Times you thought the greatest film critics Siskel, and Ebert were wildly wrong about a movie! (1 Viewer)

[Bryan^H]

Edward Scissorhands--which I love, and many others do as well. I never thought this to be "dark, and depressing", rather weird, and wonderful. Tim Burton's second best work right behind 'Ed Wood'.

++thanks to Noah Stewart for the upload++

 

[Angelo Colombus]

Heaven's Gate and i still remember seeing their review of the movie on tv. Have seen it a few times including the first time on the old Bravo cable channel and own the Criterion Blu-ray. They were really tough on the movie and wonder if they saw the director's cut would they changed their review a little?

 

[TravisR]

Pretty much all of David Lynch's movies.

 

[Walter Kittel]

I always scratched my head over Gene Siskel's admiration of Saturday Night Fever. For me it never really rose above its B movie ambitions. Now I realize that it became a cultural phenomenon due to its soundtrack. That might make the film more relevant, but not necessarily better. (I wasn't exactly the biggest fan of disco music at the time which no doubt colored my perception of the film.)

- Walter.

 

[Angelo Colombus]

Pretty much all of David Lynch's movies.

Roger Ebert liked The Straight Story and is one of my favorites from the director.

 

[Walter Kittel]

Anyone remember this?

(Roger Ebert's Thumbs Down on Full Metal Jacket )...



- Walter.

 

[Angelo Colombus]

Anyone remember this?

(Roger Ebert's Thumbs Down on Full Metal Jacket )...



- Walter.

I do and would watch their review show every week including the early shows they did at our local WTTW PBS station in Chicago. It was when they did a show on laserdiscs that i switched quickly from VHS to laserdisc in the early 1990's.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I miss those guys!

 

[TravisR]

Roger Ebert liked The Straight Story and is one of my favorites from the director.

If I remember, he liked Mulholland Drive too. Maybe saying "most" isn't totally accurate but I think he didn't really like pretty much everything Lynch did until The Straight Story (and he hated some of them).

 

[Cranston37+]

How about Leonard Maltin:

Amadeus **1/2
Blade Runner *1/2
Taxi Driver **

 

[Tino]

How about Leonard Maltin:

Amadeus **1/2
Blade Runner *1/2
Taxi Driver **

Never thought much of Maltin’s film opinions. Rarely agreed with him.

 

[BobO'Link]

I miss Ebert far more than Siskel. I could read or listen to Ebert's reviews and know if I'd like a film or not - no matter what he thought. Siskel too often came off as being argumentative for the sake of being argumentative. Even so, I enjoyed listening to them sparring.

 

[DavidJ]

Same here. Whether he liked a movie or not, I was able to get a good idea of how I would react to the movie. I disagreed with him a lot but always loved watching and reading his reviews.

 

[Wayne_j]

Supergirl. When the movie came out I couldn't believe that S&E didn't like it. I was 9 at the time so of course S&E were right about that one, but the memory of that disappointment sticks with me.

 

[Cranston37+]

 

[David Norman]

Porky's -- in 1980 language and time. Actually Ebert may have been 25-30 years ahead of his time in the review, but what can you say "right age, right movie, right era." Maybe they were right in the end, but oh so not.

My wife even finds Coach Beulah, Lassie, the Coaches and Principal hysterical

Porky’s, El Salvador: Another Vietnam, Das Boot, Deathtrap, Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip, 1982 – Siskel and Ebert Movie Reviews

siskelebert.org

Interesting to see 1st Takes on Das Boot, Deathtrap and El Salvador in the same grouping

 

[sleroi]

There are quite a few reviews of films I love in Ebert's "I hated, hated, hated this movie" collection. Like "Dead Man" and "the Blue Iguana."

 

[Bryan^H]

If I remember, he liked Mulholland Drive too. Maybe saying "most" isn't totally accurate but I think he didn't really like pretty much everything Lynch did until The Straight Story (and he hated some of them).

I really liked The Straight Story, and while I have never been the biggest fan of David Lynch, even I was scratching my head at why both Siskel and Ebert gave 'Wild At Heart' two thumbs down. That movie was great.

I'm not sure there was a love/hate relationship with them, and watching those vids shows that they seemed to despise each other...a lot of the time.
I think when Gene got sick that changed things though. Man, being a lifelong viewer of that show it was tough to watch at the end.

EDIT: Nevermind. Seems they were the best friends, and fierce enemies. Complex!

Remembering Gene | Roger Ebert | Roger Ebert

Gene Siskel and I were like tuning forks. Strike one, and the other would pick up the same frequency. When we were in a group together, we were always intensely aware of one another. Sometimes this took the form of camaraderie, sometimes shared opinions, sometimes hostility. But we were aware...

www.rogerebert.com

 

[SFMike]

Never forget they are just opinions, no better than you or I have but can financially ruin a picture which doesn't seem fair.

 

[BobO'Link]

No, it's not really fair. That's why it's important that you trust the reviewer(s) you use. In the end, I'd rather a movie I know I won't like, based on a review from someone I trust, not take my hard earned dollars so I can use them elsewhere. If it means a movie fails, then it fails. Were there some quantifiable way I could exit a theater after seeing a "dog" and get a full refund I'd not use critics, professional or friends, at all.