My only complaint about the expansive, emotional documentary life itself, about legendary film critic roger ebert, is that you really cant complain about it. Life itself is a 2014 american biographical documentary film about chicago film critic roger ebert, directed by steve james and produced by zak piper, james and garrett basch. The movie itself is a broadside attack on televised evangelists, particularly the. Eberts new memoir, life itself, is an episodic, impressionistic and skillfully written exploration of his life, from his 1950s childhood in urbana, ill. The documentary is based on his bestselling book, life itself.
An inspiring cnn film on the life of roger ebert and how he became one of americas most influential cultural voices. Roger ebert has 76 books on goodreads with 40046 ratings. Nobody wrote about moviesor lifebetter than roger ebert. Im introducing the movie on march 4 at the battelle film clubs showing at 7. What shines throughout the book is eberts humility, his downtoearth and powerful sense of decency. Jul 03, 2014 thankfully, ebert actually narrates parts of life itself, the title of which is taken from his memoir, the bookontape version of which we hear on screen. Roger joseph ebert was an american film critic, historian, journalist, screenwriter, and author. A mawkish melodrama that means less the more it tries to say, life itself suggests writerdirector dan fogelmans talents are best suited to television.
Minneapolis star tribune a gentle look back, life itself. Life itself is a documentary on the life of chicago suntimes movie critic and legend roger ebert. Life itself, reminiscences of roger ebert the new york times. If you love the film, which we know you will, youll love the book. Its no use comparing the book and movie versions of lady chatterleys lover. He had to be to face the demons and challenges in his personal life and if he werent, i dont believe he would be here today. I especially liked mary stuart mastersons work, but then i nearly always do see her in some kind of wonderful. And i enjoyed the vigor with which jessica tandy told her. Ebert is anything but provincial life itself begins with a reference to ingmar bergmans film persona, and ends by quoting tintins dog, milou but reading this book i was struck by how. Notable as the only book coauthored by siskel and ebert. Roger eberts life itself is a newspapermans memoir, which is to say its breezy, factfilled and rather light on emotions. Fried green tomatoes is fairly predictable, and the flashback structure is a distraction, but the strength of the performances overcomes the problems of the structure. A memoir is as moving as it is amusing, fresh evidence that roger ebert is a writer who happens to love movies, not a movie lover who happens to write. It premiered at the 2014 sundance film festival and was an official selection at the 67th cannes film festival.
The life and career of the renowned film critic and social commentator, roger ebert. Though based on eberts memoir, the film takes a turn. So we thought wed reprint the excerpt that roger ebert ran just before its release in 2011. The film is based on ebert s 2011 memoir of the same name.
The documentary about beloved film critic roger ebert, life itself, hits. For all his fame as a movie critic on tv, eberts vocation, from his childhood, has been to be a newspaperman. Cinema lovers will be inspired by this portrait of the chicago newspaperman who became a tv. That much i gleaned from watching life itself, the acclaimed documentary from director steve james hoop dreams, which is based on eberts 2011 memoir, and is actually streaming on netflix now rogert ebert passed away in 20, and for this documentary james received an extraordinary level of access. An unflinching documentary of roger eberts life and death in late 2012, filmmaker steve james and roger ebert began talking about filming a. I will look the way i look, and express myself in print, and i will be content.
Jul 04, 2014 the documentary life itself is a wartsandall portrait of roger ebert, the most famous and affectionately regarded of american movie critics. The film is based on eberts 2011 memoir of the same name. Sep 18, 2011 life itselfa memoirby roger ebert grand central. The highly anticipated and already acclaimed film based on roger ebert s memoir, life itself, opens in theaters today and is now available on demand. I give both of my thumbs up to the documentary, with a cautionary. In 1975, ebert became the first film critic to win the pulitzer prize for criticism. East peorian zak piper a producer on acclaimed roger ebert. Filled with the same deep insight, dry wit, and sharp observations that his readers have long cherished, this is more than a memoir it is a singular, warmhearted, inspiring look at life itself. Thankfully, ebert actually narrates parts of life itself, the title of which is taken from his memoir, the bookontape version of which we hear on screen.
Not to be confused with the title of roger ebert s memoir, dan fogelmans life itself packs in enough narrative twists and turns to leave viewers with a sense of emotional whiplash. Life itself is the 2011 memoir by film critic roger ebert, pulitzer prize winning journalist for the chicago suntimes who through partnership with film critic gene siskel, cohosted a nationally syndicated tv talk show that made him a household name as a critic, with his insights, interviews and patented thumbs up thumbs down summary of movies. Though based on eberts memoir, the film takes a turn and ends up following the final days of his. It has a rotten tomatoes score of 100% among top critics. Based on his bestselling memoir of the same name, life itself, explores the impact and legacy of roger eberts life, from his pulitzer prizewinning film criticism at the chicago suntimes to becoming one of the most influential cultural voices in america. Though based on ebert s memoir, the film takes a turn and ends up following the final days of his. Steve jamess lifeaffirming documentary about the influential american movie critic gets.
