siskel and ebert movie reviews youtube

23 Great Films Favored By Roger Ebert & Gene Siskel

Anyone lucky enough to have been a movie fan at some point during the three decades between 1969 and 1998 probably saw Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert review movies on television (even though they did not make their TV debut until 1975). They did so with such passion and precision, in small sound bites but with humor, intelligence, and insight, that they taught all of us how to look at movies.

It was fun to see them tear a bad movie to bits, but it was also fun to see them fight over a movie, disagreeing with one another with a vengeance. They had a particular charisma together that could not be replicated by others, and could not be replicated by Ebert once Siskel died in 1998.

A particularly special time was when they both loved a movie so dearly and deeply that you could feel it flowing from the TV screen. Some of these reviews are available to see again on YouTube, but for the record, here are the 23 films that the team loved the best.

23. Shoah (1985)

Ebert: In a class by itself. Siskel: #1 movie of 1985, and #2 movie of the decade.

Claude Lanzmann’s 9-1/2 hour documentary on the Holocaust was made when many participants and survivors in that horrific chapter of history were still alive, but in a time before the internet or phone cameras. So Lanzmann put in an enormous amount of painful, exacting work, tracking down, interviewing, and filming anyone and everyone he could on this subject. The results are, if nothing else, powerful, and essential.

Siskel called it “the greatest use of film I’ve ever seen.” Ebert agreed, and his written review is just as awed. “For more than nine hours I sat and watched a film named Shoah, and when it was over, I sat for a while longer and simply stared into space, trying to understand my emotions.”

At the end of the year, Siskel named it the year’s best, but Ebert did not include it on his list. “Obviously it belongs at the top of the list,” he said, but did not feel right with the year’s ordinary films, so he left it off and placed it in “a special category.” His decision was controversial among list-mongers, and it’s the reason Shoah places so low on this list.

22. House of Games (1987)

Ebert: #1 movie of 1987 and #10 movie of the decade. Siskel: #3 movie of 1987

Playwright and screenwriter David Mamet made his directorial debut with one of the original “twisty” thrillers, a tale of con men in which the cons unfold inside of other cons. Lindsay Crouse plays a psychiatrist who learns that one of her patients may be in danger over a gambling debt.

In a move probably not endorsed by psychiatry school, she goes to the gambler (Joe Mantegna) and asks him to erase the debt. He agrees, but only if she’ll help him pull off an elaborate con. Along the way, the audience learns all about conning and lying and “tells,” told to the rhythm of Mamet’s singular, dialogue with its punchy, repeating chunks.

Ebert wrote that “this movie is alive,” but years later admitted that he loved it because it seemed so fresh upon its initial release. Today’s movie fans may be able to spot the twists early on, but in its day House of Games was a brainy treat.

21. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)

Ebert: #3 movie of 1986 Siskel: #1 movie of 1986

Woody Allen was on a roll when he made this great New York comedy-drama about a handful of characters connected to three sisters, cooking up with so many great characters, performances, situations, and dialogue.

Allen plays an ex-husband who searches for meaning in life through religion; in one scene he brings home a cross and a loaf of Wonder Bread. Michael Caine, as the married intellectual who is married to one sister but falls for another, and Dianne Wiest as the kooky, single third sister, both won Oscars.

Allen’s brilliant, novelistic screenplay, which takes place over a year’s time, starting and ending at Thanksgiving, won a third Oscar. Siskel said that “it’s the most life-affirming film that Woody Allen has done since Annie Hall. This is the work of a happy filmmaker, and one of the greatest that this country has produced.” Ebert agreed, adding that it was the best movie Allen ever made.

20. The Color Purple (1985)

Ebert: #1 movie of 1985 Siskel: #3 movie of 1985

It’s hard to imagine a time when Steven Spielberg was struggling to be taken seriously. But if you’d made some of the top box office attractions, rollercoaster-like rides and movies for younger viewers, then you’d find it hard to be considered a “grownup” filmmaker as well. In recent years, Spielberg has managed that nicely, but The Color Purple was his first attempt.

Adapted from an acclaimed Alice Walker novel, the film takes some tough material and makes it both sweet and heartbreaking. The movie was famous for being one of the most-nominated films at the Oscars without winning a single thing. It’s also famous for Spielberg’s Best Director snub, although he was dropped to allow in Akira Kurosawa for Ran, so it was a fair trade.

In his Sun-Times review, Ebert wrote, “The Color Purple is not the story of her suffering but of her victory, and by the end of her story this film had moved me and lifted me up as few films have. It is a great, warm, hard, unforgiving, triumphant movie, and there is not a scene that does not shine with the love of the people who made it.”

19. The Emigrants (1971) & The New Land (1972)

Ebert: #3 movie of 1973 Siskel: #1 movie of 1973, and one of the ten best movies of the 1970s

This two-parter was a giant-sized Swedish epic, running over six hours, released in U.S. theaters in 1973, although it has been largely absent from home video for a generation. It was based on a set of four novels by Vilhelm Moberg, and as the titles suggest, depicts the trials and tribulations of a Swedish family as they journey from Sweden to the United States.

It was directed by Jan Troell, a filmmaker that had been endorsed by none other than Ingmar Bergman. Despite its length and subject matter — and subtitles — it was a success and received universal acclaim and many Oscar nominations. Siskel and Ebert hadn’t begun their TV show yet, and writing for competing papers, they each selected the films together as a major benchmark of the year. In 1979, on a special episode of the show, Siskel mentioned the films as among the best of the decade.

18. Claire’s Knee (1971)

Ebert: #3 movie of 1971 Siskel: #1 movie of 1971

The French director Eric Rohmer was a film critic for Cahiers du Cinema in the 1950s, and a colleague of Francois Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard, and the others. While they began making films in the early 1960s and creating the “French New Wave,” Rohmer was something of a late bloomer, not finding his stride until the late 1960s and early 1970s.

With films like Claire’s Knee, he specialized in relaxed, summery films about romance among intelligent people, and their intellectual attempts to try and understand romance and all its strange nuances. In the movie, an older man on the verge of marrying becomes entranced by a young woman and entertains a notion to caress her knee. His writer friend encourages his behavior, looking for fodder for her writing; and, in fact, the film plays out in novelistic “chapters.”

“Claire’s Knee is a movie for people who still read good novels, care about good films, and think occasionally,” wrote Ebert.

17. Terms of Endearment (1983)

Ebert: #2 movie of 1983 Siskel: #2 movie of 1983

James L. Brooks exploded right out of a television career to make this feature directorial debut, based on Larry McMurtry’s novel. Like Woody Allen’s Hannah and Her Sisters, it’s a deft mix of comedy and drama, with strong characters and dialogue that slip effortlessly back and forth between funny and painful. The performances are all terrific; Shirley MacLaine and Jack Nicholson won Oscars and Debra Winger and John Lithgow received nominations. Siskel wrote,

“The goal is — I suspect — to reflect life with all of its energy, missed opportunities, warmth, cruelty, joy and bad luck.” It’s a very good movie, if a tad overpraised. Yet, perhaps in part because of Siskel and Ebert, or perhaps because of a subplot involving cancer that switched it from a mere character study to an Important Film, Terms of Endearment went on to win the Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay.

20 Replies to “23 Great Films Favored By Roger Ebert & Gene Siskel”

I truly miss Sneak Previews and At The Movies. When they championed a movie, a smaller film could get distributed to little towns and actually make money!

…and of course, you can see most of the reviews here at http://siskelandebert.org/

I was a colleague of Roger and Gene’s and a film critic in Chicago (1993-1997). My picks for the years 1968-1998 are: 1. One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest 2. Jaws 3. Alien 4. ET: The Extraterrestrial 5. The Shawshank Redemption 6. 2001: A Space Odyessy 7. The English Patient 8. Out Of Africa 9. The Lion King 10. Star Wars I notice none of these are on your list. That’s the problem with “lists” of these kinds. They’re so subjective. How can you say this is the best movie of all time or this is the best song or the most handsome actor of all time when there are sooo many. For its time perhaps but not all time. ~Kilburn Hall American Author

These lists are obviously subjective.

Your list is very commercial. It looks like you chose a few top box office hits which tells me you didn’t see many other movies. What mean to say is what are the odds that the best movies in a given year are also the most popular? Virtually zero. And what constitutes a good movie is not “subjective.” What do you think they teach in Film School? Clearly, there is a large body of work that’s been compiled that demonstrates what makes up a great movie.

My favorite part is how you end your list with a criticism on the merit of lists.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Jaws, Alien, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Star Wars belong in the pantheon of great films, commercial or not. The others you mention are high caliber, and far better than average.

