A Year After Roger's Death, Ebertfest a Celebration of Life Itself

"When I go to the movies, I have an out-of-body experience. If the movie is working for me, to some degree I am that person on the screen. I forget my social security number, I don't know where I parked my car, I am having vicariously an experience that happened to someone else, and that makes me a better person--or it can make me a better person.

I sincerely believe that to see good films, and to see important films, is one of the most profoundly civilizing experiences that we can have as people."

-- Roger Ebert
   From a video clip screened before every film
   at the 16th Annual Roger Ebert's Film Festival
   in Champaign, Illinois April 23-27, 2014

In 1997, Roger Ebert--at that point well-known as the longtime film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times and co-host of a syndicated movie review TV show (under various names) with his Chicago Tribune counterpart, Gene Siskel--hosted a screening of 2001: A Space Odyssey at the Virginia Theater in Champaign, IL, near the campus of his alma mater, the University of Illinois. This correlated to a connection between the U of I and 2001's HAL computer, which you can read about on Wikipedia.

After that screening, per suggestions from the school, Ebert began an annual film festival at the venue, which is also close to Roger's hometown of Urbana. 

It was initially dubbed Roger Ebert's Overlooked Film Festival, as Ebert hand-picked movies that he felt deserved greater attention. 

Although my best friend has long lived in Urbana and I've visited him and his wife in many different years, I never thought to travel to the festival until 2010.

That was a few years after cancer and several unsuccessful jaw surgeries had left Roger disfigured and unable to eat, drink or speak. 

By that time, "Overlooked" was dropped from the title of Roger Ebert's Film Festival and it seemingly became more colloquially known simply as "Ebertfest." (Festival website)

According to Wikipedia, this didn't really reflect a change in philosophy so much as eliminated the need for explanation when films that didn't exactly fit the definition of "overlooked"--such as movies shown prior to their official release--were included.

But in my mind, simplifying the name just more directly honored the hometown hero, especially as he courageously faced daunting health challenges.

In the face of those challenges, Ebert astonishingly increased the volume of his voice, even though unable to speak.

While writing even more movie reviews than he had before, Roger became a prolific blogger about many personal and social issues, utilized Facebook and Twitter better than anyone else I've yet observed and wrote an acclaimed biography, Life Itself (which I haven't read in full).

In other words, by the time of his death on April 4, 2013, Roger Ebert had gone from a highly popular, esteemed and Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic famous for his harangues with Siskel--who died in 1999--to one of America's most astute and important social commentators, one who I sorely miss. Though I also acutely miss him as a film critic, for there is no other reviewer I read and respect with regularity.

Ebert also came to serve as the epitome of a public figure dealing with a debilitating, disfiguring illness with the utmost in dignity, courage, grace and openness.

Not only did he continue to write, more and--by many accounts--better than ever, but through a cover story in Esquire magazine, an interview with Oprah, appearances at Ebertfest (where I saw him in 2010 & 2011) and even a book signing I was lucky enough to attend, Roger was not afraid to show his mangled, jawless face, which amazingly always seemed to have a smile on it.

This transparency continued with the filming of a documentary based on his autobiography, Life Itself. Acclaimed director Steve James (Hoop Dreams, The Interrupters) didn't begin with thoughts he would be documenting the last month's of Roger's life, but rather recapping Ebert's impressive career, compelling biography, inspiring perseverance and the love & support of his remarkable wife, Chaz.

But more bad news about the recurrence of cancer continued to get worse during James' filming, and yet Roger and Chaz continued to let the cameras capture many scenes that would be hard for anyone to watch even had Ebert remained alive.

And though Chaz bravely emceed Ebertfest last year, just three weeks after Roger had died, opening the 16th Annual Roger Ebert's Film Festival 2014 with Life Itself was incredibly poignant, touching, sad, celebratory, inspirational and also a truly magnificent movie. 

The festival has typically run from Wednesday night through Sunday afternoon, but though I had attended Ebertfest in 2010, 2011 and 2013, I had always gone down to Champaign-Urbana merely in time to catch a couple movies on Saturday.

Certainly I missed out on many great movies, and top tier special guests who would speak both before their films and more extensively after, but I just enjoyed being there, for the movies I did see, the experience and to pay homage to its host and namesake. (Though last year this became just the latter, Chaz has continued on as a wonderful host.)

