Now The Bad

It was officially announced yesterday that Ebert & Roeper At The Movies will discontinue this summer. I have personally watched Mr. Ebert and his various partners for the past 25 or so years. I can't really say that about much of anything else. Maybe Oakland Raider Football. It is shockingly sad.

Mr. Ebert has been unable to do his show for two years and Roeper is a lightweight, but I was happy to be introduced to Michael Phillips, who is now on my list of readable critics. Ebert says he's taking the thumbs. Roeper has to find new TV employment.

Ebert has received more flack than any other film critic in history due to his insistence of narrowing full-length written reviews into a thumbs up or thumbs down. If the only exposure to him that you have is his television show, you owe to yourself to go pick up some of his written work. I have his last 17 yearly guides as well as all his other writing on film.

Let's not forget that he won the Pulitzer.

I recommend Movie City News for links to the reaction and response to the demise of Ebert & Roeper.

Ebert's statement here

Movie City News is here

Michael.