The documentary Life Itself, currently in theaters and on VOD outlets, is a valentine to its subject -- the late Roger Ebert -- but avoids oversentimentality or blind hero-worship. Steve James deftly balances a biography of the film critic and author with a moving look at his last days.
James is a little more present as a narrator in this documentary than in his other films (Hoop Dreams, Reel Paradise), explaining the situation surrounding the most contemporary footage. He and Ebert planned an ambitious series of interviews and other location shooting, but Ebert was hospitalized and both his time and energy became more limited. James works capably with what he can get -- a few meetings in the hospital, questions emailed one at a time. Watching Ebert as he struggles to get through each day is heartbreaking.
The shots of what we know are Ebert's last days are interspersed...
James is a little more present as a narrator in this documentary than in his other films (Hoop Dreams, Reel Paradise), explaining the situation surrounding the most contemporary footage. He and Ebert planned an ambitious series of interviews and other location shooting, but Ebert was hospitalized and both his time and energy became more limited. James works capably with what he can get -- a few meetings in the hospital, questions emailed one at a time. Watching Ebert as he struggles to get through each day is heartbreaking.
The shots of what we know are Ebert's last days are interspersed...
- 7/13/2014
- by Jette Kernion
- Slackerwood
Steve James is the director and producer of the documentaries “Hoop Dreams,” “Stevie,” “Reel Paradise,” “At the Death House Door,” “The Interrupters” and “Head Games,” which is awaiting release. He also co-wrote and directed the narrative feature “Prefontaine.” “Generation Food” is a collaboration between myself and author/activist Raj Patel that will tell stories about efforts around the world to try to solve the food crisis — through a documentary, a book, a website and mobile apps. On July 8, we launched a crowdfunding campaign to try to raise funds for the very first research trips we need to make on the film, to locations such as Peru and Malawi. So far, we’ve raised half our goal, with a little less then half the time left. I’ve never done this kind of fundraising before. But for some time I’ve been intrigued to see that people have had success with.
- 8/7/2012
- by Steve James
- Indiewire
One of the best things about the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, which took place November 16th–27th, is how community-inclusive the fest is, with most activities, from interactive exhibitions to informal master classes, open to the public free of charge. (Indeed, it’s possible to get your cinephile fix on a daily basis without ever buying a movie ticket.) And one of this year’s truly informative events was a Meet the Makers discussion at the Escape Club on Rembrandtplein hosted by Canadian documentarian Peter Wintonick. Idfa guest Steve James, who was honored with a retrospective, was there that Saturday morning to shed light on his diverse selections for this edition’s Top 10 – showing a clip from one of his choices followed by a scene from one of his own films that that particular documentary had influenced.
A sequence from Chris Smith’s American Movie led to another from Reel Paradise,...
A sequence from Chris Smith’s American Movie led to another from Reel Paradise,...
- 1/6/2012
- by Lauren Wissot
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
"Hoop Dreams" is one of the great populist documentaries of all time, a movie that worked as absorbing narrative and important social commentary, and while I like the subsequent films that Steve James has made, "Stevie" and "Reel Paradise" are much more genial, low-key, personable films. The thing that made "Hoop Dreams" so hard to shake was the way it refused to play out according to the narrative rules that are ingrained in each and every one of us by the time we're adult moviegoers. Real life, captured with all of its difficult contradictions intact, is a shock to the system...
- 8/24/2011
- Hitfix
NEW YORK -- Austin-based indie film vet Janet Pierson is taking over as South by Southwest Film Festival producer as Matt Dentler exits the role and heads east to join Cinetic Media's digital arm.
Pierson has served as a producer rep and investor on more than two dozen indie films for more than two decades with husband John Pierson, including "She's Gotta Have It", "Slacker" and "Clerks". The couple joined Kevin Smith as executive producers of a documentary feature about their family, "Reel Paradise".
Dentler will work with another established rep, John Sloss, as head of marketing and programming operations at Cinetic Rights Management, a unit of Cinetic Media. This company works with clients to help them manage their digital rights and representation.
When asked in February about his plans, the 28-year-old wunderkind ruled out working at any other fest but SXSW, which he began producing in 2004. But he tellingly added that "as technology continues to develop and exhibition continues to evolve, the lines are blurring between exhibitors, distributors and programrs," a description that seems to align with his new job.
Pierson also co-created and executive produced the late-1990s Independent Film Channel series "Split Screen". In 2004, Pierson and her family moved to Austin, home of SXSW.
Pierson has served as a producer rep and investor on more than two dozen indie films for more than two decades with husband John Pierson, including "She's Gotta Have It", "Slacker" and "Clerks". The couple joined Kevin Smith as executive producers of a documentary feature about their family, "Reel Paradise".
Dentler will work with another established rep, John Sloss, as head of marketing and programming operations at Cinetic Rights Management, a unit of Cinetic Media. This company works with clients to help them manage their digital rights and representation.
When asked in February about his plans, the 28-year-old wunderkind ruled out working at any other fest but SXSW, which he began producing in 2004. But he tellingly added that "as technology continues to develop and exhibition continues to evolve, the lines are blurring between exhibitors, distributors and programrs," a description that seems to align with his new job.
Pierson also co-created and executive produced the late-1990s Independent Film Channel series "Split Screen". In 2004, Pierson and her family moved to Austin, home of SXSW.
- 4/14/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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