox network had practically handed MacFarlane its entire Sunday comedy lineup, with a block including his "American Dad!" and "The Cleveland Show".

Floating on this high, in 2012, MacFarlane's first motion picture "Ted" hit theaters. This raunchy (downright nasty, actually) comedy was undeniably funny -- a fresh and creative take on the buddy-comedy. It was also a box-office smash! Seth MacFarlane: King of the Hill!

Trouble started, though, with last year's commercially and critically unsuccessful, "A Million Ways to Die in the West". And arguably these days the flagship "Family Guy" is not what is used to be. Plus, "American Dad!" has moved from Fox, a broadcast network, to TBS, a cable network -- hardly ever a good sign for longevity. And mercifully, the deplorable "The Cleveland Show" has been cancelled.

Add to the list of woes "Ted 2".
The sequel picks up where the original leaves off. We find that things have changed for talking teddy bear Ted (MacFarlane) and his best buddy John (Mark Wahlberg). Ted is now married to a human woman, Tami-Lynn, and John is now single, having divorced the character Mila Kunis played in the original (Kunis does not appear in this sequel.)

When Ted and Tami-Lynn decide to adopt a child, the law declares Ted to be property and not a person. Ted and John seek help from a young lawyer (Amanda Seyfried).

"Ted 2" has some funny moments, but it just is not as clever or cute as the original. Of course, it would have been hard to duplicate that freshness, but at times, it feels the creative team wasn't even trying. While the original "Ted" felt like an epic, super-ultimate, live-action production of the best-ever "Family Guy" or "American Dad!" episode (not a bad thing at all), this sequel feels exactly like a mediocre (or just plain weak) episode of either program, or even worse, a regular episode of "The Cleveland Show".

The most dismal part is the lame storyline with Giovanni Ribisi reprising his role as a Ted-obsessed psychopath. Even the occasions of absurdity feel uninspired. The best word to describe it is "lazy".

Again, there are laughs, and often these are deep, hearty belly laughs. But it cannot compare to its unforgettable predecessor, and is just average on its own. Had this been the original, there would likely be no sequel. And thus, this will probably be the end of the franchise, or one can at least hope!

So what does this mean for MacFarlane? He seems like a nice, likable guy. And I think most people are rooting for him to see more success and are hoping he can turn things around and assume his place on that comedy throne. But at this rate, unfortunately, he's looking a lot like a seat warmer.

o Dwight Strachan is the host/producer of " Morning Blend" on Guardian Radio. He is a television producer and writer and an avid TV history and film buff. Email dwight@nasguard.com and follow him on twitter @morningblend969.