TWO THUMBS UP // A MEMORIAM
When I was a kid, I remember waiting in darkness with anxious anticipation. Knowing that at any minute, an image larger than life was going to greet me, right in front of my eyes. It would take me on an adventure, whether it was to see a young boy help an alien get home, a mad scientist help a teenager slacker fix time itself, or to watch a rock star at the height of his career disappear from the lives of everyone he loves. I’ve always love the movies; the smell of buttered popcorn, the music of “Coming attractions,” breaking apart a row of Twizzlers in the dark.” Growing up, there was few better ways to spend an afternoon, and a man on the television shared my life. His name was Roger Ebert, and he loved movies. He loved talking about movies. And he loved playfully arguing when people didn’t understand how good (or bad) a movie he had seen was. There were, and have been, several movie reviewers over the years giving their opinions (you’re reading an article from yet another one of them), but there was only one Roger Ebert. His reviews WERE different because of that deep suited love of cinema, and though he just passed away Thursday in his hometown of Chicago, finallly succummbing to the cancer that was eating away at him, the loss is already deeply felt, and will continue to be felt as the days go by.
Roger was the one I always turned to for movie advice. Though I read, and listed to, many other critics, he seemed to get what I always felt walking into a movie; we should WANT it to be good. We should WANT it to be great. It won’t always be, and when it wasn’t he sure didn’t hold back. He let the ones he didn’t like have it. I mean really have it. And the ones he did like, or often love, he heaped praise upon, gliding your interest straight into a movie theatre to see what all the fuss was about. Of course I didn’t always agree with him, but I always understood when he said something was bad, and when he said something was good and I didn’t agree, I could almost always see why he thought so. He loved the movies like I did (probably much, much more) and he loved telling everyone about them.
As I grew up, I knew I wanted to tell stories. To share my love of movies with others was not something I wanted to do; it was something I had to do. Going into my teens, I also discovered the theatre, which equaled my love of the movies (something I didn’t think was possible). As I went from a high school actor into acting as a career, it was always about sharing the best possible story and calling foul when it wasn’t. With my writing, I try to do the same. Through my films, my plays, my articles, and my reviews I want to do exactly what Ebert would look for in a production; I want entertain. I want it to be great. I want to get a “thumbs up.” And when I was asked to review for my friend Dani and Alex’s website BigVisionEmptyWallet I knew I wanted to now follow in Ebert’s footsteps; showing praise to what needed praise, telling the hard truth to things that weren’t, but always stepping in WANTING it to be good, to be great. Since then, I’ve transitioned into my own site here at The ArtsWire where I (and a with a little help from my friends) share my thoughts with you, and hope you share the same love of film and theatre that I do, that my hero Ebert did.
Early yesterday, my friend and fellow reviewer here at The ArtsWire Cody Lang turned to me, crestfallen, and simply said, “Roger Ebert died.” We both were struck with silence. Though he had been sick for awhile and I had just read that his cancer had returned, I was devastated. How can that void be filled? Quite honestly, it can’t, and it won’t be. The best we can do is to keep writing, to search for the good and the great, to point out weaknesses and challenge each other to find great film, theatre, and all around art. To not shut the door on something based off of past pre-conceived notions; to give everything a chance. Roger did, and so will I. I hope you enjoy my reviews and if you do, I’d love to hear your thoughts. If you agree, shout it out from the heavens. If you don’t, tell me that too! There’s some amazing arguments to be had regarding different taste in movies and theatre, and I’d love to have them. Goodbye Roger. You’ve taught us all so much, and we’ll do our best to make you proud. The balcony may be closed, but the theatre will remain open.
See you at the movies movies my friend,
-Mateo
ROGER EBERT