[…] Gene Siskel and Robert Ebert did not agree on much in their film reviews, but tasteofcinema.com recently revealed 23 films that they both agreed were great. As you may recall, I thank Siskel and Ebert for honing my love for movies at an early age so I publish this list with the utmost respect and agreement. You can check out the original article here. […]

Oh yeah…One False Move. What a sleeper. Thanks for mentioning it…it does belong on this great film list.

[…] And if you have some free time, check out 23 Great Films according to Ebert and Siskel […]

Just one question: how can Ebert have called Raging Bull the #2 film of its year, but the #1 film of the decade?! How does that work? How can it not be the best of the year but still be best of the decade? Very incoherent…

You do realize opinions can grow and change right? They’re not set in stone.

“though he later admitted his mistake”

According to Ebert’s site he prefered Crimes and Misdmeanors over Hannah and her Sisters

Claire’s Knee was a trifle compared to all the other heavy hitters on this list. Beautiful? Yes. Significant? Hardly.

[…] Source: https://www.tasteofcinema.com///2014/23-great-films-favored-by-roger-ebert-gene-siskel/ […]

I concur with pretty much everything you said there about the lists ! You know I was surprised that Godfather , Heat of the Night , or Legends of the Fall weren’t anywhere and these definitely carried some credentials ! Or ‘ Dogday Afternoon ‘ with Al Pacino ! God they knew how to make some great movies back then . Now it’s pretty much dead !!!

Yes opinions can most certainly change over time but regardless what Brian is saying makes sense because it’s contradictory saying the film was only number two once in the same year that ultimately is within that ten year period which claims the number 1 spot or place . Because at this point is it the number one of that decade or not ? To be the best film of the decade you pretty much have to be number one every year in my opinion’.

Siskel, Ebert, and the Secret of Criticism

By Richard Brody

A photo of Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert sitting together in a movie theatre.

Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel, who went on the air together for the first time in 1975, have been off the air for a long time now. Siskel died in 1999, and Ebert bowed out in 2011, two years before his death. But, for many people, they remain the very exemplars of film criticism. Fellow-critics still admire their vigorous, wide-ranging discussions while, for the public at large, their thumbs-up/thumbs-down gimmick, which they came up with in 1982, has proved indelible. The story of their rise to fame is told in enticing detail by Matt Singer in a joint biography titled—what else?—“ Opposable Thumbs .” For Singer, the critic at ScreenCrush and the current chairperson of the New York Film Critics Circle, the book is clearly a labor of love. He writes that his own aspiration to be a critic was sparked by their show, which he began watching obsessively as a middle schooler, in the early nineteen-nineties.

Singer’s admirably fanatical research renders this obsession tangible. He seems to have absorbed every moment that the duo spent onscreen, whether on their own show or other people’s. (They were Johnny Carson and David Letterman regulars for years). He has combed his heroes’ writings and interviewed their colleagues, friends, family, and fellow-critics. But, more than merely gathering this material, he has thought deeply about it, and the best thing about the book is the way that it highlights some of the basic quandaries that critics confront (or avoid) daily. These fundamental conundrums of criticism involve questions about specialism, authority, personality, art, and business. And, with Siskel and Ebert, these dilemmas came into play long before the duo joined forces on television. Both Illinois natives, the two men came to their critical careers by very different paths, but they had one crucial thing in common: neither had set out to be a film critic.

Ebert, born in Urbana in 1942, was one of those precocious journalists who seem to have printer’s ink in his veins. As a high-school sports reporter, he won an Associated Press prize for professional (not just student) journalists. He edited his college daily at the University of Illinois and, in 1966, having begun a doctorate at the University of Chicago, took a day job as a reporter at the Chicago Sun-Times . The next year, when the newspaper’s veteran movie critic retired, he was tapped as her replacement, having written a few film-related reports. (A publicist recommended him.) In his wise and engaging autobiography, “ Life Itself ,” he recalls that he didn’t intend to stay in the job long: “My master plan was to become an op-ed columnist and then eventually, of course, a great and respected novelist.” But within a decade he’d become the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for criticism.

Siskel, in contrast, came to journalism more or less by happenstance. Born in Chicago, in 1946, he majored in philosophy at Yale and planned on a career in law and politics. That changed when, needing to avoid the draft, he joined the Army Reserves. He wound up as an Army journalist at a base in Indiana, and, when he got out of the service, in 1969, he took a job with the Chicago Tribune . He’d been there only eight months when the paper’s movie critic took a leave. Siskel, who’d written a few pieces about the movie world, put himself forward and got the job.

Now the two men were in direct competition: doing the same job at Chicago’s two great rival papers. But, as much as they often clashed, there was another key thing they shared: neither was a movie person. Not only was neither a cinema-studies major (such a thing barely existed in their day) but also neither fit the profile of the cinephile, hanging out at repertory theatres and taking sides in the debates then raging over the so-called auteur theory . They were just regular moviegoers who managed to find a journalistic application for their pleasure. Their paths to television were separate but symmetrical, each maintaining print journalism as the solid basis of his activity. In 1973, Ebert hosted a series of Ingmar Bergman films on television, which scored an Emmy nomination. Then Siskel started delivering brief movie reviews on a local station. Then, in late 1975, the Chicago public station WTTW paired them up for a joint movie-review program.

The breakthrough took a while. Though PBS broadcasts in markets such as New York and Los Angeles brought national attention, by 1981, as Singer tells it, Siskel and Ebert were getting frustrated with the over-rehearsed nature of the show. The pair, encouraged by the assistant producer Nancy De Los Santos, decided to give free rein to everything else—the discussions and arguments, the slips and flubs, the spontaneity and authenticity of their interactions. Rather than an entente between rivals, the format became gladiatorial. Critics on TV weren’t new, as Singer notes; most of them would do a few minutes during news broadcasts. Siskel and Ebert were different. Individually, they remained writers first, transferring the essence of their columns to the screen, but the show as a whole was TV first and foremost, with all the showmanship of the commercial medium. Predictably, their burgeoning fame attracted a backlash. In 1990, decrying the state of film criticism in the august pages of Film Comment , Richard Corliss dismissed the show as “a sitcom . . . starring two guys who live in a movie theater and argue all the time. Oscar Ebert and Felix Siskel.” Singer differs: “To a generation of up-and-coming cinephiles, it was their first taste of film school.”

Singer correctly identifies the show’s crucial ingredient: the two stars’ clashing personalities and relentless competitiveness. As rival newspaper critics, they’d been striving to outdo each other for the best part of a decade. Now they were in the same room. In his memoir, Ebert writes:

In the television biz, they talk about “chemistry.” Not a thought was given to our chemistry. We just had it, because from the day the Chicago Tribune made Gene its film critic, we were professional enemies. We never had a single meaningful conversation before we started to work on our TV program.

Ebert’s expansive, jovial character immediately comes across in this memoir and in other published portraits. Siskel remains more of an enigma, because he died young and also because he was a far more private individual, rarely speaking of his personal life. The portrait of Siskel that emerges in Singer’s telling is fascinating. A former Yale roommate declared him “the most competitive person I’ve ever run across—more so than Michael Jordan or Bill and Hillary Clinton.” Ebert said so, too: “Gene was the most competitive man I ever met.” Ebert may have been intensely conscious of a rivalry with Siskel, but Siskel’s competitive ferocity and confrontational chutzpah were on another level. When asked by his first boss at the Tribune what his ultimate goal was, Siskel answered, “Your job.” (When a colleague expressed shock, Siskel replied, “Candor. It is powerful. It knocks people off their feet. They are not used to it. Try it some day. If you’ve got the guts.”)

In print, Ebert and Siskel competed for scoops and for celebrity interviews, a rivalry that Siskel carried to absurd extremes. He would stop at nothing to find out who was on Ebert’s schedule—once, he posed as an assistant cancelling an Ebert interview—all of which drove Ebert to cover his tracks with complicated ruses of his own. Siskel boasted, “I have the ability to look this guy straight in the eye and lie to him and he can’t tell.” Siskel’s biggest win involved nothing less than the duo’s name: of course, both men wanted their name to come first, but Siskel, with a blend of aesthetic acuity and brazen self-interest, assured his partner that “Siskel and Ebert” sounded better.

Just as André Malraux, in a celebrated piece of film criticism from 1939, reminded readers smitten with the art of movies that “Moreover, the cinema is a business,” so it’s worth emphasizing that criticism, as earnestly devoted to the cult of art as it may be, is also journalism. Ebert and Siskel were hardly the last critics to be also active movie-industry reporters, but they’re among the last major ones to come up as generalists. Exuding the worldly rough-and-tumble of the journalistic profession, they bucked the stereotype of film critics as—to quote Letterman’s on-air characterization—“kind of goofy, too esoteric, too intellectual.” Corliss wasn’t totally wrong to compare their show to a sitcom, but “The Odd Couple” is a red herring: it was more like “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” an inside-TV story whose comic spontaneity naturally evoked the tangle of backstage life. More than that, though, “Siskel and Ebert” wasn’t a TV show so much as a movie . Siskel and Ebert were living incarnations of “The Front Page” dragged into the cathode-tube era, bringing classic-movie values to the television talk show. They may not have known as much about movies as some more fanatically cinephile critics did, but they belonged to the movies. Even if they weren’t movie people, they were movie characters.

