I think Roger would have loved “American Hustle” as much as I did. I believe he would have given a four-star rave to Alexander Payne’s “Nebraska,” with Bruce Dern’s magnificent, hauntingly perfect performance.
I have no idea what Roger would have thought about “Spring Breakers” and “This is the End.” I’m not sure he would have loathed “White House Down” and “Movie 43” as much as I did, but I sure would have enjoyed getting his take.
How great would it have been to hear Roger’s reaction to Robert Redford not getting an Oscar nomination for “All Is Lost?” Wouldn’t it be such a gift to read Roger’s essays on the controversies surrounding the factual accuracy of “Captain Phillips” or the criticism from some factions about Darren Aronofsky’s “Noah”?
Of course I miss my friend, just as everyone who knew Roger misses him. There’s a void that can never be replaced. It still seems strange to take my seat in the screening room on Lake Street, or at AMC River East or the ICON Theater, and not see Roger. Especially at screenings that also included members of the public, there was always an instant buzz in the room when Roger and Chaz walked in. You’d see people elbowing each other and pointing him out. Later that evening, there would be posts on Social Media, with folks saying, “I saw a movie with Roger Ebert tonight!”
Whether I see a dark comedy such as “Bad Words,” an unnecessary remake such as “About Last Night,” an old-fashioned bomb such as “Winter’s Tale” or a guilty pleasure such as “3 Days to Kill,” I can’t help but wonder what Roger’s take would have been. So many times, he would surprise us with an insight about a film, or a reason he loved something we might have expected him to loathe, or a one-liner that perfectly summed up why a particular film didn’t achieve its goals.
Those of us that were lucky enough to share time with Roger lament that there wasn’t more time.
But even if you knew him only through his magnificent writing and his television work, I know you miss him too.
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