No sarcastic review today. I don`t want to write it, and you don`t want to read it. I`ve got some thinking to do in the memory of the great Roger Ebert.
It`s the 1-year anniversary of the death of Roger Ebert, perhaps the best movie critic of all time. And since I didn`t have a blog at the time of his death last year, I never had a chance to express how I felt about it. And I`d like to share what effect the legendary critic had on me. This is really hard for me to write, because the death of my idol is still a very touchy subject but I want to explain what he was to me. So I`ll try to get you to understand, like a critic should....god knows, I need it right now.
I can`t honestly say I grew up with Siskel and Ebert- Gene Siskel died before I was born (although from what I`ve seen, he was great too), but I can say that Siskel`s untimely death revealed an important point about Ebert: his personality as a critic without his best friend.
What made Ebert amazing in the craft was that after Gene`s passing, he wasn`t just "And Ebert". With many duos, when one quits, the other cannot maintain the act for long (imagine Bill and Ted without Bill, or Spongebob without Patrick) and it eventualy crumbles. But by his own will, Ebert decided to carry on and become a greater critic than anyone. By working onwards from his partner`s death, Ebert carried on his legacy for Siskel and himself simply because he could and wanted to.
Ebert was honest and unbiased in his movie reviews, which I try to remain in his honor (but I do have swayed opinions), but what made Ebert the best critic I`ve ever seen was his utter determination to do what he loved. Ebert passed away last year, but up until the day he died he was watching movies, blogging, and generally dong what he loved. The determination exerted by the guy was a beautiful image of a man wanting to keep working until he died simply for the purpose that it brings him joy. And that`s what I think being a critic is about: finding the joy and disappointment in entertainment. I don`t think all movies are bad, and I`m just trying to do what I love: provide ample feedback about things I`ve seen as a movie critic. This is what I want to do, and like the great Ebert, I`m doing it.
Roger Ebert was probably one of my biggest motivators to enter the field of criticism. When I saw the news that he had lost his battle with cancer, I cried. And to honor him, to honor the legacy of criticism as an art form, I write my opinions in hopes that one day they will be as well-respected as his were. And someday, I will carry on the legacy of Siskel and Ebert.
It`s been a year now since we lost the giant of the movies, but he will not be forgotten. He directed a movie.... should I review that some time? Maybe, but that`s not important right now.
Today, The Critical Frog has taken a break from harsh criticism to say my long-overdue farewells to the king of critics. I raise my glass to you, Roger Ebert, in honor of your legacy, wherever you are. And somehow, somewhere, I`ll see you at the movies.
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