Christy Lemire of The Associated Press and Ignatiy Vishnevetsky of Mubi.com will be the co-hosts of "Ebert Presents at the Movies." The two experienced and respected critics will also introduce special segments featuring other contributors and the Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Roger Ebert.
The new weekly program debuts Jan. 21 on public television stations in 48 of the top 50 markets, representing more than 90% national coverage. It will be produced in Chicago at WTTW, where Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert began taping "Sneak Previews" some 35 years ago.
"It was pretty emotional for me, walking down the same corridors, into the same studios, even meeting some of the same camera operators, editors and stagehands we worked with," Ebert said.
The executive producer of the program will be his wife, Chaz. The director will be Don Dupree, who logged 15 years as director of "Siskel & Ebert" and "Ebert & Roeper." Ebert will be a co-producer and host a weekly segment. He had direct input into the selection of the show's critics. The new show will be distributed nationwide by American Public Television (APT).Christy Lemire has been the critic of The Associated Press for 12 years, and was AP's first full-time movie critic. "I admired the way she reviewed with Richard Roeper when she co-hosted our show," Ebert said, "and I have long respected her criticism. On television, Christy is a natural. From the day I saw her with Richard, I knew she was right for this job."
He didn't have to search far to find the Chicago-based Ignatiy Vishnevetsky. Hearing him discuss films one day in the Lake Street Screening Room used by Chicago critics, Ebert said, "I was struck by the depth and detail of his film knowledge, and by how articulate he was." After reading his work online, Ebert was sold.
Vishnevetsky, 24, is a critic and essayist for MUBI.com a new multi-national streaming site calling itself an online cinematheque. "Mubi will offer a lot of films not carried by other services," he said: "foreign, silent, classic and experimental films." He is a co-founder of the acclaimed Cine-File.info, which tracks alternative cinema in the Chicago area,. and continues to write criticism for it on a weekly basis. He is also a contributor to The Chicago Reader. Prior to becoming a film critic, Vishnevetsky, who is multi-lingual, worked as a translator for Novoe Literaturnoe Obozrenie, Russia's premier literary journal.
Born in the Soviet Union, Vishnevetsky moved to America when he was not quite 9, and moved to Chicago after he graduated from high school in Milwaukee "because I could find more films to see here." He helps program the current Cine-File Selects series at the University of Chicago's Doc Films, the nation's oldest film society. And he co-manages the Odd Obsession underground and alternative video store.The first two shows will include contributions from Kim Morgan of Los Angeles and Omar Moore of San Francisco, writers Ebert admired online. "When the alleged death of film criticism was being bemoaned a year ago," he said said, "I wrote a blog calling this the Golden Age of Film Criticism. Although many traditional media critics have lost their jobs, there's been an explosion of great online film criticism. The critics on this show are the proof."
This is also becoming a new Golden Age for film viewing, he said. With the rise of video on demand (VOD) via cable and such streaming services as Netflix, Amazon and Mubi, many moviegoers have immediate access to thousands of titles. "To reflect that, we'll have a regular segment called 'Hot and Now,' reviewing films that home viewers can actually watch right then and there after the show goes off the air."
There's a story behind the name of that segment, Chaz Ebert revealed. "One day Roger and I were driving through rural Indiana and saw a drive-in hamburger stand called Hot N Now. Ever since then, that phrase has been a running joke for us."
Christy Lemire is the film critic for The Associated Press, based in Los Angeles. She has been writing reviews for the AP for 12 years and was named the first full-time film critic in the news organization's history in 2004. Christy filled in for Roger Ebert several times on "At the Movies" in 2007 and has appeared on "The Charlie Rose Show," "Good Morning America" and "The View," to name a few. She also covers the Oscars, Golden Globes and many other awards shows each year. A third-generation L.A. native, Christy is a member of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.
Kim Morgan of Sunset Gun also writes essays for MSN Movies, and authors and runs MSN's daily film blog, the Hitlist. . She has written for Huffington Post, IFC, Entertainment Weekly and GQ. She's also guest programmed for Turner Classic Movies, appeared in the documentary American Grindhouse and contributes to the Palm Springs Film Noir Festival, introducing films for the Film Noir Foundation. In addition, she served as editorial consultant and writer for ClickStar, where she worked with Peter Bogdanovich on "The Golden Age of Movies" and Danny DeVito, writing and producing DeVito's documentary series, "Jersey Docs." She recently worked with director, Guy Maddin appearing in four short films, or "Hauntings" -- three with Udo Kier, and one with a white wolf.
Omar Moore adores movies. Born and raised in England, he later moved to New York City with his parents. A high school honors society member, Omar, 40, is a graduate of City College of New York in Harlem and Rutgers Law School in New Jersey. Following in his dad's footsteps he became an attorney. Omar's letters on legal issues and film matters have been published in The New York Times. His movie review, interview and film essay website The Popcorn Reel is more of a full-time job than his contract attorney work. A member of the San Francisco Film Critics Circle, Omar juggles both disciplines and says that "being an attorney and a film critic is a perfect marriage because both are fervent advocates for their point of view when they write. Both use precedents, whether established case law or classic cinema, to convince their audiences."
In addition to Morgan and Moore, Chaz Ebert said, "we plan to use other contributors with special interests, such as Kartina Richardson, Nell Minow, David Poland and Jeff Greenfield."
Kartina Richardson is a filmmaker and founder of Mirrorfilm.org, a film commentary and video essay site. For Richardson, film is first and foremost an emotional and existential medium, creating experiences for viewers that can't be explained intellectually. "I grew up watching classic and foreign films nonstop," she said, "and I try to discuss film in a way that maintains its magic, that doesn't one-dimensionalize it," Richardson, who is multiracial, often felt a stranger in her devotion to and knowledge of American and European film. She now explores representations of people of color in the films she loves in her series 'Race in Film' at MirrorFilm.org. Her musings appear at her site thismoi.com.
Jeff Greenfield is the CBS news analyst whose friendship with Ebert goes back to their days as editors of college dailies in the 1960s -- Jeff at Wisconsin, Roger at Illinois. After Siskel's illness, he guest hosted across the aisle from Roger. He was for many years an analyst on CNN, and got an early start on television as a reporter setting up stories on William F. Buckley's "FIring Line."
Nell Minow writes about culture, media, and values as the Movie Mom for Beliefnet.com, and reviews movies and DVDs every week for radio stations across the US and Canada. She has been profiled in the Washington Post, the Chicago Sun-Times, and the New Yorker. She is also a Washington D.C. lawyer called "the queen of good corporate governance" by Business Week.
David Poland is creator, co-publisher, and editor-in-chief of Movie City News, a leading film news aggregation and original content site for eight years. As a critic and industry analyst, he has been writing in depth about film for over a decade, currently on The Hot Blog, which evolved out of a decade-long run of his daily column, The Hot Button. Poland also produces and presents over 150 episodes of DP/30 each year. The 30 minute interview program, which runs exclusively on the web, features actors, directors, writers, and other filmmaking talent.
David Poland, also a frequent Ebertfest participant, is proprietor of Movie City News, an important industry site where the Oscar predictions by the Gurus o' Gold are closely followed.
Chaz Ebert practiced in Chicago as a trial attorney and litigator before she married Roger in 1992. She has degrees from the College of Dubuque, the University of Wisconsin and the DePaul Law School. She has been vice president of the Ebert Company since 1992, and now heads Ebert Productions. Her daughter, Sonia Evans, will be a supervising producer on the show, and previously worked in Los Angeles as a VP of development for Spicerack productions and a production associate for ABC Studios.
