- Ebertfest Unveils Initial Slate for Final Festival, “The Last Dance” (February 26, 2026)
Honoring Rob Reiner with a Special Tribute Screening of The American President; Featuring Nuremberg with Sony Pictures Classics Co-Founder Michael Barker; and Presenting a Live Performance of SISKEL/EBERT, as Zack Mast and Stephen Winchell Bring Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel to Life on Stage
Champaign, IL, February 26, 2026 — Ebertfest: The Last Dance, also known as Roger Ebert’s Film Festival, the annual film festival co-founded by Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Roger Ebert and Chaz Ebert and held at the historic Virginia Theatre, today announced the initial slate for what will be the festival’s final edition. The festival will be held on Friday, April 17, and Saturday, April 18, and will be dedicated to filmmaker Rob Reiner, celebrating his enduring contributions to American cinema and the humanistic storytelling long championed by Ebert.
In honor of Rob Reiner, the festival will present a special screening of The American President, starring Michael Douglas and Annette Bening. Directed by Reiner and written by Aaron Sorkin, the film remains a defining work of modern American cinema, blending idealism, romance, and political discourse with uncommon warmth and intelligence. The screening will serve as a centerpiece of this year’s festival, celebrating Reiner’s enduring influence and his alignment with the thoughtful, audience-centered filmmaking championed by Roger Ebert. Guest appearances connected to The American President screening will be announced at a later date.
“We are especially honored to recognize Rob Reiner this year,” said Chaz Ebert. “I had the pleasure of inviting Rob to Ebertfest last year, and while he wasn’t able to attend at the time, he shared how much he was looking forward to joining us in the future. To now celebrate his extraordinary body of work and his deep commitment to storytelling feels incredibly meaningful. We are also proud to honor Robert Redford for his immeasurable contributions to independent filmmaking; his vision helped create a path for generations of filmmakers to tell bold, personal stories.”
The lineup continues with Nuremberg, from Sony Pictures Classics, written and directed by James Vanderbilt. The film stars Russell Crowe, Rami Malek, Leo Woodall, John Slattery, and Mark O’Brien, with Richard E. Grant and Michael Shannon. Set as the Nuremberg trials are about to begin, the film follows a U.S. Army psychiatrist who becomes locked in a gripping psychological confrontation with accused Nazi war criminal Hermann Göring, delivering a tense and timely examination of justice, power, and moral reckoning. Michael Barker, Co-Founder and Co-President of Sony Pictures Classics, will be in attendance, with additional guests to be announced.
Bringing the spirit of film criticism itself to life on stage, SISKEL/EBERT sees Stephen Winchell and Zack Mast take the stage to embody the ultimate small-screen duo, Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, in a theatrical tribute to Siskel & Ebert & the Movies. In a production that straddles the line between reenactment and parody, director Katlin Schneider brings back one of the pair’s most heated half-hours, a full-bore discussion of Full Metal Jacket and sideways sparring around other famous (and not-so-famous) films of the 1987 summer season. A cast re-creates the movie clips live on stage as Siskel and Ebert duke it out over what it truly means to be a film critic.
“Co-founding Ebertfest with Roger has been one of the great joys of my life,” said Ebert. What began as a celebration of films we loved became a beautiful community that has gathered year after year to share stories, empathy, and the magic of cinema together. I am so grateful to have been part of it all these years, along with Nate, and I truly believe Roger would be deeply pleased — and maybe a little amazed — that it has continued, grown, and thrived for so long in his absence. This Last Dance is both a celebration and a thank you to everyone who helped carry it forward.”
Ebertfest has long stood as a celebration of films that challenge, move, and connect us. With The Last Dance, the festival marks a final chapter, bringing filmmakers and audiences together one last time to honor the enduring emotional, intellectual, and humanistic power of cinema. Additional programming details and ticket information will be announced.
Ebertfest passes are currently available for purchase online or by calling the Virginia Theatre box office at 217-356-9063. An Individual Reserved Seating Festival Pass, which includes admission to all films, is $150 plus a $9.00 processing fee per pass. A Reserved 1-Day Festival Pass is available for $75.00 plus a $6.00 processing fee. Individual Reserved Seating Tickets are $20.00 plus a $3.00 processing fee per ticket. Individual film tickets will go on sale April 1, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.
Roger Ebert was a Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times, a University of Illinois journalism alumnus, and an Urbana native.
Chaz Ebert is also the author of the indie bestseller It’s Time to Give A FECK: Elevating Humanity through Forgiveness, Empathy, Compassion, and Kindness.
Ebertfest is hosted by Chaz Ebert and Nate Kohn, the festival director since the very beginning.
To become a supporting Festival Sponsor, please contact Sonia Evans – sonia@ebertdigital.com.
For additional information, please visit https://ebertfest.com/ and follow us on social media:
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- Twisty, Funny HBO’s “DTF St. Louis” is an Addictive Watch (February 26, 2026)
“No one’s normal. It just looks that way from across the street.”
