Jason Reitman in conversation
Jason Reitman is not only a gifted director, but a forthright and thoughtful one. After three features (“Thank You for Smoking,” “Juno” and “Up in the Air”), he has achieved, at the age of 34, firm standing on the A List.
He visited Chicago on Jan. 29 to appear on the Oprah program, and stopped off at my house on his way to the airport. Having only just discovered the video capability of a new camera, I took these videos. They are hand-held, shaky and need editing. But what Reitman says is perceptive and worth sharing.
Also in the room: My wife Chaz, off camera to the left. Reitman’s wife, the actress Michelle Lee, to his right. Chicago publicist Janet Hillebrand on the sofa in front of the windows. The voice on my MacBook is sometimes heard.
The sculpture is “Warrior Woman,” which Chaz and found in a London gallery that holds an exhibition called “Not in the Spring Exhibition,” for works not accepted in the annual show of new works by the Royal Academy of Arts. In other words, Refuseniks. Jason and Michelle are standing in front of an abstract by the British expressionist Gillian Ayres. RE
•
•
••
•
••
•
••
•
••
•
••
Twelve months, 92 million visits at rogerebert.com.
“Top-ranking film critic on the web.” — Alexa.com
“He gets comments that are the envy of anyone in the business.” — New City, Chicago
“America’s #1 pundit.” — Forbes
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert’s latest books are Scorsese by Ebert and Roger Ebert’s Movie Yearbook 2009. Published recently: Roger Ebert’s Four-Star Reviews (1967-2007) and Awake in the Dark: The Best of Roger Ebert. Books can be ordered through rogerebert.com. (Photo by Taylor Evans)Search
Tweet / Facebook
Recent Comments
- Donald Miller commented on Sundance and five Sundance-style movies: The more I
- Paul commented on Of the feel of theaters and audiences,
and eight films from Sundance: Reading ab- JT commented on Of the feel of theaters and audiences,
and eight films from Sundance: Roger, I k- Paul J. Marasa commented on Of the feel of theaters and audiences,
and eight films from Sundance: Regarding- wendy commented on Jason Reitman in conversation: These are
- Tom Dark commented on Of the feel of theaters and audiences,
and eight films from Sundance: Philip Hof- stvs commented on Of the feel of theaters and audiences,
and eight films from Sundance: “‘David Ly- Edgar commented on Of the feel of theaters and audiences,
and eight films from Sundance: Ebert, I c- Dan commented on Jason Reitman in conversation: Thanks, Ee
- Peter Sobczynski commented on Of the feel of theaters and audiences,
and eight films from Sundance: While I agPages
- Jack Benny, 1894-1974: The man who
could be funny just by standing there- “Chanda Mama” around the world
- A little concert for Christmas
- Art is where you find it, or, Conan immortalized
- But…why Paterson?
- Cobb…Cobb…The Cobb?…(*Chuckle*)
- Concert for an uncertain world
- Great movie posters of the decade
- I read just about every word in these during my bedazzed youth. Now it’s the covers I love.
- I’ve got the sweetest set of wheels in town
- If you were a kid in the 1950s, you remember…
- In memory of the memories of W. G. Sebald
- My home town movie shrine will survive
- My past, recalled in a noirish oil
- Oprah remembers our first date
- Photos from unknown friends
- recent Two Thumbs Up® reviews
He simply wasn’t a “Chuck.”- That Audrey Hepburn neck
- The creepiest movie poster of the year
- the Your Movie Sucksâ„¢ files
- Virtual orgy @Hef’s pad
- When Siskel & Ebert were on “Sneak Previews”
- Why HAL 9000 sang “Daisy”
- O’Rourke’s magazine
- O’Rourke’s magazine:
“Sorrows and Joys of the Desert,” by Tom Dark- O’Rourke’s magazine
“Sonoran Duende,” by Tracey Durgan- O’Rourke’s magazine
“Blemished, Perfection,” a story by Grace Wang- O’Rourke’s magazine
“One autumn evening in Peshewar”
by Larry J. Kolb- O’Rourke’s magazine
Two short stories by H. W. Cimmerian- Pages for Twitter
- Kolb: With CGI, do you even really
need to leave the studio?- The Kolb Report: Elvis Presley is definitely
dead, or at least, he isn’t in this photo- Adventures on land, sea, in the
air, and on Twitter: Kolb- Ali sees “Rocky II:” The Greatest as movie critic
- Best films 1967-2009: Siskel & Ebert & Scorsese
- Da handy dictionary a Chicaga slang
- I could watch a Fellini film on the radio
- I didn’t notice that was Ron Galella.
Is he everywhere?- Jason Reitman in conversation
- Mark Nugent, RIP. Artist of the realms of consciousness, perception, alchemy, mysticism and quantum physics
- Nestor Torres and the spirit in the music
- New Year’s with Steve: In tribute to a great heart
- On the 68th birthday of the greatest
- The heart of the world and other organs:
The singular cinema of Guy Maddin- The philosopher’s hand signals
- Transcript: Climbing Mount Criterion
Categories
- Best film lists–and worst (5)
- Cannes 2009 (10)
- Darwin, My Hero (8)
- Deeper into movies (23)
- Just for Twitter (1)
- My Life and Times (30)
- My Old Gang (9)
- People (18)
- Political (6)
- Popular entries (16)
- Specific films (19)
- Supposedly funny (10)
- The Immensity (10)
- The Seasons (3)
- The show (1)
- Toronto 2009 (11)
Monthly Archives
- January 2010 (7)
- December 2009 (9)
- November 2009 (4)
- October 2009 (7)
- September 2009 (15)
- August 2009 (9)
- July 2009 (7)
- June 2009 (6)
- May 2009 (13)
- April 2009 (7)
- March 2009 (7)
- February 2009 (10)
- January 2009 (6)
- December 2008 (6)
- November 2008 (8)
- October 2008 (6)
- September 2008 (6)
- August 2008 (6)
- July 2008 (4)
- June 2008 (5)
- May 2008 (11)
- April 2008 (4)
interesting interview with jason reitman