More about N.C. movies

Jeremy Markovich is one of the best modern North Carolina archivists. He truly captures the weird, fun and peculiar about the Old North State over at his "North Carolina Rabbit Hole." (If you haven't subscribed yet, you are truly missing out.)

In his latest, Markovich makes the case for the 5 most "batsh*t" NC-based movies. And honestly it's hard to argue with this list:

1. Talladega Nights
2. I Know What You Did Last Summer
3. Blue Velvet
4. Cape Fear (1991 version)
5. Maximum Overdrive

They all are insane in their own ways. Of course, we have a sweet spot for the, uh, interesting Atlantic Beach-based film "The Mutilator." 

But if we are talking the most "authentic" North Carolina film? In our book, that goes to "Junebug."

An N.C. cinematic classic: 'The Mutilator'

North Carolina has a long, storied history of either producing or being the setting for some great Hollywood offerings. Most everyone is aware of "Dirty Dancing," "Firestarter," "Maximum Overdrive," "Last of the Mohicans" and much, much more.

Just this weekend, my brother in law Jeff alerted me to a horror movie that I never heard of that was filmed in dear old Atlantic Beach in the 1980s: "The Mutilator." (It was originally called "Fall Break.")

This movie has the makings of a classic 1980s horror movie. Here's an IMDB.com plot summary ...

A group of teenagers decide to take a vacation at the beach house of one of their fathers. The kid whose father owns the house just happened to accidentally kill his mother when he was a child. When they get to the house, the father has mysteriously disappeared. Hmmm...

... and here's the movie poster!

This movie was very much an Atlantic Beach creation. According to IMDB, the cast and crew stayed at a nearby motel, "which was owned by writer/director Buddy Cooper's family. Buddy now owns the motel. Much of the film's crew still work there" In fact, the Cooper family has a long history of town involvement. To wit, the current mayor of AB is A.B. "Trace" Cooper III.

My buddy Banks Talley recalls this movie being included in a "Bad Horror Movie Night" during his NCSU days. "Think 'Mystery Science Theater 3000' meets 'Halloween.'"

What's the most N.C. movie?

Actress Amy Adams recently celebrated her birthday. I only know this because my good friend Kevin Brewer (@RealKevinBrewer) mentioned it on Twitter by referencing three of her best roles, which included her stint on TV's "The Office."

No. 1 on Kevin's list was "Junebug." My response was "Junebug is the most authentically North Carolina film. Not even close."

If you are not familiar with it, "Junebug" involves a HIGHLY dysfunctional family in central N.C. (it was actually filmed in and around Winston-Salem). The older, more urbane brother in the family has moved to Chicago, met an English art expert and essentially turned his back on his family and his old life in Cackalacky. But -- TWIST! -- his art aficionado girlfriend wants to check out the bizarre and intriguing art of a mentally challenged man -- in N.C.! So they must come home to visit the brother's family, which includes Adams in the role of the younger brother's wife. Oh, and they live with his parents. Adams' character Ashley is ENAMORED with the big city Madeleine - and it's painful, charming and funny. To wit: here is Ashley thinking about her brother-in-law's girlfriend, whom she is about to meet:

I wonder what she looks like. I bet she's skinny. She probably is. She's skinnier'n me and prettier too. Now I'll hate her. Oh, I can't wait! 

Kevin Brewer is right: Adams is SO GOOD in this role. Here's more.



The authentic parts of the movie show up in ways that normally are butchered in film: the setting and accents. "Junebug" nails both, right down to the small details inside the homes, the church reception hall... everywhere. Heck, there are even scenes filmed at Greensboro's Replacements -- where employees discuss the Carolina Panthers!

The only thing that comes as close to "nailing" N.C. is perhaps Danny McBride's "Eastbound and Down" or his earlier "The Fist Foot Way." "Talladega Nights" has some spot-on moments, too, for sure. But even all of those are more caricature in nature.



North Carolina has a legacy with film-making, no doubt about it. Oodles of movies have been made here. But what other films are spot-on with capturing the state? It's hard to top "Junebug." Go watch it.

'One Tree Hill' prepares for its final show

Sure, it was never going to win awards by the critics, but when "One Tree Hill" wraps up its run on Wednesday, it will do so with its head held high.

