tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post422729056838677105..comments2024-03-27T21:42:56.131-05:00Comments on 1001plus: At the MoviesSJHoneywellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-27811144156745975542015-09-14T18:33:56.802-05:002015-09-14T18:33:56.802-05:00It's easy to forget that Ebert really was a he...It's easy to forget that Ebert really was a hell of a good writer. I haven't read his autobiography, but I've read a lot of his writing. He had a way of making difficult concepts in film accessible to anyone. It's a rare talent to take something baffling and make it clear. <br /><br />And no one hated bad movies like Ebert. He made good reviews interesting, but he made bad reviews treasures.SJHoneywellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-41138307164014842472015-09-14T15:33:42.556-05:002015-09-14T15:33:42.556-05:00Case in point: http://zenpencils.com/comic/118-rog...Case in point: http://zenpencils.com/comic/118-roger-ebert-on-kindness/nolahnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14686127419316337858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-37421341249042142482015-09-14T15:27:21.312-05:002015-09-14T15:27:21.312-05:00Here here! Great review of a great documentary.
...Here here! Great review of a great documentary. <br /><br />If you haven't already, I'd highly recommend reading Ebert's "Life Itself" (*cough* reviewed by me at Your Face *cough* *cough*). The documentary just hits the surface of what's in Ebert's book and is a reminder of something that often gets lost when talking about the influence his shows had on our generation -- dude could flat-out write. <br /><br />I mean, damn: I'm in my 40s and write for a living, so at this point I feel like I have a pretty good handle on writing.. but there are passages in that book that are stunning, that made me hope that someday I might come close to writing something that good.<br /><br />-Nolahnnolahnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14686127419316337858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-28267110966721190892015-09-12T21:31:55.865-05:002015-09-12T21:31:55.865-05:00It's brought up in the film that Siskel and Eb...It's brought up in the film that Siskel and Ebert seemed to go out of their way to talk about movies that a lot of people might not see and to promote smaller films that they really liked. It's one of the things that I liked about their format. They reviewed enough movies every week that they had time and space to bring up films that might not get any play for the general public. My guess is that a lot of young filmmakers got boosts from their show because Siskel and Ebert truly loved film and wanted to promote what was best in film.<br /><br />I agree with the discomfort regarding Ebert's appearance. But that's one of the things that makes the film as worthwhile as it is--he was willing to be on camera despite that appearance, to say "This is who I am now."SJHoneywellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-31797431134241904042015-09-12T21:12:55.933-05:002015-09-12T21:12:55.933-05:00I used to watch Siskel and Ebert haphazardly. It ...I used to watch Siskel and Ebert haphazardly. It was syndicated on a local broadcast station in the 80s and they seemed to move the time of it around to suit live, local events they were broadcasting. The first mention I ever heard of a Studio Ghibli film was when they reviewed Kiki's Delivery Service and I remembered it years later when Disney got the rights to release the films in the U.S. on video.<br /><br />As for Life Itself I do have to admit that the later scenes with Ebert where they had fashioned his mouth into a permanent grin after the removal of his jaw made me a little uncomfortable. I'm sure that if I had been around him I would have soon gotten used to it. I had read about the fact that people had taken all of his DVD commentaries, TV shows, interviews, etc. and used them to build a database of words in his own voice so that the computer still sounded somewhat like him, so I was interested in seeing and hearing that in the film.<br /><br />This just missed my Top 10 for the year. I did have one documentary above it - Citizenfour.Chip Laryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00787403805554027107noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-86326821658965856102015-09-12T19:51:20.737-05:002015-09-12T19:51:20.737-05:00I think you'll find a lot to like with this. E...I think you'll find a lot to like with this. Ebert was a special critic.Siskel was a damn fine critic as well; I just didn't agree with him as much.<br /><br />These days, Michael Phillips is the guy I look to the most. I try to read Elvis Mitchell as well. I almost always disagree with Mitchell, but his reviews are so well written that I fully understand why he thinks the way he does. Even though I disagree with him, I respect the hell out of how well he tells me I'm wrong.<br /><br />For a number of years, if Michael Phillips and Roger Ebert liked it and Rex Reed hated it, I knew I'd like it. SJHoneywellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-52468197665056708082015-09-12T16:33:10.906-05:002015-09-12T16:33:10.906-05:00Well written and thoughtful post. You are so right...Well written and thoughtful post. You are so right about Ebert practically birthing us amateur critics. I used to watch At the Movies when I was a youngster. Back then, I often disagreed with him, but mostly because I had no idea what he was really saying. Yet, I still watched every week because I enjoy the lively banter between he and Ebert and injecting myself into the conversation in some small way. They could never heat me, of course, but many times I called them crazy for not giving the latest action blockbuster or slasher flick two thumbs up. As I got older and really started to become something of a cinephile, I found myself spending hours reading through his reviews of films I had seen and agreeing with them more often than not. Even when I didn't, his reviews were written in a way that helped me understand why. And they were always engaging. That's something I strive for. I put Life Itself on my Netflix list months ago, but just haven't gotten to it. Needless to say I will soon. Dellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05634519605152190304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-16753015935729880972015-09-12T13:31:08.837-05:002015-09-12T13:31:08.837-05:00That's what I liked about it, too. Ebert was w...That's what I liked about it, too. Ebert was willing to put himself out there in a way that most people wouldn't, and I appreciate that fully.SJHoneywellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-2668794772786578322015-09-12T12:37:12.064-05:002015-09-12T12:37:12.064-05:00I didn't, like you, watch Siskel and Ebert At ...I didn't, like you, watch Siskel and Ebert At the Movies(I don't live in the US), although I've watched many clips on youtube and enjoyed his reviews online. Ebert had a lot to give and inspires us bloggers to do the same. Sometimes these types of docs just have non-stop praise, I liked how Life Itself was brave enough to explore his weaknesses as well as his strengths. Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09395044055566348346noreply@blogger.com