Happy Birthday to THE Film Critic: Roger Ebert

"No good movie is too long and no bad movie is short enough."

There have been many great movie critics since film criticism began, I personally read reviews from a variety of critics. Critics like Michael Phillips, Richard Roeper, Dennis Schwartz, Jonathan Rosenbaum and many others, but the most influential and celebrated film critic of our time is Roger Ebert, and today happens to be his birthday.

I used to hear the name Ebert many years ago as a child (how could you not), hearing my father say "Siskel and Ebert gave it a thumbs up, should be good". I obviously never knew them or read about them as a child, but my father used to watch "Siskel & Ebert" on TV, so their names were tossed around the house. I finally got to know about Roger Ebert around the time when I was finishing high school (2002-2003), when my love for film really began to grow.

From then on, I was hooked on Ebert, I would check his reviews for every film I heard about and even check his 'Great Movie' section at least once a week. I also used to love his show Ebert & Roeper (by that time Gene Siskel had sadly already passed away) and have seen pretty much every episode, learning about great new films that I would have never heard of. I've always loved his reviews because even when I personally don't agree with him (El Topo, Perfume, Scanners, To Kill a Mockingbird), I still love to hear why he did or did not like the picture. He'd go into great detail in explaining this, and unlike a lot of critics, he wrote exactly what he felt on viewing the film and I always admired him for this. He is also the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.

He was born in Urbana, Illinois, U.S. in 1942 (the same year as Martin Scorsese) and has been married to his loving wife Chaz Hammelsmith since 1992.

Starting back in 1967, one of his first reviews was a film called Who's That Knocking At My Door, the first film by my personal favourite director Martin Scorsese and he loved (as I did). "A work that is absolutely genuine, artistically satisfying and technically comparable to the best films being made anywhere. I have no reservations in describing it as a great moment in American movies."

Gene Siskel (left) Roger Ebert (right)

I have had the pleasure in watching this raw and authentic piece of independent American cinema (the same week I saw Shadows) and I felt an urge to watch Shadows once again (Scorsese was deeply influenced by Cassavetes and Cassavetes loved Who's That Knocking at My Door).

Since then he has been writing reviews for the Chicago Sun-Times and been on TV with Gene Siskel for 23 years and another 6 years with Guests and Richard Roeper. He has also written several books (one of which my girlfriend has just bought me: Scorsese) but in mid-2006 however, he suffered post-surgical complications related to thyroid cancer and did not appear on TV for a long time. He was defiantly missed and our prayers were with him.

Roger Ebert (left) and
Martin Scorsese (right)

He did however continue to write his reviews and I was very pleased to see this as I have grown a custom to checking his website for his latest reviews at least twice a week. In the beginning of 2011, he has gloriously returned to us with Roger Ebert Presents and not only was I excited that Roger Ebert was coming back to TV, but I was relieved that I would see him once again on the show.

He has become more than the greatest film critic, he has become apart of film history. Just a simple "thumbs up" is a simple reminder of Roger Ebert. He is an inspiration to many film lovers including myself and the film industry would not be the same without him. So I thank you Roger Ebert, Happy Birthday and thank you for your 44 years of terrific movie reviews and inspiration to me, and many many others.

Click here to see Ebert Presents