Ebert writes here about going to his own film festival, even if he looks effed up.
I have received a lot of advice that I should not attend the Festival. I’m told that paparazzi will take unflattering pictures, people will be unkind, etc. Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn. As a journalist I can take it as well as dish it out.
Damn Right Ebert!
We spend too much time hiding illness. There is an assumption that I must always look the same. I hope to look better than I look now. But I’m not going to
miss my Festival.
Kick ass, Roger!
That's awesome. Frankly, I've always loved this dude. For the longest time the late Gene Siskel and his show was my only link to upcoming movies. That's right kids, there was a time before Aintitcool.com or apple.com/trailers even existed. He's not like other film critics. You know the stereotype. The kind who thumb their noses at movies that are really movies and not 'films' (I'm talking to you, Steven Hunter). Siskel played the role of "snotty dude with thumb up his ass" (with charm and humor). Ebert is the easy-going dude who is not above enjoying something that isn't perfect. This is no art snob. The dude wrote Russ Meyer movies (Beneath the Valley of the Ultra Vixens is one example - click for a hysterically cheesy trailer NSFW), for FSM-sake.
I look at movies the way he does. Did I enjoy it comes first and foremost. All other nerdy and/or artsy-fartsy considerations come second.
And he's totally right that "we spend too much time hiding illness". That's the thought of the day that I'm gonna try and keep with me. Rock on, Rog!
