Focus
Like Ficarra and Requa’s 2011 comedy Crazy Stupid Love, Focus begins promisingly and bops along enjoyably for a while, only to run out of steam…
Emily Watson
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The Theory of Everything (2014)
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Beryl Wilde
Christy Lemire -
Belle (2014)
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Lady Mansfield
Glenn Kenny -
The Book Thief (2013)
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Rosa Hubermann
Godfrey Cheshire -
War Horse (2011)
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Rose Narracott
Roger Ebert -
Oranges and Sunshine (2011)
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Margaret
Roger Ebert -
Fireflies in the Garden (2011)
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Jane Lawrence
Roger Ebert -
Cold Souls (2009)
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Claire, Paul's wife
Roger Ebert -
Synecdoche, New York (2008)
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Tammy
Roger Ebert -
The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep (2007)
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Anne MacMorrow
Roger Ebert -
Wah-Wah (2006)
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Ruby Compton
Roger Ebert -
The Proposition (2006)
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Martha Stanley
Roger Ebert -
Separate Lies (2005)
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Anne Manning
Roger Ebert -
Tim Burton's Corpse Bride (2005)
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Victoria Everglot
Roger Ebert -
Equilibrium (2002)
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Mary O'Brien
Roger Ebert -
Punch-Drunk Love (2002)
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Lena Leonard
Roger Ebert -
Red Dragon (2002)
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Reba McClane
Roger Ebert -
Gosford Park (2002)
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Elsie
Roger Ebert -
The Luzhin Defence (2001)
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Natalia
Roger Ebert -
Trixie (2000)
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Zurbo
Roger Ebert -
Angela's Ashes (2000)
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Angela
Roger Ebert -
Cradle Will Rock (1999)
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Olive Stanton
Roger Ebert -
Metroland (1999)
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Marion
Roger Ebert -
Hilary and Jackie (1999)
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Jacqueline Du Pre
Roger Ebert -
The Boxer (1998)
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Maggie
Roger Ebert -
Breaking the Waves (1996)
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Bess
Roger Ebert
* This filmography is not intended to be a comprehensive list of this artist’s work. Instead it reflects the films this person has been involved with that have been reviewed on this site.
In Defense of the Likable Character
A piece on our obsession with anti-heroes, and an argument for the rewarding arc of the likable character.
The Power of Words: Director Brian Percival and actors Geoffrey Rush and Sophie Nélisse discuss "The Book Thief."
Director Brian Percival and actors Geoffrey Rush and Sophie Nélisse discuss "The Book Thief."
#182 August 28, 2013
Sheila writes: Thank you all for taking the time to answer our survey! We will keep you posted on any changes that may come about. So let's get to the newsletter, shall we? Jack Kerouac famously wrote the majority of "On the Road" on one long scroll of paper. Kerouac found that taking the time to remove the finished pages off of the typewriter and replacing them with a fresh sheet interrupted his flow. California artist Paul Rogers, who has done ten book covers for Random House UK of Hemingway classic, has created an online scroll of beautiful illustrations for Kerouac's novel. Evocative and gritty, they make a great companion piece for "On the Road". You can see more of Paul Rogers' cool work at his site.
#173 June 26, 2013
Marie writes: There was a time when Animation was done by slaves with a brush in one hand and a beer in the other. Gary Larson's "Tales From the Far Side" (1994) was such a project. I should know; I worked on it. Produced by Marv Newland at his Vancouver studio "International Rocketship", it first aired as a CBS Halloween special (Larson threw a party for the crew at the Pan Pacific Hotel where we watched the film on a big screen) and was later entered into the 1995 Annecy International Animated Film Festival, where it won the Grand Prix. It spawned a sequel "Tales From the Far Side II" (1997) - I worked on that too. Here it is, below.
#92 December 7, 2011
Marie writes: Belgium club member Koen Van Loocke has submitted the following and it's so awesome, I have no words. But first, background..The Cinematic Orchestra is led by composer/programmer/multi-instrumentalist Jason Swinscoe, who formed his first group "Crabladder" in 1990 while a Fine Arts student at Cardiff College. The group's fusion of jazz and hardcore punk elements with experimental rhythms, inspired Swinscoe to further explore the musical possibilites and by the time the group disbanded in the mid-'90s, he was playing DJ at various clubs and pirate radio stations in and around London.
#83 October 5, 2011
Marie writes: I love photography, especially B/W and for often finding color a distraction. Take away the color and suddenly, there's so much more to see; the subtext able to rise now and sit closer to the surface - or so it seems to me. The following photograph is included in a gallery of nine images (color and B/W) under Photography: Celebrity Portraits at the Guardian."This is one of the last photographs of Orson before he died. He loved my camera - a gigantic Deardorff - and decided he had to direct me and tell me where to put the light. So even in his last days, he was performing his directorial role perfectly, and bossing me around. Which was precious." - Michael O'Neill
Orson Welles, by Michael O'Neill, 1985
#78 August 31, 2011
Marie writes: At first you think you're looking at a photograph. Then the penny drops, along with your jaw..."Alan Wolfson creates handmade miniature sculptures of urban environments. Complete with complex interior views and lighting effects, a major work can take several months to complete. The pieces are usually not exact representations of existing locations, but rather a combination of details from many different locations along with much of the detail from the artist's imagination. There is a narrative element to the work. Scenarios are played out through the use of inanimate objects in the scene. There are never people present, only things they have left behind; garbage, graffiti, or a tip on a diner table, all give the work a sense of motion and a storyline. Alan's miniature environments are included in art collections throughout the US and Europe." - Alan Wolfson - Miniature Urban Sculptures
"FOLLIES BURLESK" (1987)14 1/4 x 19 1/4 x 21 1/2 inches(click images to enlarge)
#70 July 6, 2011
Marie writes: Gone fishing...aka: in the past 48 hrs, Movable Type was down so I couldn't work, my friend Siri came over with belated birthday presents, and I built a custom mesh screen for my kitchen window in advance of expected hot weather. So this week's Newsletter is a bit lighter than usual.