Confidently written, acted, and directed, HBO’s “DTF St. Louis” could be called a suburban noir. It has all the double crosses, hidden secrets, and betrayals of the beloved genre, even if most of it takes place in suburban Missouri sunlight instead of the darkened chambers of a major city. It’s a wickedly entertaining show, especially the premiere, which sets the foundation for creator Steven Conrad’s (“The Weather Man,” TV’s underrated “Patriot”) devious tale of sexual exploration gone wrong. “DTF St. Louis” is also a wickedly difficult show to review without spoiling some of its smartest choices, but I’m down to try.
Jason Bateman plays St. Louis weatherman Clark Forrest, who becomes BFFs with his station’s ASL translator Floyd (David Harbour) from pretty much his first day on the job, as the pair survives a vicious storm. Clark and Floyd do all the suburban dude things like go to chain restaurants, work out together, and play cornhole. They also start to express a bit of malaise in their relationships, especially Floyd, who has grown sexually distant from his wife Carol (Linda Cardellini) since she got a job working as an umpire to help bring in some much-needed extra cash to help out with a private school for her troubled son Richard (Arlan Ruf). Conrad gets a lot of mileage out of footage of Cardellini in her umpire gear, looking about as unsexual as possible. The extra weight that Floyd has been working hard to shed isn’t helping matters either.
One day on a swing set, Clark tells Floyd about a story on his news program about a new app called “DTF St. Louis.” (If you don’t know what DTF means, look it up.) Suffice to say, it’s one of those apps for local married people looking for sexual connections without frills. The tender Floyd seems hesitant at first, but agrees if Clark will do it with him. Cut to months later, and one of the three members of this triangle is dead, sparking an investigation by a local cop named Donoghue Homer (Richard Jenkins) and a special crimes officer named Jodie Plumb (Joy Sunday). She immediately senses the crime scene isn’t what it first seems, sending the pair digging into the sordid saga of Clark, Floyd, and Carol.
Conrad’s writing captures how illicit and sometimes even criminal behavior can happen right under the polished perfection of suburban America. Trysts can be planned at Jamba Juice; infidelity can be considered on the swing set you built for your kid; affairs can begin at cornhole parties. It’s too character-driven to be called satire, but it winks at the ridiculousness of all of this, how violence can erupt in the most mundane places in the country, locations that have often built themselves on an illusion of safety.
Of course, few are better at selling how quickly an everyman’s life can go off the rails than “Ozark” star Bateman. He does his best work in years, but he’s really just a part of a flawless ensemble. Jenkins reminds one how confidently great he can be with the right material; Sunday works brilliantly off him by pitching her character to an entirely different register; Cardellini knows how to play the mystery of a woman who may be much more than she seems. There’s not a weak link in the entire cast, down to the smallest parts.
However, the episodes sent to press belong to Harbour, who finds the core of Floyd’s decency in a way that makes him resonate. This is a guy who loves his life but wonders if there isn’t something more out there to make him happier. He loves his wife, stepson, and best friend Clark, and Harbour sells that love without turning him into a caricature. That’s at the core of why “DTF St. Louis” works so well: there’s a version of this that cruelly mocks middle-aged sexuality or even just suburbia, but Conrad and his cast thread that needle in how they highlight the silliness of it all in a way that’s genuinely very funny without ever mocking their characters.
There are times during the third and fourth episodes sent to press when I wondered the classic question of the modern TV mini-series: Should this have just been a movie? While it never succumbs to the bloat so common in the genre, there are times when the pace feels designed more for stretching out to a season than it should, but they’re just far enough apart to never completely derail momentum. And every time that feeling surfaces, one of the cast members makes a choice that would have been cut in the movie version of this tale to push it away. After all, this kind of deception takes time.
Four episodes screened for review. Premieres on HBO on Sunday, March 1.
- All’s Well that Ends Well in Part Two of “Bridgerton”’s Fourth Season (February 26, 2026)
Then, suddenly, in episode eight…
Before we get there, dear reader, let’s return to Bridgerton House for the second half of Benedict and Sophie‘s happily ever after. That ending isn’t a spoiler, because this is a romance and the fairytale is part of the promise.
At the end of episode 404, “An Offer From a Gentleman,“ Benedict (Luke Thompson) asked Sophie (Yerin Ha) the infamous question: “Be my mistress?” The Internet was mad. Everyone wondered how he could do such a thing, demeaning his love for her. However, we must remember Benedict had no idea about Sophie’s past pain. She hadn’t shared it with him yet, and he was brought up to fall in line with the demands of The Ton. The boundaries of class and station leave the pair at an impasse. How they get around the obstacle is why we watch the show, and when lines like “…and brother to the Duke of Hastings” land, it’s so satisfying.
As Lady Whistledown (voiced by Julie Andrews) welcomes us back, she reveals a scandal that’s a parallel for Benedict and Sophie’s predicament. Meanwhile, Benedict is waiting for an answer in an episode titled “Yes or No.” For a man who dates so frequently and so widely, Benedict knows very little about the nature of the heart. I suppose we can be glad he’s about to find out.
At this point in the season, the yearning is dealt with hurriedly, and we don’t see enough of the Benophie couple getting to know each other without the masks between them—whether they’re fooling themselves or one another. The tone of the first part of the second half also feels soapy at times, focusing on the ensemble cast’s daily sensations. Balance comes from character development, something we missed in S3. This is especially true for Eloise (Claudia Jessie). For the first time, she feels more multifaceted than foil. Yet Francesca (Hannah Dodd) and Violet (Ruth Gemmell) are more fully rendered in Part 2, as well.
