Roger Ebert

A collection of 41 posts

On Movies & Media

Birthday Party on Bald Mountain

75 years ago today, Disney's Fantasia — directed by Norman Ferguson — opened. It was the first of its kind in many ways, most notably in that it was the first film presented in stereophonic sound (a speaker was positioned, with others on either side of it). And it remains

Film Review

Life Itself (2014): first impressions

"Drama holds a mirror up to life, but needn't reproduce it." Roger, Roger, Roger. Here I am watching a film about your departure, and I'm still jotting down things you said that will be worth quoting in my own film reviews. There is a

On Movies & Media

Overheard at the Movies: Persecuted, Noah, Wish I Was Here, Life Itself, I Origins, and A Most Wanted Man

Does the film about Roger Ebert get a "thumbs up" at Christianity Today? Is Persecuted an "overwrought, alarmist cog in the paranoia machine"? Is Noah "laughable and silly"? Does Wish I Was Here peddle "mushy feel-goodisms"? And how is Philip Seymour Hoffman in A Most Wanted Man?

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Roger Ebert and Todd Rendleman: An Unexpected Friendship, A Remarkable Memoir

“We started up an email friendship,” says Todd Rendleman, who teaches film history and aesthetics at Seattle Pacific University. He’s talking about his new book "Rule of Thumb: Ebert at the Movies," and how the book’s subject — legendary film critic Roger Ebert — came to write the forward.

On Movies & Media

Thank You, Roger Ebert. Now, Rest in Peace. [Updated April 6th.]

"A movie is not about what it is about. It is about how it is about it." - Roger Ebert, 1942-2013 Perhaps we should remember more than Martin Luther King on April 4 from here on out. King's birthday is already a national holiday. Perhaps this

On Movies & Media

Roger Ebert on "Les Miserables"

Roger Ebert, who missed out on some of the year's big Oscar-season releases, finally caught up with Les Misérables. What did he think? Well, let's just say I feel a little less lonely this morning. He writes: are In case you missed it, here's

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Over the Moon: A Critic in Top Form

Sure, there are some critics out there who strive to seem superior to others. But most critics are just fans of movies... such big fans that they like to examine and talk about everything that's in a movie. Today, I came across a reminder of what a great critic can accomplish.

On Movies & Media

A Three-Star Rant About Thumbs

I want to read perspectives and interpretations... not assessments of "I liked it" or "It sucked." When I was a child watching Siskel and Ebert, the thumbs-up/thumbs-down was a suspenseful gimmick; I couldn't wait to see the sparks fly when the critics' thumb-ation of the film put them odds. But it

On Movies & Media

Oscars, Schmoscars.

Look what Roger Ebert's adding to his Ten Greatest Films list. Someday, I should consolidate all of my various reviews of this film into one, since my thoughts about it change every time I see it. And isn't that what great art does? Isn't

On Movies & Media

"Only a Lover Can Be a Critic."

Only a lover can be a critic. Elijah Davidson is talking about the question that will direct our discussions at the upcoming Reel Spirituality event: Is film criticism dead? The question has been coming up a lot lately. That's why I wrote a "Letter to a Young

On Movies & Media

The School Newspaper: The Best Place to Start?

Did you — or do you — write for your school newspaper? I did. My first feature, back in 1991 (if I recall correctly), was a two-page spread on the intersection of faith and art, in which I discussed the work of Sam Phillips, U2, and Peter Gabriel. I did movie reviews,

Roger Ebert

Wild Things; Robert Clark; Ethix; Elvis Costello; Tom Waits; Darcy James Argue; Vince Vaughn; Moses; Chesterton; and more.

The Browser: News & links to raise your eyebrows & furrow your brow. New headlines may be added as the day goes on. Stay tuned. 1. One of the most surreal moments in my adventures online: Hearing the news about Obama's Nobel prize, I signed in to Twitter

On Movies & Media

Another "Munyurangabo" Fan. Guess Who.

If you visit this blog, you've probably read my various raves about the film Munyurangabo. Well, I'm happy to discover that a much greater authority on movies has added his praise to the rising wave of excitement. Roger Ebert gives Munyurangabo a full 4-star rave.

On Movies & Media

Roger Ebert on "Hurt Locker" vs. "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"

Roger Ebert: “The Hurt Locker” is a great film, an intelligent film, a film shot clearly so that we know exactly who everybody is and where they are and what they’re doing and why. The camera work is at the service of the story. Bigelow knows, unlike the pathetic

Roger Ebert

"Snob!"

Been called a snob lately? Roger Ebert has. I feel for him. I've been called a "snob" many times for giving "ho-hum" or "don't bother" reviews to popular movies. And I've been described as a "snob"

On Movies & Media

"Snob!"

Been called a snob lately? Roger Ebert has. I feel for him. I've been called a "snob" many times for giving "ho-hum" or "don't bother" reviews to popular movies. And I've been described as a "snob"

On Movies & Media

Up, Up... and a Rave!

Hey, guess what! Looks like this new Pixar movie might be worth seeing! Yep, the latest film from the most consistently impressive filmmaking team at work in the world today is almost here. I'm so thrilled to be reviewing movies in the age of Pixar. What a joy

On Movies & Media

"Watchmen": Five Reviews from Critics that Matter to Me (They Disagree)

Post your review, or a link to your favorite, below. Here are five from voices that matter to me: * Robert Davis * Steven D. Greydanus * Russ Breimeier * Andrew O'Hehir * Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert

Ebert thinks back on his days with Gene Siskel

Ebert turns in a thoughtful remembrance of Gene Siskel. That night we had dinner together in a hotel in Cambridge, and had our longest and deepest philosophical discussion. We talked about life and death, the cosmos, our place in the grand scheme of things, the meaning of it all. There

On Movies & Media

Roger Ebert on truth-telling, religion, politics, and "The Reader"

Ebert has just published one of his most thought-provoking, personal, revealing commentaries. I hope you'll read the whole thing.

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That's The Spirit!

Roger Ebert: The Spirit

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Roger Ebert's favorite films of 2008.

The master has spoken. I have a rough-draft list of my favorites for 2008, and it's almost identical to this one. Wild. That rarely happens with any critic, especially Ebert. But my current favorite film of '08 is on this list, so if you want to start

Roger Ebert

Have You Done Your Critic Exercises Today?

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMlioyKsaQg

Roger Ebert

Greydanus on Twilight-mania; Ebert on the CelebCult

Steven Greydanus offers an insightful interpretation of the Twilight phenomenon. Now that's what I'm talking about! * Roger Ebert: Death to Film Critics! Hail to the CelebCult!

On Movies & Media

Roger Ebert Remembers "The Last Temptation of Christ"

Congratulations to my friend Steven D. Greydanus. His review of The Passion of the Christ was persuasive for Roger Ebert when that film was released. Now, his review of The Last Temptation has proven useful to Ebert as well. There's a reason that Greydanus is my favorite writer