Criticism is a fraught profession because it’s parasitical. It depends on the work of artists, without which criticism couldn’t exist. A critic who acknowledges and accepts the fact of this dependence is trying to salvage the dignity of the activity; critics who don’t are just trying to salvage their own dignity. That’s one reason that I’m wary of critics talking about criticism: they so often discuss the enterprise in terms that define the surpassing merit of their own efforts. And even the most earnest self-deprecation can contain the seeds of vanity. Still, all work is interesting to contemplate—a philosopher friend of mine used to say, “It’s a miracle that anyone does anything”—and criticism has the contemplation built in. Because critics are in the habit of discussing the way that others work, it’s just a turn of the screw for them to scrutinize their own practices.

As Singer’s book documents, Siskel and Ebert’s frequent riffs about their show amount to a rough-and-ready touchstone—even a questionnaire—for critics of all stripes to ponder. Take, for example, the so-called Gene Siskel Test, glossed by Singer as “Is this film more interesting than a documentary of the same actors having lunch?” (I’d say it depends on who directed the documentary.) Provocative on its own terms, the test becomes even more so when folded back on itself: If Siskel and Ebert were just having lunch instead of discussing movies, would the show be more interesting or less? Perhaps, too, the imagined lunch documentary exemplifies yet another dimension to movie reviewing. Seen this way, a critic’s job is to imagine not just the actors’-lunch documentary but also one about the director thinking through the project, and what it must have felt like to make the movie, and to have had the urge to do so in the first place. Siskel’s test, far from having any practical application, is a vivid thought-experiment to shift a viewer’s emphasis toward the real lives of a movie’s creators and the inner lives that the finished work reflects.

The peculiarity of the critical condition, its combination of imaginative sympathy and gimlet-eyed judgment, of advocacy and exploration, comes across in a diptych of Siskel and Ebert quips reported by Singer:

In a 1996 interview, Siskel said that he told readers that by going to movies they “are spending something more valuable than money—your life,” and if a movie didn’t work after an hour they should “get up and leave.” Of the crummy 1990 thriller Lisa , Ebert mused, “If the two hours you spend in front of the screen are not as interesting as two hours you could spend outside the theater, why spend your money?”

So it depends on how interesting you find your life. I recall discussing superhero movies with my older daughter as the genre was rising to prominence, wondering why audiences go for them. “They don’t have enough drama in their lives,” she said. Sure, one could say the same about other genres (maybe any genre); the real value of this test is to acknowledge the fundamentally personal aspect of a viewer’s responses. The great contribution of Siskel and Ebert, disagree with them as I might about any individual film, was to embody, however histrionically, the personality, the character, and the humanity that’s an inescapable part of the critic’s activity. Singer records Ebert giving voice to this notion in a TV interview:

“When you disagree on a movie,” Ebert said, “you’re not disagreeing on the movie. You’re disagreeing on who you are. If I don’t like a movie and he does, then I’m not saying that the movie is flawed, I’m saying that he’s flawed.”

There’s an aspect of criticism that inherently aims, however ironically, to repair the flaws of others—to improve the world through aesthetic judgment. I feel that just about any movie that sparks the energy to write about it in detail is worth seeing—but, after I’d written a negative review, someone asked me whether I was suggesting that they not see the movie, and I responded, “No, I’m suggesting that you not enjoy it.” The flipside of this is that movie critics also get to suggest enjoyment. Sharing enthusiasm is the far more gratifying (and, happily, more frequent) part of the job.

And there are many ways to share it. Plenty of criticism is neither written nor spoken to camera. Indeed, seen from a certain perspective, everything is criticism—the insightful pairing in a repertory cinema’s program, photographs taken on a movie set, essay-films about other films, profiles, and interviews. It’s in this domain that Ebert’s legacy—Siskel died too young for a second act—goes beyond the show and the thumbs. Though he didn’t start as a movie person, he became one, with fervor. In 1999, he and his wife, Chaz Ebert, launched a film festival, now known as Ebertfest , at his alma mater, the University of Illinois; it’s scheduled to celebrate its twenty-fifth anniversary next year. Even more vitally, he launched, in 2002, a Web site that both houses his own archive of work and commissions new pieces from writers. Unlike, say, Pauline Kael , who extended her influence via a society of acolytes (“Paulettes”), Ebert opened his pages to a wide range of young critics who may not have shared his views but whose work he admired. It has been a crucial showcase for the writing of several generations of critics and has helped make American film criticism today better than it has ever been. It may be his greatest act of criticism—and the apotheosis of the best of what he and Siskel were getting at with their show. ♦

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Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert: Movie Critics for the People

In this excerpt from The Ringer’s narrative podcast series ‘Gene and Roger,’ Brian Raftery explores how Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert set the standard for movie reviewing in the ’80s

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When Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert first started working together, they worried they’d end up embarrassing themselves on TV. Instead, they became cult icons—and then, ultimately, full-on superstars.

“If you did a huge survey of the country, there aren’t that many people, probably, who give a darn about movie criticism as it goes on,” Tom Shales, a Pulitzer-winning TV critic for The Washington Post said. “But they got people to care, and tricked them into watching, sort of, by turning it into a kind of a soap opera: The adventures of Roger and Gene.”

But it took a lot of practice to make the “soap opera” that was Sneak Previews work. Before each taping, the critics spent the week taking in as many films as possible. Once the screenings were done, everyone would gather at the fake movie-balcony for the show’s Thursday taping.

The Sneak Previews format didn’t change much in those first few years. What did change was Siskel and Ebert themselves. After a few stiff early appearances, the critics began to loosen up: Their conversations felt easy and natural—even when they were arguing. And they got a kick out of celebrating the kinds of films that critics weren’t supposed to take seriously.

Keep in mind, this was on PBS—which back then wasn’t known for monster-movie reviews. It was “prestige TV” before that even became a thing. PBS was where you watched Masterpiece Theatre and the Kennedy Center Honors. But even though Siskel and Ebert were on a respected national network, they never came off as too lofty. And much like superstar-chef Julia Child, another public-TV celebrity, Siskel and Ebert had a talent for making something that seemed intimidating feel accessible. As film critic Carrie Rickey points out, that relatability was a big part of Gene and Roger’s early success.

“Here are these Midwest guys,” Rickey said, “and the thing about being in the Midwest is that you could be an intellectual, but you didn’t flaunt it. They had this very refined palate, but they talked about the things they loved like Joe Six-pack. ... They could make sophisticated arguments in that language.”

Quentin Tarantino, who came of age in the ’70s, when local newscasts and TV shows had their own on-air movie critics, knew that the competitors couldn’t connect with viewers the way Gene and Roger did. “Siskel and Ebert put all those guys out of business,” Tarantino said. “Once everybody knew who they were, then they were the movie critics for the people. And everyone was kind of interested, watched the show to see what they said. And then you saw thumbs-up or thumbs-down. You knew, without knowing the content of the review, you know what they thought about it.”

On Sneak Previews , Gene and Roger tackled issues you rarely heard being discussed on television back then. Entire episodes were devoted to how Hollywood treated Black characters, and to how horror movies treated women. Nowadays, these kinds of in-depth movie conversations can be found anywhere, 24 hours a day: on podcasts, subreddits, and Twitter threads. Or even just in a text chain between you and a friend. The modern film discourse is everywhere you read, everywhere you look, everywhere you listen.

But in the Sneak Previews era, for millions of people, Siskel and Ebert were the discourse. Within two years of its debut, the show was being carried on nearly 300 PBS stations around the country. That meant Siskel and Ebert were reaching smaller cities and towns too.

By the spring of 1982, Sneak Previews was drawing millions of viewers each week. Enough to make it the most popular half-hour show in public-TV history. And Gene and Roger had finally landed in powerful markets like Los Angeles and New York—hugely influential cities that had once shut the show out.

With Sneak Previews taking off across the country, Gene and Roger were suddenly in demand. It wasn’t just the late-night shows like Saturday Night Live and Late Night With David Letterman that were after them. At one point, they were even asked to play themselves in the ’80s comedy Strange Brew —an offer they declined.

That newfound fame had an unforeseen side effect as well: It made the competition between the two critics all the more intense.

Brian Raftery is the author of Best. Movie. Year. Ever.: How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen . His work has appeared in Wired , New York , and GQ .