Even the Queen (Golda Rosheuvel) unveils greater depth than we’ve seen since the “Queen Charlotte” series. It’s equally lovely to see Alice Mondrich (Emma Naomi) come into her own, creating her own place among The Ton. The Mondrich Family (with Martins Imhangbe as Will) finds greater purpose in this season as they integrate with the “Bridgerton” inner circle. It’s good to see them develop as they navigate their changed circumstances.
Bridgerton. Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Bridgerton in episode 406 of Bridgerton. Cr. Liam Daniel/Netflix © 2025
Of course, we cannot forget our dear Lady Whistledown, whose nearly omniscient tongue-in-cheek narration is beloved by fans. A change is coming, dearest gentle reader, as Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) begins to understand herself and her goals in a new way. There are also surprises, but I’ll leave those for you to discover.
One thing to look forward to is the return of Kate (Simone Ashley) and Anthony (Jonathan Bailey), the “Bridgerton” couple with the best (and hottest) chemistry. Debate with the cobblestones if you must—I shall accept no arguments. Seeing them with their baby son, Edmond, is a delight. However, in some ways, we wish Anthony would keep his opinions to himself. Luckily, Benedict is beginning to realize what he wants and what he’s willing to sacrifice to get it.
As I mentioned, episodes 5–6.5 lose some of the plot among the Romance. Instead, it focuses on an almost “Women’s Fiction” approach. Several of the male romantic partners are barely a blip on camera, as though they aren’t really the focus. That’s probably true.
Speaking of strange camera angles, the most egregious example comes in episode 406, “The Passing Winter,” during an emotional scene that defines much of the second half of Season 4 and shapes how several characters move forward. At this pivotal turning point, we’re deprived of seeing the male character’s face. That’s odd since he and his romantic partner are dealing with heartbreak. Seeing the expressions on both faces would have devastated viewers—as it should be. “Bridgerton” fans want to be immersed because they’re invested. The confusing blocking for this scene is a missed opportunity. You’ll understand why when you get there.
Happily, a series of confessions and soul-bearing between Benedict and Sophie progresses with tangible yet tender realness. That is appreciated, and it allows us to believe they’ll have a happy life together. My favorite scene is one where Benedict says, “Sophie. It is clear that woman despises you…” It’s swoony to watch him recognize the things she can’t see for herself. The pairing also gets the spicy scenes the fandom has been waiting for. Some of which readers of the book are anticipating. Friendships are another major theme. We have the pleasure of watching several of them deepen. One of them is the turnabout for Francesca and Michaela. Very cute.
Bridgerton. (L to R) Martins Imhangbe as Will Mondrich, Emma Naomi as Alice Mondrich in episode 405 of Bridgerton. Cr. Liam Daniel/Netflix © 2025
Speaking of greater emotion, I must say, Parts 1 and 2 don’t seem entirely acquainted with one another. I’m being glib, but some story beats from the first are walked back or seem to swerve in the second. Perhaps to give the story and the upcoming romances more space to bloom. No complaints there. Story-wise, those swerves are good for the development of the relationships—even if they’re a bit discombobulating for continuity.
Then suddenly, in Episode 8, it happens. When I say all’s well that ends well, I’m saying the final episode is a sudden return to the “Bridgerton” that made hearts flutter—the one many fans have been missing. It’s clever again, emotional again, and surprising again. Even the costuming goes back to being sumptuous.
The hijinks along the road to this ‘happily ever after’ will get you high. Just be warned, if you examine the logic behind the joint machinations of the Bridgertons, Lady Danbury, and the Mondrichs, it might fall apart. Still, the way their plans and schemes enhance the story is well worth the wink and whimsy. There’s even a surprise or two at the end. One of which delivers on something the fandom has awaited since Kate and Anthony’s season. Be sure to keep watching after the credits roll on the last episode.
In the end, the hopes for “Bridgerton”‘s return to its greatest romantic glory are supported by the complete whirlwind of Episode 8.
Ahh, but we cannot close out without a prediction of who’ll take the lead next season. Can we? I’d wager season 5 will belong to Eloise, but with an unexpected twist. After the turn of events this time around, Francesca may have to wait.
Thus, we’ve saved the biggest season 5 teaser for last: Who is our new narrator? And dearest reader, I’m totally here for it.
Currently streaming on Netflix.
- Christy Lemire Bids a Fond Farewell to RogerEbert.com (February 26, 2026)
Christy Lemire has been a vital and cherished member of the Ebert Company family since joining Ignatiy Vishnevetsky on the 2011 edition of “Ebert Presents: At the Movies.” Since the summer of 2013, Lemire has been one of our most prolific critics at RogerEbert.com, writing witty and thoughtful weekly analyses of the latest releases. Now, with her bidding the site adieu, we are looking back on some of the great work she has published at our site over the past 13 years.
In her “Meet the Writers” interview, Lemire credited her parents’ love of cinema for influencing her career path. “My mother loved Fellini and would drive 40 minutes out of her way to the video store in Silver Lake because they had better foreign titles,” recalled Lemire. “My father loved Humphrey Bogart and John Wayne, and would sing along with all his favorite classic musicals. They encouraged me to see everything, from back-to-back showings of ‘The Karate Kid’ when I was 12 to ‘Rebel Without a Cause’ in high school to foreign films when I’d come home from college on break.”
