Cannes 2026: Colony, The End of It, Roma Elastica
At Cannes 2026, genre titles migrated from the traditional Midnight Screenings into higher‑profile sections such as Un Certain Regard, Cannes Premieres and even Competition, leaving the Midnight program thin. Yeon Sang‑ho’s zombie thriller “Colony” drew strong Korean box‑office numbers but was criticized for derivative storytelling and chaotic choreography. Maria Martinez Bayona’s “The End of It” offered a high‑concept meditation on longevity that never fully realized its ideas, while Bertrand Mandico’s “Roma Elastica” presented a deliberately absurd satire of the film industry that many found more chore than entertainment. Critics overall saw the three films as missed opportunities to advance horror and sci‑fi at the festival.
Netflix’s “The Boroughs” Offers a Clever Spin on the “Stranger Things” Formula
Netflix’s new series “The Boroughs” reimagines the suburban‑monster formula popularized by “Stranger Things,” swapping bikes for desert walkers. Produced by the Duffer Brothers, the show leans on an 80s B‑movie aesthetic, featuring a veteran ensemble that includes Alfred Molina, Alfre...
Cannes 2026: The Man I Love, Orange-Flavoured Wedding
Ira Sachs returns to Cannes competition in 2026 with “The Man I Love,” a film shot on 35mm that recreates late‑1980s New York theater culture. The drama follows flamboyant artist Jimmy George, his partner Dennis, newcomer Vincent, and sister Brenda,...
Cannes 2026: Iron Boy, Tangles, Lucy Lost
Cannes 2026 showcases a robust animation slate, with Thierry Fremaux championing the genre as equal to live‑action. Louis Clichy’s watercolor‑styled "Iron Boy" offers a tender coming‑of‑age story that could follow the Oscar‑nominated success of last year’s "Little Amelie." Leah Nelson’s "Tangles,"...
Cannes 2026 Video #5: Festival Dispatch with Ben Kenigsberg
RogerEbert.com’s Cannes 2026 video dispatch features Ben Kenigsberg discussing two competition entries: Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s three‑hour‑plus drama “All of a Sudden” and Pawel Pawlikowski’s biopic “Fatherland.” The interview highlights each film’s thematic focus—aging, cross‑cultural friendship, and post‑war statelessness—and notes the actors’...
This Year’s Ebert Fellows Reflect on the 2026 True/False Film Festival
Ebert Fellows attended March’s True/False Film Festival and April’s final Ebertfest, reflecting on the power of documentary cinema to spark empathy and dialogue. Patrick Bresnan’s "First They Came for My College" examined political attacks on New College of Florida, echoing...
Cannes 2026 Video #3: Nagi Notes, Camp Miasma, Werner Herzog
The Cannes Film Festival 2026 opened on May 12, featuring a video segment from RogerEbert.com that spotlighted two standout entries. Koji Fukada’s competition entry “Nagi Notes” impressed with its meditative rhythm, rural cinematography, and a breakout performance by its lead...
Cannes 2026: Nagi Notes, Ashes
At Cannes 2026, Japanese auteur Koji Fukada entered competition for the first time with “Nagi Notes,” a subtle drama set in the remote village of Nagi. The film intertwines art, architecture, and a camera‑obscura motif to examine how characters misread...
Cannes 2026 Video #2: A Look Back at Day One of the Fest
The 2026 Cannes Film Festival opened on May 12 with a star‑studded ceremony, where Peter Jackson was presented an honorary Palme d’Or for his Lord of the Rings legacy. The opening‑night feature, “La Venus Electrique,” debuted in Cannes and French cinemas,...
Cannes 2026: Table of Contents
The 79th Cannes Film Festival kicks off on May 12 and runs through May 24, 2026. Roger Ebert’s team returns to the Riviera with a full slate of reviews, dispatches, and video reports. The opening video, hosted by Chaz Ebert,...
“Unconditional” Brings Moral Questions to a Mother’s Love
Apple’s new series “Unconditional” follows Israeli mother Orna Levy as she battles Moscow’s opaque legal system to rescue her detained daughter, Gali. Showrunners Adam Bizanski and Dana Idisis deliver a tense thriller with a muted visual style and a nerve‑racking...
A True American Original: Ted Turner (1938-2026)
Ted Turner, the flamboyant media mogul who died on May 6, 2026 at 87, reshaped American television by turning a modest UHF station into the first super‑station and launching the world’s first 24‑hour news network, CNN. He later built a film empire...
Peacock Takes Us Back to Miami for “M.I.A” Vice and Vengeance
Peacock debuting "M.I.A," a nine‑episode crime‑revenge series set in the Florida Keys, arrives on May 7. Created by Bill Dubuque of "Ozark" fame and run by former "Dexter" showrunner Karen Campbell, the show follows sisters Etta Tiger Jonze (Shannon Gisela) and...
Female Filmmakers in Focus: Lucrecia Martel on “Nuestra Tierra (Our Land)”
Acclaimed Argentine director Lucrecia Martel releases “Nuestra Tierra (Our Land)”, a documentary that intertwines the 2009 murder of Javier Chocobar with the centuries‑old struggle of the indigenous Chuschagasta community in Tucumán. Using drones, personal photo archives, and oral histories, Martel...
Short Films in Focus: Sound and Color (with Director Emma Foley)
Emma Foley’s fifteen‑minute short "Sound and Colour" follows Hannah, a woman returning home after a failed suicide attempt, and the uneasy family dynamics that unfold. Alison Oliver delivers a nuanced performance that balances guardedness with vulnerability, while Charlotte Bradley portrays...