It's often a sad thing to hear about death, and yesterday many people heard the sad news that famous movie critic, Roger Ebert, had passed away. I don't have a lot to say about the matter, though I still remember when his partner, Gene Siskel, died years ago. They had a good team dynamic going on back in the old days, and after Siskel's death I don't feel that Ebert was ever the same.
Critics are a dime a dozen, and in this modern era of instant videos and highspeed internet, I think the age of the "professional" critic is fading. There isn't so much demand for the opinions of a few high-profile reviewers, not when everyone can read amateur reviews from many different people regarding any new flick in the theaters. I don't see the critics fading away drastically like the stagecoach painters or kerosene street-lamp lighters did a hundred years ago, but I doubt you'll see universally renowned critics dominating the scene as Siskel & Ebert did. Everyone's got an opinion, and modern media gives everyone a voice in that regard.
Farewell, Roger Ebert. Now, let us all enjoy a good movie in his honor.
RIP Mr. Ebert. Now that you've been struck down, perhaps you will rise more powerful than any of us can ever imagine.
ReplyDeleteRIP Ebert. You lived a good life.
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I hope you're wrong about movie critics. I think half the reason that no one has risen to prominence in recent years is because Ebert's influence still loomed heavily.
ReplyDeleteThanks for highlighting Ebert. Love your final thought.
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