Best Film Festival 2024 | Phoenix Film Festival | Megalopolitan Life | Phoenix
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Best Film Festival

Phoenix Film Festival

There are lots of reasons why the Phoenix Film Festival is so vital to the local arts and culture scene. It could just be that the fest, which began in 2001, has grown to 11 full days with nearly 300 films screened for 20,000-plus attendees. Or, that it's been honored by MovieMaker magazine on several well-received lists of important national fests. Or even that the festival has always championed smaller filmmakers and especially people of color, enacting real diversity and inclusion in a meaningful way. But perhaps the best reason is that the festival has always worked to really honor the value and significance of truly great films. The event celebrates the power and connection that comes when you sit in a dark room for 120 minutes and let another soul speak to you about life, love, politics and whatever else matters in the world. The festival brings people together who share the most important thing: an appreciation for how art defines and uplifts communities while commemorating singular ideas and achievements. The fact that it's important in those other metrics only adds to the fest's legacy of engagement and culture-sharing.

Best Hollywood Export

Emma Stone

All due respect to Steven Spielberg and his three Oscars, but he only spent a slice of his childhood in Phoenix. Emma Stone is Valley-born and Valley-raised. She spent her formative years treading the boards of the Valley Youth Theatre before moving to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. And what a career it is. After breaking out in coming-of-age flicks such as "Superbad" and "Easy A," Stone has established herself as one of the industry's top actors. She owns two Oscars for Best Actress, for "La La Land" and "Poor Things." She consistently pursues challenging roles, commanding the camera's attention with her big, expressive eyes. And she's only 35. Plenty of time, Emma, to produce and star in a Best Picture winner about Phoenix.

Best Discount Movie Theater

Pollack Tempe Cinemas

Once upon a time in the decadent '70s, nearly every city had at least one revival movie theater where you could catch classics like "The Maltese Falcon" or "Breathless" on the big screen. VCRs, cable, DVDs and now streaming services have made revival houses about as rare as landline telephones, but Michael Pollack's Pollack Tempe Cinemas is a bit of a throwback, with six theaters where moviegoers can watch classics such as "Fantasia," "National Lampoon's Animal House" and "Star Wars." Pollack also shows new releases several weeks after they debut; if you can wait a bit, you can catch 2024 blockbusters for a low price (usually $3.50). Concessions are dead cheap as well. Video games and movie memorabilia fill the theater's recently renovated lobby, so for a cheap date night or family outing, it's a perfect package. And even if you're an antisocial cuss and like to watch movies solo, it won't dent your wallet. So, what are you waiting for?

Best Luxury Movie Theater

Landmark Theatres

As devoted moviegoers, we're so glad that so many local multiplexes have made moves toward a more luxurious cinematic experience. Now, amenities like reclining chairs, full bars and upscale food options are fairly easy to find, but when the selection and showtimes are right, we still prefer to watch the latest blockbuster at Landmark Theatres. The Scottsdale Quarter location puts us right in the middle of plenty of shopping and dining options before and after the show. Inside, Landmark's eight screens have great sound and picture, and we can catch all the action from supremely comfortable seats. In addition to mainstream movies and indie flicks, Landmark offers classic films at low prices, special film series and other one-off events.

Best Hope for the Phoenix Film Industry

Desert Studios Complex

Once upon a time, Arizona was a hotspot for Hollywood-backed productions. Back in the '80s, our state's film industry thrived as now-iconic movies such as "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure," "Raising Arizona" and "Just One of the Guys" were among a crop of flicks shot locally. Thanks to the Arizona State Legislature enacting a $75 million to $125 million-per-year refundable tax credit in 2021 aimed at bringing more movie productions back to town, Arizona could once again be in the spotlight. If that occurs, one of the focal points might be the Desert Studios Complex, a proposed $900 million production hub. The 320-acre development would house a 480,000-square-foot production space consisting of a dozen state-of-the-art soundstages for various film and TV projects. Other amenities would include staging areas for cameras and technical gear, post-production facilities and a film-themed entertainment complex. Will this proposed dream factory ever become a reality? That depends on state, county and local officials. Last year, the project was approved for a zoning change by the Maricopa County Planning and Zoning Commission. We'll keep our fingers crossed Desert Studios Complex gets a happy ending.

