Roger Ebert Presents At The Movies, on PBS

"Roger Ebert Presents At The Movies", Roger Ebert's new movie review show, has started on PBS.

http://www.ebertpresents.com/

Christy Lemire (with The Associated Press) and Ignatiy Vishnevetsky (with MUBI.com) are the main critics. The show also features Ebert reviewing one movie, done with guest voiceovers.

What do people think of this new show?

 

I'm excited that a version is back and PBS makes a better home I think - however the show needs some time to come together. So far, it's ok. The are 2 are a little stiff and he's a little too young.

I would like have liked to see that last line up of At the Movies continue, but I will give this time.

 

Big Roger Ebert fan here, and I first starting watching him when he began in Chicago in the 1980s. My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed his show with Gene Siskel (RIP).

We also enjoyed Roger's show w/ fellow Chicagoan critic Richard Roeper, though that was some time back.

However, this new show is lame. I don't like either reviewer. The first week, the woman voted "thumbs down" on every movie, and the man voted "thumbs up" on every movie. She was too harsh, and he was too accepting. Consequently, I don't have any confidence in any of their reviews.

When Roger and Gene (or Richard) interacted, there was a genuine argument underway, and even if they disagreed, I felt like the interaction was interesting.

The two new reviewers don't seem to interact as much as simply state their opinions. Just not my cup of tea.

 

I'm happy that there is a movie review show back on the air, but those two hosts are just odd. It's like watching two people on a date. There's something strange about the eye contact between them.

 

Obligatory posting of Siskel and Ebert outakes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkwVz_jK3gA

 

I like this show and wish to see the spirit carried onward....

 

Years ago, there was about 10 minutes where I was amused by Gene and Roger, but after watching the link in post #5, I realize that it might have been 10 minutes too long.

As for "At The Movies", I say, bring back Ben Mankiewicz, as he was really good. Sadly, the other guy, Ben Lyons sucked all of the air out of the room with his ego and youthful slant on reviewing movies. Producers are to blame for that version of the show failing, as they tried to put a know-it-all young guy in with someone who actually knows movies, in the same studio.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DKBkJEFAJk

Luckily, someone at Turner Classic movies saw the greatness in Mankiewicz and he is now one of their "movie introducing hosts".

Chris C

 

I have a Tivo Season Pass after seeing this thread...

 

Instead of doing current movie reviews, the show is currently featuring "Classics from the Vault" -- old special episodes of Siskel & Ebert.

Two weeks ago, they aired an old episode where Siskel and Ebert walked through the entire process of how they prepare, screen and review a movie.

Last week, they aired an old episode where Siskel and Ebert argued over who was funnier -- Mel Brooks or Woody Allen.

 

Does this mean we'll get a reprise of their reviews of "My Dinner With Andre"?

 

I'm hoping for the "I Spit On Your Grave" harangue...

 

Siskel and Ebert used to like to pick, as their worst film of the year, something that the other guy had given a thumbs up to.

So after Ignatiy Vishnevetsky raved about Jean-Luc Godard's Film Socialisme in a couple episodes, and even put it on his list of best-films-so-far-this-year, Ebert comes out with his list of worst-films-so-far-this-year to include Film Socialisme.

I've been watching this show since it came out. Neither Christy Lemire or Ignatiy Vishnevetsky really speak to what I like in movies (I usually like Ebert's opinions most). But I think it's the only show of its type out there. I like the occasional segments where someone features a particular filmmaker, genre or old film.

I can't stand that kid critic (Lights Camera Jackson!) whom they bring out sometimes.

 

It's awesome watching these old episodes. I remember watching them with my dad Saturday mornings.

Remember when they had the Stinker Of The Week, they had a skunk they would let sit between them.

 

It's just great seeing these episodes (for the first time, for me). I saw the "Behind The Scenes" episode from the early-80's and loved every minute of it.

 

So the new show is tanking.

Maybe, instead of reruns of Siskel & Ebert, they should spin it into a fictional TV show, call them Stanley & Bursky or something. The show would revolve around the two guys, reviewing fictional movies, arguing and always at each others throats, girlfriend swapping and all kinds of other shenanigans.

I used to watch Siskel & Ebert, but as much for the reviews as to see them mixing it up a little. That was their ace card.

 

I don't see the original, but there are these:

http://siskelandebert.org/video/DA52UG5H3YWO/Movies-We8217d-Book-If-We-Owned-a-Movie-Theater
http://siskelandebert.org/video/AAY88S6OHGW8/Best-films-of-the-1980s-1989

And lots of other stuff to suck your time.

http://siskelandebert.org/

 

As far as I know, the re-runs of old S&E shows are due to a lack of movies to review, rather than anything having to do with the performance of the hosts.

 

I love watching the old "Worst Of" year-end shows on YouTube.

 

I think the more likely explanation for these "from the vault" shows is that the two critics are off on summer vacation, at a time when fewer new movies are released.

They probably spent one day shooting a best-of episode, a worst-of episode, and intros and outros for these vault shows, all of which are used to cover a number of weeks' worth of episodes. I don't think the two critics live in the same city.

 

I always thought they worked well like -Yin-Yang... Their arguments were always entertaining...

 

Of course, they agreed a lot too. 8 thumbs up out of 8 on this episode:

http://siskelandebert.org/video/WNXHUKG2XR9Y/Amistad--Titanic--Good-Will-Hunting--The-Apostle-1997

 

I'm just glad Ebert is not only still with us; but still writing reviews.

 

fan of Ebert's for over 20 yearsm Siskel & Ebert turned me on to many great films I never would've have checked out, including my all time favorite, the third man (which is the new show's theme song!).

Spot on with your comments. Yeah that kid makes me cringe. Enjoying these dusty old ones they've been showing!

 

After he and his wife were on Oprah talking about his surgery and attempts to digitally recreate his voice, I went to his site and wrote him a "love letter". The man is a constant source of inspiration to me that he survived (and even thrived) despite the terrible adversity he has faced.

 

As glad as I am to see his viewpoints still around, I agree the two hosts are not quite engaging (or authoritative) enough to sustain it. Admittedly, they suffer from the very same drawback that EVERY film review show suffers from: they're nit Siskel or Ebert. Not that it's their fault, but fresh television review voices will always be compared to whatever goodwill/esteem we have for decades of Gene and Roger as an original "act", and will come off wanting.

I read Ebert when I can, and find his spoken/guest-read reviews to be distillations of his print submissions. They don't all benefit from taking his printed voice and snipping it for air.

While Christy and Ignaty appear to post valid assertions, for some reason they just strike me as shooting blanks when I step back and look at the show from a distance. It is perhaps their age gives me some psychological need to "put them in their place". But I think the show would have benefited from re-casting at least one of them with a more sage presence - if for no other reason, but to make the other one work harder.




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