Like any show that involved "young people," it had its share of flaws. (Like, for instance: How can a small town like Tree Hill, N.C., produce an NBA player, not one but TWO international music recording stars, a nationally-known author and a well-known TV "evangelist?") But it should also be commended for figuring out new ways to do things. For instance: Why pull the "90210" stunt and have all the main characters attend the same college, when you can just skip ahead four years (and then skip ahead another few years later on)? Sounds kooky, but it actually worked.

At its heart, the show meant well. Like any show that has had a long run, it had to introduce new characters and replace old ones -- sometimes it worked; sometimes it didn't. But I always appreciated the effort. In addition, I think the storylines have been some of the best on TV for many years -- and I say that admitting I didn't watch many of the first few seasons.

This is a site devoted to "North Carolina" things, and "One Tree Hill" has brought great attention to the state, especially the Wilmington area -- even if the show only slightly referenced the Old North State (Nathan considering playing basketball for Duke; the state championship game being played at the then-RBC Center; Mouth having a UNC flag in his apartment; Nathan conveniently playing for the Bobcats, etc.). But the show developed a legion of hardcore fans that flocked to the Port City to find the River Court, or Karen's Cafe. And since "OTH" has found a niche on SoapNet, you can bet the fans will continue to make pilgrimages for years.

The last episode will air this Wednesday. Here is a preview of the 2-hour finale.

N.C. film news involves 'Caged Heat' (code name for 'Iron Man 3')

There's a flurry of North Carolina-related motion picture news of late. First was the report that Greg Kinnear and Jennifer Connelly will begin work in Wilmington next month.

Producer Judy Cairo confirmed Friday afternoon reports from national entertainment publications Variety and The Hollywood Reporter that the independent film "Writers" is on its way to the area.

"We'll be filming in Wilmington in March, primarily around Wrightsville Beach," Cairo said. "Greg Kinnear plays a famous novelist who lives in a beach community, thus the attraction of shooting in Wilmington. Jennifer Connelly plays his ex-wife, with whom he's obsessed."

The Wilmington Regional Film Commission's website, according to the Star-News, now lists "The Occult" and "Heart of the Country" in preproduction, along with "The Conjuring" and "Caged Heat," which is widely known as the code name for "Iron Man 3."

Johnny Griffin, director of the film commission, said both new movies are feature films and "here and in the process of getting organized" for production. He said he was unable to disclose additional details.

According to the website for "Heart of the Country," produced by Bayridge Films, the movie's principal photography is tentatively slated for March and April in Wilmington and New York City. It's based on the novel by Rene Gutteridge and John Ward and is a modern retelling of "The Prodigal" story.

No further information on "The Occult" was available Tuesday morning.

And, finally, Mike Wiley is getting rave reviews as he performs ALL 36 ROLES in the feature film, "Dar He: The Lynching of Emmett Till," according to a press release. A N.C. screening is set for Feb. 13.

Wiley and the North Carolina filmmakers deliver riveting performances in the story, trial, and unbelievable confessions of those accused of Emmett Till's murder in this 1955 tragedy which changed the course of history in the United States.

Two and a half years in the making by award winning North Carolina filmmakers, the World and European premieres are now set for "Dar He". A screening for North Carolina media has been added to the calendar. ...

"Dar He: The Lynching of Emmett Till" was adapted from the critically acclaimed one man show written and performed by local theatre heavyweight, Mike Wiley, similarly titled "Dar He: The Story of Emmett Till." It is a true-crime drama of a 14-year old Black boy from Chicago murdered for allegedly whistling at a White woman while visiting family in Money, Mississippi in 1955. The screenplay was crafted from public record and the historic interviews conducted by William Bradford Huie of Look magazine. When the story was published, it became a lightning rod across the nation for moral outrage. "His death was a spark that ignited the Civil Rights Movement in America," Ed Bradley, Emmy Award-winning journalist.

"Dar He" was created by acclaimed North Carolina filmmakers who collaborated on other films including, "Empty Space" (2009) and "Wolf Call" (2010). These films are winners of fifteen festival awards, eight nominations, dozens of official selections, special screenings, and other honors. "Wolf Call" is currently on festival tour and nominated for a Black Reel Award for Outstanding Short Film. The international success of both these films helped inspire the making of "Dar He". Mr. Wiley is winner of numerous best actor awards from 2009 to 2011 for his performance in both films, including Best Actor at the 25th Black International Cinema Berlin and Best Actor at the Carrboro Film Festival in 2009 and 2010.

We told you so: 'Iron Man 3' coming to N.C.

