Christopher Schobert

Buffalo

Freelance Writer and Film Critic at Freelance

@RottenTomatoes-approved film critic for @TheFilmStage, @BuffaloSpree, @GWNYFilmCritics, @ShreddandRagan.

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Articles

Recommended New Books on Filmmaking: A Visit to Asteroid City, Women of the French New Wave, the Legendary Gandolfini, and J. Hoberman Remembers the 60s

3 days ago | thefilmstage.com | Matt Zoller Seitz |Christopher Schobert

With summer time upon us, it is fitting to begin with the most sun-drenched feature of Wes Anderson’s career, followed by a gem from J. Hoberman, an essential biography of James Gandolfini, and plenty more to read while working on your tan. The Wes Anderson Collection: Asteroid City by Matt Zoller Seitz (Abrams)The Wes Anderson Collection from Matt Zoller Seitz and the folks at Abrams is, quite simply, an indispensable series for film lovers.
Exploring AI-powered CANDO drug discovery platform

1 week ago | buffalo.edu | Christopher Schobert

The Computational Analysis of Novel Drug Opportunities (CANDO) platform is a computational approach to make drug discovery faster and less expensive while also being safe and effective. UB researchers who pioneered the platform say the impact on health care has been enormous.
Canton’s Pro Football Hall of Fame

3 weeks ago | buffalospree.com | Christopher Schobert

It is not always easy thinking of easy and affordable overnights during school breaks. When all else fails, though, you can always count on two things: football and TikTok. Thanks to the latter, my daughter grew fascinated by a restaurant chain with no locations in Western New York, Raising Cane’s. In searching for the closest location, I came upon Canton, Ohio. What cultural landmark can be found in Canton? Yes, the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Home grown

1 month ago | buffalospree.com | Christopher Schobert

Over the past two years, Bailey Keppel began playing flag football, became quarterback, volunteered to serve as director for a documentary about her team, and connected with Cheektowaga native and Hollywood actor William Fichtner—all before her senior year of high school at Mount St. Mary Academy.
Cinema road trips

2 months ago | buffalospree.com | Christopher Schobert

May and June offer plenty of big-screen enticements, including Ethan Hunt’s final run in Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning, a live-action Lilo & Stitch, a John Wick spinoff starring Ana de Armas, zombie shenanigans in 28 Years Later, and Brad Pitt as a Formula 1 driver in F1. These can, of course, all be viewed in Western New York. However, if you’re in the mood to hit the road and enjoy unique cinema, the options are plentiful.
Recommended New Books on Filmmaking: Visionary Female Directors, De Palma’s Underrated War, Almodóvar, and Anthony Mann

2 months ago | thefilmstage.com | Celine Song |Christopher Schobert

We are now well into 2025, and our latest column features several books that will likely rank among the year’s finest and most important releases. Plus, this column features a lengthy rundown of new and recent novels that should be on your radar, as well as lots of 4K and Blu-ray gems. Let’s start with an entertaining and insightful look at female filmmakers. Cinema Her Way: Visionary Female Directors in Their Own Words by Marya E. Gates (Rizzoli)Anyone who has read critic and writer Marya E.
CTSI forum explores the benefits and risks of AI

2 months ago | buffalo.edu | Christopher Schobert

How are Buffalo Translational Consortium researchers navigating the use of artificial intelligence in research? How is AI advancing translational science? And, in the words of one UB researcher, in what ways are “whole new avenues of discovery” being opened using AI? These questions were among those discussed during presentations and a panel discussion last month at the UB Clinical and Translational Science Institute’s (CTSI) Annual Forum at the Clinical and Translational Research Center.
Jupiter Radio Theater is On the Air for its debut album

2 months ago | buffalospree.com | Christopher Schobert

Spree regulars may recall reading about Jupiter Radio Theater—an experiment in storytelling that mixes music, literature, and a dash of cinema—that comes from composer and curator Alex J. Weinstein, Western New York native and Lockport resident. Now, after four years of preparation and musical discovery comes a debut album. On the Air is set to release April 25. “This feels like a huge step forward for the project,” Weinstein says.
An April getaway for WNY film fans

2 months ago | buffalospree.com | Christopher Schobert

There are always many reasons to visit Toronto, and that is especially true for film fans. Spree often shares festivals and film events in the city, and one of the most unique is TIFF’s Next Wave Film Festival. Running from April 10 to 13, the festival is dedicated to championing the next generation of filmmakers and cinephiles. Uniquely, it is specifically geared toward ages 14 to 24.
CTSI awards community partnership grants

Mar 28, 2025 | buffalo.edu | Christopher Schobert

University-community partnerships focused on food literacy initiatives in schools and on research alliances to combat early childhood lead poisoning are the focus of two unique projects awarded UB Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) funding from the CTSI Community Partnership Development Seed Grant Program.