The veteran director Don DuPree worked in in Baltimore as Oprah Winfrey's first director, and later was a news director for the NBC and CBS stations in Chicago. The staff also includes Sara Martin, associate producer, who began as an intern at Ebert & Roeper and has since worked at the Chicago International Film Festival as well as being associate producer on ABC/Disney's At the Movies. After growing up in Southern Louisiana, Sara graduated from DePaul University in Radio, TV, and Film.The new show's web site will be an important component of the program, Ebert said. "It will include material from the show, and a great much more created especially for online. We also hope to host an archive of the shows Gene, Richard Roeper and I, and many guest critics, did since 1976."
Ebert is happy that he met so many of the critics online through his blog, Roger Ebert's Journal, but happier still that the television program led to romance. When Kim Morgan was guesting as one of Roeper's co-hosts, the famed Canadian director Guy Maddin was watching the show. "Guy said he sided with Kim in an argument she had with Richard," Ebert said. "He wrote to her and they discovered they loved the same kinds of classic films. That led to him casting her in some short films, and now--well, they're married."
Media representative: Brie Dorsey, Terry Hines & Associates, brie@thaweb.com, 312-284-2382.
The new co-host's day job. He co-manages Odd Obsession, an underground and alternatve video site in the Wicker Park neighborhood:
Looking forward to it.
Congratulations! Nice zither!
Congratulations and good luck! Will all new shows be on the website in full length, too? Cause there is no Public US TV here in Taiwan...
Much luck with this. We'll be watching.
Good luck to all involved! Cannot wait to have this as a regular part of my life.
What? No Ben Lyons?
Just kidding! I can't wait for this!
Glad that it's back, but will the site start up again?
Mr. Ebert,
Will the show be playing in Connecticut?
This is great news. I enjoyed reading about the all the people involved with the new show and am looking forward to it more than ever. And the Ebert Productions logo is inspired and inspiring. Gene would be pleased and proud.
Love the new logo! Can't wait for the show!
So happy to see it again. Well, ... hopefully there will be the website ... no PBS over here in Germany ...
Would have loved to see Michael Phillips back, but some fresh faces may be exciting too!
Kind regards
What about Roeper?
Ebert: Richard's plate is pretty full. He is reviewing on cable and online, and has a bigtime talk radio job on WLS/ABC Chicago. We're friends as always.
This is exciting news! Can't wait!
I'm so pleased to find that my station is, in fact, getting "Roger Ebert Presents At the Movies". However, I have to wait until February the 6th, but that's okay. At least I'm getting it.
That comes on the heels of the fact that my wife gave me the best gift of all this Christmas: A trip to Ebertfest! 2011 is shaping up to be a very good year!
By the way, Roger. Love the logo.
That logo is too cute to be believed.
I'm intrigued by the diversity and large number of critics involved and am interested to see how they'll be utilized from one episode to the next. Looks like you'll be breaking new ground with this show!
Seems every time I turn around lately, Mr. Ebert is writing or doing something seriously wonderful. This looks terrific... and, as the Eberts would say, hot 'n' now!
Welcome back, Mr. E. Looking forward to seeing it out here in the Rocky Mountains.
Well, that's the best news I've read/heard so far in 2011.
I am about to check with WNED-TV in Buffalo who "serve New York state and southern Ontario" to determine that they are savvy enough to pick up your new show - if not, look out for the launching of a major email/phone/write-in campaign.
Congrats to you Roger, Chaz and your entire team.
Gail Anthony, Toronto ON
I used to take Ebert's film criticism seriously, but it's become so populist, it's meaningless.
My introduction to film ... before I ever went into a theater was "Sneak Previews" on PBS. I was always caught up in the often passionate discussions that Mr. Ebert and Mr. Siskel had. It will be good to see some intelligent discussion of film ... and not only popular film ... back on the air. Thank you Mr. Ebert, etal.
Sounds great... definitely looking forward to it. Will it be available for anyone overseas? Will it be streamed online at all? Many thanks.
Ebert: We hope. It will be on the Armed Forces Networks.
The Third Man - Lime's Introduction
This is wonderful news although we'd prefer a dog to a cat.
Three words: WGBH. Boston. Please.
I will be there in a front row seat!
Roger it will be great to see you back on TV on a regular basis!
This may not be the appropriate place to discuss this, but what is your take on NewSouth's edition of the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn? I've heard they've replaced some of the original words with other words.
Ebert: Whatever. It's a great novel.
I, too, was wondering if the shows will be available online. My family will soon be canceling our satellite and switching to all streaming to save money. I hope I can still catch At the Movies--I've been looking forward to it since the original announcement.
Ebert: I hope so.
Looking forward to great discussion about movies that matter. Thanks to everyone involved for bringing this program into our homes.
This show launch is really great news. Your show wouldn't happen to still be hiring, would it?
Hooray! The excitement continues to build. It was wonderful to see Roger and Chaz on CBS on Sunday morning. Can't wait to see you on a regular basis.
Best of luck with this new effort.
Great news. TV hasn't been the same without your program on.
Also, I know this is going to sound obnoxious but I do have to thank you for having a female co-host. Yes, the best person(s) should get the job but I'd be remiss if I didn't express how excited I was to hear a voice that I personally feel has been lacking (not so much in print but definitely on TV).
Can't wait! Best of luck!
Vishnevetsky, 24. 24? My gosh, my life has passed me by. Congratulations, Vishnevetsky.
Congratulations, Roger. Your dream is fulfilled!
Congratulations on this wonderful news! I'll share it with friends who also enjoy reading your column. I'd like to buy several of the Overlooked DVDs of the Week for friends. Would you be able to email or post a complete list of those Overlooked DVD of the Week titles on your site or here? I'd really appreciate that as a resource. Thanks so much.
The Beatles early days in Hamburg. (From Wikipedia)
"The Beatles had been used to simply standing still when they had performed in Liverpool, but Koschmider would come to the front of the stage and loudly shout “Mach schau, mach schau!” (Make a show for the customers). "
Looks great! I love MUBI - have been with it since it was Auteurs.com, and so glad to see it getting props like this!
Looking forward to your new show. Will we see Lemire, Vishnevetsky & Co. at Ebertfest?
I'm glad they provided biographies of the involved parties, but I am left wondering over one glaring omission: Who, exeactly, is this 'Roger Ebert' character?
Ignatiy? (I'm still flashing on "Illya Kuryakin" so I'm glad someone else has to spell it right. Can I get away with his initials IV?) (Otherwise it could wind up "ignore" or a variation.)
According to IV:
Let's talk.
MUBI is... like a small coffee shop—a place where you can gather and talk about alternative endings, directors’ cuts, and whatever those frogs in Magnolia meant. Heated debates and passionate arguments are welcome. (From Mubi site.)
IV encourages "heated debates"? A good start. (Has he posted here on Roger Ebert's Journal?)
Previously, I suggested that one cohost have a condescending attitude toward cinema, to create a contrast to the "humanitarian" approach of his cohost.
Let's check out IV's review of "The Social Network" (edited)
IV: In one of Sorkin's many attempts to turn Zuckerberg into Charles Foster Kane, Jr., that word—and the question of whether Zuckerberg is really all that bad or whether it's all a front—becomes his mawkish Rosebud.... Fincher even plays along with Sorkin's Kane game (which involves casting Garfield in a role seemingly intended for the exhumed bones of Joseph Cotten) by one-upping the dolly-in through the night club sign with a crane-back through a dance club's CGI handrail.... since David Fincher once outlined the four ideal personality traits of a director as belligerence, paranoia, fear of failure and an overwhelming urge to be liked, and since those four traits pretty much sum up The Social Network's take on Zuckerberg, it can be intuited (not just through that statement, but through the film itself) that Fincher's loyalties / sympathies lie not with all of the wronged characters Zuckerberg leaves in his wake, but with the hyperarticulate social monster himself. To put it bluntly: The Social Network, obsessive, so utterly convinced of the brilliance and originality of its corniest ideas (narrative, dramatic, aesthetic) that they become brilliant originals, is the film its main character would make if he didn't know it was about himself.