You read it here first (well, not really), but it was confirmed that "Iron Man 3" will be filmed in North Carolina.

North Carolina's race to catch up with states that have lured film projects with better financial incentives has paid off with a major motion picture production commitment.

"Iron Man 3," starring Robert Downey Jr. as a comic-book superhero, will be produced from beginning to end in this state, Gov. Bev Perdue announced at EUE/Screen Gems Studios on Thursday.

"My top priority is creating jobs, and this film production will mean high-quality, well-paying jobs for North Carolinians," Perdue said. "I pushed hard to get the revamped film incentive passed, with the help of a number of lawmakers, and now we see that initiative doing exactly what it was designed to do."

Read more from the News & Observer here.

Firth, Blunt filming in Wilmington

Apparently the bad reviews of the Durham-filmed "Main Street" have not kept Colin Firth out of the Tar Heel State. He and Emily Blunt are currently filming "Arthur Newman" in and around Wilmington, according to the Star-News.

... Firth, dressed in rolled up khakis and a plaid shirt and with a small orange tent in the background, strolled down the beach Thursday afternoon near the Fort Fisher State Recreation Area, waded into the surf and tossed his top into the water, revealing a short-sleeve, white T-shirt.

The temperature, elevated by the bright sun and nearly cloudless sky, hovered around 80 and a brisk south-southwest wind blew as "Arthur Newman, Golf Pro" made its Pleasure Island debut.

Before Firth lost his shirt, the crew filmed some boats maneuvering near the shore – a scene meant to simulate a search for Firth's character based on the discovery of his lone piece of clothing floating in the water, said Pat Story, the movie's publicist.

The film planned additional shooting in Carolina Beach on Thursday and Friday nights, when the production is to close off Lake Park Boulevard from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. between Charlotte and Atlanta avenues for low-speed chase scenes.

Academy Award winner Firth and Golden Globe winner Emily Blunt are starring in "Arthur Newman," which opened offices at EUE/Screen Gems Studios last month and will shoot in the area from mid-October to mid-November.

"We couldn't be more excited," said producer Alisa Tager on the set Thursday afternoon. "We needed a place with a certain amount of geographic diversity and architectural diversity, and we found it in the Wilmington area."

'Iron Man 3' to film in Wilmington next summer

The third movie in the "Iron Man" series will begin filming next summer, and the location will be Wilmington, according to Screenrant.

The Old North State apparently beat out Michigan as the filming location.

Shane Black will be directing "Iron Man 3."

Twitter: A major motion picture to be shot in Charlotte?

Maybe, according to the Twittersphere.

@Ronnie_Bryant hints that a major announcement is coming soon of a big-budget movie to be shot in the Charlotte region. #pcmtg

That post came from @WCooksey, a member of the Charlotte city council.

Quick hits: A new movie coming to Wilmington, pick your fave N.C. sports moment, and the Blue Ridges are pretty

New feature film coming to Wilmington

"The rumor circulated for several days. Local film industry workers dropped hints that 'a big project was coming to town,'" says the Star-News.

"Now, there’s proof.

"The office of Governor Beverly Perdue announced Monday that the New Line Cinema film, 'Journey 2: The Mysterious Island' will start production in Wilmington later this month. The film stars Dwayne Johnson (aka The Rock), Michael Caine and Josh Hutcherson. ..."

Great moments in N.C. sports history

"The North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame has created a new program to recognize and honor Great Moments in North Carolina Sports History. 'Great Moments' highlights special accomplishments by both individuals and teams through the years.

"A special panel choose from a list of 20 'Great Moment' in sports history in North Carolina, the most significant as candidates for our first-ever award.

"You are invited to participate by helping to choose the first winner from the top five “Great Moments” previously selected in 2010 ..."

In Blue Ridge Mountains, autumn hues are wedded with history

"When the Blue Ridge Parkway beckons me, I answer, especially in autumn, when I long for its twists and turns, its waterfalls, natural gardens, forests and upland meadows that dot its nearly 500 miles in Virginia and North Carolina," says the LA Times.

"Little has changed here in the 75 years since the parkway construction began, permanently linking Virginia's Shenandoah National Park in the north and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the south. It took 52 years and hundreds of workers to complete this public works project, which helped Appalachia climb out of the Great Depression.