Next Up In Gene and Roger

The Lasting Impact of Siskel and Ebert
Tragedy Strikes Siskel and Ebert
Siskel and Ebert vs. the Academy
The Siskel and Ebert Wannabes
Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert vs. the ’80s Blockbuster
“Is the Room Big Enough for Both These Guys?”

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Watch Siskel and Ebert’s Review of the Original ‘Star Wars‘

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A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...

Okay, so it was technically Chicago, which was the home of Siskel & Ebert — also known throughout its run on television as Sneak Previews , Opening Soon at a Theater Near Year You , and At the Movies — for 30 years. The show mostly existed before the internet, and even once the web became popular, Siskel & Ebert didn’t have any sort of official online archive. (It didn’t help that the show had multiple owners; it started on public television, then went into syndication, and was owned by Disney for the final portion of its run.) A fair number of Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert ’s TV reviews are available online, but a lot of them are not.

For example, in all my years of dweeby Siskel & Ebert fandom, I had never seen their 1977 review of the first Star Wars ... until now. It popped up this week on YouTube. Watch it below:

Those last two lines from the segment are really something:

Ebert: “It’s a movie that will last for years.” Siskel: “The only thing I’m worried about is it’s so successful and so mindless fun, that I hope Hollywood doesn’t forget that there are people who like to see serious pictures too.”

Sooooooo... they were kind of good at their jobs, huh?

Also, if you want to see more vintage Siskel & Ebert , I recommend you check out SiskelEbert.org , an unofficial archive of the show dating back to the mid-1970s. It’s sadly not complete, but it’s still being updated with new videos. (Last week, they added material from the short-lived Ebert Presents At the Movies show from PBS.) Until they add Siskel and Ebert’s review of Close Encounters of the Third Kind , the balcony is closed.

[H/T Reddit ]

Gallery — Every Star Wars Movie Ever Made, Ranked From Worst to Best:

Movies on Siskel and Ebert's Best Films Ever

Each year, Siskel and Ebert would each give a Top 10 list of the best films of the year. These are the films. Currently 1998-1992.

Movies or TV
IMDb Rating
In Theaters
Release Year

1. Babe: Pig in the City (1998)

PG | 97 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama

Babe, fresh from his victory in the sheepherding contest, returns to Farmer Hoggett's farm, but after Farmer Hoggett is injured and unable to work, Babe has to go to the big city to save the farm.

Director: George Miller | Stars: Magda Szubanski , Elizabeth Daily , Mickey Rooney , James Cromwell

Votes: 35,437 | Gross: $18.32M

Siskel's choice for the best film of 1998. Ebert's 7th best film of 1998.

2. Dark City (1998)

R | 100 min | Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi

A man struggles with memories of his past, which include a wife he cannot remember and a nightmarish world no one else ever seems to wake up from.

Director: Alex Proyas | Stars: Rufus Sewell , Kiefer Sutherland , Jennifer Connelly , William Hurt

Votes: 212,156 | Gross: $14.38M

Ebert's choice for the best film of 1998.

3. The Thin Red Line (1998)

R | 170 min | Drama, History, War

Adaptation of James Jones ' autobiographical 1962 novel, focusing on the conflict at Guadalcanal during the second World War.

Director: Terrence Malick | Stars: Jim Caviezel , Sean Penn , Nick Nolte , Kirk Acevedo

Votes: 199,495 | Gross: $36.40M

Siskel's 2nd best film of 1998.

4. Pleasantville (1998)

PG-13 | 124 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy

Two 1990s teenage siblings find themselves transported to a 1950s sitcom where their influence begins to profoundly change that colorless, complacent world.

Director: Gary Ross | Stars: Tobey Maguire , Jeff Daniels , Joan Allen , William H. Macy

Votes: 136,263 | Gross: $40.57M

Ebert's 2nd best film of 1998 Siskel's 3rd best film of 1998

5. Saving Private Ryan (1998)

R | 169 min | Drama, War

Following the Normandy Landings, a group of U.S. soldiers go behind enemy lines to retrieve a paratrooper whose brothers have been killed in action.

Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Tom Hanks , Matt Damon , Tom Sizemore , Edward Burns

Votes: 1,495,273 | Gross: $216.54M

Ebert's 3rd best film of 1998 Siskel's 4th best film of 1998

6. A Simple Plan (1998)

R | 121 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller

Three blue-collar acquaintances come across millions of dollars in lost cash and make a plan to keep their find from the authorities, but it isn't long before complications and mistrust weave their way into the plan.

Director: Sam Raimi | Stars: Bill Paxton , Billy Bob Thornton , Bridget Fonda , Brent Briscoe

Votes: 76,089 | Gross: $16.31M

Ebert's 4th best film of 1998

7. Shakespeare in Love (1998)

R | 123 min | Comedy, Drama, History

The world's greatest ever playwright, William Shakespeare , is young, out of ideas and short of cash, but meets his ideal woman and is inspired to write one of his most famous plays.

Director: John Madden | Stars: Gwyneth Paltrow , Joseph Fiennes , Geoffrey Rush , Tom Wilkinson

Votes: 234,248 | Gross: $100.32M

Siskel's 5th best film of 1998 Ebert's 8th best film of 1998

8. Happiness (1998)

NC-17 | 134 min | Comedy, Drama

The lives of several individuals intertwine as they go about their lives in their own unique ways, engaging in acts which society as a whole might find disturbing in a desperate search for human connection.

Director: Todd Solondz | Stars: Jane Adams , Jon Lovitz , Philip Seymour Hoffman , Dylan Baker

Votes: 74,386 | Gross: $2.81M

Ebert's 5th best film of 1998

9. The Truman Show (1998)

PG | 103 min | Comedy, Drama

An insurance salesman discovers his whole life is actually a reality TV show.

Director: Peter Weir | Stars: Jim Carrey , Ed Harris , Laura Linney , Noah Emmerich

Votes: 1,194,798 | Gross: $125.62M

Siskel's 6th best film of 1998

10. Elizabeth (1998)

R | 124 min | Biography, Drama, History

The early years of the reign of Elizabeth I of England and her difficult task of learning what is necessary to be a monarch.

Director: Shekhar Kapur | Stars: Cate Blanchett , Liz Giles , Rod Culbertson , Paul Fox

Votes: 105,067 | Gross: $30.08M

Ebert's 6th best film of 1998

11. Antz (1998)

PG | 83 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy

A rather neurotic ant tries to break from his totalitarian society while trying to win the affection of the princess he loves.

Directors: Eric Darnell , Tim Johnson , Lawrence Guterman | Stars: Woody Allen , Sharon Stone , Gene Hackman , Sylvester Stallone

Votes: 163,991 | Gross: $90.76M

Siskel's 7th best film of 1998

12. Simon Birch (1998)

PG | 114 min | Comedy, Drama, Family

A young boy with stunted growth is convinced that God has a great purpose for him.

Director: Mark Steven Johnson | Stars: Ian Michael Smith , Joseph Mazzello , Ashley Judd , Oliver Platt

Votes: 22,200 | Gross: $18.25M

Siskel's 8th best film of 1998

13. There's Something About Mary (1998)

R | 119 min | Comedy, Romance

A man gets a chance to meet up with his dream girl from high school, even though his date with her back then was a complete disaster.

Directors: Bobby Farrelly , Peter Farrelly | Stars: Cameron Diaz , Matt Dillon , Ben Stiller , Lee Evans

Votes: 328,701 | Gross: $176.48M

Siskel's 9th best film of 1998

14. Life Is Beautiful (1997)

PG-13 | 116 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance

When an open-minded Jewish waiter and his son become victims of the Holocaust, he uses a perfect mixture of will, humor and imagination to protect his son from the dangers around their camp.

Director: Roberto Benigni | Stars: Roberto Benigni , Nicoletta Braschi , Giorgio Cantarini , Giustino Durano

Votes: 742,666 | Gross: $57.60M

Ebert's 9th best film of 1998

15. Waking Ned Devine (1998)

PG | 91 min | Comedy

When a lottery winner dies of shock, his fellow townsfolk attempt to claim the money.

Director: Kirk Jones | Stars: Ian Bannen , David Kelly , Fionnula Flanagan , Susan Lynch

Votes: 28,030 | Gross: $24.79M

Siskel's 10th best film of 1998

16. Primary Colors (1998)

R | 143 min | Comedy, Drama

A man joins the political campaign of a smooth-operator candidate for President of the United States of America.

Director: Mike Nichols | Stars: John Travolta , Emma Thompson , Kathy Bates , Larry Hagman

Votes: 30,097 | Gross: $38.97M

Ebert's 10th best film of 1998

17. The Ice Storm (1997)

R | 112 min | Drama

In suburban New Canaan, Connecticut, 1973, middle-class families experimenting with casual sex and substance abuse find their lives beyond their control.