The excerpts that follow are split into two categories: film reviews and features. Click on each article title, and you will be directed to the full piece.
I. REVIEWS
“Ain’t Them Bodies Saints”
“Ain’t Them Bodies Saints”
A frequent editor himself—he cut the mesmerizing, mysterious “Upstream Color”—[David] Lowery knows how to create a romantic fluidity while also finding tension in the individual, intimate moments. Seemingly innocuous conversations are fraught with meaning; a glance speaks volumes.
“Short Term 12”
[Destin Daniel] Cretton shows as much care and kindness with the minutiae of the daily routine—the doling out of meds, searches for contraband and forced recreational activities like Wiffle ball games—as he does with the larger issues that plague these lives in flux. He also infuses his story with unexpected humor as the kids hassle each other—and their supervisors—on the road to healing.
“You Will Be My Son”
[The film] subtly transforms from one genre to another the way an exquisite, complex wine teases the nose before finishing strongly on the palate.
“Nebraska”
For all the cragginess Woody exudes with his etched face and mess of white hair, he has also inspired a great deal of love in this director. The film’s starkly beautiful final images have a poignancy that might leave a lump in your throat.
“American Hustle”
Sure, it looks like the cast went nuts at a Goodwill store and splurged on the grooviest duds they could find for an elaborate game of dress-up, but the clothes more than just a kitschy source of laughs: they’re a reflection of their characters’ ambition, a projection of their glittering notions of the American dream.
“The Skeleton Twins”
[Kristin] Wiig and [Bill] Hader make this work together through their tremendous chemistry–something you’d expect, given that they were longtime “Saturday Night Live” castmates and are good friends off-camera. […] But this movie asks a lot of them. It asks them to navigate territory that’s both funny and dramatic, light and raw, goofy and brutally honest. And they do it spectacularly.
“Birdman”
It’s powerfully clear that they all worked their asses of to make this complicated thrill ride look effortless. The result is one of the best times you’ll have at the movies this year–which might even be the best movie this year.
“The King and the Mockingbird”
In one of many examples of the film’s playful use of space, the two figures hold hands between their respective frames until the day they find the courage to leap out and explore the outside world together. [Paul] Grimault depicts the castle as a place that’s dizzying in its boundlessness, from seemingly eternal staircases to secret passageways that magically appear out of nowhere.
“Steve Jobs”
This is a super-Sorkiny Aaron Sorkin script—full of the kind of well-timed zingers and clever turns of phrase that never occur to us in real life. [Seth] Rogen gets the best line of all toward the end, one he levels at Jobs in a crowded auditorium before the 1998 iMac launch: “You can be decent and gifted at the same time. It’s not binary.” With self-conscious beauty and piercing insight, it’s a notion that defines the entire film.
“Mustang”
Set in a coastal town in northern Turkey, [the film] puts a cultural spin on stories of teen-girl angst and sexual blossoming that probably will seem infuriating to many viewers in its closed-mindedness, its archaic inflexibility. But while it takes place in a very specific part of the world, its emotions are universally recognizable, as is the powerful yearning of its young, female characters to establish their own identities and assert their own desires.
“Son of Saul”
[This movie] requires attention and patience, with a script from [Lazslo] Nemes and Clara Royer that’s often wordless or whispered. If you’re not a fan of ambiguity, either from a narrative or moral perspective, you may have trouble here. But this is just a marvel of controlled filmmaking—a bold vision carried out with powerful simplicity, and an impressively assured debut form both Nemes and [Geza] Röhrig as his star.
“Kubo and the Two Strings”
A decade in the making, [the film] is both painstakingly detailed and epic in scope. Inspired by a multitude of Japanese art forms, it’s textured yet crisp, frighteningly dark yet radiant with bold color. It’s a classic hero’s journey full of action and adventure, but it’s also an intimate fable about love and loss, magic and memory.
“Aquarius”
So many movies reduce older characters to a series of wacky or awkward moments: Viagra jokes, early-bird dinners, bafflement over social media, that sort of thing. Clara, a retired music critic and the widowed mother of three grown children, balances the wisdom of age with a fervor for staying current, and it’s such a cool and refreshing change.
“The Edge of Seventeen”
She can be mean and impulsive and she’s often the victim of her own undoing. [Hailee] Steinfeld makes this intriguing jumble of contradictions feel real and alive. She doesn’t seem interested in making us like this girl who’s perched on the edge of womanhood. She just tries to make her feel true—and that’s what makes us love her.
“Moana”
It’s a must-see for girls and boys alike, though. And it features an astonishingly assured, auspicious debut from Auli’I Cravalho, a Hawaiian teenager showing chops and instincts well beyond her experience and years. In lending her voice to the title character, Cravalho radiates grace, great timing and an infectious energy.
“As You Are”
From the very start, [Miles] Joris-Peyrafitte creates an intriguing contrast of moods—the push-pull between the wonder of discovery and the dread of reality. We know from the start that something terrible happens, but getting there provides a journey of joy and heartache, mystery and melancholy.
