Roger Ebert's Blog, page 2

This review was originally published on November 4, 2008 and is being republished for Roger's birthday.

As the mighty tide swept the land on Tuesday night, I was transfixed. As the pundits pondered red states and blue states, projections and exit polls, I was swept with emotion. Not because America was "electing its first Black president." That comes a little late in the day. It was because America was electing the right President.

Our long national nightmare is ending. America will not soo...

This review was originally published on April 9, 2011 and is being republished for Roger's birthday.

"The upper 1 percent of Americans are now taking in nearly a quarter of the nation's income every year. In terms of wealth rather than income, the top 1 percent control 40 percent.

"Their lot in life has improved considerably. Twenty-five years ago, the corresponding figures were 12 percent and 33 percent."

So I discover in a piece by Joseph E. Stiglitz in the new issue of Vanity Fair. Thes...

This review was originally published on April 7, 2009 and is being republished for Roger's birthday.

To: Bill O'Reilly From: Roger Ebert

Dear Bill: Thanks for including the Chicago Sun-Times on your exclusive list of newspapers on your "Hall of Shame." To be in an O'Reilly Hall of Fame would be a cruel blow to any newspaper. It would place us in the favor of a man who turns red and starts screaming when anyone disagrees with him. My grade-school teacher, wise Sister Nathan, would have called...

Three critics participating in the IndieWire Critics Survey selecting the Best Biographical Documentaries Ever Made chose "Life Itself," Steve James' acclaimed documentary on the life and legacy of Roger Ebert, as their top pick: Mike McGranaghan of The Aisle Seat and Screen Rant; Ken Bakely of Film Pulse; and Danielle Solzman of Solzy at the Movies. In addition, Christopher Campbell of Nonfics, Film School Rejects and Thrillist, also named Life Itself as one of the top three biographical...

Today, Monday, June 18, would have been my late husband's 76th birthday. Some of the things I most admired about him were his intelligence, curiosity, and above all else, his amazing capacity to empathize with others and show compassion.  The following speech was delivered by Roger on April 4th, 1994, as part of Colorado Public Television's "11th Hour" series , dedicated to recording the words of wisdom left by distinguished individuals for future generations. The full video is embedded below a...

HOW DO I LOVE THEE: SONNET 43: Elizabeth Barrett Browning 

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways....I love thee with the breath, smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death....

When I was a young girl with thoughts of romantic fancy dancing through my head, I envisioned the day when a suitor would write a poem or song dedicated to me. During our courtship, Roger wooed me with Shakespeare, often quoting from "Sonnet 18: Shall I Compare Thee To...

Five years ago, Roger responded to the shooting in Aurora, Colorado with one of his most somber pieces, noting the rising statistics about gun violence and wondering what could possibly be done about it. In the wake of more mass shootings around the country, I often ask myself how he would write about the issue today. Even five years ago he thought he could "change nobody's mind" about gun violence. Someone has to.—Brian Tallerico

The following article was originally published on July 20th, 20...

As April 4th, the fourth anniversary of Roger's death approaches, we are planning several things to commemorate his life and work, including a meet-up at his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame; Ebertfest, his film festival started at the University of Illinois 19 years ago; a special online introduction of a sample of his archives by the University of Illinois; a gathering of the Ebert Fellows from around the country, and celebrating the release of his newly published The Great Movies IV. But...

Coming off our recent Emmy win, Kartemquin Films has generously made "Life Itself," Steve James' wonderful documentary about my husband, available to stream for free until Friday, October 7th. Here is a sampling of what some critics have written about the film...

Life Itself is a work of deftness and delicacy, by turns a film about illness and death, about writing, about cinema and, finally, and very movingly a film about love. Ebert was, by his own and others accounts, transformed by meeting...

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We willcontinue to highlight filmmakers and actors that Roger championed throughout his career. Click here for a full table of contents for our "Roger's Favorites" entries.Below is an entry onfilmmaker Agnès Varda.

Agnès Varda wasn’t only one of Roger’s favorite filmmakers, she was “one of the nicest people” he had ever met. The mere mention of her name would cause Roger to reflect on their memorable encounters: a 1976 dinner with Varda, her husband Jacques Demy and Pauline Kael in Cannes; a “...