"Thanks to varying elevations, a drive in October and even into early November will yield good views of fall hues. Hickory, tulip poplar and ash are ablaze with yellows, and reds burst forth from dogwood, maple, sumac and sourwood trees. This year mountain ash trees at higher elevations have an outstanding crop of bright red berries. ..."

Filming heating up in the Port City

The Wilmington area is getting busy with several new TV shows and a (not-so) new movie being filmed there.

A new TV pilot called "Playing With Guns" is slated to start filming soon. "If the show is picked up it will air on Spike TV," says the Star-News.

Danny Masterson (“That ‘70s Show”) and Joey Kern (“Cabin Fever”) will likely star in “Playing With Guns,” according to TheWrap. Its story line revolves around two high school buddies who become cops. They do the police work, but they also like the idea of getting paid to hang out, carry loaded weapons and hit on women.

We have already mentioned the as-yet-untitled medical drama from John Wells that is filming around Wilmington. But since then some new names have joined the cast, notably UNCW alum Skeet Ulrich and Sissy Spacek. As the paper's Jeff Hidek writes, having Spacek on board means that the "project’s chances of pick-up are slightly better." I would agree.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Spacek will play the cancer-stricken leader of a mobile medical team that travels around the country helping in times of emergency. Spacek will play the mother of “Twilight” actress Rachelle Lefevre’s character.

Spacek, who just wrapped a winning supporting role on “Big Love,” is the biggest name in a cast that also includes Janeane Garofalo, Skeet Ulrich, Amy Smart, Michael Beach and Jay Hernandez.

By the way, Spacek has worked here twice before, on “Marie: A True Story” in 1984 and “Crimes of the Heart” in 1986.

Ulrich will play a Harvard-educated cardiologist with a junkie ex-wife he still loves and a 6-year-old daughter.

And, finally, "Bolden" is back in the area and will begin filming in June.

"Bolden!” follows the life and times of musical legend Buddy Bolden, who turned the New Orleans music scene upside down with his loud, often improvisational cornet style that would later be known as jazz.

The movie filmed in the Wilmington area from March through September 2007 and gained notoriety in the local film community for its elaborate sets and costuming. The movie is rumored to have cost $10 million. Writer/Director Dan Pritzker was reported by Forbes magazine to be worth $1.7 billion in hotels and investments.

Notable cast and crew include Anthony Mackie, Jackie Earle Haley, Omar Gooding and executive producer Wynton Marsalis. No word yet on if any of the main cast members will be back in town.

While “Bolden!” was filming, the cast and crew also simultaneously made a silent film called “The Great Observer,” which focuses on Louis Armstrong's role in jazz history. It's still listed as being in production.

State fish gets its time in the spotlight

The Wilmington Star-News' Amy Hotz reports that the North Carolina state fish is the star of a new movie, "Redfish Can't Jump," which will have its public premiere on Jan. 21 in Wilmington.

"You might call it a red drum, spot tail, puppy drum or blue tail, but hey, a fish by any other name . . . . still smells like a fish, I guess," says Hotz.

The movie was three years in the making and "not only shows some beautiful flyfishing footage, but it also investigates why the fish is popular, why it’s important to the ecosystem and why it deserves to be saved from from overfishing (intentional and unintentional) by being declared a gamefish.

According to the “Redfish” Web site, the fish is regulated as a “bycatch” fishery by the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries and its annual quota of 250,000 pounds is regularly exceeded by tens of thousands of pounds each year. Gill nets also put pressure on the population.

“Redfish Can’t Jump” was created by a team of locals: Capt. Seth Vernon, Luke Pearson, Josh Eddings, Wes Aiken and Mark McGarity.

By the way, if you’re even remotely interested in flyfishing, you’ve got to see this film.

(Image from Fish4Fun.com)

Quick hits: A 'good year' projected for N.C. films, and how far away is Barstow?

'Good year' seen for local film industry
"Two statements earned spontaneous applause during the Cucalorus Film Festival State of the State address Thursday at Thalian Hall[ according to the Star-News].

"Both came from EUE/Screen Gems Executive Vice President Bill Vassar. The first put into words what most of the 100 or so people there have been hoping for since the 25 percent film incentives bill was passed in the spring by the N.C. General Assembly.

" 'We’re going to have a good year next year,' Vassar said. ...

"An audience member wanted to know if Wilmington or North Carolina in general could ever compete with Hollywood.

"Tenney replied with a simple, 'Yes.' He said his business, Southern Gothic Productions, has already proven this. It is an independent film company that has raised money in North Carolina, produced scripts by local writers, used local actors and employed local crew. ..."