“Raw”
On International Women’s Day, it seems only fitting to write a review of [this picture], a horror film about a brilliant but innocent teenage girl who finally lets loose and asserts her true identity as a cannibal. It may not sound like it on the surface, but [the film] is absolutely a celebration of female power—of realizing who you are, what you want and how to go after it, albeit with brutally bloody results.
“The Big Sick”
[Kumail] Nanjiani and [Emily] Gordon have dared to make themselves vulnerable here, allowing us an intimate glimpse into a traumatic and frightening time in their lives. They imbue moments both large and small with such an abiding honesty, though, that [their film] never feels like shameless navel-gazing. The events that ultimately brought the two together are extreme, but the depiction of them always rings true.
“Brad’s Status”
Despite the specific nature of the character [Ben] Stiller plays, [the film] finds a universality in the uncomfortable truths it explores: the human tendency to take stock, especially around middle age, and to compare our lives against both our friends’ achievements and our youthful visions of our future selves.
“Call Me By Your Name”
Writer James Ivory’s generous, sensitive adaptation of Andre Aciman’s novel reveals these characters and their ever-evolving dynamic in beautifully steady yet detailed fashion. And so when Elio and Oliver finally dare to reveal their true feelings for each other—a full hour into the film—the moment makes you hold your breath with its intimate power, and the emotions feel completely authentic and earned.
“I, Tonya”
It’s “GoodFellas” on ice—darkly comic and often just plain dark, but always breathtakingly alive. Despite the colorful glitz and cheese of the figure-skating setting, [the film] has an unmistakably tumultuous air from the very start. And at the center of the storm is Margot Robbie in the performance of a lifetime as Harding.
“Thoroughbreds”
Try as they may, [Cory Finley’s] characters find that their wealth and privilege can’t insulate them from who they actually are. And so when they give in to their true natures, it’s simultaneously frightening and liberating. What starts out as darkly funny becomes deeply unsettling, and the road to get there is suspenseful and precise.
“Where is Kyra?”
A serious actress who shouldn’t be underestimated has long lurked beneath those piercing cheekbones and blue eyes. [This film] finally allows her to explore the darker, unvarnished side of her talent and gives her the opportunity to do perhaps the best work of her lengthy, eclectic career.
“Tully”
[Diablo] Cody’s characters are growing up along with her; she actually wrote [the film] after having a third child of her own, and the fact that this is such a personal story shines through from the very beginning. It’s at once intimately detailed and narratively ambitious. And it’s surprisingly profound, sneaking up on you with understated yet wholly earned emotion by the end.
“Revenge”
Turns out, now is precisely the time for this film. It’s intense and often excruciating to watch, but it’s also extremely satisfying as it allows us to live vicariously through a woman who delivers payback and then some to the men who viewed her as disposable.
“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”
As closely as it hews to comic-book imagery and structure within its animated format as it does, [the film] has a wonderfully trippy, dreamlike quality about it. And that’s not just because it features a wisecracking pig in a Spider-Man get-up named Peter Porker, the kind of character you might conjure in your subconscious after eating too much barbecue and taking a shot of Nyquil before bed.
“Wild Rose”
While director Tom Harper gives [Jessie] Buckley the opportunity to take over the screen and mesmerize us, he also knows well enough to sit back and watch and listen during the quiet moments. When Buckley’s Rose allows herself to be vulnerable, to expose herself to the uncomfortable revelations that come with introspection, it can be as powerful as when she’s belting out a song from the heart.
“The Farewell”
[Lulu] Wang explores cultural differences between East and West and between generations without judgment or pronouncement as to whose approach is best. It’s as if she wants to see all sides of the delicate argument with a kind heart and an open mind. Her approach is so intimate and so no-nonsense, she makes you feel as if you’ve been immersed in this town, this family, this life.
“Corpus Christi”
With his chiseled facial features, wiry frame and piercingly clear, blue eyes, [Bartosz] Bielenia is a dead ringer for a young Christopher Walken, and he carries glimmers of the veteran actor’s unsettling intensity, too. There’s an unpredictability to his performance, a sense of both swagger and searching that’s fascinating to watch.
“Mulan”
It’s steeped in traditional cultural locales and details, yet feels bracingly modern with the help of dazzling special effects and innovative action sequences. You want gravity-defying, wuxia-inspired aerial work, and elaborately choreographed martial arts battles and horse stunts? You got ‘em all.
“The Father”
[Florian Zeller] puts us within the mind of the ailing [Anthony] Hopkins’ Anthony, allowing us to experience his confusion as if it were our own. But he also offers the perspective of the caretakers and loved ones who try to settle his volatile temper and organize his jumbled memories. We never know what’s true—or who, for that matter, as characters come and go and take on various names and identities, depending on his recognition of them. Everything is fleeting and yet each specific moment feels urgent and real.
“Moby Doc”
What is novel is the way the documentary explores both his childhood trauma and his adult torture. With its surrealist tones, striking visuals, and self-referential asides, director Rob Gordon Bralver establishes a delicate balance between the playful and the tragic that’s constantly alive and surprising.
“Come from Away”
What an oddly comforting feeling it is to watch a movie about a crisis in the middle of another crisis. Twenty years later, the caring gestures large and small depicted here carry a whole new resonance, a fresh sense of catharsis and even hope.
