When renowned film critic, Roger Ebert, died last year, there was a huge outpouring of appreciation from film lovers around the world. He was an ambassador for cinema who introduced audiences to countless films they might have otherwise missed. Ebert and his long-time partner, Gene Siskel, started reviewing movies on their Chicago PBS affiliate back …
Skyfall and Casino Royale helped usher in such a vastly new appreciation for the James Bond franchise that with Sam Mendes returning to direct the still untitled Bond 24 and rumored to direct Bond 25, excitement remains high for any new details about the project. And though Daniel Craig has been much less the casanova since …
Life Itself Directed by Steve James USA, 2014 In Roger Ebert’s memoir Life Itself, he dedicates an entire chapter to his love of Steak ‘n Shake. “If I were on death row, my last meal would be from Steak ‘n Shake,” he explains. “If I were to take President Obama and his family to dinner …
A look at the masthead of the new RogerEbert.com is just one sign that the film world is still celebrating the life of the late film critic Roger Ebert, who died over a year ago this April. This Wednesday marks his 72nd birthday, and Chaz Ebert is commemorating the occasion with a Google+ Hangout Event …
De Palma has relied on expressionist imagery and self-reflexivity for most of his career, so why is it a problem with Snake Eyes? Were critics expecting a different sort of experience because of the genre? Either way, the issue seems worth delving into, if only to unpack false notions of the film being a waste of time.
Life Itself Directed by Steve James USA, 2014 The new documentary Life Itself, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this week in advance of its theatrical release and subsequent airing on CNN (as this is a CNN Films production), is a rare beast. It is an honest and unflinching celebration of a man’s life, …
The Wolf of Wall Street Written by Terence Winter Directed by Martin Scorsese USA, 2013 Leonardo DiCaprio is a year away from 40, though he still retains the same boyish air and enthusiasm that marked him from Titanic onward. But over the intervening 16 years, he’s thinned down enough that he has a leaner, tighter, …
After the surprising thematic unity of day two of Ebertfest (the four films screened explored similar topics), with day three’s picks Roger Ebert seemed more interested in exploring contradictions. The day began with director Joachim Trier’s Oslo, August 31st, a Norwegian film that follows a recovering drug addict, Anders, over the course of his day. …
The rain, and later cold, didn’t deter audiences as big numbers turned out for day two of Ebertfest. As evidenced by the pairing of “I Remember” with Days of Heaven, Roger put tremendous thought into his programming of the festival, something clearly on display with his choices for day two. The power and beauty of …
Some of you (hopefully) may have noticed my recent profile on the late, great Robert Mitchum. In the course of researching the piece, I came across the fun tidbit that Mitchum had been a favorite of film critic Roger Ebert. The mind rarely works in linear fashion, and I suspect mine may even be more …
You may have seen recently that Joss Whedon “endorsed” Mitt Romney for President saying, “You know, like a lot of liberal Americans, I was excited when Barack Obama took office four years ago. But it’s a very different world now. And Mitt Romney is a very different candidate. One with the vision and determination to cut …
The Raid: Redemption aka Serbuan maut Written and Directed by Gareth Evans Indonesia, 2011, imdb For the martial arts aficianados out there, don’t even bother reading this review, just go to the theatre now. The Raid: Redemption is everything that you have heard it is and more. Offering a rare glimpse of the Indonesian martial …
Armond White used to be unknown to most people, but soon he found himself in the spotlight when people took notice of his negative reviews of The Dark Knight, There Will Be Blood, and Wall-E. White was the only critic who continuously disliked the more popular films. Now the New York-based film and music critic …
According to /film Roger Ebert recently tweeted that the new movie television review show he will be producing, (now called Roger Ebert Presents At The Movies) is set to premiere on January 21st in 194 markets in the United States and on the Armed Forces Network worldwide. The bad news is that critic Elvis Mitchell …