Clues to a condescending attitude:
(1) Citizen Kane references
(2) hyperarticulate social monster
(3) mawkish (and) Rosebud
(4) exhumed bones of Joseph Cotten
(5) belligerence, paranoia, fear of failure
From other places:
(6) At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter where films come from, as long as they come from someone’s mind.
(7) Popular doesn’t always mean good.
Sounds perfect for the target PBS demographic. I suppose it will be like Daniel Radcliffe as harry Potter, he'll grow up whether we want him to or not.
Good to see Jeff Greenfield is involved.
Somehow having a good ol' fashioned newspaper man in the mix just makes me feel, well...good.
I'm in.
I also use "Hot 'n Now" as an expression. There are two closed ones here in Lafayette, IN, but don't know if there are any still open. Wikipedia says the chain was bought by another after filing for bankruptcy.
I met you and Gene at the Pickwick in Park Ridge when you were doing the thing with the place as backdrop. I was on my bike and wearing a helmet and looked like an old-aged dufus. Gene said a cold hello, but you went out of your way to thank me for stopping bye. I'll never forget how nice you were to a stranger.
It's here!! Yay! Congratulations! Thanks for sharing the background info on your hosts and contributors.
And thanks so much for the info about "Odd Obsession!"
A friend gave me crap over my "movie obsession" and that I shouldn't be wasting so much of my time going to movies & watching movies at home... she actually called her lecture an "intervention."
It actually got to me ... for about a minute! Glad to see there are people far more "obsessed" than I! HA!
You know your fans and fellow movie lovers are thrilled about the show and we will be watching!
Great to see "At the Movies" back on Public TV. Sorry Elvis Mitchell had to drop out but looking forward to hearing the diversity of voices you have lined up. So far no local stations signing on in DC area so I hope there's a web presence in the meantime.
I just read some of Vishnevetsky's essays and reviews on MUBI.com and I must say he is a major league smarty pants, but I also kept finding myself saying: "what the hell is he talking about?" I hope he won't be too smart for me to follow on the teley. I am excited to see some scholarly film discussions - thrilled to learn a few "isms" & "esques." Will we regular-sized brains be able to follow along?
When I first saw Lemire's picture, I thought you had hired the Flick Filosopher as a host. Way to get my hopes up!
Oh yes, Hot 'n Now! That's a Michigan chain, you know. It was really popular in the 1990s thanks to its budget-priced burgers, but it was badly mismanaged and now only a few locations remain. The running joke around our household was that our mother, an average cook, should have started her own franchise... Cold 'n Never.
I hope A.O. Scott, Michael Phillips and Richard Roeper still come in as guest once in awhile.
Looking forward to the new show. I'll be looking for it come Jan. 21st. I'm assuming Buena Vista owns all the "Siskel & Ebert" episodes? I'd say otherwise it'd be a real treat to add 5-10 second snippets with Gene and Roger quarreling over Cop and 1/2 or Benji the Hunted.
We are so excited about this upcoming movie show on WTTW. My wife and I are avid movie watchers, so have really missed the show since it went off the air in 2010. What a bunch of bone heads at Disney, but what a great opportunity for you. We wish you all the best with this new show, and hope it is on a long long time. Two thumbs UP!
I look forward to this new show, but I cringe at the memory of Director Don Dupree.
I always faulted him for not observing the convention of "lead room," that is, leaving more open space in the frame in front of the face than behind it (if the subject was looking sideways or in a three-quarter view). Or having one of the monitors or major set pieces behind the head rather than in front of it. It makes the person in the frame seem to be looking out of the frame instead of into it.
Now, I see, this same "strange" framing being used in major movies such as "The King's Speech." It still bothers me, but maybe Don was just ahead of his time.
What I most appreciated about getting to know Siskel & Ebert many years ago was not only being pointed at films worthy of visiting (which otherwise I would not likely seen) but perhaps ven more getting to learn about such film topics as the beauty of B&W films, the evils of cropping/pan & scan, the movie cliches, etc. Even by learning the structure and elements of what (then) made a Tom Cruise movie (on a special show you devoted to him) , this helped me take notice of a film's elements and how to better appreciate them.
I realize the topics can change with time but I hope the spirit of the show (as it was under you and Gene) will remain.
Ignaty! That's so awesome! I can't wait to see what he brings to light on the show! This will be an awesome program, Roger, and I am incredibly looking forward to it. Last I checked (which was probably about two weeks ago) it had no time slot in Austin. Hopefully that is not the case anymore, and that I'll be able to watch your show on its premiere date. Have you all set up a site for the show yet, and will there be weekly updates (I imagine there will be)?
Savvy
This is outstanding news! Is there a list of which PBS affiliates will be carrying this show? I hope that if it's not shown in Oklahoma, it can be accessed via the internet. At the Movies is one of my wife and my favorite shows and we eagerly look forward to Roger and Chaz's commitment to this project. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
This group looks amazing-what a fantastic pool of talent! I can hardly wait until the debut!
Can't wait! Still hoping it plays in Peoria.
Quite a talented and diverse bunch. Would like to have seen a political conservative in the group for that perspective on film. Is there one? Oh well. Good folks, all. Looking forward to seeing their work on your show.
Congratulations to all of them.
Great lineup of folks! Really looking forward to it.
Dear Roger,
Vishnevetsky is a joke. He's 24. COME ON. Even if he were a genius critic, he just doesn't have the necessary depth of knowledge. He has not spent enough hours in the dark. By losing Elvis Mitchell and replacing him with an unknown kid, you've doomed your show. Please trust me when I tell you that your show will fail horribly because of this single poor decision. I can't imagine what factors led to this error in judgment.
Best, Sinxen
You have assembled what looks to be an amazing group of talents both on and off screen. Here's hoping that WSKG Channel 46, our local PBS station, will carry the show.
Wish you and your team loads of luck!
Really looking forward to this - best of luck, Roger (not that you'll need any luck.)
can't wait, another quality movie review show. I've loved them all and need another good one! very excited
Exciting news! I'm looking forward to it!
Congratulations! I hope I remember to watch the NYC broadcast.
"I, too, was wondering if the shows will be available online."
I once asked the dudes over at PBS why I couldn't watch a show streaming online at their website? Why are you geo-blocking me? I'm Canadian. :-)
They sent me a reply. I kept it. Here's how it works at PBS:
Dear Ms. Haws:
Thank you for contacting PBS. We appreciate hearing from those interested in public television and its programs.
As you may know, PBS is not a producer, but rather a distributor of
programming. Our distribution rights are fairly limited and are generally confined to dissemination within the United States.
While over-the-air broadcasts reach beyond U.S. borders, online video is subject to geo-filtering, which restricts the areas that can view PBS
content. PBS is legally obligated to ensure each program does not exceed its granted rights, which unfortunately eliminates international
streaming ability for some PBS programs in Canada and elsewhere.
You can find our Internationally Available collection, which is a
compilation of programs that can be viewed outside of the United States, at:
http://video.pbs.org/feature/86/
We regret not being able to offer all our content online to our
supporters. Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience.
Thank you again for your email and your interest in PBS.
Sincerely,
Reighley
PBS Viewer Services
-----------------------------
So; IF the producer of "Ebert Presents at the Movies" gives PBS the permission to stream the show internationally, then technically, people outside North America would be able to see it too.
Assuming that it's possible to grant PBS the right to do so; as there might be deals already in place etc. Maybe someone across the pond wants to pick it up so they can show it, etc.
Here's the thing though... the internet will have it. COUGH.
If you have a computer..... :-)
'Just saying.
I just fired off an e-mail to my local PBS station strongly suggesting that they carry the new show. KCTS in Seattle. Fingers crossed. Toes, as well.
You should have made a show about art. The critics could review paintings. We used to think about stuff like that in the tunnel.