“Licorice Pizza”
[The film] meanders in the best possible way: You never know where it’s going but you can’t wait to find out where it’ll end up, and when it’s over, you won’t want it to end. Once the credits finished rolling, I had no desire to get up from my seat and leave the theater, I was so wrapped up in the film’s cozy, wistful spell.
“The Novice”
What’s even more impressive is that [Isabelle Fuhrman] achieves so much wordlessly, simply through the flicker in her dark eyes or a shift in the way she carries herself. Watching her character destroy her body and mind in the name of athletic greatness won’t make you want to run out and follow her example, but it’ll intrigue you as to why she does it.
“Parallel Mothers”
It’s as if [Pedro] Almodóvar has achieved a magic trick, lulling us into familiarity with his usual performers, colors and themes before surprising us with what he really wants to say. [The film] may look simple at the outset with its high-concept, dramatic premise, but it eventually reveals that it has much more on its mind, and in its heart.
“The Batman”
In [Matt] Reeves’ confident hands, everything is breathtakingly alive and new. As director and co-writer, he’s taken what might seem like a familiar tale and made it epic, even operatic. His “Batman” is more akin to a gritty, ‘70s crime drama than a soaring and transporting blockbuster.
“The Janes”
The interviews are so vivid and engaging, however, that they frequently provide the excitement of a spy thriller. Women with ordinary names like Eleanor and Judith recount in extraordinary detail the lengths to which they’d go to connect with women in need: secret meetings and code words, rotating vehicles and locations.
“Creed III”
[Michael B.] Jordan the director takes a seemingly simple scene in which Adonis and Damian share an awkward reunion dinner and tells a full, rich story with it. The close-ups, the pacing, the decision to hold on an actor’s face for a beat or two longer than expected—they all convey so much meaning and subtext. The exchange is powerful for what it doesn’t show—for what these characters don’t tell us, for what they hold back strategically but we can sense, nonetheless.
“Air”
If you love movies about process, about people who are good at their jobs, then you’ll find yourself enthralled by the film’s many moments inside offices, conference rooms, and production labs.
“STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie”
This could have been mawkish—an “eat your vegetables” movie about an inspirational figure overcoming adversity. But keeping Fox’s self-effacing, no-nonsense voice as a through-line consistently buoys [the film]. […] There are life lessons here to be learned and shared, for sure. But the film moves with such thrilling pacing it feels more like a celebration.
“You Hurt My Feelings”
[Nicole] Holofcener finds both humor and wisdom within the complexity of her cringe comedy, providing rich fodder for conversations afterward. […] The moral of the story seems to be: Honesty is better in the long term, even if it’s unpleasant immediately. But in Holofcener’s films, as in real life, that’s not so simple.
“Wham!”
The friendship endured, and that’s much of what makes [the film] stand out from other music documentaries: the warmth, the fondness, and the absence of the kinds of creative struggles and egotism that so often turn these tales into cliches.
“Barbie”
[The film] can be hysterically funny, with giant laugh-out-loud moments generously scattered throughout. They come from the insularity of an idyllic, pink-hued realm and the physical comedy of fish-out-of-water moments and choice pop culture references as the outside world increasingly encroaches.
“Klondike”
[Maryna] Er Gorbach’s film may feel too slow and restrained at times, but moments like this in which she lets her powerful imagery play out in unadorned fashion show why this was such a wise choice. And while this particular story takes place nearly a decade ago, it remains unfortunately timely as Russia’s horrific war in Ukraine rages on.
“Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour”
She’s both the delightful dork and the vengeful vixen, but she finds a way to make every person in that crowd feel like they’re her BFF and soulmate. Maintaining relatability within stratospheric superstardom has been Swift’s impressive balancing act, and that’s always on display here, no matter what song she’s singing.
“Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé”
The introduction of her 11-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy, to dance during several numbers provides a surprising amount of emotion. Blue trained hard to earn her spot onstage for songs including “My Power,” Beyoncé tells us, and in that moment, she’s just a fellow mom bursting with pride to see her child grow and thrive.
“Poor Things”
Everything here is wonderfully bizarre, from the performances and dialogue to the production and costume design. And yet at its core, as is so often the case in the Greek auteur’s movies, [the film] is about the awkwardness of forging a real human connection. We want to know each other and make ourselves known.
“My Old Ass”
[Megan] Park navigates some tricky tonal shifts in the film’s third act, blending heartache and hope while weaving in the humor. And the more layers she reveals of her characters, the more interesting they become. This is especially true of [Aubrey] Plaza’s Older Elliott, who registers powerfully in just a few scenes. Younger Elliott may not have all the answers yet, but at least she’s getting more comfortable asking the questions.
“My Dead Friend Zoe”
Using sly humor to explore a serious issue, [the film] has the potential to reach a broad audience on the topic of veterans’ mental health—particularly at a time when the current presidential administration is decimating the care our service men and women deserve. This is a persuasive piece of advocacy filmmaking, tucked inside a playful and profane comedy about female friendship. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry.
