Roger Ebert Home

Far Flungers

Far Flungers

A psychopath and the Female Gaze

I love a black comedy. Always have. You know, all those tragic mishaps that seem to befall Alec Guinness in the English countryside when no one is looking? But then who doesn't love an Ealing comedy. I also like "Dexter"…

May contain spoilers

Far Flungers

Clint Eastwood and the Hereafter

During the 1970s and 80s the typical Clint Eastwood vehicle was heavier in plot than characters. In most cases, he simply played another variation of his usual loner, with a different name and leading lady. The female role was barely…

May contain spoilers

Far Flungers

A love letter to Iran

These days when you mention Iran, we think of a nation on the brink of war. Extremist images come to mind, full of concealed women and bearded militants. Such stereotypes are useful in the drum up to war. But rarely…

May contain spoilers

Far Flungers

A prisoner of pleasure

On the subway, the beautiful woman returns his gaze with a smile. Noticing the desire of the man before her, she crosses her legs suggestively, indicating an awareness of what's happening while waiting for a more direct approach. Gradually, however,…

May contain spoilers

Far Flungers

Remembering my father's face

I remember my father's face, but not his voice. If I close my eyes I can perfectly see his expression of disapproval this one time when I was five years old, and another one of deep affection, at more or…

May contain spoilers

Far Flungers

A lifetime in five minutes

Streaming free on Amazon Prime. When I watch Roger Donaldson's "The World's Fastest Indian," (2005) it makes my day. Burt Munro (Anthony Hopkins) is a contented New Zealand eccentric tinkering with a motorcycle that he dreams of racing in the…

May contain spoilers

Far Flungers

The Pursuit of Powerlessness

One man. Three acts. Three stories. First, he is an aggressive corporate manager, racing against seconds and minutes to do his work and live his life. Second, he is a quiet man in a peaceful land, where time moves in…

May contain spoilers

Far Flungers

The Pursuit of Power

Josh Trank's "Chronicle" is the kind of film that curious teenage boys dedicate their hopes and dreams to, before succumbing to thoughts about health insurance and car payments. It advertises itself as a small movie about a few giggling, frowning…

May contain spoilers

Far Flungers

Santa Barbara Film Festival 2012

It's a sunny, unseasonable 80 degrees as the 2012 Santa Barbara International Film Festival kicks in, but all I want is to be indoors. When you peer at a schedule listing nearly 200 films jammed into 10 days, and you…

May contain spoilers