Life Itself (R) 120 mins A-
See you at the movies
Starring Roger Ebert, Chaz Ebert, Gene Siskel, Martin Scorsese, Werner Herzog, Ramin Bahrani, Marlene Iglitzen, and the voice of Stephen Stanton
Based on his memoir of the same name, Life Itself is an extremely fascinating, highly entertaining, and ultimately heart-wrenching documentary film that chronicles the life of Roger Ebert. It revealed a side of Ebert that I never knew about - the drinking, the arrogance, the brooding and what one of his friend's called, "the worst possible taste in women." The film also inspired me because he was so passionate, engaging, and open to new/independent film endeavors. But all of that being said, it's impossible to escape the presence of cancer. The disease took a devastating toll on Ebert and those around him. After watching the graphic nature of his battle against cancer, it's hard not to feel sad, helpless and scared. One film critic (who I can't remember) wrote that Life Itself documents "a life well lived." I would add that it also documents how the love of film, love of a companion, love of a great story, can keep us inspired and alive in the face of adversity.
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