“Ghost Trail”
[The film] is an intimate study of trauma that plays with the gripping suspense of a globetrotting spy thriller. It’s a tale of revenge but also one of personal redemption, based on devastating true events. That would sound like a difficult balance to achieve, both narratively and tonally, but director and co-writer Jonathan Millet does it with a sure and intuitive touch in his feature filmmaking debut.
“Materialists”
[Celine Song] once again reveals a startling ability to write characters who feel real and complicated, messy and vulnerable, but are also blessed with the gift of saying the right thing at the right time in a way that’s direct but poetic.
“Twinless”
[The film] initially features the gentle beats of a sweetly melancholy indie comedy. But [James] Sweeney has darker and more complicated instincts on his mind, both behind and in front of the camera. He’s getting at something deeper here about the all-consuming nature of loneliness, and the extent to which people will go in their desperate need for companionship.
II. FEATURES
“Susan Seidelman, survivor”
The women in Seidelman’s films are often trying to find their place in the world, their voice. And despite a frequently off-kilter, surreal sense of humor that permeates her storytelling, Seidelman celebrates the way in which women draw strength by remaining loyal to each other.
“David Gordon Green’s traveling movie circus”
Green’s latest, “Prince Avalanche,” in theaters this weekend, seamlessly blends these two seemingly contradictory artistic instincts within the writer-director: It has the unhurried pace and richly naturalistic aesthetic of his early, indie dramas with the comic banter and oddball characters of his later work.
“If We Picked the Winners 2015: Best Supporting Actress”
The subtlety of [Patricia] Arquette’s performance is emblematic of [Richard] Linklater’s film as a whole. It sneaks up on you through a series of quiet moments—the prosaic stuff of daily life—until the scene when [Ellar] Coltrane’s Mason is packing his belongings to head off to college. Her “I just thought there would be more” speech—which Linklater has said was the hardest part of all to write—perfectly crystallizes the aching sensation that all of us as parents will experience some day.
“If We Picked the Winners 2016: Best Actress”
[Charlotte] Rampling’s work in Andrew Haigh’s beautifully written and directed “45 Years” should stand the test of time as a performance for the ages. It’s the best we saw from a lead actress all year—and perhaps from any actor, period, regardless of gender.
“If We Picked the Winners 2017: Best Supporting Actress”
She has a couple of big monologues that will leave you in tears; the emotion that comes flowing like a torrent is so real, you can’t help but connect with it, even though you may have nothing in common with this very specific character in this very specific place and time.
“A figure skating champion gives high marks to “I, Tonya””
Turns out, [Nicholas] LaRoche learned a thing or two from Margot Robbie’s acclaimed performance as the disgraced skating star: “I respect Tonya a lot more now because the image that was portrayed my whole life was very derogatory, and watching from the movie, what she lived and went through makes sense,” he said. “It makes me look at her differently.”
“If We Picked the Winners 2018: Best Director”
It slowly but surely becomes another kind of film entirely, one that’s darker and weirder than you ever could have imagined, and deliriously so. The way [Paul Thomas] Anderson sneaks in his brilliantly twisted sense of humor throughout the film—until it ultimately takes hold completely—is one of his hallmarks, and it’s one of the movie’s many strengths.
“Christy Lemire’s Top 10 Films of 2018”
“The Favourite” features towering performances from Olivia Colman as a mercurial and childlike Queen Anne and Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone as the conniving women competing to be her confidante. The costumes are lush and the camerawork is vibrant, and while the overall tone is deliciously mean, there’s also an undercurrent of sympathy that makes the film unexpectedly moving.”
“The Best Films of the 2010s: Mad Max Fury Road”
Furiosa’s ferocity has always been undeniable; what impresses on a repeat viewing is her tenderness. Everything she does – from taking the initial, major risk to veer off-course during her mission with Joe’s wives in tow to fixing her behemoth of a vehicle as it barrels across the desert under near-constant attack – comes from a place of generosity.
“Emerald Fennell on Promising Young Woman, responses to the film and more“
The 35-year-old is thoughtful, funny and expansive on a number of topics relating to her brash and insightful filmmaking debut. […] It’s one of my favorite movies of 2020, so I was thrilled to chat with [Emerald] Fennell about [Carey] Mulligan’s work, establishing a tricky tone between horror, drama and dark comedy, and the role of alcohol in telling women’s stories.
“Christy Lemire’s Overlooked Films of 2022”
Writer/director Kogonada’s follow-up to “Columbus” is just as sensitive and beautifully acted. He has a delicate touch when it comes to mood, and he creates an evocative sense of place within this domestic setting that’s recognizable yet otherworldly.
You can find all of Christy Lemire’s published work at RogerEbert.com on her contributor page.
- “Resident Evil: Requiem” is a Perfect Evolution of Past Successes (February 25, 2026)
One of the best video game franchises of all time returns this week with the phenomenal “Resident Evil: Requiem,” a game that takes how this franchise shifted its personality with 2017’s “Resident Evil: Biohazard” and marries that style to what fans loved about the recent remakes of “Resident Evil 2” and “Resident Evil 4.” It narratively echoes those early games with the return of fan favorite Leon Kennedy while also appealing to those who fell in love with the series through “Biohazard” and 2021’s “Resident Evil: Village.” It’s a bit shorter than it should be—it could have used a few tougher, intense boss battles late in the game—but it is consistently satisfying, riveting, and sometimes even terrifying.