But so exact it could almost be a sound stage session. Ebert s new memoir, life itself, is an episodic, impressionistic and skillfully written exploration of his life, from his 1950s childhood in urbana, ill. Life itself roger ebert and the everlasting power of. Life itself by roger ebert overdrive rakuten overdrive. As ebert notes in his new autobiography, life itself, his silence has made his inner voice more vivid, andas he himself says in his introductionthe book is. Now a major motion picture roger ebert is the bestknown film critic of our time. Jul 04, 2014 t he long fourth of july weekend is another kind of holiday for film lovers. In 2006, complications from thyroid cancer treatment resulted in the loss of his ability to eat. Roger eberts memoir life itself heading for the big screen. Ebert passed away in april 20, but a major part of this film was to document his battle with the cancer that he would ultimately lose. Roger ebert is remembered in the documentary life itself.
Oct 11, 2011 roger eberts life itself is a newspapermans memoir, which is to say its breezy, factfilled and rather light on emotions. And now the world will see them, too, as the documentary life itself. Kartemquin filmss life itself, based on roger eberts celebrated memoir of the same title, recounts the surprising, entertaining, and moving life of the worldrenowned film critic and. Best limited release 2014 life and death of martin luther king, jr. I dont want to get overconfident, because the tests arent all in yet, but hes doing pretty well, all things considered, and the doctors seem to think a full. The documentary about beloved film critic roger ebert, life itself, hits theaters and ondemand services friday. Cancerfree, ebert, 69, goes about life a purposeful, passionate man.
Buy a cheap copy of life itself book by roger ebert. In 1975, ebert became the first film critic to win the pulitzer prize for criticism ebert was known for his intimate, midwestern writing voice and critical views. Peoria east peoria native zak piper has witnessed some of the most fragile moments of film critic roger eberts life. Life itself, the new documentary about roger ebert, examines many facets of the nations most famous film critic. Film critic roger ebert, life itself a memoir author speaks. A biodocumentary about ebert, called life itself, was released in 2014 to. I recently watched life itself, the wonderful documentary about the pulitzer prizewinning film critic and social commentator roger ebert 1942 20. He brings life to the musical form in the same way that west side story did, the. Life itself is the gripping, heartwarming, detailed and powerful story of the inimitable roger ebert, the beloved film critic from the chicago suntimes as well as scriptwriter, author and all around media giant. Siskel frantically dialed their own shows producer. An unflinching documentary of roger ebert s life and death in late 2012, filmmaker steve james and roger ebert began talking about filming a documentary based on ebert s memoir.
Sep 09, 2011 eberts memoir, life itself, resembles one of those movie marathons. One tragedy bleeds into another so often that the events begin to blur. He was a film critic for the chicago suntimes from 1967 until his death in 20. A centerpiece of the documentary is the story of how ebert and gene siskel revolutionized film criticism and became the most recognized and powerful movie critics in the world. Mar 17, 2015 kartemquin filmss life itself, based on roger eberts celebrated memoir of the same title, recounts the surprising, entertaining, and moving life of the worldrenowned film critic and. On rotten tomatoes, the film holds a rating of 97% from 198 critics, with an.
In the green room, a writer mentioned that johnny might ask them for the names of a few recent movies they liked. Roger takes us from his childhood in a typical religious educated family of the 1940s. June 18, 1942 april 4, 20 was an american film critic, historian, journalist, screenwriter, and author. He was the author of seventeen books, including scorsese by ebert and awake in the dark. Life itself is a fascinating documentary about pulitzer prize winning film critic roger ebert. Tales from childhood, interviews with film stars and directors, funny and touching stories about colleagues, and. T he long fourth of july weekend is another kind of holiday for film lovers. He had a stroke on the tuesday before life itself opened. This interview by jamie stewart filmed a few years ago captures the warmth and the wisdom of the muchloved sidney lumet. He is the author of seventeen books, including scorsese by. Roger ebert is the bestknown film critic of our time. But, as ebert notes in his new autobiography, life itself, his silence has made his inner voice more vivid, andas he himself says in his introductionthe book is proof of it. Second, a good chunk of life itself, a documentary inspired by roger s sametitled memoir, takes place in a hospital. With roger ebert, chaz ebert, gene siskel, martin scorsese.
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