Roger Ebert Reviews

The world lost one of the best actors of his or any generation in February when Gene Hackman left us. He hadn’t worked in two decades, but it still hurt to know that he was truly gone, and it got the entire world thinking of their favorite acting turns from the two-time Oscar winner. We […]

This third and final dispatch from True/False is one of those where the theme among the three chosen titles is quite explicit. These deeply personal works are all defined by the dogged, hopeful pursuit of dreams: sports, education, and aspirations—that feel especially heartening right now.  Luge is a winter sport. So it’s sort of odd

Yesterday was unseasonably warm at True/False. Today, with the temperature, I am reminded that it is only March and l am still in the Midwest. Even so, the documentaries are still coming hot and heavy in Columbia, Missouri, and this second dispatch offers an idea of just how diverse the stories and styles are here:

Here at True/False Film Festival, documentary as a form reigns supreme. Located in the Midwestern college town of Columbia, Missouri, True/False always brings an assortment of non-fiction films world premiering at the festival, joined by others hailing from Sundance other prestige doc fests. This first dispatch is a replica of that formula, covering three films

Now marking its 30th year, the annual “Rendez-Vous with French Cinema” festival returns to give American audiences a taste of what is happening in contemporary French cinema. Running March 6-16th at New York’s Walter Reade Theatre, the program offers up 23 films—a number of which are making their U.S./North American premieres—that include both the latest

Continuing the tradition of Chicago-based critics and creatives curating film festivals, this weekend marks the very first Filmspotting Fest, a three-day in-person film festival celebrating twenty years of the iconic podcast of the same name.  Set to run from February 28th-March 2nd, screenings are split across the Music Box Theatre and Gene Siskel Film Center

Season three of AMC’s underrated “Dark Winds” opens with an image of the dark desert, illuminated only by a fallen flashlight. David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” bleeds into the scene, as the camera pans to reveal an unconscious Lt. Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon) laying amongst the dirt. The camera pans away from his body, swirling and