My Favorite Siskel & Ebert Review

"Life Itself", the Steve James-directed documentary chronicling the late great film critic Roger Ebert, is set to open in select theaters and on VOD tomorrow, July 4th. I caught the trailer recently and, rest assured, it gave me the chicken skin. One of the most crucial chapters of the Ebert saga, of course, was At the Movies, the film review TV show that Ebert hosted for so many years alongside fellow critic Gene Siskel of The Chicago Tribune. They were often at odds and the trailer focuses on them being at odds, which is fine, and yet..... On April 4, 2013, the day Roger Ebert died, I found myself pulling up old Siskel & Ebert reviews on Youtube of my favorite movies. One of them was "Roxanne."

 

Well, isn't that just the best? "Can't even have an argument." Every time I hear him say that I tilt back my head and cackle with laughter. Two men who were always at odds finding common ground. And isn't that when you know how much these two dudes really did love movies? Because despite a public relationship built on conflict, when something's great, it's great, end of discussion, and even the two most famed arguers of all time can't have an argument.