I have to be honest: I really wish you had hired Kim Morgan. She is a far better film critic and TV presence than Christy Lemire. It remains to be seen about Ignatiy Vishnevetsky...maybe he can bring a fresh perspective to make up for what he lacks in experience. I think Elvis Mitchell and Kim Morgan would have been my dream pairing. I guess I'll wait to see their dynamic together. At least, the cringe-worthy Ben Lyons is off the air. What a sad excuse for film criticism! I can just imagine Pauline Kael scoffing in disgust.
James Rolfe, owner of cinemassacre.com and film critic for spiketv.com, also has an extensive knowledge of film (both mainstream and independent); had he been seen or considered by you or any of your team at any point?
gn
"It remains to be seen about Ignatiy Vishnevetsky...maybe he can bring a fresh perspective to make up for what he lacks in experience." - Laura
Really?
'Cause I'm totally stoked about Iggy. Even before I saw the footage inside the video store, there was something so familiar about him; about his type. (Roger showed me his photo a few days ago; sneak peek.) And once I saw the clip... I knew.
He's THAT guy!
This only makes sense if you've been to Vancouver, but that video store is so West Coast in its sensibilities, it's beyond awesome. It felt like home.
As that's the sort of place where the like-minded gather to share their love of movies and otherwise chill and hang out. It's not some lame, mainstream video store renting total SHYTE. Oh no, my friends!
It's obviously akin to High Fidelity, with John Cusack. :-)
Ie: labor of love for all concerned. It's not about getting rich.
And so who better then, to speak of movies and share their thoughts about them, than someone coming from that world? Where you're more likely to hear genuine passion for a little film or the truth about a big one, if they really think it sucks? It's the antithesis of Ben Lyons.
Iggy's the guy in the store who loves movies as much as you do. He moved to Chicago because of it. Remember when Gene and Roger championed "My Dinner with Andre?" A little tiny indie film no one had heard of?
He's THAT guy. :-)
Note: Canadians love Hockey and so we know how to pronounce Russian names; smile. But if you don't, then I suggest using Iggy.
Nearly did a spit-take when I saw Ignatiy's photo! Met him a few times through a mutual friend, was kind of amazed at how wicked smart he was for someone of such a tender age.
When I heard that a mid-20s guy was up for the other seat, I jokingly told a few people that it was me. And then they believed me and were heartbroken when I texted them the truth.
Picking a young guy is a good idea. You've been a big proponent of the internet as a conduit for intelligent film discussion, and now the show has a link to that conduit through one of your two main critics, not to mention Kim Morgan. Here's hoping for the best.
Congrats on the great lineup Roger! I can't wait to watch it!
I don't see the joke, OneOfUS. Ignatiy is brilliant and wise beyond his years. I doubt you've read any of his work and certainly haven't heard him discuss movies. Picking him to co-host was an inspired move, atypical of television and its preference for safe, unchallenging "personalities."
http://mubi.com/notebook/posts/2134
Although currently overseas, with a U.S. bank account (e.g., Visa debit card) I can still download songs, TV shows and movies -- those made for U.S. distribution -- in the iTunes Store. Please let us know if EPATM will be available on the PBS "channel" within the iTunes Store. Thanks!
[Can't wait to see the show. In my sheltered teen years in Kansas, I fondly recall that movies I rented and watched during that time provided me a window to the outside world -- most were selected based on Two Thumbs Up reviews from At The Movies.]
Has Ignatiy Vishnevetsky ever dated Taylor Swift?
"Would you like to?" - Walter Burke (Al Pacino) in "The Recruit"
You might wind up with a really cool song.
Are you going to update the station list: http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/%20%20%20%20%20%20REP%20Airdates%20at%2012-10-10.pdf
I heard WUNC is adding it.
Roger I am looking fwd to the new show on WTTW. I really enjoy the Ebert productions animated logo clip too, it is very charming. I don't know a whole lot about Christy Lemire or Kim Morgan, but they are definitely babes! I faintly remember them filling in for you on E&R shows a few years back. Vishnevetsky is an inspired and interesting choice. But perhaps you can have Ben Lyons come on as a guest at the end of the year where he will pronounce Transformers 3 the best film of 2011.
Wow, this is terrific news. I can't wait to see the show. It almost makes the takeover of half of Congress by my sworn enemies no big deal.
I couldn't be more excited. What a great team.
And Hot N Now burgers are terrific! I hope you and Chaz stopped.
Wow: what a bunch of no-nothing nobodies.
Lemire is the Barbie Doll of movie critics: she has about as much credibility and intellectual heft as Ben Lyons. And the others are even more risible.
Can you say "train wreck," people?
How sad that the grand, glorious legacy of "Siskel & Ebert" is going down in flames once again.
...as if inflicting Richard Roeper and the "Two Bens" on the movie-loving world wasn't harmful enough to the "S&E" brand.
Just got off the phone with the folks at WGBH Boston. They confirmed that they HAVE picked up the show, but it won't start till Feb. 13. It'll be on at 7:30 PM, Sunday nights, on channel 2 (as opposed to channel 44).
So good news! Check off another major market!
Yes, a "Blast from the Past" component would be a masterstroke!
i am a little confused. I looked at the "where to watch" and I noticed that the schedule for where I live is on an HD channel. Can it only be seen on the HD Channel? Can it be seen on regular stations in the areas where it is seen in HD?
Some comments concerning the latest news on the revival of Roger's show:
1. Thought Elvis Mitchell was supposed to co-host. Why did he step aside? I'm sure it wasn't because he couldn't handle it.
2. When I was logging into my yahoo account the other day, saw on the trending the name Roger Ebert, and I got worried that maybe you had passed away or something. Saw it had to do with the show and the replacement for Mitchell. Well, I do get nervous when I see names of celebs on there that are in their older years.
3. Can't wait for the new show and it is too bad you weren't able to get Richard back. He was great and Disney made a big mistake letting him go in 2008 instead of just continuing with him and Michael Phillips. Michael should also be used as well. He fills Gene's job at the Tribune and I'm sure Gene is proud of his successor.
4. Good that you have the balcony again. Don't see the point as to why Disney felt it was stupid. It is a show about reviewing movies so why not have a balcony with several movie seats?
You the man, Roger.
Kim Morgan and Guy Maddin got married? Snap! I didn't see that coming.
Count me in as a regular viewer. You've got an impressive lineup there, and I'm looking forward to seeing you back on TV, Rog.
Also, to the fool who said you've ruined your show by choosing a twenty-four year old to co-host, I say you're a...well, a fool. Twenty-four year olds are just as capable of having a great knowledge of film as a sixty-five year old. As long as Ignatiy doesn't go overboard trying to prove himself by dropping a bunch of obscure references all the time, I think he'll do just fine.
Can't wait!
Hey Roger congrats on the new show!! I've been a fan of the old show ever since the beginning. I've watched every incarnation of the old show. I looked up what stations the new show was gonna be on and I didn't see any for central florida. Are you in the prcess of getting the show on a local pbs station? If not will we fans be able to watch it on-line on a web page you might creat for the new show. Thanks!! Skip from Dealnd Fl.
hey, ebert, i hope you are doing well. I am very happy that At the movies is opening once again. I know you already chose your generals but i have one more for you, his name is Jonathan kim. He is an independent film critic. He reviews movies for his own site, http://rethinkreviews.net, His reviews are regularly featured on the Huffingtonpost. Christy Lemire knows him. He is a very good critic. He will be a fine addition to your team.
Jeff Greenfield was a speechwriter for Senator Robert Kennedy. I always look forward to his perspectives and insights.
I'm very much looking forward to it!
For anybody who says the reviewers are too young - consider who actually goes to movies nowadays. I'm 53, and find very little on the screen that would make me want to watch.
Hello. I... am a critic of reality. A reality critic. It is a thankless, unrewarding mission. I will be dead long before statues of my visage are properly placed in big cities, and my great great grandchildren will remember who I was but vaguely. They will resent not having a decent inheritance.
