Roger Ebert's Top Ten

[Gold Trumpet]

His opinion is respected, but I've strayed light years away from his taste. Lost in Translation is his #2 and while I respected the film, it didn't accomplish much in my eyes. Master and Commander is a dismal choice. It tasted so sour in my mouth when I watched it that I couldn't even come to properly reviewing it. His #1 is interesting. His number #8 is the most anticipated movie for me. I've tried ebay dozens of times over the last year and recently have bothered even the distributor in attaining the film. Late Spring, '04 is the dvd release date. Hopefully the XIXAX awards recognize it as '04.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/eb-feature/sho-sunday-roger21.html

1.) Monster
2.) Lost in Translation
3.) American Splendor
4.) Finding Nemo
5.) Master and Commander
6.) Mystic River
7.) Owning Mahoney
8.) The Son
9.) Whale Rider
10.) In America

[bonanzataz]

house of 1000 corpses is a glaring omission.

[Find Your Magali]

7.) Owning Mahoney

I'm as big a PSH fan as anyone, and I did enjoy this movie. But it was just way to slight to be making any top-10 lists. ... I know Ebert sometimes throws small films on there to get them back in the spotlight or get people interested in them. But this film just doesn't amount to much in the long run.

Also, his continuing stubbornness against the LOTR films remains embarrassing.

[Finn]

I'm shocked that Kill Bill wasn't on his list. That's certainly one of the top three movies this year. I strongly disagree with him on Master and Commander and Owning Mahoney.

What a coincidence that for the past three years, every best movie of the year has started with M. Particularly Monster and Monster's Ball.

[Find Your Magali]

I'm shocked that Kill Bill wasn't on his list.

Yeah, Ebert did give Kill Bill a fairly breathless four-star review.

[Gamblour.]

Yeah, sometimes Ebert's on the money. But Master and Commander....dear god! I do think it's interesting that he thinks Mystic River has a Shakespearean quality to it, that makes me wanna watch the film again, but still Kill Bill and ROTK should be on that list, unless we're back to the confusion between his favorites list, or his best of the year list. He's too full of self-importance to see that ROTK should be on his list, the bastard. But I'll still read his reviews.

[Find Your Magali]

But he's soooo inconsistent when it comes the blockbusters. He fawned over Titanic as an example of brilliant filmmaking, and it came off partially as him catering to and justifying the film's popularity with the masses.

But he seems to just be dead-set against giving out kudos to LOTR, although you can tell him his ROTK review how much he admires it.

[cine]

I do think it's interesting that he thinks Mystic River has a Shakespearean quality to it

Oh, but there WAS a Shakespearean quality to it. I hadn't even read his review yet when I'd seen the film. The way the film explores themes with it's dialogue reminded me of the Shakespeare qualities, but what really smacked me right in the face was near the end with Laura Linney's little monologue on the bed. That just reeked of Shakespeare.
As it relates to Kill Bill, I think it's in a fair spot on his list, as all or most of the films on his list are much more moving pictures while Kill Bill is more pure in its entertainment and filmmaking style.
When you consider his list and the big films in contention for the Globes and what's to come for the Oscars, this really was a great year for the movies.

[ono]

1.) Monster
2.) Lost in Translation
3.) American Splendor
4.) Finding Nemo
5.) Master and Commander
6.) Mystic River
7.) Owning Mahoney
8.) The Son
9.) Whale Rider
10.) In America

Monster?  Hahaha.  I'm sorry, but as much as I respect Ebert, I think he may have lost it a bit here.  So Charlize Theron gets uglified and shows a little skin, and we're supposed to believe this lesbo-serial-killer fare is better than Finding Nemo and Lost in Translation?  Granted, I haven't seen Monster, but I can't believe something seemingly banal could be the best film of the year.  This is an annoying trend which was touched on last year where an actress makes a slight change to her physical appearance and/or shows a little skin, and then gets taken a little more seriously (*cough*Halle Berry*cough).  And not that I don't admire Nicole Kidman, but Julianne Moore was even better in The Hours, and she got totally shafted there for her performance.

I liked Owning Mahowny, but I agree it was a little slight to be one of the year's best.  And American Splendor, while original in style, and an exhilirating film while experiencing it, pales upon reflection.  I haven't seen Mystic River, Master and Commander, or In America, and I haven't even heard of The Son.  Took me long enough to find it on IMDb.  It's Le Fils, if anyone is curious.  Whale Rider is a decent, uplifting, subtlely beautiful film, but I think a lot of people overpraise it considering how refreshing it is, given the genre.

[cine]

This is an annoying trend which was touched on last year where an actress makes a slight change to her physical appearance and/or shows a little skin, and then gets taken a little more seriously (*cough*Halle Berry*cough).  

Well, let's look at it this way: He said the same of Monster as he did for Monster's Ball and I don't think he even recognized that fact. Best performance of the year in the best film of the year. And he was correct on both of those. On top of that, Berry even won Best Actress for her role too, and we all know about the history made that night because of it.
So I wouldn't be so quick to judge his high opinions on Monster. I think you've got a little bit too much Kidman/Hours on the brain and that's not cool, since I feel they're too different categories: Halle Berry has never been held in high esteem as one of those great actresses who really deserves that oscar for all her hard work in hollywood, etc, etc, etc, while the Hours media attention was Kidman-this and Kidman-that. Too much hype.

Anyway, all I'm saying is that maybe Theron did a great fuckin' job and maybe Monster is a great fuckin' movie. Let's wait and see.

[ElPandaRoyal]

Granted, I haven't seen Monster, but I can't believe something seemingly banal could be the best film of the year.

I just hope you see it and love it more than Ebert. I just hate pre-judgment and not you in particular  

[NEON MERCURY]

1.) Monster-haven't seen it but since this is the guy that thought blue velvet sucked ..this film is way overrated then....
2.) Lost in Translation-really good film ..but nnot a number 2
3.) American Splendor-haven't seen it but heard only great things....
4.) Finding Nemo-.its good but still its cliched and kitchey disnney film..
5.) Master and Commander-...havent seen it....
6.) Mystic River- really good....deserves higher on this list
7.) Owning Mahoney-..haven't seen it yet..
8.) The Son-...never heard of it
9.) Whale Rider-don't care to much about this one.....
10.) In America-.this looks really good and .i really want to check this out


[/b]

[cine]

Neon, you've just reminded me why people shouldn't comment about lists.

[NEON MERCURY]

Neon, you've just reminded me why people shouldn't comment about lists.

...b/c i'm always right...and it spoils the fun for others........


trust me moster is overrated...i have experiennced 20+ years of fiml watching and i knnow what i am talking about..........ebert picked that as his number one to be different.....YOU HEARD IT HERE............FIRST

[Gold Trumpet]

Monster?  Hahaha.  I'm sorry, but as much as I respect Ebert, I think he may have lost it a bit here.  So Charlize Theron gets uglified and shows a little skin, and we're supposed to believe this lesbo-serial-killer fare is better than Finding Nemo and Lost in Translation?  Granted, I haven't seen Monster, but I can't believe something seemingly banal could be the best film of the year.

"Assumption is the mother of all fuck ups."

-Under Seige 2