The trials of Roger Ebert
Great Esquire profile on the League’s favorite film critic.
Will
Will writes from Washington, D.C. (well, Arlington, Virginia). You can reach him at willblogcorrespondence at gmail dot com.
Features
Hot Posts
A Message From Devcat
Devcat is watching over, but if you notice any problems contact the editors and Devcat will be notified and deployed immediately.
Recent Comments
on Paper: Inflation and the 2024 US Presidential ElectionEvery developed country in the world experienced inflation In Switzerland and several East Asian eco…
on Weekend Plans Post: On a Plane to IcelandHrm. I always felt like the experience was an epiphenomenon of the deeper quest for a dinner jacket…
on Weekend Plans Post: On a Plane to IcelandIt's more of an 'experience'. The old way was a sales-guy talking about the fabric/color/style and t…
on Paper: Inflation and the 2024 US Presidential ElectionEdward Bennett Williams, probably the greatest trial lawyer of the generation before mine, said that…
on Open Mic for the week of 11/18/2024I am relatively hawkish on Ukraine since they proved their willingness to fight for their independen…
Comics
-
November 23, 2024
-
November 22, 2024
-
November 21, 2024
-
November 20, 2024
More Comments
on Open Mic for the week of 11/18/2024
on ICC Follows Through on Arrest Warrants for Israeli PM Netanyahu & Others
on Weekend Plans Post: On a Plane to Iceland
on Weekend Plans Post: On a Plane to Iceland
on Open Mic for the week of 11/18/2024
on All the President’s Nominees: The Legion of Groom
on Paper: Inflation and the 2024 US Presidential Election
I feel obliged to point out that, although I definitely like Ebert, I trust A.O. Scott more.Report
As the article says, his criticism has seemed to be a little less harsh and on point the last few years. I read him for observations more than overall reviews at this point. But if that’s the tradeoff for his online journal being what it is, I think it is a good one.Report
I find Ebert’s mode of living admirable. The great thing about his writing is that his way of dealing with the world comes through in his prose. I don’t think I could say that about any other critic, even though there are several whose reviews I find more useful in figuring out whether or not I’ll like a movie.Report
I hadn’t seen a picture of him since the surgery. For some reason, I figured that they put some sort of prosthetic jaw in or something. Nothing he could use, but for aesthetic reasons.Report
I’ve come to like his reviews quite a bit, but I had to get used to the way he writes them with the audience in mind. For instance, if he reviews a horror movie, Ebert will try to figure out if the horror audience will like it or not. It’s a different approach than someone like Pauline Kael took, but I’ve come to read him as well for the observations instead of the overall review. He’s actually a fantastic writer, which is always a treat to discover.Report