'Barstow, Calif. 2,554' sign stolen, won't be replaced

"Want to know how far it is from the eastern end of Interstate 40 in North Carolina to the western end in California? Punch it into your GPS or try MapQuest.

"The Star-News of Wilmington reported today a popular sign showing the distance between Wilmington and the end of I-40 in Barstow, Calif., has been stolen for at least the fourth time — and the last.

"State transportation engineer Joe Chance says with the repeated thefts, there won't be another sign reading 'Barstow, Calif. 2,554.' ..."

Quick hits: Avetts to close out MerleFest and 'Mockingbird' actress dies in Highlands

Avett Brothers to close out MerleFest
The Avett Brothers announced via email last night that their only North Carolina performance of the first six months of 2010 (they're doing a New Year's Eve show in Asheville, of course) will be as the closing act of MerleFest on May 2nd (at around 3:30 p.m.)


"We have attended MerleFest, as fans and as performers, since 1994," says the Avetts. "There is not a finer or more welcoming music festival in the country. Those who make their way to Wilkes Community College for the event this year will find, as they would any year, a sincere and friendly place where the music is as colorful and beautiful as the North Carolina countryside that leads them there. MerleFest offers four days of absolute quality for the music-loving family. For us, in terms of performance, it is very much like coming home."



'To Kill a Mockinbird' actress dies in Highlands "Actress Collin Wilcox-Paxton, who portrayed the false accuser in the movie classic 'To Kill a Mockingbird,' died of brain cancer just months after the diagnosis. She was 74," according to the AP.

"Her husband, Scott Paxton, confirmed Thursday that she died Oct. 14 in Highlands in the southwest part of the state. No funeral was held. Instead, the family held a service before her death.

" 'It's pretty special being at your own memorial,' said her husband of more than 30 years.

"She was diagnosed Aug. 11 with three brain tumors, he said.

"The actress played Mayella Ewell in the movie based on Harper Lee's Pulitzer-winning novel. Her role as the young white woman who accuses a black man of beating and raping her in her home was brief but memorable. ...

"Her roles in the 1990s included television series and movies that were filmed near her hometown in the North Carolina mountains. They included 'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,' which director Clint Eastwood filmed in Savannah, Ga., and the inspirational TV series 'Christy,' about a teacher in the early 1900s in remote Appalachia. ..."

'Critical' rebate will help N.C. film industry

A new law, just signed by Gov. Bev Perdue, could go a long way in saving North Carolina's film industry.

Moviemakers will get a 25 percent rebate on many of their production expenses in North Carolina under a bill signed into law by Gov. Beverly Perdue on Thursday[ said the N&O].

The bill, which increases the previous 15 percent rebate, was described as critical to cultivating the state's film industry, which includes a Screen Gems studio in Wilmington. Various states have engaged in a bidding war as they fatten their handouts to Hollywood. Georgia, which recently snatched a Miley Cyrus movie from North Carolina, raised its rebate to 20 percent. ...

Under the rebate, filmmakers total up what they spent on salaries, hotel rooms, renting land and buildings, supplies, food and assorted other expenses. The following year, they submit those totals to the state and get a rebate worth 25 percent.

Quick hits: Burns' movie debuts and Cherokees vote to allow the alcohol

Ken Burns' national parks documentary debuts in Asheville
"Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the rest of the nation's national parks are a uniquely American invention that brings democracy to the landscape, according to the writer and producer of a new Ken Burns film series," says the Citizen-Times.

" 'This is the Declaration of Independence applied to a beautiful continent,' said Dayton Duncan 'Only a democracy would come up with the idea that the most special places should be preserved for everybody, not just the rich and royalty.'

"An Asheville audience got a preview Wednesday of 'The National Parks: America's Best Idea' in a screening at the Diana Wortham Theatre. The six-part, 12-hour series will air this fall on PBS.

" The Smokies, celebrating its 75th anniversary as a park, plays a prominent role in the historical narrative. ..."



N.C. tribe votes to allow casino alcohol sales
"Alcohol sales at a North Carolina mountain casino have been approved by members of the Cherokee Indian tribe," said the AP.

"The Asheville Citizen-Times reported Friday that the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians approved alcohol sales at Harrah's Cherokee Casino by a vote of 1,847 to 1,301 after nearly half the tribe's registered voters went to polls.

