Word: ebert
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...strong current of sub-art-house snobbery targeted towards anything with even the faintest odor of mainstream allure. One of the easier marks is the film critics of the four stars variety. I was recently involved in a discussion in a VES class when the name of Roger Ebert was dropped. Like a slab of chum in a pool of makos, the country’s leading film reviewer was quickly disparaged and disposed of. Though I can’t say I quite distinguished any actual case made against him, I think I can surmise the case: by condensing...
...pieces; his United States of Leland review is a good start). And yes, film criticism of the Cahiers du Cinema variety can be as much an art form as filmmaking itself, and to rise to such prominence by diminishing it seems terribly unjust. But to dismiss the significance of Ebert with a derisive snort is to lose sight of the real battle. Film should essentially be created for the mutual appreciation of artist and audience alike, not solely for the benefit of its creator. When the dialogue on film is held behind closed doors in a college classroom...
...Roger Ebert has taken perhaps a less esteemed path, but has no doubt played an elemental role in the success of some of the greater films of the past few years; his ardent advocacy of City of God, Lost in Translation and Y Tu Mamá También helped elevate what might have been six-figure art-house bombs to veritable box office successes. He often recommends ultra-mainstream spectacles as well, but that is a necessary burden that accompanies the position of head critic at a heavily circulated newspaper. The important point is not that he gave Ella...
...River’s Tim Robbins has had the lion’s share of awards momentum, and few think that he’ll be denied a statue. Charlize Theron has a lock on Best Actress: she played against type six ways to Sunday, and Roger Ebert has led the same “Best...acting...ever” critical charge that helped propel Halle Berry to her Monster’s Ball Oscar two years ago. And if Return of the King doesn’t win Best Picture (and director Peter Jackson doesn?...
...example is Paul Verhoeven’s Showgirls, hailed by critics as one of the greatest films of the 90s, if not all time. A staggering work of emotional profundity with the occasional stripper-on-stripper dance-off, Showgirls would no doubt receive an A rating according to the Ebert system. But certain faceless detractors might argue that the film does not exhibit an ounce of artistic merit and therefore deserves an NC-17. Such responsibility would only be giving the Rating Board another system of control...