Director: Ang Lee | Stars: Kevin Kline , Joan Allen , Sigourney Weaver , Henry Czerny

Votes: 59,940 | Gross: $7.84M

Siskel's choice for the best film of 1997

18. Eve's Bayou (1997)

R | 108 min | Drama

What did little Eve see--and how will it haunt her? Husband, father and womanizer Louis Batiste is the head of an affluent family, but it's the women who rule this gothic world of secrets, lies and mystic forces.

Director: Kasi Lemmons | Stars: Samuel L. Jackson , Jurnee Smollett , Meagan Good , Lynn Whitfield

Votes: 11,600 | Gross: $14.82M

Eberts choice for the best film of 1997

19. L.A. Confidential (1997)

R | 138 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery

As corruption grows in 1950s Los Angeles, three policemen - one strait-laced, one brutal, and one sleazy - investigate a series of murders with their own brand of justice.

Director: Curtis Hanson | Stars: Kevin Spacey , Russell Crowe , Guy Pearce , Kim Basinger

Votes: 617,407 | Gross: $64.62M

Siskel's 2nd best film of 1997 Ebert's 7th best film of 1997

20. The Sweet Hereafter (1997)

A bus crash in a small town brings a lawyer to defend the families, but he discovers everything isn't what it seems.

Director: Atom Egoyan | Stars: Ian Holm , Sarah Polley , Caerthan Banks , Tom McCamus

Votes: 36,723 | Gross: $3.25M

Ebert's 2nd best film of 1997 Siskel's 7th best film of 1997

21. Wag the Dog (1997)

R | 97 min | Comedy, Drama

Shortly before an election, a spin-doctor and a Hollywood producer join efforts to fabricate a war in order to cover up a Presidential sex scandal.

Director: Barry Levinson | Stars: Dustin Hoffman , Robert De Niro , Anne Heche , Woody Harrelson

Votes: 88,434 | Gross: $43.02M

Siskel's 3rd best film of 1997 Ebert's 10th best film of 1997

22. Boogie Nights (1997)

R | 155 min | Drama

Back when sex was safe, pleasure was a business and business was booming, an idealistic porn producer aspires to elevate his craft to an art when he discovers a hot young talent.

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson | Stars: Mark Wahlberg , Julianne Moore , Burt Reynolds , Luis Guzmán

Votes: 281,886 | Gross: $26.40M

Ebert's 3rd best film of 1997

23. In the Company of Men (1997)

Two business executives--one an avowed misogynist, the other recently emotionally wounded by his love interest--set out to exact revenge on the female gender by seeking out the most innocent, uncorrupted girl they can find and ruining her life.

Director: Neil LaBute | Stars: Aaron Eckhart , Matt Malloy , Stacy Edwards , Michael Martin

Votes: 14,280 | Gross: $2.86M

Siskel's 4th best film of 1997 Ebert's 8th best film of 1997

24. Maborosi (1995)

Not Rated | 110 min | Drama

A young woman's husband apparently commits suicide without warning or reason, leaving behind his wife and infant.

Director: Kore-eda Hirokazu | Stars: Makiko Esumi , Takashi Naitô , Tadanobu Asano , Gohki Kashiyama

Votes: 7,315

Ebert's 4th best film of 1997

25. The End of Violence (1997)

R | 122 min | Drama, Thriller

Mike is a successful Hollywood producer of violent movies. Then he himself experiences extreme violence, goes missing, joins some Latino gardeners and reviews his life.

Director: Wim Wenders | Stars: Traci Lind , Rosalind Chao , Bill Pullman , Andie MacDowell

Votes: 5,177 | Gross: $0.28M

Siskel's 5th best film of 1997

26. Jackie Brown (1997)

R | 154 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller

A flight attendant with a criminal past gets nabbed by the ATF for smuggling. Under pressure to become an informant against the illegal arms dealer she works for, she must find a way to secure her future without getting killed.

Director: Quentin Tarantino | Stars: Pam Grier , Samuel L. Jackson , Robert Forster , Bridget Fonda

Votes: 374,686 | Gross: $39.67M

Ebert's 5th best film of 1997

27. The Full Monty (1997)

R | 91 min | Comedy, Drama

Six unemployed steel workers form a male striptease act. The women cheer them on to go for "the full monty" - total nudity.

Director: Peter Cattaneo | Stars: Robert Carlyle , Tom Wilkinson , Mark Addy , Wim Snape

Votes: 114,065 | Gross: $45.95M

Siskel's 6th best film of 1997

28. Fast, Cheap & Out of Control (1997)

PG | 80 min | Documentary

An exploration of the careers of four unrelated professionals: a lion tamer, a robotics expert, a topiary gardener, and a naked mole rat specialist.

Director: Errol Morris | Stars: Dave Hoover , George Mendonça , Rodney Brooks , Raymond A. Mendez

Votes: 3,981 | Gross: $0.83M

Ebert's 6th best film of 1997

29. Good Will Hunting (1997)

R | 126 min | Drama, Romance

Will Hunting, a janitor at M.I.T., has a gift for mathematics, but needs help from a psychologist to find direction in his life.

Director: Gus Van Sant | Stars: Robin Williams , Matt Damon , Ben Affleck , Stellan Skarsgård

Votes: 1,066,797 | Gross: $138.43M

Siskel's 8th best film of 1997

30. Mrs. Brown (1997)

PG | 101 min | Biography, Drama, History

When Queen Victoria's husband Prince Albert dies, she finds solace in her trusted servant, Mr. John Brown, but their relationship also brings scandal and turmoil.

Director: John Madden | Stars: Judi Dench , Billy Connolly , Geoffrey Palmer , Antony Sher

Votes: 15,575 | Gross: $9.22M

Siskel's 9th best film of 1997

31. Titanic (1997)

PG-13 | 194 min | Drama, Romance

A seventeen-year-old aristocrat falls in love with a kind but poor artist aboard the luxurious, ill-fated R.M.S. Titanic.

Director: James Cameron | Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio , Kate Winslet , Billy Zane , Kathy Bates

Votes: 1,279,137 | Gross: $659.33M

Ebert's 9th best film of 1997

32. As Good as It Gets (1997)

PG-13 | 139 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance

A single mother and waitress, a misanthropic author, and a gay artist form an unlikely friendship after the artist is assaulted in a robbery.

Director: James L. Brooks | Stars: Jack Nicholson , Helen Hunt , Greg Kinnear , Cuba Gooding Jr.

Votes: 318,235 | Gross: $148.48M

Siskel's 10th best film of 1997

33. Fargo (1996)

R | 98 min | Crime, Thriller

Minnesota car salesman Jerry Lundegaard's inept crime falls apart due to his and his henchmen's bungling and the persistent police work of the quite pregnant Marge Gunderson.

Directors: Joel Coen , Ethan Coen | Stars: William H. Macy , Frances McDormand , Steve Buscemi , Peter Stormare

Votes: 726,103 | Gross: $24.61M

Siskel and Ebert's choice for the best film of 1996

34. Secrets & Lies (1996)

R | 136 min | Comedy, Drama

Following the death of her adoptive parents, a successful young black optometrist establishes contact with her biological mother -- a lonely white factory worker living in poverty in East London.

Director: Mike Leigh | Stars: Timothy Spall , Brenda Blethyn , Phyllis Logan , Claire Rushbrook

Votes: 47,152 | Gross: $13.42M

Siskel's 2nd best film of 1996 Ebert's 3rd best film of 1996

35. Breaking the Waves (1996)

R | 159 min | Drama

Oilman Jan is paralyzed in an accident. His wife, who prayed for his return, feels guilty; even more, when Jan urges her to have sex with another.

Director: Lars von Trier | Stars: Emily Watson , Stellan Skarsgård , Katrin Cartlidge , Jean-Marc Barr

Votes: 71,533 | Gross: $4.04M

Ebert's 2nd best film of 1996 Siskel's 3rd best film of 1996

36. The English Patient (1996)

R | 162 min | Drama, Romance, War

At the close of World War II, a young nurse tends to a badly burned plane crash victim. His past is shown in flashbacks, revealing an involvement in a fateful love affair.

Director: Anthony Minghella | Stars: Ralph Fiennes , Juliette Binoche , Willem Dafoe , Kristin Scott Thomas

Votes: 200,644 | Gross: $78.65M

Siskel's 4th best film of 1996

37. Lone Star (1996)

R | 135 min | Drama, Mystery, Western

When the skeleton of his murdered predecessor is found, Sheriff Sam Deeds unearths many other long-buried secrets in his Texas border town.