Best Small Playhouse

The Phoenix Theatre Company

The Phoenix Theatre Company's summer production of "Fiddler on the Roof" would have been stellar in any size room. But the top-notch show was more affecting in the small space, which allowed audiences to see the nuances of the performances. In quality and reputation, The Phoenix Theatre Company has grown far beyond the relatively small walls of its downtown home, but we love the intimate setting because of the sense of immediacy it gives, not to mention the excellent sound quality. Next season's lineup includes offerings like "Churchill" and "Into the Woods," so we anticipate several visits to The Phoenix Theatre Company in the coming months.

  • 1825 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, 85004 Map

Best Large Playhouse

ASU Gammage

A big show requires a big theater. We just can't picture the "Miss Saigon" helicopter scene or the Arendelle set in "Frozen" on a small stage. So when a large production comes to town, it usually ends up at ASU Gammage, which is just fine with us. The beautiful Frank Lloyd Wright-designed building is a grand and inspiring setting for ASU Gammage's annual Broadway Across America series, which this season includes heavy hitters such as "Wicked," "Mamma Mia!" and "Some Like It Hot." The location on ASU's Tempe campus means that there are plenty of dining and drinking options within an easy walking distance. (Our recommendation: Grab a bite at Casey Moore's Oyster House before the show.)

Best Queer Hangout

thems.

If you're looking to make friends in the LGBTQ+ community, we know just the place. Thems. hosts monthly events and workshops that encourage LGBTQ+ people in Phoenix to make friends and center art in their lives. From poetry workshops and shows to flower arranging classes and a fruity market with only queer-owned businesses, thems.' events are spurring growth in the community. The organization's biggest event is Fruity Poetry Night, in which hundreds of guests gather at a changing location (the most recent was Phoenix Art Museum) for the two-hour program, including a featured poet, queer-owned vendors and an open mic for all levels. Those looking for a more chatty event should attend Sunday Sips, where you'll be paired with a stranger at a rotating coffee shop to follow a guided sketching workshop and meet new people.

Best Writing Workshop

Ghost Poetry

Ghost Poetry Show has graced Phoenix with ambitious new talent since its debut at the now-defunct Film Bar in 2021. The show nights are a spectacle of their own, but the behind-the-scenes community is where the heart of the show gets its charm. Regulars congregate at monthly meetings at host Cylie Naylor's business, North and Co. Writers put their own prompts into a hat that are then pulled out and read aloud before a seven-minute timer is started. It's a well-nurtured community of writers who wish to connect and a great way for new voices to hone their craft without getting on a big stage.

Best New Gold Rush

Data Centers

Through the 1950s, Arizona was a haven for copper mining, which led in part to the state's growth and general development. And while copper is still very much a massive economic driver — upward of $1 billion in 2019, per reports — there's another gold rush 'round these parts: data centers. In recent years, companies like Digital Realty, Meta and Google have built massive, multi-million-dollar centers across the Valley. And how could they not: Whether it's the reasonable energy prices, the heaps of affordable land or the high-speed fiber optic networks in the Valley, there are lots of factors making us a veritable paradise for these increasingly relevant tech centers. The rush, it seems, isn't nearly over; in spring 2024, QTS Realty Trust bought 375 acres near Glendale for its third such data center. Yes, these centers are often connected with AI technology, which raises its own moral and technological concerns. But there's little denying that these centers aren't just a massive financial upside; they open up other vast opportunities for the Valley to further emerge as a tech hot spot.

Best Of Phoenix®

Best of Phoenix 2024

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