David Carr says Roger Ebert says...
From this morning's NY Times, passed without comment: Ebert Keeps an Eye on the Future
"As a consumer, the Bagger has never been a big Roger Ebert fan. His tendency to go so deep into the tank for a film that he risks getting the bends when he returns to the surface always seemed excessive. But sitting near the stage the other night at the Gothams, the Bagger watched him take what could have been a forlorn turn during a tribute and turn it into yet another triumph. With his voice stilled by illness and a broken vocal synthesizer, Mr. Ebert could only stand by as his wife read his remarks. But he was clearly thrilled, enjoyed every second of it, and demonstrated that life on life’s terms can be both brutal and beautiful. Everyone gets sick, everyone takes knocks, but a lot of it is about how you conduct yourself when it is your turn in the barrel. Movie City News took the occasion to ask Mr. Ebert — whose keyboard is anything but silent — ten questions, among them, one about the growing robustness of film criticism on the web: There are better and worse critics. Always have been. The difference is the internet. Now we all swim in the same sea. Look at the success of Berardinelli or JoBlo, or the Salon and Slate critics. All generated not by marketing but by ability. Look at Jim Emerson. Look at David Bordwell, brilliant academic, brilliant blogger. Look at you, and the other critics at your site — although was Ray Pride (who I admire) frothing at the mouth when he reviewed Delirious? What DID get into him? A few years ago, Mr. Ebert demonstrated muscle and vision in pushing “Crash” at a time when everyone thought it was an also-ran, and he doesn’t look like he’s going to be letting up any time soon."
"As a consumer, the Bagger has never been a big Roger Ebert fan. His tendency to go so deep into the tank for a film that he risks getting the bends when he returns to the surface always seemed excessive. But sitting near the stage the other night at the Gothams, the Bagger watched him take what could have been a forlorn turn during a tribute and turn it into yet another triumph. With his voice stilled by illness and a broken vocal synthesizer, Mr. Ebert could only stand by as his wife read his remarks. But he was clearly thrilled, enjoyed every second of it, and demonstrated that life on life’s terms can be both brutal and beautiful. Everyone gets sick, everyone takes knocks, but a lot of it is about how you conduct yourself when it is your turn in the barrel. Movie City News took the occasion to ask Mr. Ebert — whose keyboard is anything but silent — ten questions, among them, one about the growing robustness of film criticism on the web: There are better and worse critics. Always have been. The difference is the internet. Now we all swim in the same sea. Look at the success of Berardinelli or JoBlo, or the Salon and Slate critics. All generated not by marketing but by ability. Look at Jim Emerson. Look at David Bordwell, brilliant academic, brilliant blogger. Look at you, and the other critics at your site — although was Ray Pride (who I admire) frothing at the mouth when he reviewed Delirious? What DID get into him? A few years ago, Mr. Ebert demonstrated muscle and vision in pushing “Crash” at a time when everyone thought it was an also-ran, and he doesn’t look like he’s going to be letting up any time soon."