Director: John Sayles | Stars: Chris Cooper , Elizabeth Peña , Stephen Mendillo , Stephen J. Lang

Votes: 32,304 | Gross: $13.27M

Ebert's 4th best film of 1996 Siskel's 5th best film of 1996

38. Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995)

R | 88 min | Comedy, Drama

An awkward seventh-grader struggles to cope with inattentive parents, snobbish class-mates, a smart older brother, an attractive younger sister and her own insecurities in suburban New Jersey.

Director: Todd Solondz | Stars: Heather Matarazzo , Christina Brucato , Victoria Davis , Christina Vidal

Votes: 37,139 | Gross: $4.77M

Ebert's 5th best film of 1996 Siskel's 8th best film of 1996

39. Looking for Richard (1996)

PG-13 | 111 min | Documentary, Drama

Al Pacino's deeply-felt rumination on Shakespeare's significance and relevance to the modern world through interviews and an in-depth analysis of "Richard III."

Director: Al Pacino | Stars: Al Pacino , Alec Baldwin , Kevin Spacey , Frederic Kimball

Votes: 8,568 | Gross: $1.36M

Siskel's 6th best film of 1996

40. Bound (1996)

R | 109 min | Crime, Thriller

Tough ex-con Corky and her lover Violet concoct a scheme to steal millions of stashed mob money and pin the blame on Violet's crooked boyfriend Caesar.

Directors: Lana Wachowski , Lilly Wachowski | Stars: Jennifer Tilly , Gina Gershon , Joe Pantoliano , John P. Ryan

Votes: 60,701 | Gross: $3.80M

Ebert's 6th best film of 1996 Siskel's 10th best film of 1996

41. Lost Paradise (1997)

119 min | Drama, Romance

Kuki is a veteran newspaper reporter who has been shuffled off to a book-development branch and finds escape in an illicit relationship with Rinko. Together they find the passion no longer present in their marriages.

Director: Yoshimitsu Morita | Stars: Koji Yakusho , Hitomi Kuroki , Akira Terao , Toshio Shiba

Siskel's 7th best film of 1996

42. Hamlet (1996)

PG-13 | 242 min | Drama

Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, returns home to find his father murdered and his mother remarrying the murderer, his uncle. Meanwhile, war is brewing.

Director: Kenneth Branagh | Stars: Kenneth Branagh , Julie Christie , Derek Jacobi , Kate Winslet

Votes: 40,034 | Gross: $4.41M

Ebert's 7th best film of 1996

43. Everyone Says I Love You (1996)

R | 101 min | Comedy, Musical, Romance

A New York girl sets her father up with a beautiful woman in a troubled marriage while her stepsister gets engaged.

Director: Woody Allen | Stars: Woody Allen , Goldie Hawn , Julia Roberts , Edward Norton

Votes: 39,394 | Gross: $9.71M

Ebert's 8th best film of 1996

44. Kingpin (1996)

PG-13 | 114 min | Comedy, Sport

A star bowler whose career was prematurely "cut off" hopes to ride a new prodigy to success and riches.

Directors: Bobby Farrelly , Peter Farrelly | Stars: Woody Harrelson , Randy Quaid , Bill Murray , Vanessa Angel

Votes: 90,998 | Gross: $24.94M

Siskel's 9th best film of 1996

45. Heidi Fleiss: Hollywood Madam (1995 TV Movie)

Not Rated | 106 min | Documentary, Biography

A documentary crew from the BBC arrives in L.A. intent on interviewing Heidi Fleiss, a year after her arrest for running a brothel but before her trial. Several months elapse before the ... See full summary »

Director: Nick Broomfield | Stars: Nick Broomfield , Nina Xining Zuo , Madam Alex , Corinne Bohrer

Ebert's 9th best film of 1996

46. Big Night (1996)

R | 109 min | Drama, Romance

New Jersey, 1950s. Two brothers run an Italian restaurant. Business is not going well as a rival Italian restaurant is out-competing them. In a final effort to save the restaurant, the brothers plan to put on an evening of incredible food.

Directors: Campbell Scott , Stanley Tucci | Stars: Tony Shalhoub , Stanley Tucci , Marc Anthony , Larry Block

Votes: 22,807 | Gross: $11.88M

Ebert's 10th best film of 1996

47. Crumb (1994)

R | 119 min | Documentary, Biography, Comedy

An intimate portrait of controversial cartoonist Robert Crumb and his traumatized family.

Director: Terry Zwigoff | Stars: Robert Crumb , Aline Kominsky-Crumb , Charles Crumb , Maxon Crumb

Votes: 21,584 | Gross: $3.17M

Siskel's choice for the best film of 1995 Ebert's 2nd best film of 1995

48. Leaving Las Vegas (1995)

R | 111 min | Drama, Romance

Ben Sanderson, a Hollywood screenwriter who lost everything because of his alcoholism, arrives in Las Vegas to drink himself to death. There, he meets and forms an uneasy friendship and non-interference pact with prostitute Sera.

Director: Mike Figgis | Stars: Nicolas Cage , Elisabeth Shue , Julian Sands , Richard Lewis

Votes: 134,542 | Gross: $32.03M

Ebert's choice for the best film of 1995 Siskel's 6th best film of 1995

49. Toy Story (1995)

G | 81 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy

A cowboy doll is profoundly threatened and jealous when a new spaceman action figure supplants him as top toy in a boy's bedroom.

Director: John Lasseter | Stars: Tom Hanks , Tim Allen , Don Rickles , Jim Varney

Votes: 1,067,740 | Gross: $191.80M

Siskel's 2nd best film of 1995

50. Nixon (1995)

R | 192 min | Biography, Drama, History

A biographical story of former U.S. President Richard Nixon , from his days as a young boy, to his eventual Presidency, which ended in shame.

Director: Oliver Stone | Stars: Anthony Hopkins , Joan Allen , Powers Boothe , Ed Harris

Votes: 32,710 | Gross: $13.56M

Siskel's 3rd best film of 1995 Ebert's 4th best film of 1995

51. Dead Man Walking (1995)

R | 122 min | Crime, Drama

A nun, while comforting a convicted killer on death row, empathizes with both the killer and his victim's families.

Director: Tim Robbins | Stars: Susan Sarandon , Sean Penn , Robert Prosky , Raymond J. Barry

Votes: 101,724 | Gross: $39.39M

Ebert's 3rd best film of 1995 Siskel's 5th best film of 1995

52. Babe (1995)

G | 91 min | Comedy, Drama, Family

Gentle farmer Arthur Hoggett wins a piglet Babe at a county fair. Narrowly escaping his fate as Christmas dinner, Babe bonds with motherly border collie Fly and discovers that he too can herd sheep. But will the other animals accept him?

Director: Chris Noonan | Stars: James Cromwell , Magda Szubanski , Christine Cavanaugh , Miriam Margolyes

Votes: 134,052 | Gross: $66.60M

Siskel's 4th best film of 1995

53. Casino (1995)

R | 178 min | Crime, Drama

In Las Vegas, two best friends - a casino executive and a mafia enforcer - compete for a gambling empire and a fast-living, fast-loving socialite.

Director: Martin Scorsese | Stars: Robert De Niro , Sharon Stone , Joe Pesci , James Woods

Votes: 563,471 | Gross: $42.44M

Ebert's 5th best film of 1995

54. Apollo 13 (I) (1995)

PG | 140 min | Adventure, Drama, History

NASA must devise a strategy to return Apollo 13 to Earth safely after the spacecraft undergoes massive internal damage putting the lives of the three astronauts on board in jeopardy.

Director: Ron Howard | Stars: Tom Hanks , Bill Paxton , Kevin Bacon , Gary Sinise

Votes: 315,335 | Gross: $173.84M

Ebert's 6th best film of 1995 Siskel's 9th best film of 1995

55. The American President (1995)

PG-13 | 114 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance

A widowed U.S. President running for reelection and an environmental lobbyist fall in love. It's all above-board, but "politics is perception," and sparks fly anyway.

Director: Rob Reiner | Stars: Michael Douglas , Annette Bening , Martin Sheen , Michael J. Fox

Votes: 60,606 | Gross: $65.00M

Siskel's 7th best film of 1995

56. Exotica (1994)

R | 103 min | Drama

A man plagued by neuroses frequents the club Exotica in an attempt to find solace, but even there his past is never far away.

Director: Atom Egoyan | Stars: Bruce Greenwood , Elias Koteas , Don McKellar , David Hemblen

Votes: 21,086 | Gross: $4.18M

Ebert's 7th best film of 1995 Siskel's 8th best film of 1995

57. My Family/Mi familia (1995)

R | 128 min | Drama

A man makes his way from Mexico to Los Angeles in the 1920s and gets married and raises a big family there. The movie follows the children until they get married and start their families in the 1960s.