Still, someone, somebody must promulgate what is good and true, yet charge in courageously with scathing diatribe against all that is unnecessarily inferior, false, or just unnecessary about reality.
The mission is problematical. One's audience is unlikely to trust the timeless words of an incisive prophet calling out warnings from a cozy dumpster where reality critics traditionally abide. This means a decent job is necessary to maintain one's social credibility, where a decent inheritance is not available.
Even so, one impelled by Nature and Nature's God to scathe undesirable matters can create collateral damage: the unintentionally wounded ego, the primadonna accidentally laid to waste, and sometimes, the innocent literal-minded soul who does not understand what one is talking about, and so takes it wrong.
These things can coagulate, sadly, and compel a reality critic back into a dumpster in tragic irony. It is a fine line one must tread; also, it is one of the unnecessary things about reality such as prevails. In addition, semicolons need to be exercised, not merely be discarded into the grand Gladbag of literature, where much else truly belongs. In this way mankind could discover what they are for.
With that in mind -- I mean the other stuff, not semicolons -- I bless each of you new movie critics, except perhaps those who don't understand what I just said. In any case, break things and be fun to watch. XOXOXOX
We were looking forward to seeing your new show so I checked with our local PBS station in Seattle. I didn't see it on their schedule so I wrote them to ask. Below is their response. I think it's pretty weak reasoning. So now the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia will be deprived of your show.
KCTS 9 has decided to pass on airing this program for 2 reasons.
First, we are working very hard to meet our pledge quotas. In order to do this we have had to pre-empt much of our regular programming. To bring this new program to KCTS 9 and then pre-empt it would not do the program justice nor would it serve our viewers with time sensitive reviews about movies currently in theaters.
Second, we think the kind of information it would present viewers is already available from many sources online on a 24/7 basis.
So excited! I'm gonna DVR this and show it to all my friends.
We need you in Toronto, Roger. What is Buffalo's (WNED) status?
Really looking forward to this. Sending email to my local PBS affiliate (WJCT, Jacksonville, FL), asking if they're going to carry the show and strongly suggesting they carry it if they're not already planning to.
And count me among those who thinks that Ignatiy will be an excellent addition to the show. Really impressed with his stuff on MUBI, and I'm sure he'll prove knowledgeable and insightful, the polar opposite of Ben Lyons.
Speaking of Ben Lyons, can we please stop blaming the demise of "At the Movies" on "the Two Bens"? Ben Mankiewicz knows movies, has a good aesthetic sense, and good presence on TV. The blame for the demise of the Disney show rests squarely on only one of the two Bens.
I'm excited about your new venture. I like how you've assembled a mixed gender, multigenerational, and even international group of critics.
If someone has a passion for movies and a unique point of view they can express well, then their age does not matter. The only problem that exists is found in the prejudices of the naysayers, who are judging a show they haven't even watched.
I'm another vote for online access to your show. I have a TV, but it's not connected to an antenna or cable. I only watch VHS or DVD movies on it. Except for when I travel, I watch all my TV via the net on my laptop.
Dear Ebert, this may be off topic, but is your review of "Inception" in any of your published books? If so, or not so, will it be in an upcoming one?
Re: KCTS Seattle PBS deciding not to carry the show:
If you get SHAW Cable in British Columbia, you also get another PBS affiliate: WTVS Detroit.
And they are carrying "Ebert Presents at The Movies".
If you go to WTVS Detroit...
http://www.dptv.org/aboutus/canada.shtml
WTVS Detroit Public Television (DPTV) is the non-commercial, viewer supported PBS-member station watched by more than 1.5 million people per week in Detroit and Southeast Michigan and another 1.2 million people per week throughout Canada via cable and satellite.
In 1982, Detroit Public Television was selected as the first PBS station to be transmitted via satellite across Canada. Approximately 13% of the families that support DPTV each year are Canadian. We reach you through:
1. The Canadian satellite company Shaw Broadcast Services as well as Rogers Communications, which relay the WTVS Channel 56 signal to many cable companies throughout the nation of Canada
2. Shaw Direct (shawdirect.ca), which relays our signal direct to homes across Canada via
3. Our own broadcasts and local Cogeco Cable carriage of our signal throughout Windsor, Chatham, Sarnia, and much of Southwestern Ontario. In all, nearly 20 percent of Canadian homes can watch Detroit Public Television.
Our biggest concentrations of viewers are cable subscribers in: Vancouver, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Sudbury, Halifax, St. Johns and, of course, Ontario. We are well watched in Québec and have wonderful friends in communities of all sizes, from the Atlantic Provinces to the Yukon.
Detroit Public Television listens to what our Canadian viewers and supporters tell us about the programs they like. In response, we have added British comedies and dramas to the lineup and new how-to series. Furthermore, we work with Canadian producers to bring their programs to U.S. television, and we are especially proud to work with cable companies to assist our shared viewers - it's the best in neighbourly cooperation.
No matter where you are, we are proud that Detroit Public Television is your choice for quality programming and that you find our 24-hour service worthy of your time and your support.
----------------
As for me, I don't get SHAW or Roger Cable. I get cable through my ISP in my apartment building. But I still receive PBS Seattle and PBS Detroit.
So that's what I recommend. Look on your TV schedule for another PBS affiliate. Even if you don't live back east, that doesn't mean you can't watch the Detroit station, eh?
I'm just outside Vancouver on the West Coast. I get Detroit. :-)
They're showing "The Night They Raided Minsky's" at the moment. It's 9 pm back east. 6 pm PST out here.
NOTE: there's a time difference. If you read the PBS Detroit schedule, you just need to remember they think you live out there. Not PST time. Chuckle!
Ie: if Ebert Presents at the Movies at 9 pm EST - you tune in at 6 pm PST to see it here on PBS Detroit.
Ta da!
Let me first congratulate you, Roger, for this wonderful new endeavor. I am quite happy to see that this program will be on public television, as the big networks tend to ruin all good things. I can't wait to see it!
Well hey, wait:
"Better his bad Shakespeare than Branagh's."
I believe this young Iggy fellow is a droog. I thought I was the only one who's mentioned Branagh's "shirtless gusto" out loud.
Congrats Roger on your new show! We have been waiting a long time for your return and are so thankful for your return and are so happy your health is back to where you feel up to doing your show again. Does this also mean your cruises could return? My wife Lori and I have never had so much fun as when we attended your film cruises with Richard. I see such great possibilities with your whole new crew attending and doing Q&A after viewing your recommended films on board. Sign us up as being on board for both show and cruise. Please think about doing it again, after all your hard work you will all deserve a nice trip to the seas again. We are excited in KC!
Just wrote a "deeply disappointed" letter to KCTS, and another to KBTC in Tacoma, urging them to pick up the show. I don't know which is more maddening, being told there's no room for the show amid KCTS' pledge breaks, or being told to go play on the Web.
Well . . . it's Mr. Ebert's reputation . . . and, being hard won, he's certainly entitled to exercise it however he likes.
Looking forward to new show and hoping it will be carried on one of my local PBS stations-they are both in budget crunch time.I am a long-time devoted Ebert fan and you have been missed!
Good luck with the new show, I'm looking forward to it. Quick question: will the show's website have a place for comments an discussion?
I would also suggest including an occasional flashback review from the past with you and Gene. There's an entire generation that hasn't seen your classic review of "Leonard, Part 6"!
I'm in the Seattle area & also dismayed to learn the new At The Movies won't be carried by either KCTS or KBTC. Since they aren't required to carry this program will it at least be available online ?
What, Dave, you want ROGER'S review of "Inception"? Why, that piker. Click on my name. Now THERE'S a review. I didn't even wear a shirt. You can sense my lithe, serpentine well-oiled muscles at work as I blithely pin this movie to the mat, covered in sweat.