This is true again in 2014, but instead of going on the weekend--when there was also a marathon happening in town--I decided to get there for the opening of the fest, and Life Itself.

I'm glad I did.

I would give the documentary @@@@@, and the same to Short Term 12, the second of three films I saw on Thursday before heading home Friday morning.

That 2013 movie stars Brie Larson, who gives an outstanding performance as a young supervisor of a group home for troubled kids.

Larson was at Ebertfest for the screening along with co-star Keith Stanfield, enthusiastically snapped pictures of the audience to share with her director (Destin Daniel Cretton) and participated in a couple of panel discussions at the Illini Student Union, which I didn't attend.

Almost all of the movie introductions by Chaz, post-show Q&A sessions and panel discussions can be viewed through the Ebertfest YouTube Channel.

So in addition to the guests I saw live--including James, Larson, Stanfield, director Jem Cohen of the movie Museum Hours and comedian Patton Oswalt, who accompanied Young Adult--I've now watched director Bennett Miller discuss Capote starring his close friend Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Spike Lee who was there in part to salute Ebert for being an early champion of Do the Right Thing. I also intend to watch Ebert friend and favorite, Ramin Bahrani, who directed fest selection Goodbye Solo, and Oliver Stone, who was there with Born on the Fourth of July.

It was certainly fun to see the hilarious Oswalt speak at length about Young Adult and his reverence for Ebert, who (to paraphrase) "inspired young actors and filmmakers in a way Velvet Underground and early Metallica demo tapes had spawned a new crop of rock musicians."

I didn't much care for one of Oswalt's rather humorless interviewers, and while I never saw a healthy Ebert serve as a moderator for his guests, I perceive the post-show discussions as an area in which the ongoing festival needs to improve.

I clearly can forgive Chaz for being overcome with emotion after Life Itself, but too many of the conversations felt slapdash or just not all that interesting.

Meaning no disrespect, this included the one with Jem Cohen, whose Museum Hours is a quality film, but a bit too slow and non-narrative for me to really love. And I was truly hoping to, given that it revolves around a security guard at Vienna's Kunsthiorisches art museum, which I visited last summer.

In full disclosure, I had trouble staying awake during the 1:00pm Thursday screening, but I suspect that may be more causal than coincidental, given that I was fine for the later showings of Short Term 12 and Young Adult.

But despite this being the first Ebertfest that Roger had no part in programming, Museum Hours felt like a movie he would have enjoyed and endorsed. (RogerEbert.com contributor Kevin Lee certainly did, and was part of the post-show discussion.)

Thus I valued seeing it at Ebertfest, even if I can't say I loved it on a first viewing. For now I'll give it @@@1/2.  

I had seen Young Adult once before, and think Charlize Theron (along with Oswalt) is terrific in it, and not quite as despicable as often described in playing a prom queen who cluelessly returns to her hometown in hopes of reprising a high school romance. I'd probably give it @@@@.

Even with some better than others, all 4 movies I saw, plus Do the Right Thing, Capote, Goodbye Solo and Born on the Fourth of July, which I've seen previously, definitely deserve a Thumbs Up. (I also hope to soon see another fest entry, Wadjda, from Saudi Arabia.)

Though not huge hits, and the sort of movies made too infrequently now, Do the Right Thing and Born on the Fourth of July probably can't be considered overlooked. And Steve James is still prepping Life Itself for a theatrical release.

But even without Roger's warmhearted acuity in identifying films deserving of greater attention, and perhaps an increasing inclusion of big names and better-known movies, Roger Ebert's Film Festival should be in good hands for years to come, namely those of Chaz Ebert and Festival Director Nate Kohn.

For more than any other theme or rationale for inclusion, it seems the movies of Ebertfest 2014 were predominantly about, appropriately, life itself.

And if this continues in future years, as I have to imagine it will, the incredible spirit of Roger Ebert will live on.

And not just at the movies. 

From the Balcony, Spirit of Namesake on Heartwarming Display at Ebertfest

Roger Ebert was born in Urbana, IL on June 18, 1942.

After years of bravely facing cancer and disfigurement, the loss of his speaking voice and ability to eat, and following a year in which he wrote more movie reviews than ever before in his life, Roger Ebert passed away on April 4. 