Director: Gregory Nava | Stars: Jimmy Smits , Esai Morales , Edward James Olmos , Rafael Cortes

Votes: 4,495 | Gross: $11.08M

Ebert's 8th best film of 1995

58. Carrington (1995)

R | 121 min | Biography, Drama, Romance

The platonic relationship between artist Dora Carrington (Dame Emma Thompson) and writer Lytton Strachey (Jonathan Pryce) in the early twentieth century.

Director: Christopher Hampton | Stars: Emma Thompson , Jonathan Pryce , Steven Waddington , Samuel West

Votes: 5,774 | Gross: $3.24M

Ebert's 9th best film of 1995

59. Les Misérables (1995)

R | 175 min | Drama, History

A variation on Victor Hugo's classic novel by means of the story of a man whose life is affected by and somewhat duplicated by the Hugo story of the beleaguered Jean Valjean.

Director: Claude Lelouch | Stars: Jean-Paul Belmondo , Michel Boujenah , Alessandra Martines , Salomé Lelouch

Votes: 4,002 | Gross: $1.04M

Siskel's 10th best film of 1995

60. A Walk in the Clouds (1995)

PG-13 | 102 min | Drama, Romance

Paul Sutton, a young married soldier, befriends a pregnant lady who is petrified her father will disown her, and agrees to pose as her boyfriend. As time passes, they start growing fond of each other.

Director: Alfonso Arau | Stars: Keanu Reeves , Aitana Sánchez-Gijón , Anthony Quinn , Giancarlo Giannini

Votes: 36,593 | Gross: $50.01M

Ebert's 10th best film of 1995

61. Hoop Dreams (1994)

PG-13 | 170 min | Documentary, Drama, Sport

A film following the lives of two inner-city Chicago boys who struggle to become college basketball players on the road to going professional.

Director: Steve James | Stars: William Gates , Arthur Agee , Emma Gates , Curtis Gates

Votes: 28,003 | Gross: $7.83M

Siskel and Ebert's choice for the best film of 1994.

62. Pulp Fiction (1994)

R | 154 min | Crime, Drama

The lives of two mob hitmen, a boxer, a gangster and his wife, and a pair of diner bandits intertwine in four tales of violence and redemption.

Director: Quentin Tarantino | Stars: John Travolta , Uma Thurman , Samuel L. Jackson , Bruce Willis

Votes: 2,217,875 | Gross: $107.93M

Siskel's 2nd best film of 1994 Ebert's 3rd best film of 1994

63. Three Colors: Blue (1993)

R | 94 min | Drama, Music, Mystery

A woman struggles to find a way to live her life after the death of her husband and child.

Director: Krzysztof Kieslowski | Stars: Juliette Binoche , Zbigniew Zamachowski , Julie Delpy , Benoît Régent

Votes: 110,425 | Gross: $1.32M

Ebert's 2nd best film of 1994* *shared with "Three Colors: White" and "Three Colors: Red"

64. Three Colors: White (1994)

R | 92 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance

After his wife divorces him, a Polish immigrant plots to get even with her.

Director: Krzysztof Kieslowski | Stars: Zbigniew Zamachowski , Julie Delpy , Janusz Gajos , Jerzy Stuhr

Votes: 79,545 | Gross: $1.46M

Ebert's 2nd best film of 1994* *shared with "Three Colors: Blue" and "Three Colors: Red"

65. Three Colors: Red (1994)

R | 99 min | Drama, Mystery, Romance

A model discovers a retired judge is keen on invading people's privacy.

Director: Krzysztof Kieslowski | Stars: Irène Jacob , Jean-Louis Trintignant , Frédérique Feder , Jean-Pierre Lorit

Votes: 109,944 | Gross: $4.04M

Ebert's 2nd best film of 1994* *shared with "Three Colors: Blue" and "Three Colors: White"

66. Ed Wood (1994)

R | 127 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama

Ambitious but troubled movie director Edward D. Wood Jr. tries his best to fulfill his dreams despite his lack of talent.

Director: Tim Burton | Stars: Johnny Depp , Martin Landau , Sarah Jessica Parker , Patricia Arquette

Votes: 183,904 | Gross: $5.89M

Siskel's 3rd best film of 1994

67. Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould (1993)

Not Rated | 98 min | Biography, Drama, Music

A collection of vignettes highlighting different aspects of the life, work, and character of the acclaimed Canadian classical pianist.

Director: François Girard | Stars: Colm Feore , Derek Keurvorst , Katya Ladan , Devon Anderson

Votes: 3,916 | Gross: $1.57M

Siskel's 4th best film of 1994

68. Forrest Gump (1994)

PG-13 | 142 min | Drama, Romance

The history of the United States from the 1950s to the '70s unfolds from the perspective of an Alabama man with an IQ of 75, who yearns to be reunited with his childhood sweetheart.

Director: Robert Zemeckis | Stars: Tom Hanks , Robin Wright , Gary Sinise , Sally Field

Votes: 2,254,672 | Gross: $330.25M

Ebert's 4th best film of 1994 Siskel's 6th best film of 1994

69. Quiz Show (1994)

PG-13 | 133 min | Biography, Drama, History

A young lawyer, Richard Goodwin, investigates a potentially fixed game show. Charles Van Doren, a big time show winner, is under Goodwin's investigation.

Director: Robert Redford | Stars: Ralph Fiennes , John Turturro , Rob Morrow , Paul Scofield

Votes: 73,311 | Gross: $24.82M

Siskel's 5th best film of 1994 Ebert's 10th best film of 1994

70. The Last Seduction (1994)

R | 110 min | Crime, Drama, Romance

A devious sexpot steals her husband's drug money and hides out in a small town where she meets the perfect dupe for her next scheme.

Director: John Dahl | Stars: Linda Fiorentino , Peter Berg , Bill Pullman , Michael Raysses

Votes: 25,770 | Gross: $6.14M

Ebert's 5th best film of 1994

71. Fresh (1994)

R | 114 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller

Death and violence anger a twelve-year-old drug courier, who sets his employers against each other.

Director: Boaz Yakin | Stars: Sean Nelson , Giancarlo Esposito , Samuel L. Jackson , N'Bushe Wright

Votes: 14,571 | Gross: $8.09M

Ebert's 6th best film of 1994

72. Vanya on 42nd Street (1994)

PG | 119 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance

New York actors rehearse Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya" in a dilapidated theatre.

Director: Louis Malle | Stars: Wallace Shawn , Phoebe Brand , George Gaynes , Jerry Mayer

Votes: 5,158 | Gross: $1.75M

Siskel's 7th best film of 1994

73. The Blue Kite (1993)

140 min | Drama, History

The lives of a Beijing family throughout the 1950s and 1960s, as they experience the impact of the Hundred Flowers Campaign, the Great Leap Forward, and the Cultural Revolution.

Director: Zhuangzhuang Tian | Stars: Tian Yi , Wenyao Zhang , Xiaoman Chen , Liping Lü

Votes: 3,256 | Gross: $0.36M

Ebert's 7th best film of 1994

74. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

R | 142 min | Drama

Over the course of several years, two convicts form a friendship, seeking consolation and, eventually, redemption through basic compassion.

Director: Frank Darabont | Stars: Tim Robbins , Morgan Freeman , Bob Gunton , William Sadler

Votes: 2,886,099 | Gross: $28.34M

Siskel's 8th best film of 1994

75. Natural Born Killers (1994)

R | 119 min | Action, Crime, Romance

Two victims of traumatized childhoods become lovers and psychopathic serial murderers irresponsibly glorified by the mass media.

Director: Oliver Stone | Stars: Woody Harrelson , Juliette Lewis , Tom Sizemore , Rodney Dangerfield

Votes: 251,628 | Gross: $50.28M

Ebert's 8th best film of 1994

76. Red Rock West (1993)

R | 98 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller

Upon arriving to a small town, a drifter is mistaken for a hitman, but when the real hitman arrives, complications ensue.

Director: John Dahl | Stars: Nicolas Cage , Dennis Hopper , Lara Flynn Boyle , Craig Reay

Votes: 25,157 | Gross: $2.50M

Siskel's 9th best film of 1994

77. The New Age (1994)

R | 112 min | Comedy, Drama

Episodic story about a yuppie couple who're going broke, and can't decide if they want to stay together - but openly sleep around and experiment with different lifestyles, or not.

Director: Michael Tolkin | Stars: Peter Weller , Judy Davis , Patrick Bauchau , Rachel Rosenthal

Votes: 1,261 | Gross: $0.25M

Ebert's 9th best film of 1994

78. Little Women (1994)

PG | 115 min | Drama, Family, Romance

The March sisters live and grow in post-Civil War America.

