Life Itself (2014) – Encore Review

This a Covid-19 2020 minireview!

“In the past 25 years I have probably seen 10,000 movies and reviewed 6,000 of them. I have forgotten most of them, I hope, but I remember those worth remembering, and they are all on the same shelf in my mind.” – Roger Ebert

Number of Times Seen – Twice (20 Jul 2014 and 18 May 2020)

Link to original review – Here

Brief Synopsis – Documentary about the life and career of fabled movie reviewer Roger Ebert.

Bottom Line – Such a powerful documentary that shows Ebert’s life and career, warts and all. They never shy away from showing things as they were which is so fascinating to see. Ebert has been a pseudo mentor for probably thousands of movie reviewers (like myself) and see what kind of man he was besides hearing his words of wisdom on life and on movies is amazing. His relationships with fellow reviewers is also shown and it’s understandable why so many people have respect for him and his work. We learn so much about his personal life and the various events that helped guide him during difficult times. Highly Recommended!

MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – Steve James also directed the documentary Hoop Dreams (1994), which was Roger Ebert’s favorite movie of the 1990s. The title ‘Life Itself’ comes from Ebert’s original review: “A film like ‘Hoop Dreams’ is what the movies are for. It takes us, shakes us, and make us think in new ways about the world around us. It gives us the impression of having touched life itself.” (From IMDB)

Rating – Oscar Worthy (9/10) (no change from original review)