At the Movies

Is there anyone else out there willing to admit that they've watched Siskel & Ebert since the days of Public Television? My love for movies is no secret; but I must admit that my burgeoning eye for film was influenced by these two movie critics. They introduced me to Merchant/Ivory films when I was 17 and now A Room With a View is pretty much my all time favorite movie. (If no one has googled my quote yet.. well.. ok.. now you know where its from.)

Through the years I didn't rely so much on their actual Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down ratings, but their eye and how each brought their perspective to film. They were the first to help me understand how film can be art, how it can transcend it's celluloid form, and how a cinematographer can make Julia Roberts look good. But they also reminded me that sometimes, eh, you just like what you like. I was indeed sad to see Gene Siskel pass, and with Roger Ebert hospital bound for the last 2 months, I thought At the Movies were numbered. Nothing personal against Richard Roeper, but really, who cares about him?

But here's where it gets interesting... good friend(Ebert's, not mine!) Jay Leno has stepped in as guest critic. And one of my favorites, Kevin Smith, recently made an appearance. You might think that 2 people that are so immersed in show business already couldn't possibly give coherent unjaded critiques of movies.


But here are 2 people who loves movies, who know their movies. Watching Kevin Smith rhapsodize about his Thumbs Up picks for the week reminded me how much I too love film. And how much I've fallen behind. They definitely don't make it easy to sneak out for a movie here in San Francisco. My 185+ movies queued on Netflix can attest to that.

Edit:
I hope to fit the following current releasees somehow, someway:
Little Miss Sunshine (GREAT cast, n'est pas?)
Half Nelson(Stellar reviews. And Gosling is brilliant; The Notebook notwithstanding... lol!)
THE ILLUSIONIST!!! (C'mon, if you know me, you'd know this is right up my alley. And no E, this will NOT make your powers come out.)
World Trade Center (Sure, It's a 10-Hanky; but it's an UPLIFTING 10-hanky.)
Trust the Man(because I have a softspot for Mulder... I mean, David Duchovny.)


What's on your list? And when are we going???