This is admittedly a broad comparison, but if you can imagine “The Mosquito Coast” told from Reverend Spellgood’s perspective, you’d probably come somewhat close to “Transamazonia,” South African director Pia Marais’ quiet Amazon-set mood piece. Marais’ film similarly deconstructs godlike figures, questions the reality of miracles, and sees the wiser child learn that their father … Read more
“Youth (Spring)” is also centered on garment manufacture, depicting two workshops making children’s clothing. Both are located in Zhili City, one on a street called Happiness Road. Like the title of this movie, there’s a substantial irony here. But aside from these two components, Wang doesn’t strike much of an overt tone in the filmmaking … Read more
Scott Adkins discusses his rise to martial arts fame, playing Killa in John Wick: Chapter 4, and his ambitions for the future. When most people think of martial arts masters, names like Bruce Lee, Donnie Yen, Chuck Norris, Michael Jai White, Cynthia Rothrock, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Michelle Yeoh come to mind. Still, Hollywood is … Read more
Unique Moore, Isis Gullette and Christal Westmoreland. Photo by Jeff Carrion/DePaul University. And last but not least, we interview three enterprising young filmmakers from the DePaul/CHA Youth Filmmakers program—Isis Gullette, Unique Moore and Christal Westmoreland—and follow them onto the red carpet where they were ready for their close-ups. Their gowns were custom made by couture … Read more
RogerEbert.com publisher Chaz Ebert’s fourth video dispatch from the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, made with Scott Dummler of Mint Media Works, features her discussion with Ben Kenigsberg about various selections at the festival, including Aki Kaurismäki’s “Fallen Leaves,” Wang Bing’s “Youth (Spring),” Justine Triet’s “Anatomy of a Fall” and more. Also included is an excerpt … Read more
“At the core, the programs are designed to provide youth with new economic pathways and the tools to share their voices with the world,” said Liliane Calfee, a faculty member at DePaul and director of the program. She and others from the university will serve as chaperones and guides. Chaz Ebert, president and CEO of … Read more
Fortunately, it’s a much sturdier movie than any of those films, a make-’em-like-they-used-to gritty New York picture about the lives and minds of mean-streets paramedics. In this case, the “they” in “make-’em-like-they-used-to” is Martin Scorsese, and the “’em” is his 1999 film “Bringing Out the Dead,” to which “Black Flies” bears many, many similarities, although … Read more