Read now, because it's prob'ly the only movie review I'm ever going to write. By request of Egyptian Royalty. Or close enough.
Best of luck, all. I must admit, though, I was really looking forward to Elvis Mitchell, who I love.
Roger, I wish you and everyone on the show the best! I very much look forward to the new show. And, I love the Ebert Productions Logo! That is great. I actually laughed out loud, which is rare for me! Also, I do hope that you appear on the show yourself as much as possible. How about every week? That sounds good to me!
KCTS (Seattle) gave me the same response they gave Doug, word for word:
KCTS 9 has decided to pass on airing this program for 2 reasons.
First, we are working very hard to meet our pledge quotas. In order to do this we have had to pre-empt much of our regular programming. To bring this new program to KCTS 9 and then pre-empt it would not do the program justice nor would it serve our viewers with time sensitive reviews about movies currently in theaters.
Second, we think the kind of information it would present viewers is already available from many sources online on a 24/7 basis.
KBTC (Tacoma), on the other hand, responded with:
It is being considered, so thanks for sending in your votes of support!
Couldn't hurt for a few more "voters" to weigh in: programming@kbtc.org
So excited to hear about this; do we have an updated list of stations that will be carrying it yet? The one from Dec. 14 doesn't have New Orleans listed, and I really can't afford to move right now.
All best wishes for success in your upcoming venture Roger ... even though you loved that grossly over-rated George Clooney movie, The American! (chuckles)
Glad to hear about the show. If you do have guest reviewers, you would being doing American filmgoers a service by introducing them to Mark Kermode. He's intelligent, articulate, and impassioned, and his show on BBC Radio 5 is one of the most entertaining programs about film.
Yes, I'm also looking to see if it is available in the Fort Wayne, IN area (particularly with DirectTV). Anybody know the best way to find that information?
A.O. Scott & Michael Phillips?
Like everyone I am looking forward to the new show and hoping it is carried in my market. Just to make it easier on everyone, and just out of curiosity, what are the two Top-50 Markets that won't be carrying the show? Thanks and great luck with the show!
So excited for the new show! And if what you said about the archive comes true (We also hope to host an archive of the shows Gene, Richard Roeper and I, and many guest critics, did since 1976), I'd be the happiest person on the planet!
I can say Seattle is 1 of the 2 top markets not getting this new show. I did receive an E-mail response from KBTC in Tacoma the other PBS station in this market. They have received a lot of requests to pickup the the new Ebert show & will make a decision later in the spring. KCTS has been known to reconsider these type of programming decisions & I would hope they would reconsider before it's premiere. I otherwise will be watching online after the 1st show is posted
One of the markets is the Seattle/Tacoma area(I believe we are the 12th or 13th largest market in the country). There appears to be a glimmer of hope, however, as the Tacoma affiliate is at least considering carrying Ebert's show.
Seriously!?!?!
Lemire is a joke. Syndicated hacks like her are what helped destroy newspaper movie criticism in the first place. I wonder just how many truly experienced daily reviewers she helped put out of work when their newspapers decided to go "all-wire-all-the-time" to save money.
And this Ignatz kid. WTF?!? Words escape me.
Roger, Roger, Roger. Why do you insist upon destroying your proud legacy? "At the Movies" should have been put to bed after Gene Siskel died. Whatever were you thinking?
(And Elvis Mitchell wouldn't have been an improvement. Mr. "Legend in His Own Mind" isn't fit to write for some self-published fanzine that operates out of his mother's basement.)
I am thrilled that At The Movies will return. Thanks for making this possible, Roger! Is there any possibility Michael Phillips will return in some capacity? Has he been approached? Thanks again.
That is fantastic! My husband and I were just talking last week how much we miss "At The Movies". Some the smaller films and documentaries would have never been known without that show since the main Hollywood type shows only cover the big blockbusters. Can't wait to see it! Going to check my local listings right now for when it comes on.
Can't find it in Bloomington, IN.
I read about this and got excited. I have watched Roger since the beginning in 1/76 on all of his incarnations of this show. I am glad he is coming back. So I went to our PBS station's website in Fresno, CA so that I could mark my satellite dvr to watch it. Apparently, they aren't showing it?? Any idea why? I am bummed I won't be able to watch Roger's return!
I grew up with Siskel and Ebert and have followed, peripherally, Roger's challenges over the years. His grace, humility and class are an inspiration to me. I look forward to the new show and hearing him speak again, even if it is computer assisted.
Btw Roger, back in those days with Siskel, I always wished we could hear what it was you and he were saying as you continued to converse while the show faded out.
Good luck Roger! For the people not receiving your new show, I would suggest to them to call the station manager of their local PBS station and ask, or even better yet, DEMAND they put your show on now! It wouldn't hurt to try.
I will be watching tonight at 10:30 - thank you!
The first installment of "Ebert Presents at the Movies" aired tonight (1/21/2011) here in Dallas:
A fine start, and a joy to see on public television station KERA (hope this is a regular day and time...I hate playing hide-and-seek with good programming). Christy Lemire is a wonderful find, and her comments and insight in this initial launch were terrific. I'll give Ignatiy Vishnevetsky the benefit of the doubt and some room for growth, but he seemed a little pandering to a lower common denominator in this first episode. Still, the show captures a glimmer of the essence of the golden years of Siskel and Ebert, and I appreciate that greatly. I especially like the balcony set...a very nice touch for this old timer (relatively speaking) who discovered the joys of great cinema through you two masters as guides. Thank you both greatly, by the way. You matter still as I continue to track down your recommendations all these years later. Great fun.
So many magnificent movies, so little time...I look forward to more.
They are showing it here in Dallas. I just watched and liked almost everything except...
Ignatiy Vishnevetsky. Seems the only movie he's ever seen and didn't like is Garden State and, considering some of the films he gave thumbs up to, I'm a bit worried (Ben Lyons flashback).
I really liked the pieces from the additional contributors and, of course, the ingenious way they are able to make sure Ebert's VOICE is heard.
I'll keep watching - hope the kid gets better.
Roger, I really enjoyed the show tonight! But I had one strange experience while watching: right when the lights came back up in the balcony with the camera aiming down on the backs of Lemire and Vishnevetsky after the first movie clip, for a split second, I could have sworn I saw you and Siskel sitting there. Thinking about it now, as I type this, makes me sad. Anyway, I loved your show - you did good!
Propitious to return to Public Broadcasting & would also be such to be a part of the OWN Network. Let's say both owe you Roger, in Millions, if not, Billions of ways, as you know Best, Father of the Rest. Kal Tuv, (all good), B'chatzlacha, (go with success, another version of Mazel Tov), (in memory maybe Gene would say, pray we may)
A little too busy for me and why do we need so many extra reviewers? Lemire was good but Vishnevetsky remind me too much of Ben Lyons. He actually liked the Green Hornet because some of the 3D effects were cool? I prefer my movies to be a little more thought provoking with a good plot. 3D elements won't sway me if they're detracting from the movie. I'll give it a couple more weeks but if they don't streamline more, then I give it a big thumbs down.
Roger,
You should have hired me to co-host with Ms. Lemire! I have no experience in television, and only a smidgen of charisma, I'm sure.
But I would have given Ms. Lemire a better fight.
Mr. Vishnevetsky's website is very impressive; a testament to a seemingly unconditional love for the cinema. But film criticism (as opposed to advocacy) requires the ability to hate a bad movie for how it disgraces its proud, perfect medium.
And I believe that one who is to fill the sacred role of the Critic must understand that all the performances and special effects in a movie's universe can't save that movie from failure if it founders in telling its story, executing its vision, being what it is trying to be.
First of all, in reply to the blogger, who commented about, "the sacred role of the critic," I would like to say that there is absolutely nothing, with strong emphasis on nothing, at all sacred about film critics. To think otherwise is mere high fallutin hullabaloo.
