Everyone's a critic

There's a certain beauty and satisfaction in watching people who really know and love what they're doing. I guess it just happens so rarely, that when it does it simply commands your attention.

The first time I saw Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert argue about movies I was riveted. I'm a Hollywood brat. I was a Theater Arts major (really, what restaurant?). I have my S.A.G. card. I grew up in L.A., and as such have the requisite number of famous friends in the industry.

And I love, love, love the movies.

So when I first saw these two film-loving newspapermen on television arguing as passionately as I felt, I immediately thought their show had been created just for me. I enjoyed the knowledgeable, articulate, intelligent criticism. I loved the ping pong match: agreeing with Ebert, then agreeing with Siskel and back again. And while I always thought the thumbs up/thumbs down rating was a little beneath them, I understood that, after all, this was television and a certain leveling of the field is required.

In late 1998 I'd started to hear rumors about Gene Siskel being sick with brain cancer, and when he eventually died in 1999 I took the loss personally. Eventually Roger Ebert developed thyroid, salivary and jaw cancer and had to leave the show permanently.

It was starting to feel like the Different Strokes curse, except with brains.

The show continued in various iterations with different, lesser (sometimes extremely lesser) critics for years until the show recently hired Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune and A.O. Scott from the New York Times. They brought with them all the qualities of the original Siskel and Ebert, not to mention a simple yet much more precise and meaningful rating system: see it, skip it, rent it. Their knowledge, love of film and arguements are just as thrilling to watch as the original two.

Of course, just when the show finds its feet again with these two rightful heirs, this week Disney (which produces At The Movies) cancelled it for low ratings. (Read more about it in this New York Times article:  http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/26/arts/television/26cancel.html ).

The sad part is that it's the end of intelligent film criticism on television. But I suppose if I want that, I can always read a newspaper. Oh, wait, those are going away too aren't they.

As much as I disagree with Disney's decision, I'd like to think Phillips and Scott would appreciate the fact that, thanks to The Godfather, I do understand it.

After all, it's not personal. It's business.