Reviewing the reviewers.

Since Ebert has been off recovering for the past year- he's left us fans in the incapable hands of Richard Roeper. I was never a fan of his reviews. His penchant for liking movies that seem like they should be good, but are crap (The Family Stone) was a good balance to the talented Ebert.

Until Ebert gets better, they've had guest reviewers.
You can see the reviews on the website that strangely changed from ebertandroeper.com to atthemoviestv.com.


Now with Ebert gone, let's judge the some of the guest judges.

Guys who aren't film critics that like everything:
Fred Willard, the guy who was Egon in Ghost Busters and John Mellencamp. Fred and the other actor guy were too nice. They knew the people who made the films so they couldn't be critical. Although Fred is the funniest guy around. Just too nice. Not a bad thing. I love that guy.


John Cougar took a home spun approach to reviewing. He was your grandmother who didn't want to say anything bad because it isn't nice to judge people who went out and did something.
Mellencamp couldn't say a bad word about a film. Maybe he thought he was being olite to a fellow artist - but the art of this show is to be critical. I felt like my aunt Ruth was reviewing my 4th grade play.


Roeper was both scared and being polite. He tried to agree with Cougars crazy excuses for a review. Cougar was upset that Richard compared Anthony Hopkins' performance as a killer in fracture with his famous "Silence of the Lambs" character. John's argument was you can't compare a new album from an artist with one of his old ones...Are we talking about something else?

Kevin Smith did a good job each time he was on the show. But he's one guy who should not throw stones. Oh, don't tell me you like his films. And won't even pretend that you liked "Chasing Amy."

Smith on Half Nelson "this movie pops, pops in a big bad way." "I watched it and said wow, I'm a film maker doing it for 12 years now..."

It's also funny to watch Roeper biting his tongue, b/c he thinks Smith sucks.




On the other hand, actress Aisha Tyler was great. She really understood moives and wasn't afraid to be critical - which helps you as a guest critic. But she went on and on about kung fu movies every time she was on. Ok, we get it. But sill I always like when she's on the show.



Who is this person and why are you making Roeper look like he knows what he's doing?
Kim Morgan who was credited being from MSN. You mean the search engine? They also plugged her blog at the end of the show. I don't mind someone from the web, but she was pretty dumb.

One comment on youtube said she should have her own show because she's so hot...I agree. But not reviewing movies. Can give legal advice? Talk politics? Give medical tips?

"
People I liked, Liz Schwarzbaum from Entertainment Weakling, "Wait, Wait Don't tell me..." host Peter Sagal (Although seeing his voice come from his mouth was strange)and someone who's last n Thompson.

David Edelstein - Good, closest thing to having Roger back. A real reviewer with real knowledge - nice balance to Roper.


Wesley Morris - from the Boston Globe. He wore a suit with a loose tie and sneakers. You are not that young. fix yourself up! your on the TV! He did dress better than Kevin Smith. But that's not saying much. as for his reviews: If you live in Boston, you must see a lot of bad movies. Made Roeper look good.

Govindini Murty - couldn't separate fiction from reality. Didn't like that the kids in "Alpha Dog" ( a movie about bad kids and what it does to good people) were made to look good, just because they were on the screen. She thought they were being glamorized. Even though the movie shows how everyone's lives were ruined by them.
* George Pennacchio - Home town guy. Embarrassing.


John Ridley - good. i know he had a short lived review show on AMC, but I don't know what his qualifications are. Sorry that guy stole your script.


Anne Thompson - liked. Another real reviewer.

Mario Van Peebles - Crazy, looney, whacky. You have to find it. He rambled on and made no sense. Roeper just sat there and agreed with him. What else can you do?


But A.O. Scott is best guy for the show for my money (Also Aisha Tyler, but she's a busy actress). He's smart and a real reviewer. It's funny to watch him start out nervous a year ago to cool and calm now.