On April 8, he was buried.

On April 20, his wife of 20 years, Chaz, opened the day's events at Ebertfest in Champaign by walking on-stage with actress Tilda Swinton--who was the special guest at the previous evening's screening.

Saying something like, "Tilda insisted we do this, because it's what happens at film festivals in Scotland,"--and according to this article, keeping a promise Tilda had made the night before--Chaz called everyone in the Virginia Theatre to their feet, pumped a Barry White song over the historic theater's speakers and, as Swinton proceeded into the audience to lead a conga line, Chaz Ebert stayed onstage.

And she danced.

It was one of the most amazing, and heartwarming, things I've ever seen.



As was the movie that followed, a 2012 black-and-white silent film from Spain called Blancanieves. 

The title translates to Snow White and brings the Brothers Grimm fairy tale--not so much the Disney movie--into 1920s Andalusia.

If, after a cinematic year that saw--though I didn't see--Snow White and the Huntsman and Mirror Mirror, plus the ongoing TV show Once Upon a Time, you may be thinking "I've had all the Snow I need for awhile," you'll be missing out on a truly unique and special film, about which Chaz instantly said:

"That is the most beautiful movie I've ever seen."

I'm told Blancanieves will have a limited release in Chicago soon, so it'll be a good while until it turns up on Netflix or in your local library, but I suggest you keep an eye out for it.

Being a latter-day silent film, it certainly reminds in some ways of The Artist, but its sensibilities also made me think of Pan's Labyrinth (with a shared star, the lovely, but not so nice here, Maribel Verdú).

The movie was made, over 8 years, by Pablo Berger, who both introduced it at Ebertfest and participated in a Q&A afterwards, moderated by film historian David Bordwell.

Given audience comments about how wonderful the movie's score is--composed by Alfonso de Vilallonga--Berger adroitly suggested that it should  more accurately be called a "music film," rather than a silent one.

Reflecting on a much-cited line from Ebert's autobiography, Life Itself--"We must try to contribute joy to the world"--which was reprinted on a remembrance card handed out at Ebertfest, Berger said that is why he makes films.

And it certainly felt to me that this is a man who directs movies primarily because he loves to tell stories (rather than, overtly, to make money), something Ebert strongly championed for years.

Whereas The Artist was a love letter to Hollywood's silent film era, Blancanieves is, as Berger confirmed, a love letter to silent European cinema.

And in watching it, it was easy to see why Roger Ebert loved it so much.

I can also imagine what Roger appreciated about Escape From Tomorrow, a film shot guerilla-style at Walt Disney World and Disneyland by director Randy Moore, who was on-hand with a collaborator and three of the film's actors.

But while the film has an interesting premise and was quite funny in parts, I didn't like it nearly as much as Blancanieves.

Of course, it didn't help that those of us in the standby line weren't let into the 5:00pm screening until 5:20pm. Films at Ebertfest rarely start right on time, with Chaz--and in past years, Roger--typically providing a nice introduction, but I know I missed at least 5 minutes of Escape From Tomorrow, if not more, after waiting in line for an hour.

Thus I opted not to bother trying to get into Saturday's 9:00pm film, The Spectacular Now, directed by James Ponsoldt and starring Shailene Woodley (The Descendants), both of whom were on hand.

That was fine, as part of the fun of Ebertfest for me is that it allows me to visit my longtime friends, Jordan and Erin, who live just blocks from the Urbana house in which Roger grew up.

So while Ebertfest, or the world for that matter, will never quite be the same without Roger Ebert, it was nice to see that through the town, the university, the movies and the woman he so clearly and dearly loved, his spirit will live on.

Thumbs up, indeed.

Somewhere, the Balcony Has Reopened... for a Review of Heaven's Gate -- On the Passing of Roger Ebert

"We must try to contribute joy to the world. That is true no matter what our problems, our health, our circumstances. We must try. I didn’t always know this and am happy I lived long enough to find it out."

-- Roger Ebert, from his autobiography, Life Itself

Since noting the passing of Roger Ebert early Thursday afternoon, I have read (and watched) numerous moving tributes, from President Obama, Martin Scorsese and other celebrities to friends and strangers on Facebook and Twitter.

