This month, the very last EbertFest took place in downtown Champaign, Illinois, in the magnificent Virginia Theater, a 1000-seat venue that’s over a century old. Originally known as The Overlooked Film Festival, EbertFest ran for 25 years, starting in 2001. It was founded by Roger Ebert and his wife and partner Chaz Ebert (who also founded

Trailers for director David Lowery’s “Mother Mary” have cheekily referred to it as “Not a ghost story,” likely a reference to the director’s 2017 film of the same name. Make no mistake, though: this is very much an exorcism story, one that also focuses on a spirit that refuses to leave its chosen place of

The wonderfully demented “Widow’s Bay” plays out almost like an anthology of Stephen King short stories, shuffling supernatural urban legends in a small New England community with equal parts humor and horror. It is truly unlike anything else on TV, a wild swing of tonal shifts that works because it commits so fully to both

Building on the foundation laid by ESPN’s excellent “30 for 30” series, Netflix launched its own franchise of films about unusual sports stories in 2021 under the banner “Untold.” With an intent to tell unique sports stories with the insight and visual language of documentary filmmaking instead of just a basic cable TV special, the

Netflix will never run out of juicy material for its “Untold” sports documentary series, which over the years has tackled scandals and controversies such as the “Malice at the Palace” brawl between the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons; the Manti Te’o catfishing saga; the rise and crash of Johnny Manziel; and the Michigan football sign-stealing

“What if animals acted like people, and those people were sad and horny?” It’s an old chestnut at this point in the realm of adult animated comedies; after all, sometimes it’s novel, and even cathartic, to see our very human foibles reflected in the furry friends we love so unconditionally. Prime Video’s “Kevin,” to its

Since its launch on what-was-Epix (now MGM+) back in 2022, “From” has scratched an itch for TV viewers who miss the twisting sci-fi tales of not just “LOST” but its many imitators. Often directed by that show’s legendary director, Jack Bender, and starring Harold Perrineau in a role that doesn’t feel that different from Michael

The Chicago Film Critics Association announces the line-up for the 13th Chicago Critics Film Festival, running from May 1-7, 2026 at the historic Music Box Theatre. A blend of new and familiar voices, this year’s line-up reflects the breadth of filmmaking in 2026 including new works from Olivia Wilde, Dawn Porter, and Joe Swanberg, all

The Cannes Film Festival announced the first selections for its 2026 program this year, a diverse array of films from international masters from around the world, blended in with new, unexpected voices. After a 2025 program of high profile Hollywood premieres like the last “Mission: Impossible” movie and Spike Lee’s “Highest 2 Lowest,” this year

They say no one wins when the family feuds. Maybe not, but the bestseller lists, box office, and streaming would like a word. Anything that makes us yell, “mommy, daddy, don’t!” with our faces only partially covered and a grin on our lips, has a good chance of winning us over. There’s the vitriolic fallout