"Supporters of alcohol sales said it would boost profits at the tribe's casino. The tribe uses half the profits from the 11-year-old casino to run its government and half for twice-a-year payments to tribal members.

"It was the second alcohol sales vote, but the first since the casino was constructed. Tribal members voted 2-1 against alcohol sales in 1980. ..."

All the world's a stage. But this one in Wilmington is pretty darn big!

Wilmington's EUE/Scren Gems Studios unveiled its new Stage 10 on Monday, a 37,500-square foot facility complete with 50-by-50-by-6-foot water tank for shooting "picture shows."

"Imagine an epic battle raging off 23rd Street. On one side, water monsters. On the other, people just trying to defend their lawns," says the Star-News.

"The stage can be split into two regular-size studios equipped with everything crews need to work independently. ...

"Also, Stage 10 can simulate day, night, wind, storms and fog, and has a 50-by-50-by-6-foot water tank carved in its belly. On Monday, movie lights backlit the stream feeding the tank, its water glistening against grounds that locals hope won't be bare for long. No productions are scheduled to film there yet, but Vassar said he's gotten inquiries from 12 to 15 production companies. ..."

The water tank is reportedly the third largest one in the North America for shooting underwater scenes.

'Eastbound' is 'Hicksploitation'

Randomly came across this Variety review of the North Carolina-filmed and -based HBO series, "Eastbound and Down," which we discussed last week.

"The premise isn't all that unusual," writes Cynthia Littleton, "but the setting is. You can tell that the show is shot [in] North Carolina with local extras. The tweens and teens in the middle school scenes don't look like L.A. kids who are angling for their SAG cards.

"McBride, Best and 'Eastbound' co-creator Jody Hill have talked about inventing a new genre dubbed 'Hicksploitation' that introduces the rest of the country to the best and worst of small-town Southern culture. In the same way that the small-town Texas setting of 'Friday Night Lights' was such a breath of fresh air, so is 'Eastbound's' Anytown, North Carolina. (Not that I am remotely comparing 'FNL' to 'Eastbound' in any other way. Not by a country mile.) ..."

MacGruber loves him some Wilmington

Will Forte, of "MacGruber" fame on "SNL," recently shot a movie in the Port City. And he then lauded the city's praises on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien."

Forte "made an ecstatic face, proclaimed Wilmington a 'beautiful' and 'wonderful' place and said he was at a loss for to words to describe how much he enjoyed his time here," writes the Star-News.

Forte worked in Wilmington on "A Good Old-Fashioned Orgy." He described the movie and then began to praise Wilmington.

Forte also talked about an obsession with the video game "Donkey Kong" that blossomed in Wilmington. He said he had several days of downtime during shooting when he would frequent a bar (he didn't mention it by name, but it's downtown hot spot The Blue Post) early in the afternoon while few people were there to brush up on his "Donkey Kong" skills for hours at a time. The arcade-style game was introduced in the 1980s and retains a cult popularity, epitomized in the 2007 documentary "King of Kong," about two men vying for the highest "Donkey Kong" score of all time.

The story played out on a smaller scale here in Wilmington, and it became his mission in life, Forte said, to knock the initials "LMK" out of the high score rankings, which he eventually did with his own, "WIL." Forte praised as a "really nice guy" the University of North Carolina Wilmington professor whose initials he replaced.

"He got my initials wrong," said Jim Kreul, the UNCW professor in question, whose initials are actually JLK. "That's understandable, though. At least he was in the ballpark."

Small town gets the splotlight for major motion picture

"Like many small towns, Watha is a 'blink and you miss it' kind of place, settled along a crossroads near Burgaw in Pender County," writes the Wilmington Star-News.

"It’s an old railroad town of turn-of-the-century houses, cats lounging on porches, small churches and hog farms. But come this weekend, everyone in the country will be able to see the North Carolina town of 190 people.

" 'The Secret Life of Bees,' the big-budget movie based on the best-selling book by Sue Monk Kidd, filmed in Watha for about three weeks in February. The star-studded film, which opens in theaters Friday, tells the story of a young Lily Owens (played by Dakota Fanning), who leaves behind her father and their South Carolina peach farm. Traveling with her nanny, Rosaleen (Jennifer Hudson), Lily encounters the Boatwrights, a trio of beekeeping sisters (Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys and Sophie Okonedo), who fold the girl into their strange, secret world."

For the rest of the story, click here.