Several of the tributes have included the above quote, taken from an essay in Roger's acclaimed autobiography, which I have not yet read but just downloaded.

Another Ebert quote that has been prevalently cited is this:

"I believe empathy is the most essential quality of civilization."

This came from the May 19, 2010 entry in Ebert's prolific online journal, one in which Roger advocated starting a Campaign for Real Movies, devoid of CGI or 3D and not forced into "conformity with commercial formulas."

With apologies to Mr. Ebert and his former television partner, the late Gene Siskel, who not only trademarked the following phrase but for whom it should forever be reserved, I give the above sentiments and Roger's entire life, "Two Big Thumbs Up."

Clearly, I can't write about Roger Ebert with anything close to his own eloquence--even after losing his ability to speak he was named one of America's Top Pundits by Forbes--as he was one of the best writers, about anything, I've ever read.

Having written of my admiration of Ebert at least twice previously on this blog:

A Big 'Thumbs Up' for Roger Ebert (and his new book: The Great Movies III)

Ebertfest: A Beautiful Day "At The Movies" in Mister Roger's Old Neighborhood

...and noting the plethora of adoring tributes about him that adorn nearly every news and current interest website one may visit, I'll keep my tribute to this:

Why the World Will Be a Lesser Place for No Longer Having Roger Ebert In It 

1. His love of movies - Although I believe Roger Ebert always was, and especially in his later years, so much more than a "movie critic," this is the obvious starting point. Between his reviews in the Chicago Sun-Times, the Sneak Previews and At The Movies shows with Gene Siskel and later Richard Roeper, and myriad other appearances and writings, no one championed movies, all movies, like Roger Ebert.

Though my family subscribed to the Chicago Tribune as I was growing up, giving me easier access to Siskel's reviews, I long identified more with Ebert's opinions. In more recent years, he was often the only movie reviewer I read, and I also love his "Great Movies" pieces, which have formed three books, including the one signed at right.

Roger Ebert turned me--and millions of others--onto many movies I likely never would have heard of otherwise. For years he hosted the Overlooked Film Festival at the University of Illinois, his alma mater, and in recent years the festival was renamed Ebertfest in his honor. I've been to it twice and intend to return this year. You can find oodles and oodles of Ebert's reviews and other writings at RogerEbert.com; this is just one review of a 2006 movie called The Fall. If you haven't seen it (the movie), you should.

And per my title of this piece, here is Ebert's review of Heaven's Gate, Michael Cimino's disastrous follow-up to The Deer Hunter.

2. His humanity - This covers a wide swath and I'm trying to keep things brief. Suffice it to say that within his movie reviews, but more so through his online journal entries and just in how he lived his life, Roger Ebert espoused a lot of beliefs that I endorse. Some may be viewed as explicitly liberal or progressive; I simply saw them as honest, human and fair. Beyond anything that can be construed as political or social commentary, I liked the simple beauty of journal entries like this : http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/a-boy-a-dog-and-his-puddle.html

3. His inspiring presence on social media - While many celebrities seem to utilize Facebook and Twitter to essentially promote themselves, I always got the sense that Ebert utilized social media--voraciously--to introduce people to new movies and things he thought others may like. I'll very much miss his "Daily Streamers" posts about movies he recommended on Netflix and other streaming sites, and among many other pearls of wisdom, art and insight, I still recall his posting of this photograph on Facebook.

4. His dignity in dealing with illness, disfigurement and death - As related in greater depth in the story linked above, in 2010 I was waiting in line for Roger to appear at a Barnes & Noble book signing in Skokie for The Great Movies III. I was talking to the person next to me about my regard for Ebert and said that since he had lost his ability to speak (and eat), he had, for me, taken on an almost mystical quality, a la Muhammad Ali.

At which point, someone tapped me on the shoulder. It was Roger.

I still don't know how much he heard of what I was saying, but I really saw something preternaturally inspiring in how he carried on in the face of grave adversity. The amount of writing he did when others may have just hid out, is mind-boggling.

For more about this, read the outstanding Esquire profile on him from 2010, as well as this essay by Roger--from Life Itself, excerpted on Salon.com--about how he didn't fear death.

Around the time of the Esquire article, which included a photograph showing how disfigured his face had become, Ebert valiantly appeared on Oprah, saying (through his computerized voice machine):

"We have to find peace with the way we look and get on with life."

