City of Films

It’s easy to dismiss Roger Ebert as the most read and followed movie critic of all time; so he didn’t like a movie you liked – it’s not really the point I have come to realize. I read his weekly blog and reviews, even for films I have no intention on seeing and even if I disagree with his dissecting of the film. He’s a brilliant writer and has no reason to cater to anyone’s opinions.

Earlier this year ABC had decided to officially cancel their long-running movie review show At The Movies (which turned to awful when Ebert called it quits). Ebert later hinted that he was working on a new movie review show of his own. Now it’s finally here: At The Movies has been restored to its rightful owner, and in January 2011 it’s going to be re-launching on PBS under his guidance. Here’s what Ebert had to say:

“This is the rebirth of a dream…I believe that by returning to its public roots, our new show will win better and more consistent time slots in more markets. American television is swamped by mindless gossip about celebrities, and I’m happy this show will continue to tell viewers honestly if the critics think a new movie is worth seeing.”

The new show will not be hosted by Ebert, but he will use his computer voice to appear on each episode with a segment called Roger’s Office, taking a look at classic, overlooked and new films. The new hosts will be Christy Lemire of The Associated Press and Elvis Mitchell of NPR, who will bring back the classic Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down rating system.

A pilot for the new-format At the Movies was shot earlier this summer, and a sampling of that taping has been posted below.  Over the last few years, Ebert has become one of the most popular opinions on the Internet. His Twitter account is always going and his blogs as I mentioned are read by millions. Earlier this year we posted a few spots about Ebert recovery and health since his battle with cancer.  See him get his voice back here and bookmark his blog.