“Requiem” opens with such a confidently conceived and directed prologue that it gets its hooks in you from the start. You begin the game as FBI Agent Grace Ashcroft, daughter of reporter Alyssa Ashcroft, a character from 2004’s PS2 game “Resident Evil: Outbreak.” The writers of the 30-year-old lore of “Resident Evil” have loved to drop Easter eggs and references into their storytelling with increasing frequency—Alyssa Ashcroft is even referenced in “Biohazard,” for example—but “Requiem” sees them most aggressively weaving mythology from past games, most notably 2-4, into their new storytelling.
It features so many characters and locations that Capcom has asked that we keep most of them under wraps, but it’s been revealed that you’ll be going back to Racoon City and going back to the origins of how all of this began. That alone should be a draw for fans of the series, and it’s all handled incredibly well narratively, not feeling like a cheap connection to the beloved games but a new way to appreciate what you loved about them all those years ago.
Before Racoon City, Grace goes to investigate a series of murders at a decrepit hotel called the Wrenwood. These early sequences are stunning for their atmosphere, with wind blowing through broken windows and rain on the street below. As your flashlight barely illuminates its way around the Wrenwood, the writing flashes back to Grace’s childhood, revealing that she may be more connected to Leon and Umbrella than she knows. The entire game can be played in either first- or third-person, but the developers recommend playing in first-person for Grace’s tense story of survival and in third-person for Leon’s action-driven narrative. It’s literally like alternating between the tension of “Biohazard” and the explosivity of “RE4 Remake,” two of the most beloved games in the history of the franchise.
Grace’s story takes her to a medical facility called Rhodes Hill Chronic Care Center that’s been overtaken by some of the most impressive nightmare fuel in video game history. There’s the massive dude with a machete who stalks the halls, the thing that looks like an enormous zombie baby, and then there’s “the girl,” a creature who hunts Grace in darkness, avoidable by luring her into the light. Grace’s half of “Requiem” centers on puzzle-solving and stealth as the story moves this strong new protagonist through a facility that brings back memories of her dark past.
If we’re all figuring out how Grace got here, along with the game’s co-protagonist, Leon Kennedy’s journey has been well-documented. “Requiem” features an older Leon, facing both physical degradation and the ghosts of his time in Racoon City. The gameplay on Leon’s side is very similar to “Resident Evil 4 Remake” with significantly stronger weapons and an axe that fits well into enemy skulls.
There’s something remarkably satisfying about successfully avoiding enemies in Grace’s chapter, only to introduce those same enemies to Leon’s shotgun in one of his sections of the game. At times, the arcs intersect literally, such as in a sequence in which Leon provides sniper fire for a fleeing Grace. You get to know both of these characters not just as cogs in the plot machine, but also how they move and how they succeed or fail. While it could have easily been clunky—two games never merging into one—it’s the opposite, a fluid way to distinguish two important halves of this story that keeps the game fresh.
The characters and their associated gameplay are incredible, but the environments of “Requiem” are just as important to its success. The Wrenwood sets a bar for setting that the rest of the game matches. Most of all, Rhodes is a stunning location in terms of design, a place that includes everything from well-stocked libraries with a “Shining” vibe to medical facilities out of “Re-Animator” to an underground facility that houses things you’ll soon want to forget. The return to Raccoon City has a desolate isolation that almost feels like the desert setting of “Resident Evil: Extinction.” On that note, when the game returns to a sterile, white Umbrella facility, it has echoes of the first “Resident Evil” film, again reminding one of how closely the games and films are culturally intertwined.
Something you should know: My in-game completion screen showed a playtime of just over 8 hours (though the PS5 welcome screen showed 13—I think the total is likely somewhere in between). That’s going to be a sticking point in an era of $70 games. I must say that I sped through the game very quickly, doing less exploring than normal and rarely dying. Those who take their time will easily add a few hours to that number, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I was hoping for another major chapter or two in the final act, one that comes on pretty abruptly.
I think the game length debate is largely overblown—there are great short games and bad long games—but my main complaint about “Requiem” would be that it feels like there is a bit less meat on its bones narratively than the best in this series, and that it lacks some of the big, huge, boss set pieces that people have come to love.
But that’s literally it. There may not be enough literal game time for some gamers, but what is here is undeniably great. It’s fluid in both design and gameplay; its environments feel genuinely three-dimensional; the puzzle design is top-notch; the voice work and sound design are perfect. It makes sense that I wanted more, and you probably will too, but that doesn’t diminish what’s here.
Where does “Resident Evil” go now? With this sure-to-be-hit and a new standalone film from Zach Cregger of “Weapons” fame forthcoming, 2026 is going to be a good year for fans of the Capcom franchise. Without spoiling, “Requiem” unsurprisingly ends in a way that implies this game could herald a new future for the series, one that employs this hybrid style in subsequent adventures.
As someone who has played every single “Resident Evil” game, I’m happy to report that this one is near the top—not quite “RE4,” but few games are. Ultimately, it’s a reminder of how effective these games can be at their best, rollercoasters of tension to action, suspense to execution. I just hope it doesn’t take them five years to make another one.
The Publisher provided a review copy of this title on PS5. It will also be available on PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch 2 this Friday, February 27.
