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Legendary film critic Roger Ebert dead at 70
Roger Ebert, the most famous and most popular film reviewer of his time who become the first journalist to win a Pulitzer Prize for movie criticism and, on his long-running TV program, wielded the nation’s most influential thumb, died Thursday, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. He was 70.
Ebert had been a film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times since 1967. He had announced on his blog Wednesday that he was undergoing radiation treatment after a recurrence of cancer.
He had no grand theories or special agendas, but millions recognized the chatty, heavy-set man with wavy hair and horn-rimmed glasses. Above all, they followed the thumb — pointing up or down. It was the main logo of the televised shows Ebert co-hosted, first with the late Gene Siskel of the rival Chicago Tribune and — after Siskel’s death in 1999 — with his Sun-Times colleague, Richard Roeper. Although criticized as gimmicky and simplistic, a “two thumbs up” accolade was sure to find its way into the advertising for the movie in question. (Illustration: Kagan McLeod/National Post)
Ben Affleck and producer Grant Heslov along with members of the cast and crew accept the Best Picture award for Argo. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
More: http://natpo.st/XzvSrs
A brief, illustrated history of Quentin Tarantino
From Reservoir Dogs to Django Unchained, U.S. director Quentin Tarantino has joined the canon of great filmmakers with his distinct — if hyper-violent — filmic style. We take a look at his filmography, in a handy illustrated format. Click through for some history on the Tarantino film in which each character stars! (Illustration by Steve Murray)
The Hobbit reviewed: An Unexpected Journey has a long road ahead
“All good stories deserve embellishment.” This is not a sentiment to be found in J.R.R. Tolkien’s slim novel The Hobbit, but it’s uttered by the wise wizard Gandalf near the very expected beginning of An Unexpected Journey.
It’s obviously co-writer and director Peter Jackson’s belief as well. Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy mirrored the structure of Tolkien’s book, to the delight of a legion of fans and many new converts. But The Hobbit is a relatively brief and simple quest, as evidenced by the book’s subtitle: There and Back Again.
Jackson’s Lord of the Rings was a masterpiece, and The Hobbit, at least as far as the unexpected journey has taken us, remains more of a mini-piece. (Warner Bros.)
Film Review: Cloud Atlas
There’s no question that the trio of writer/directors behind this almost-three-hour adaptation bit off more than they could chew. But what a remarkably filling stew they’ve managed to concoct out of David Mitchell’s celebrated and fractured 2004 novel.
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Is beefcake cinema back in action?
The TIFF Bell Lightbox theatre is showing Schwarzenegger/Stallone: The Rise of Beefcake Cinema, to mark the era of the super-buff, superhuman action hero. Whatever happened to the beefcake? In recent times we’ve had regular guy (and gal), heroes such as Liam Neeson kicking everyone’s butt in Taken, and Helen Mirren with a semi-automatic in Red. But perhaps this summer, we’re seeing a resurgence of the meat-head with the gang in The Expendables 2, Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, Captain America and Thor in The Avengers. But are they here to stay? (Illustration by Steve Murray)
Prometheus fails to live up to high expectations
Unlike your Die Hards or your Terminators — film franchises that stick to tried-and-true genre templates — the Alien series succeeds because it constantly reinvents its freaky, H.R. Giger-designed packaging.
Ridley Scott’s 1979 original was a straight-up horror; James Cameron’s sequel was a war movie that just happened to take place in outer space; David Fincher’s directorial debut was a psychological thriller cum religious allegory; and Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s sex-spiked take was, well, just plain weird.
Yet throughout each film there are constants, namely a strong heroine, a crafty android and at least one drool-dribbling xenomorph. Prometheus, Scott’s return to the franchise, features at least two of these three elements, though whether he takes the series in a successful new direction is up for debate. (Illustration by Andrew Barr)
Exception to the ruler
Stick to the script: Sacha Baron Cohen’s The Dictator abandons improv to follow in the footsteps of filmic fanatics. (Illustration by Steve Murray)
Sarah Lazarovic charts the highs and lows of the month of March!
