Remembering a Legend

Earlier this week, I wrote about Roger Ebert's "Leave of Presence" and what he meant to me. Well, you can imagine my shock and sadness at hearing the news of his death today. It was an unreal experience for me, like a punch in the gut. Since I heard the news a few hours ago, all I've been doing is thinking about Ebert and his impact on both my own life and the film community in general.

The way I see it, Ebert was a celebrity; a film critic who moved past the pages of a newspaper and into pop culture. People who weren't involved at film culture at all- my mother, for example- knew about Ebert and actually cared about what he had to say. He, or more accurately, his thumb, became a symbol of film critique for generations, and his voice was one of the most respected in the industry. Yet, he was never pretentious about film itself. This is a man who loved both The Fast and the Furious and The Godfather, a man who wasn't afraid to praise a film he loved regardless of who made it and who its intended audience was. His passion for cinema was apparent to anyone who read his work. Ebert was also interested in interacting with other members of the film loving community, not just being at the head of it. He frequently interacted with film lovers, whether they be professional film critics, people with Twitter accounts or those who commented on his site. A personality like his is a rare thing in today's society, and it will be missed.

But, on a personal level, Roger Ebert's passing is hugely upsetting to me. As I've mentioned before, I probably wouldn't be here writing this post if it wasn't for Roger Ebert. In fact, I probably wouldn't even be interested in journalism at all. It was "At the Movies with Ebert & Roeper" that made me realize that a movie can be- or, at least, should be- more than just something you "like" or "don't like." It's something you can discuss and analyze. It also taught me that a film, in the best cases, can seriously impact your life. As I got older, I obsessively read through Ebert's reviews, and religiously watched all the archived episodes of "Siskel & Ebert", adding all the films they enjoyed and even some they didn't to my ever-growing list of movies to watch. Some of my all time favorites, including films that a serious impact on my life, I never would have seen had it not been for Ebert and his all-powerful thumb.

Roger Ebert is a legend. There has never been, nor will there ever be again, a movie critic like him. He was an icon for film journalism, as well as a great man and a role model for all those that wanted to write. He was also a major influence on my life. At age ten, two years after I started tuning in to "At the Movies with Ebert & Roeper", I told myself that, one day, I'd write and direct a movie that would get 'two thumbs up.' At age 16, when I realized that I'd rather write about film, I constantly looked to Ebert's reviews as sources of inspiration. I dreamed of one day meeting him at a screening, or film festival, or some movie themed event and telling him what his work meant to me. But I'll have to settle for this.

Roger Ebert, you have impacted my life for the better and your work will live on in my heart and the hearts of all those who love movies. Rest in Peace.

Our Top Story Tonight: Tim Burton Announces His Next Project & Lots More!

Now, in actuality, tonight's Top Story was revealed late last night. But, I was busy studying, so it'll just have to be written about now. Anyway, it was announced last night (by Deadline, who is apparently the only news site that does work anymore, giving them permission to go off on unprofessional and illogical tangents) that Tim Burton will be directing Big Eyes, a film he was originally set to only produce. The film, which is considerably different from Burton's recent films, follows the true story of artist Walter Keane and his wife, Margaret. I won't go into further detail for those who wish to not have certain (real life) events spoiled, but let's just say the project takes a few interesting turns along the way. The film was originally to star Ryan Reynolds and Reese Witherspoon but they have been replaced by Christoph Waltz and Amy Adams.

Personally, this project sounds fantastic to me. Burton is a polarizing director for me- I either love his films or hate them- but the films of his that I love I really love. It's nice to see Burton step away from the gothic fantasies he's been churning out as of late and I'm curious to see what he does with a more adult storyline or, dare I say, Oscar bait. With Waltz and Adams on board I'm sure we're in for a treat, as those two have proven to be quite talented and, more often than not, attach themselves to quality films. Hopefully Big Eyes, which I assume will be released in 2014, will live up to my expectations.

Check out more news below, including three new movie trailers...

