My Favorite reviews of Roger Ebert

It’s plain to see how the world of Cinema has changed over the last few years, and especially after the brilliant and emotionally intellectual reviewer and writer Roger Ebert passed away in 2013.

His writing wasn’t just good—-it was transcendent. It felt like his experience was something that reached you, a ethereal stream of consciousness that placed cinema on a different level. It was not merely just a source of entertainment to Ebert, or a career—-it was a platform to discuss the human condition, the complicated nature of our relationships, our communities, our social issues and the things that matter to us.

I remember how much I loved to read Ebert’s reviews every week on my work computer(When I had down time lol). I’d check his new updates religiously—-that’s how much I appreciated and enjoyed reading his reviews and his writing.

It wasn’t just in what he enjoyed and how he could describe a film experience so well that I almost fell into that deep well—-the well of his words, his expression of something indescribable yet for some reason he could pin-point what I had been feeling the entire time I had watched it—that’s what I call magic.

One example of this magic is through Roger Ebert’s review of my absolute favorite film: My Dinner with Andre.

Here is his review:

And here is the small excerpt of that review that struck a huge chord with me in conjunction with my own experience watching this film:

At first, director Louis Malle's sedate series of images (close-ups, two-shots, reaction shots) calls attention to itself, but as Gregory continues to talk, the very simplicity of the visual style renders it invisible. And like the listeners at the feet of a master storyteller, we find ourselves visualizing what Gregory describes, until this film is as filled with visual images as a radio play—more filled, perhaps, than a conventional feature film.

And, Roger was also fun, looking back on his reviews.

I remember reading this review in 2008.

And I loved it—-because he had a light touch with children’s films that bordered on a free spirited, joyful mentality. He didn’t even seem to mind the unconventional and strange couple presented within the sequel: the love of Melman and Gloria. A hippo and a giraffe! That touched my childlike soul a bit when I read that!

I’ll leave you all with the ending excerpt of his review for Madagascar 2: Escape to Africa.

Anyway, the prospect of a giraffe making love to a hippo is enough to set me writing limericks. Can it be done? I think it might be safer than a hippo making love to a giraffe.

So OK, kids, if you liked the first one, this is better. Your parents may like it too, although they may have to dash out for just a second to see "Soul Men."

Gloria, a fecund hippopotamy,

Desired to be a baby momamy,

So she shared a good laugh

With a randy giraffe

And his touchingly tender salamamy.

The fact that Roger Ebert wrote a limerick for this review is too good NOT to share. I mean... really?! A limerick for a hippo and a giraffe in love?

What’s not to love about that??

And my third favorite (but certainly not my last) is one of the most entertaining and funny reviews I have ever read!

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/north-1994

It certainly is probably the most well known and famous references to Ebert’s career too, and here is one of the best parts:

I hated this movie. Hated hated hated hated hated this movie. Hated it. Hated every simpering stupid vacant audience-insulting moment of it. Hated the sensibility that thought anyone would like it. Hated the implied insult to the audience by its belief that anyone would be entertained by it.

It’s just the best! 🤣

In conclusion—-I miss Roger Ebert. I miss his beautiful prose. I miss his heartfelt, honest, extremely emotional and brilliant voice—-I miss the way he could simplify the complicated emotions you get watching certain films in a universal way. The way he saw film inspired many others after, but in my opinion, no one could understand and excoriate films in a more artful, unpretentious and deep way than he could.

I’ll leave you with one of my favorite scenes ever from a Pixar film. (Below)

And of course, Roger Ebert’s last review:

There will be many who find "To the Wonder" elusive and too effervescent. They'll be dissatisfied by a film that would rather evoke than supply. I understand that, and I think Terrence Malick does, too. But here he has attempted to reach more deeply than that: to reach beneath the surface, and find the soul in need.

Roger, you were one of the greats and I think any writer could learn a great many things studying and reading your articles, stories, books and reviews.

Please check out some of his writing today!!

In the words of Ego: Not everyone can become a great artist; but a great artist can come from anywhere.

And that person was Roger Ebert, a truly beautiful soul.

Have a nice day! Happy reading and happy writing!!

-Melissa