It's a blessing that Roger Ebert was able to do--and share--so much in the three years since then.

Although I now understand that his last journal entry, about taking "A Leave of Presence," was written well in advance of its being posted Tuesday night to commemorate 46 years as the Sun-Times film critic, from what I heard yesterday, he remained his convivial self until the very end.

Though what he wrote will thankfully live on forever on the internet, a medium the erstwhile newspaperman came to cherish, every time a new movie comes out, I'll miss seeing what Roger Ebert thinks of it.

So I'll end this, appropriately, with Roger's own words, from that last journal entry, and reflect the sentiment right back to him:

"Thank you for going on this journey with me. I'll see you at the movies."

A Big 'Thumbs Up' for Roger Ebert (and his new book: The Great Movies III)

I can't remember the last time I paid full price for a new hardcover book. And to do so for a book from which I can easily read virtually the entire contents online for free may seem especially foolish and unnecessary, particularly for someone without a regular job.

But such is my eminent esteem for Roger Ebert that when I saw that he would be signing copies of his new collection of film essays, The Great Movies III--I already own volumes I & II, despite being able to access the essays on his great website--at the Barnes & Noble in Old Orchard in Skokie on Thursday night, I made a point of going. And as buying the book there for $30 was the only choice if I wanted him to sign it (even though it's available for about a third less on Barnes & Noble's website), well, pony up I did.

And even though I had Roger personalize my copy--thereby ruining any possible re-sale or auction value--I feel absolutely no compunction about doing so.

Because not only do I so greatly admire Roger and cherish having a tome of movie essays autographed by him, but especially as I have evolved in my exploration of film (which you can read about here), Ebert and his writing have greatly expanded my understanding and appreciation. Just today, I watched a beautiful 1974 German film by Rainer Werner Fassbinder called Ali: Fear Eats the Soul and followed it by reading Ebert's piece on it in The Great Movies I (and available here, although just because you can get something for free doesn't mean it's not worth buying).

This past April, for the first time, I attended one day of Roger's annual Ebertfest--comprised of overlooked films he favors--in Champaign-Urbana. You can read my recap here, in which I also tried to articulate why my fondness for Roger Ebert goes far beyond his role as movie critic, especially as he has battled thyroid cancer which has robbed him of his ability to speak and, as he had repeatedly joked, his "good looks."

As I mentioned to a Northwestern journalism grad student who was at the signing and interviewed me--as well as to the lady in line next to me, up to the point that Roger himself interrupted and shook my hand as he made his way to the book signing table--without his voice Ebert now speaks louder than ever. Going far beyond reviewing the latest movies, he writes at length about myriad topics through his online journal and in frequent Facebook and Twitter posts.

I absolutely loved when he shared this photograph on Facebook a few weeks ago, just because he came across something he liked, and agree with most of his well-reasoned, left-leaning political/societal commentary. I think it's cool that Roger Ebert was born on the exact same day as Paul McCartney--June 18, 1942--and in addition to being a huge Beatles fan, like me, he's also an ardent admirer of Howard Stern, of whom he tweeted on Monday: "Howard Stern is the best interviewer in the business. He asks everyone what you really want to know."

Aside from liking what Roger writes, writes about, what he cherishes, the courage he has demonstrated and the views he espouses, Ebert also means a lot to me simply by being one of the last remaining vestiges of an era of Chicago--and local media icons--gone by.

From Ebert's longtime TV partner, Gene Siskel, who passed away in 1999, to people like late longtime newspaper columnist Mike Royko and sports anchor Tim Weigel, even Steve Dahl who is off the air in radio limbo-land, most of the local media stars who kind of defined Chicago when I was growing up have passed--or at least moved--on. And, not only as a consequence of the Internet age, there doesn't seem to be stalwarts of quite the same ilk to have taken their place.

When I was about 14, I wrote to Ebert and Siskel requesting an autographed photo and received back the one at right (I did likewise for Steve & Garry (Meier), Weigel and a few others). As you can see, I've kept it in pretty good condition after all these years. And though I expect to put The Great Movies III to much greater use, I will likewise cherish having Roger Ebert's John Hancock on it. For as I've hopefully expressed amidst this rambling, it symbolizes a lot more than the signature of America's most famous movie critic.