By Steven Snyder

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23

Cruising down Interstate 39 in the rural midsection of Illinois, ones mind has time to contemplate a great many things. Family, religion, politics...never have I thought more clearly than as I stared at the baron, flat horizon all around me.

Of course, I was on my way to the fifth annual Roger Ebert’s Overlooked Film Festival, an event that has quickly become one of my most cherished film going experiences of the year. Granted, the trip to Champaign, Illinois is a long and painful one. But, in only one night, Mr. Ebert made the journey seem like a small price to pay to attend this one-of-a-kind event.

One of the thoughts that crept into my mind while driving down was that movies right now are pretty awful. Just a few days ago, I was discussing with a friend what he should see at an area movie theater, and I literally had no suggestions.

“ Have you seen Chicago?” I asked. “Yep.” “Well, ‘Anger Management’ is kind of funny.” It was the best I could muster. But no, “Anger Management” is not a great film. I gave it 2.5 out of 4 stars, and admitted that, despite its stupidity, I found parts of it quite enjoyable.

That is when I realized what my real issue was: I’m sick of apologizing for movies. If you go to the movie theater today, you may chuckle a bit, cry a bit, and might even see something, if you’re really lucky, that makes you think. But odds are against it.

Instead, movies have become trite, geared at making as much money as possible in as short a span of time as possible. Story comes second to special effects. Characters come second to star power.

In Roger Ebert’s world, this is not the case. At the Overlooked Film Festival, characters and stories have not been forgotten. Instead, over the next five days, the nation’s most-respected film critic will take the time to screen what he believes to be the great, unnoticed works of recent years. What a treasure this fest is.

Tonight, the first night of the festival, Ebert has chosen Philip Kaufman’s “The Right Stuff” from 1983, a poignant film about man’s first steps into space. When viewed against the backdrop of the Columbia disaster, it takes on a tragic dimension. We respect the characters of Kaufman’s film a bit more because we realize the dangers are not elusive and hypothetical, but tragically realistic.

It is indeed one of those great films that has been forgotten by many in the mainstream. It was appreciated in its time, but “The Right Stuff” has become one of those films that sits in the back of a video collection, gathering dust.

For Ebert to choose it as the festival’s opening selection is a beautiful decision. It pays a moment’s tribute to those astronauts aboard Columbia and it also reintroduces many to this classic that really has never failed the test of time. It is as interesting and dramatic now as it ever was.

Going back to my trip down highway 39 and my cynicism over the status of modern cinema, I could not have asked for a better opening selection. The best films find a way to speak to us. For me, “The Right Stuff” has a message, delivers it perfectly, and makes its mark on me as a human being.

Over the next couple days, I will be sure to isolate more of what makes this festival such an amazing event: The guests on-stage after every film, Ebert’s take on these treasured favorites, the gorgeous Virginia Theatre and the breadth and quality of the festival’s overall schedule.

But for now, I’m just excited to be here, knowing that the next four days will not be filled with mediocrity and disappointment. I’m excited to celebrate the magic of truly great movies. The trip was definitely worth it.

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