Roger Ebert has a great entry on his blog today regarding his departure from the "Ebert and Roeper" program. He was a part of the show for 33 years and while it was he and Gene Siskel, it was the only movie review show I'd bother watching. "Siskel and Ebert" were my go to guys for movie reviews until The Day I Stopped Trusting Siskel and Ebert back in 1997.
Siskel and Ebert gave "Grosse Pointe Blank" two thumbs down and then gave "Romy and Michele's High School Reunion" two thumbs up. I couldn't believe it then and I still don't believe it, but I saw it with my own two eyes and know this to be fact. I was shocked by the fact they didn't like "Grosse Pointe Blank" but I was flabbergasted by the fact they actually liked "Romy and Michele's High School Reunion".
Eleven years have since passed, Gene Siskel has passed away and Roger Ebert has battled his own serious health issues, yet I'm still saddened to learn the show is going in a new direction. Love him or hate him, Ebert has a way with words and always appears to me to be an honest and insightful reviewer of films.
The silver lining here is that Ebert writes he will "continue the traditional format in a new venue". Otherwise, for now, the balcony is closed.