Either you are engaging in obsequious flattery i.e. sycophanty towards Mr. Ebert, or if you yourself happen to be a film critic then you are merely flaunting your own inestimable self-flatulence.
On the other hand, there are certainly sacred things. (Nothing to do with supernatural sacredness of course) There is certainly something sacred about the act of film creation, (as there is with the creation of a novel or a great score of classical music) especially on the part of the writers or directors more so than with actors who are closer to being like puppets of the directors creative energies.
If anything, the act of film criticism is a bit lecherous and soul sucking from the blood life of the true creator, the director, writer, etc, into the veins of the fabricated creator, the critic.
Vampires all of you!
Even given my general opinion of critics, I would like to defend Mr. Vishnevetsky. I love intellectual enthusiasm as well as curiosity, and at the same time abhor nihilism. (Those first two qualities which ebert has in abundance which save him somewhat from my overall negative opinion of critics). (The second quality most modern facebookers have in abundance) So, I appreciate Mr. Vishnewhatevers general enthusiasm. Too many people just try to tear down what others create without creating anything of their own to go in its place. Most film critics and bloggers have never written any screenplays, or novels, or a single note of music, and are content to comment even though they dont know the amount of soul that goes into the act of creation from its inception to conclusion. ( I know ebert has done a screen play or two, so this is less applicable towards him.)
To some of the bloggers that implied that I was satan herself blogging for my provocative comments, this cannot be true since neither satan nor god exist. I am just a person like any other who cares deeply about the things I experience.
But with regard to Miss Lemur. I am a fair person and overall I like her and think she will be successful in her new role as soul sucking on air critic, so I will withold judgement a bit, but since everyone was picking on the other guy, as people usually do with the nerdy person who is not as fully assimilated into mainstream society as themselves, I will have to add a comment or two about her to balance the Karmic equilibrium.
During the program, she is bearing her teeth, gnashing and smiling at every instant throughout the program, (not a single moment of these unrelenting tooth bearing smiles) even when she is so visibly displeased that she looks like going to take a big smiley faced chomp out of the scraggly frail Mr. Vishnuwickerman.
One of the more amusing and at times enlightening religious texts of the twentieth century, The Satanic Bible states that false gaeity is one of the greatest sins. The big difference I can see between Miss peppy Le Pew, and Maestro Vishnukitty, is that his enthusiasm was genuine albeit unending, and she had no enthusiasm but smiled as though she did. I felt as if the space time continuum had been ripped open and all happiness and joy for movie watching was being sucked through a black hole hidden behind her big smile.
But other than that I think they both seemed quite nice, and look forward to watching them again.
To:Jambalaya Crawfish Pie . Second of all, you don't need to take a road five miles long to get to a place one mile away. Talk about puffery!
Dear Roger Ebert:
I've hardly missed an episode of At The Movies since I first began watching way back in 1975, so I hope you'll take my opinion seriously.
I loved much of the new show Friday, especially your "Mercury Theatre" type intro of the cast and the segment on The Third Man, but I absolutely could not stand Ignatiy Vishnevetsky. I disagreed with practically everything he said (whereas I found Christy Lemire's views much closer to my own).
I really don't think Vishnevetsky is seasoned enough to deserve this position -- can't you get somebody like Michael Phillips (my favorite of the recent reviewers) instead?
I feel so strongly about this that I won't bother watching the show as long as Vishnevetsky is on it -- I have no confidence in anything he has to say. I hope you will replace him soon.
Best wishes,
Neal
Hi Roger, are the old S&E reviews gone from the Internet for good? Since Disney owns the old S&E show, when they ended Ebert & Roeper, I suppose they took away the web access of the old shows as well. Roger, is there any way to bring them back? There were still a lot of S&E reviews that hadn't been put online yet, such as your memorably passionate review of "Do the Right Thing".
I for one found Jambilyas review to be quite hilarious. The fact that you upset someone so much shows how effective it was. Hahaha, it was probably just Lemire or someone at the show upset at you.
Dear JDintheOC,
I should say I dont give to much credence to someone who begins their insults towards me with the adverb secondly, since that usually by definition, presupposes that they said something first, before the second comment or insult, which you of course did not. Ordinarily a person doesnt just start out by saying: Secondly. Do they?
With regards to your nihilistic zen buddhist prattle. That quote sounded clever and good on paper. But I personally prefer the approach that Frost took in the road less travelled. Sure you can take the common road of the masses if you choose, it will surely get you there more quickly, but I will take the road less travelled.
For me the journey is what is important not the destination, whether you like it or not troubles me very litle.
And four hundred and fifty thirdly, I was engaging in puffery on purpose to make a point, what part of that did you miss?
Just saw the first epi of the new show and I have to say I loved it. It's so much in the spirit of our beloved Sneak Previews -- which I watched in every form, under every name, for as long as it was on. It's also the only place I heard reviews of either "The Dilemma" or "No Strings Attached" that were anywhere near what I thought when I saw them. Congratulations! And welcome back, Roger.
I'd like to congratulate the two main critics and Roger on a good show Friday 1/28/2011. I think both critics found their voice today and gave us an idea of what they like and don't. My opinions lean closer to Mr. Can't-say-his-name, but I was surprised to actually agree more or less more with the lady on one of the movies.
I do wish she'd stop saying a movie is too long, though. That's two weeks in a row she said a movie was too long. There's no such thing :) I watched Peter Brook's 6 hour Mahabharatta six or seven times.
Would she call Red Cliff too long I wonder? That would be sad if so :)
Good show, though.
Hi Roger,
I just caught the second episode of the new show (sorry, I missed the inaugural episode last week!). I have to say that I was disappointed when the Phillips/Scott show went off the air and have been looking forward to the new show ever since you announced it last year.
I have to say though, I was extremely underwhelmed by what I watched tonight. I know this is a new show and everybody needs to get comfortable and acclimated but honestly, as it stands, I can't imagine this show lasting more than a couple months. Christy is ok but Vishnevetsky is embarrassing. I don't want to be mean but we're in Ben Lyons territory here. Ignatiy might be more knowledgeable and articulate than Ben but that doesn't come across on TV. On the screen, he comes across as someone who is out of his element and unsure. For instance, what's with all the references to visuals? "Cinemascope" when talking about The Mecanic and "wide angle lens" when talking about Biutiful. Really? If you don't know what you're talking about, better to not say anything at all.
I really truly feel you need someone we as an audience can trust and that needs to be someone who has been around the block. As a 29 year-old filmmaker and avid moviegoer, I want someone who knows more about cinema, who has seen more films, and who knows how to analyze films better than me (and articulate that analysis). Ignatiy does not present himself as that person (even if he is that person). What made you and Siskel so good is your chemistry and your stage presence. I'm not sure Christy has it but I'm pretty positive Ignatiy does not.
I've set my DVR to tape your show every Friday night and I'll continue to watch in hopes you guys iron out the kinks. I need a movie review show to watch every week and I'm really rooting for you. But if this week's episode is an example of more to come, you'll find me resetting my DVR before long.
-Ryan
To: Jambalaya Crawfish Pie. I did not use the word secondly, so you are in error on that point. The whole purpose of my comment was to indicate that sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees. You may be 29 but I'm 70 and I believe I've seen more movies than you in your young age. And as far as your statement " whether you like it or not troubles me very litle"...Same here! And as I said before, you don't need to take a road five miles long to get to a point one mile away.
And I wish she'd quit saying "awww...that's so sweet"
Mr Vishnevetsky is terrific -- a breath of fresh air. What on earth is the point of a film review show if you don't discuss visuals? He and Ms Lemire balance each other well.
