Roger Ebert (1942-2013)

On Thursday, April 4th, famed film critic Roger Ebert died at the age of 70 after a long struggle with cancer. Over the course of his 46-year career, Ebert became the everyman’s film critic. His informative, opinionated film reviews, in print and on the TV show he co-hosted (first with Gene Siskel and later with Richard Roeper), were accessible and enjoyable to all movie-goers, whether passionate or casual.

Throughout his career, Ebert attained many firsts. In 1975, he became the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize. Later, he became the first film critic to be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

A prolific writer, Ebert wrote film reviews and criticisms, many of which were compiled into anthologies. He also wrote books on the history of film and great directors of our time, the screenplay for the cult classic film Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, and a recent memoir. A self-proclaimed "electric rice cooker enthusiast", Ebert also wrote a hilarious, yet useful book on that kitchen appliance.

If you’re looking for an accessible, witty education on what makes a great movie, browse the HCPL catalog and request one of Ebert’s film criticism books today!

A few of the many books written by Roger Ebert:

• Awake in the Dark: The Best of Roger Ebert: Forty Years of Reviews, Essays, and Interviews
• The Great Movies
• Life Itself: A Memoir
• The Pot and How to Use It: The Mystery and Romance of the Rice Cooker
• Scorsese by Ebert

Although Ebert often refused to name his favorite film, he did put together an annual list of the year’s best films. Below, find Ebert’s list of the best movies of 2012:

1. 1) Argo
2. 2) Life of Pi
3. 3) Lincoln
4. 4) End of Watch
5. 5) Arbitrage
6. 6) Flight
7. 7) The Sessions
8. 8) Beasts of the Southern Wild
9. 9) Oslo, August 31
10. 10) A Simple Life

Flickr CC: Roger Ebert Blvd. Photo by: Rex Bennett