#65 June 1, 2011
Marie writes: Why a picture is often worth a thousand words...Production still of Harold Lloyd in "An Eastern Westerner" (1920)
#59 April 20, 2011
Marie writes: Ever since he was a boy, photographer John Hallmén has been fascinated by insects. And he's become well-known for photographing the creatures he finds in the Nackareservatet nature reserve not far from his home in Stockholm, Sweden. Hallmén uses various methods to capture his subjects and the results are remarkable. Bugs can be creepy, to be sure, but they can also be astonishingly beautiful...
Blue Damsel Fly [click to enlarge photos]
#56 March 30, 2011
"Of few deaths can it be said that they end an era, but hers does. No other actress commanded more attention for longer, for her work, her beauty, her private life, and a series of health problems that brought her near death more than once." - Roger, from Elizabeth Taylor, a star in her own category
#51 February 23, 2011
Marie writes: In a move which didn't fail to put a subversive smile on my face, works by the mysterious graffiti artist Banksy began to appear recently in Hollywood as Academy Awards voters prepared to judge Exit Through the Gift Shop, which is up for best Documentary. (Click to enlarge.)
The most controversial thus far was painted on a billboard directly opposite the Directors Guild of America HQ on Sunset Boulevard. A poster advertising The Light Group (a property, nightclub and restaurant developer) was stenciled over with images of a cocktail-guzzling Mickey Mouse grasping a woman's breast. As it was being removed, a scuffle broke out between workmen and a man claiming the poster was his "property" - presumably triggered by the fact that an authentic piece by Banksy is worth thousands. To read more visit Banksy targets LA ahead of Oscars at the Guardian. And to see more pictures go HERE.
When the Great Gray Cloud comes to call
May Contain SpoilersYesterday it was cold and rainy and glum. I searched for background movies to put on while I wrote, but my usual George Cukor go-tos weren't doing the trick. I branched out. Shane, Forbidden Games, Love & Anarchy, Mogambo, and various classic TV shows were turned on and shut off. Nothing worked. I decided to take a twenty minute nap to shake the damp.
'Millions' writer wins "lottery"
Filmography:
'Closer' looks and 'Sideways' glances
Q. I saw both "Closer" and "Sideways" recently. I know that both of these films got rave reviews, but I left both feeling disappointed and wondering "what am I missing?" I didn't like any of the characters in "Closer" and just saw a narcissistic emptiness. I had no idea why they did what they did.
The good, the bad and 'De-Lovely'
CANNES, France -- The winners of this year's Cannes Film Festival will be announced at a ceremony Saturday night. As I write, the leading contenders for the Palme d'Or are said to be "The Motorcycle Diaries" from Brazil and "Comme Une Image" ("Look at Me") from France, although there are supporters for "2046" (2005) by China's Wong Kar-Wai, a film I found maddening in its mannered repetition of a few worn stylistic and dramatic strategies. And it is said that Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11" will win one of the top prizes; it was cheered longer than any other film in festival history.
'Love' at first sight
So there I am at the Toronto Film Festival, eyeing Adam Sandler across the room. He knows and I know that I have never given him a good review. That time we met backstage at Letterman, he was very decent, considering. He said he hoped that someday he would make something I liked. Now he has.
Six treats for film festgoers in Toronto
TORONTO--At the end of the 27th Toronto Film Festival, six films in six paragraphs, alphabetically:
Movie Answer Man (01/14/2001)
Q. Having relocated to Madison, Wis. from NYC a little over a year ago I knew I would have to wait along with the rest of the country for movies to open. The problem is that the waits have gotten longer and longer. Here are a few films that are not showing here yet, although they have been reviewed in national publications and the stars have made their rounds on the talk shows: "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," "The House of Mirth," "Quills," "Before Night Falls," "State And Main" "O Brother, Where Art Thou?." Meanwhile, here is what's still sucking up good theatre space in my new hometown: "Charlie's Angels," "Remember The Titans," "Little Nicky," "Men Of Honor," "Bedazzled" and "Unbreakable!" Please feel some pity for me and help me understand what the studio thinking is behind all this. (Richard Thomas, Madison WI)
Ebert & Scorsese: Best Films of the 1990s
Ebert's 10 best:
The Best 10 Movies of 1990s
Ebert's 10 best:
Toronto's vast film buffet serves fare for all tastes
TORONTO -- The program for the Toronto Film Festival falls with the thud of the Yellow Pages. This year, more than 300 films from 53 countries will be shown at the largest and most important film festival in North America, which opened Thursday, and as usual, the crowds will be lining up for everything - literally everything. If your movie can't fill a theater at this festival, you might as well cut it up and use it to floss with.
Movie Answer Man (04/06/1997)
Q. One thing that really jumped out at me during the Oscars this year: the comparative screen time for the winners in the supporting and lead acting categories. I would bet that Cuba Gooding Jr. had more screen time than Geoffrey Rush, and that Juliette Binoche had more screen time than Frances McDormand. Now, don't get me wrong: I admired both Rush's and McDormand's performances. But since they respectively beat Billy Bob Thornton and Emily Watson, who appeared in just about every scene in their films, it feels like a cheat! (Chuck Rudolph, New York City)
The Best 10 Movies of 1996
Ebert's Best Film Lists1967 - present