I just saw a tweet that Ebert Presents will start in Seattle in March. It's about time & thankful I don't need to keep watching this on the web indefinitely
Dear JD in OC,
You mean you are only seventy? What a surprise. I would have guessed you were much, much older given how addled you are. Its no wonder you like to take the shortest route to a destination since you are most likely just recovering from your hip-joint replacement surgery. And to top it off, im sure the excruciating pain from your peripheral artery disease, gout and osteoarthritis must be nearly unbearable on long trips. While you might personally be happy with truncated movies, books and blogs because of the bouts of narcolepsy and attention deficit syndrome that naturally goes along with your senile dementia, some of us who still have all of our mental faculties can appreciate the development of plot and character that comes with longer narratives. Some of the best books I've read: Ulysses, Decameron, Ovid's Metamorphosis, Atlas Shrugged, Cryptonomicon, Hyperion, Tin Drum, Les Miserables, War and Peace, Satanic Verses, Midnights children, have all been long involved reading endeavors. Calling me twenty nine years old? Oh no! Dear God No! You didnt even go there. I will be tormented with post traumatic stress for the rest of my life because of it. Actually, I dont give much credence to arguments from authorty, or arguments from age since, since in my limited, nearly fetal, amount of time on this earth, I have encountered just as many drunk disgusting cirrhotic livered God fearing, gay bashing redneck hillbilly senior citizens, as I have young bucktooth rednecks. You have no clue what kind of shit i've been through in my life, and not a clue what kinds of life experiences i've had, so don't patronize me. Being old just says something about duration of your life not about quality of life experiences. Actually your being old just makes you more likely to have screwed up your own pitiful life and the lives of all those who have come in contact with you.
Sincerely,
Jambalaya
I was looking forward to the return of "at the movies".
I am watching the show right now on our local whro pbs station for the first time (sorry I missed last week's show as well).
It is awful.. both Critics agree too much, smile too much for no reason, and their reviews are too shallow. They are both trying too hard to please. I'm sure their written reviews are worthy, but sorry-- I don't think I plan to watch future episodes.
The only review I thought was great was Roger's.
OBX, did you notice that the one critic recommended as a must watch a movie by a writer/director that makes surreal and cryptic apocalyptic movies that would offend almost any mainstream audience while the other director picked a zombie movie in which the bad guys are not really the zombies but the living?
That's not too shallow. I'd probably have picked the zombie movie Colin over the one that he picked, but the choice was still good.
writer/director that makes surreal and cryptic apocalyptic movies that would offend almost any mainstream audience while the other director picked a zombie movie in which the bad guys are not really the zombies but the living?
That's not too shallow. I'd probably have picked the zombie movie Colin over the one that he picked, but the choice was still good.
Roger-
Have watched a couple of the new review shows, and find them entertaining. It may take awhile before the kinks are worked out to most viewers satisfaction. As the "Boss," there's one thing you can do right away to improve the show: tell Ignatiy to STOP interrupting Christy when she's giving her comment on a film. He does it frequently and it's very irritating. He needs to let her finish her thought, and only then should he chime in with his own ideas. Glad you're back on the air!
Tonights show was the best so far. The critics gave the movies that inspired them to delve more deeply into movies. I guess better movies to review makes for better shows. I hope they continue to focus much less on hollywood and much more on independent style films. Those movies are not covered by he mainstream media and so its harder to find gems hidden in the wastelands of modern mass entertainment. For one thing, the show is on pbs so its probably a more individualistic audience to begin with. So I think the show could afford to look more at shows which are not mainstream. And I think the audience would appreciate it.
The most influential movies, films, or shows in my own life that I find myself always thinking back on, or have helped me think in new ways, are in no particular order:
El Topo
Santa Sangre
Holy Mountain
Cries and Whispers
Twilight Zone (1950's and 1960's)
Star Trek (1960's)
Adaptation (Based on Orchid Thief)
Dark City
Cemetary Man
Donnie Darko
Doom Generation
Synechdoche New York
Southland Tales
The Matrix
Fight Club
Day of the Dead (1984)
Brazil
There are many more, but at least those are the ones that come to mind right now off the top of my head. I think anyone interested in seeing things in new ways, might benefit from these films.
So far, so good.
Needs a little shaking down; what new show doesn't.
They seem like nice people.
Is Ignatiy Vishnevetsky any relation to Ignatz Ratzkywatzky? :-D
Now all you need to do is tell the graphics guy the correct spelling of Anton Karas.
Have fun, one and all.
Never a fan of petty bickering onscreen, even with Gene and Roger. The two leads of this show are no different. They should get one or two short retorts. I can't believe many enjoy two people hammering home their viewpoints.
Or talking over each other. He is always interrupting her, and she is afraid of what he will do next. You can see it in her eyes - she's terrified! This is no way to run a show, or retain viewers.
So, if it was my show -
NO talking over the other person. It's rude and takes away the flow.
And no endless arguing. Make your point, listen to the brief retort, answer briefly... and move on! It's only an opinion - not a scientific equation! The time you save could mean another reviewed movie. And yes, that is what we come for - not to see who won the argument.
Otherwise, the show is great. Please, make it greater, Roger!
Ebert: I can promise you Christy is not terrified.
Hi Roger and Friends:
I caught the new show last night for the first time. I really like it. The staffing is perfect, the pacing is right on, the theme music--all of it. Very nice.
I wanted to let you know about a technical problem here at KCET in LA.
Every time you have an edit, other than a hard cut, there's a problem in the video. Sometimes it legos; sometimes it freezes in the dissolve and then begins to move.
At first I thought it might be a problem with the editing itself, but then I noticed that it also happened during fades in the clips. That leads me to think that it's either in the transmission from your facility to KCET, or from KCET outbound. It could also be from my cable provider to me, but I don't think so. This is the only broadcast I've seen it on.
I was watching the HD broadcast of KCET when I noticed it, on 2/27/11.
I bring this to your attention only because there are so many things to tend to when it comes to QC with a new show, and now with all these people and the huge, huge number of technical issues (gone are the days of sending out 1" dubs!) in the works adding to the headache, I would think seeing the actual product in its final broadcast state in the scattered markets would be next to impossible. So a little shout from the hinterlands of LA might be in order.
Best of luck with the new show and Chazz sounds great.
Ebert: Good gravy! We'll look into that.
Up until this point, we had seen every episode of Ebert Presents at the Movies. This past friday, they were going to review Vanishing on 7th street. We had already planned on watching it On Demand before the show, and lo and behold our AT&T cable service ran into problems, so not only couldnt we watch the Vanishing on 7th Street, but we missed the Ebert/Lemire/Vishnukitty show as well.
I did not like this show at first. I liked Christy, she seemed smart and clever, but Ignatiy seemed way out of his depth, constantly apologizing and qualifying his opinions, too mild, too unsure of himself. Ignatiy has gained self-confidence, though, and Christy continues to impress. I like the interaction between them now, as well as their opinions. I look to a show like this to help me decide whether I want to spend the time and money to see a film, and I value different viewpoints. Christy seems very middle-of-the-road, a feminine attitude, informed with a masculine appreciation of film as fun. Ignatiy is a refreshing combination of film freak and gameboy nerd - he likes the moldy old silents but also the new and sometimes silly. I don't care for the cameos by other reviewers. They don't fit, and feel like an effort to throw scraps to the also-rans or hedge the show's bets on its two leads. Roger needs to pick one voice and stick with it. I like his wife's, there's a personal touch to that. Some of the others are just creepy. Good luck!
What an amazing movie...AND a great ending to one of the best franchises ever made!
Has a lack of amazing Pr President? Obama on an orderly transition in Iraq to weight hrleisten? Thin? Term as the victories nnern the blood and sacrifice of thousands of American M? And women get threatened, "Romney said in a statement? Tion. " The inevitable question is whether this decision was obtained by a simple calculation or just pure political Unf? Ability is in negotiations with the Iraqi government. The American people deserve the recommendations made by our military? Step commanders in Iraq have been made to h? Ren. "