For my own personal tastes in movies, there hasn’t been reliable film critic/reviewer since Gene Siskel died. Siskel and Ebert were a good team and I can’t recall disliking a movie they gave two enthusiastic “thumbs up” to. They also turned their audience on to small, independent films that, pre-Internet, I, at least, never would have known about (Enchanted April, Heartland and Strangers in Good Company are three favorites for which I can thank Gene and Roger). However, once Siskel was gone, Ebert allowed his inner lefty to emerge and then take over. His reviews are so tainted by his politics, ideology and angry bitterness against the hand fate has dealt him that they’re rendered essentially worthless.
Back in the day, Ebert did take the occasional stab at serious film criticism and, as I recall, he wasn’t too bad at it. Not too bad at all. No Pauline Kael, I’m sure, but then, I found Kael insufferable most of the time.
