Wise Words From Ebert
The birds of prey are circling
American opening-weekend audiences are driven by gossip and “box office winners.” Not enough people trust their instincts. Which family movie would you rather see? An epic set in Australia, or one about a crazy dog? The kids see the trailer on TV, and say: “We want to see the dog!” Well, I sorta liked “Marley” too, except for the dog. But I offer this advice for parents: The kids will see the movie you choose for them, not the movie they choose for you. If you don’t lay down the law, you’ll end up seeing “The Spirit.” You mark my words.
Never mind the “weekend winner” charts. Everybody wants to back a winner. If you’re one of 50 people in a theater, that may mean you are more discriminating than the people who are not filling the other 300 seats. It doesn’t automatically mean you’re (a) a loser; (b) one of them Elites; (c) looking like a nerd in front of your date. Young people, heed this advice: Never marry someone who doesn’t love the movies you love. Sooner or later, that person will not love you. I could go even further, and quote the great French cineaste Pierre Rissient, who instructs us: It is not enough for you to love a movie. You must love it for the right reasons.