A Quick, Emotional Post

To call Roger Ebert an idol for me is almost an understatement. I've loved movies since before I can even remember, but it was only when I discovered "Ebert & Roeper" that I feel my true passion for film ignited. I still remember waking up every Saturday morning and writing down any film they gave a "thumbs up" to for future reference. Later, I obsessively watched dozens of their archive reviews, as well as full episodes of "Siskel & Ebert." I even did a project on Ebert for my freshmen year journalism class in high school. Ebert, in my opinion, is a true genius when it comes to analyzing and critiquing films and, more importantly, an incredible human being. When he was first diagnosed with cancer I was deeply saddened and, years later, I sat on my couch with my family, a huge smile on my face, watching him talk to Oprah about fighting the illness. When it comes to naming major influences in my life, I don't like to arbitrarily throw out names, but I feel confident in naming Ebert on my life as a journalist, a film lover and even a human being.

Having just read Ebert's recent blog post about how his cancer has returned and that he is taking a "leave of presence", I am overcome with a variety of emotions. I'm, obviously, very upset. It's always difficult to see anyone, let alone someone you consider a personal hero, dealing with cancer. I'm also deeply moved by Ebert's optimism in the face of this disease, both from when it originally appeared in 2006 up to now. I tend to try to leave personal feelings out of this post, unless it involves my thoughts on a film or recent film news. But it's because of Roger Ebert that I started writing about movies in the first place, so it only felt right to put what I was feeling up on this page. So, I just want to say that I'm thinking about and praying for Roger Ebert- a great critic and a great man. 

Our Top Story Tonight: Get Ready for "Finding Dory"

After much speculation, Disney and Pixar have announced today that a sequel to the 2003 blockbuster Finding Nemo is in production. The film, to be titled Finding Dory, will take place one year after the original and focus primarily on the forgetful fish Dory (Ellen Degeneres), with Albert Brooks suspected to return as Marlin and many new characters to be introduced as Dory's family. The film will be released on November 25, 2015.

To be honest, my first response to this news was that it sounded like a late April Fools joke. The idea that Pixar has "sold out" has been floating around angry Internet message boards since Cars 2 was announced. That being said, the more I've thought about it the more I think Finding Dory isn't a terrible idea. I'd definitely rather see Pixar handle new, original material, but I'm not entirely opposed to this sequel. It makes a lot more sense from both a creative and a financial standpoint then, say, Cars 2 or Monsters University, and Dory is, in my opinion, one of the best characters Pixar has created so the idea of having the film revolve around her is certainly interesting. Plus, it's not like Pixar isn't planning any original films- they have three in production right now, all of which are scheduled to be released before this sequel. So, before we all jump on the hate bandwagon let's at least consider that this might not be as bad as we think. And let's not forget about two little sequels- Toy Story 2 and 3- that rank amongst the best sequels of all time, animated or otherwise.

After the jump, check out an awesome trailer for a film I can't wait to check out and more!

Our Top Story Tonight: No April Fools Joke Here

I hate April Fools Day. For one thing, it's just an annoying holiday- very rarely is one actually "fooled" by a joke and, in almost all cases, the joke does nothing more than annoy the hell out of you. For film lovers, it's even worse as there are many fake stories spread throughout the day. So, if any of these are proven untrue by tomorrow please know that I am merely a victim of April Fools Day, just like you. But the top story tonight is no joke.

The second red band trailer for the star studded apocalyptic comedy This is the End has found its way online, and it looks pretty damn funny. The film follows Seth Rogen, James Franco, Jonah Hill, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride and Craig Robinson as they try to survive the end of the world. Seeing as it comes from the writers of The Pineapple Express and Superbad, immature humor is to be expected, but  I can't deny that I laughed out loud throughout the trailer. The jokes in the trailer, including Mindy Kalling's description of why she'd have sex with Michael Cera and a sure to be memorable scene where Emma Watson tries to steal water from the main group, really makes me think that this could be one of the best comedies of the summer. It hits theaters on June 12, and I'll definitely check it out.

In the mean time, check out some more of today's (hopefully true) stories...