Director: Gillian Armstrong | Stars: Susan Sarandon , Winona Ryder , Kirsten Dunst , Claire Danes

Votes: 63,540 | Gross: $50.08M

Siskel's 10th best film of 1994

79. Schindler's List (1993)

R | 195 min | Biography, Drama, History

In German-occupied Poland during World War II, industrialist Oskar Schindler gradually becomes concerned for his Jewish workforce after witnessing their persecution by the Nazis.

Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Liam Neeson , Ralph Fiennes , Ben Kingsley , Caroline Goodall

Votes: 1,449,419 | Gross: $96.90M

Siskel and Ebert's choice for the best film of 1993

80. Short Cuts (1993)

R | 188 min | Comedy, Drama

The day-to-day lives of several suburban Los Angeles residents.

Director: Robert Altman | Stars: Andie MacDowell , Julianne Moore , Tim Robbins , Bruce Davison

Votes: 47,365 | Gross: $6.11M

Siskel's 2nd best film of 1993

81. The Age of Innocence (1993)

PG | 139 min | Drama, Romance

A tale of nineteenth-century New York high society in which a young lawyer falls in love with a woman separated from her husband, while he is engaged to the woman's cousin.

Director: Martin Scorsese | Stars: Daniel Day-Lewis , Michelle Pfeiffer , Winona Ryder , Linda Faye Farkas

Votes: 67,723 | Gross: $32.20M

Ebert's 2nd best film of 1993 Siskel's 7th best film of 1993

82. The Piano (1993)

R | 121 min | Drama, Music, Romance

In the mid-19th century a mute woman is sent to New Zealand along with her young daughter and prized piano for an arranged marriage to a farmer, but is soon lusted after by a farm worker.

Director: Jane Campion | Stars: Holly Hunter , Harvey Keitel , Sam Neill , Anna Paquin

Votes: 95,096 | Gross: $40.16M

Siskel and Ebert's 3rd best film of 1993

83. Farewell My Concubine (1993)

R | 171 min | Drama, Music, Romance

Two boys meet at an opera training school in Peking in 1924. Their resulting friendship will span nearly 70 years and endure some of the most troublesome times in China's history.

Director: Kaige Chen | Stars: Leslie Cheung , Fengyi Zhang , Gong Li , You Ge

Votes: 33,097 | Gross: $5.22M

Siskel's 4th best film of 1993

84. The Fugitive (1993)

PG-13 | 130 min | Action, Crime, Drama

Dr. Richard Kimble, unjustly accused of murdering his wife, must find the real killer while being the target of a nationwide manhunt led by a seasoned U.S. Marshal.

Director: Andrew Davis | Stars: Harrison Ford , Tommy Lee Jones , Sela Ward , Julianne Moore

Votes: 318,428 | Gross: $183.88M

Ebert's 4th best film of 1993 Siskel's 6th best film of 1993

85. Menace II Society (1993)

R | 97 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller

A young street hustler attempts to escape the rigors and temptations of the ghetto in a quest for a better life.

Directors: Albert Hughes , Allen Hughes | Stars: Tyrin Turner , Larenz Tate , June Kyoto Lu , Toshi Toda

Votes: 64,411 | Gross: $27.90M

Siskel's 5th best film of 1993 Ebert's 8th best film of 1993

86. The Joy Luck Club (1993)

R | 139 min | Drama

The life histories of four East Asian women and their daughters reflect and guide each other.

Director: Wayne Wang | Stars: Tamlyn Tomita , Rosalind Chao , Kieu Chinh , Tsai Chin

Votes: 18,223 | Gross: $32.86M

Ebert's 5th best film of 1993 Siskel's 8th best film of 1993

87. Kalifornia (1993)

R | 117 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller

A journalist duo goes on a tour of serial-killer murder sites with two companions, unaware that one of them is a serial killer himself.

Director: Dominic Sena | Stars: Brad Pitt , Juliette Lewis , Kathy Larson , David Milford

Votes: 58,157 | Gross: $2.40M

Ebert's 6th best film of 1993

88. Like Water for Chocolate (1992)

R | 105 min | Drama, Romance

When tradition prevents her from marrying the man she loves, a young woman discovers she has a unique talent for cooking.

Director: Alfonso Arau | Stars: Marco Leonardi , Lumi Cavazos , Regina Torné , Mario Iván Martínez

Votes: 18,836 | Gross: $21.67M

Ebert's 7th best film of 1993

89. King of the Hill (1993)

PG-13 | 103 min | Drama, History

A young boy struggles on his own in a run-down hotel after his parents and younger brother are separated from him in 1930s Depression-era Midwest.

Director: Steven Soderbergh | Stars: Jesse Bradford , Jeroen Krabbé , Lisa Eichhorn , Karen Allen

Votes: 8,819 | Gross: $1.30M

Siskel's 9th best film of 1993

90. What's Love Got to Do with It (1993)

R | 118 min | Biography, Drama, Music

The story of singer Tina Turner 's rise to stardom and how she gained the courage to break free from her abusive husband, Ike Turner .

Director: Brian Gibson | Stars: Angela Bassett , Laurence Fishburne , RaéVen Kelly , Virginia Capers

Votes: 24,564 | Gross: $39.10M

Ebert's 9th best film of 1993

91. Map of the Human Heart (1992)

R | 109 min | Adventure, Drama, Romance

Arctic, 1965: Avik tells his story starting in 1931. A mapmaker flies Avik, then a preteen Eskimo boy with TB, to a hospital in Montreal where he meets Albertine. They meet again when Avik joins World War II in the UK.

Director: Vincent Ward | Stars: Jason Scott Lee , Anne Parillaud , Patrick Bergin , Robert Joamie

Votes: 3,430 | Gross: $2.81M

Siskel's 10th best film of 1993

92. Ruby in Paradise (1993)

R | 114 min | Drama, Romance

A young woman struggles for independence and identity in a small Florida tourist town.

Director: Victor Nunez | Stars: Ashley Judd , Todd Field , Bentley Mitchum , Allison Dean

Votes: 3,264 | Gross: $1.00M

Ebert's 10th best film of 1993

93. One False Move (1991)

R | 105 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller

A small town police chief awaits the arrival of a gang of killers.

Director: Carl Franklin | Stars: Bill Paxton , Billy Bob Thornton , Cynda Williams , Michael Beach

Votes: 13,945 | Gross: $1.54M

Siskel's choice for the best film of 1992 Ebert's 2nd best film of 1992

94. Malcolm X (1992)

PG-13 | 202 min | Biography, Drama, History

Biographical epic of the controversial and influential Black Nationalist leader, from his early life and career as a small-time gangster, to his ministry as a member of the Nation of Islam and his eventual assassination.

Director: Spike Lee | Stars: Denzel Washington , Angela Bassett , Delroy Lindo , Spike Lee

Votes: 101,976 | Gross: $48.17M

Ebert's choice for the best film of 1992 Siskel's 5th best film of 1992

95. The Player (1992)

R | 124 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama

A Hollywood studio executive is being sent death threats by a writer whose script he rejected, but which one?

Director: Robert Altman | Stars: Tim Robbins , Greta Scacchi , Fred Ward , Whoopi Goldberg

Votes: 65,731 | Gross: $21.71M

Siskel's 2nd best film of 1992 Ebert's 8th best film of 1992

96. Howards End (1992)

PG | 142 min | Drama, Romance

Set in the early 20th century, class distinctions and troubled relations affect the relationship between two families and the ownership of a cherished British estate known as Howards End.

Director: James Ivory | Stars: Anthony Hopkins , Emma Thompson , Vanessa Redgrave , Helena Bonham Carter

Votes: 35,813 | Gross: $25.97M

Siskel and Ebert's 3rd best film of 1992

97. The Crying Game (1992)

R | 112 min | Crime, Drama, Romance

A British soldier kidnapped by the IRA soon befriends one of his captors, who then becomes drawn into the soldier's world.

Director: Neil Jordan | Stars: Stephen Rea , Jaye Davidson , Forest Whitaker , Miranda Richardson

Votes: 60,036 | Gross: $62.55M

Siskel's 4th best film of 1992 Ebert's 5th best film of 1992

98. Flirting (1991)

R | 99 min | Drama, Romance

Two freethinking teenagers - a boy and a girl - confront with authoritarian teachers in their boarding schools. The other students treat this differently.

Director: John Duigan | Stars: Noah Taylor , Thandiwe Newton , Nicole Kidman , Bartholomew Rose

Votes: 6,406 | Gross: $2.42M

Ebert's 4th best film of 1992

99. The Hairdresser's Husband (1990)

R | 82 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance

Antoine has always been fascinated by a hairdresser's delicate touch, the beguiling perfume and the enticing figure of a woman with an opulent bosom. After all, he always knew he would marry one, completing his idealised love fantasy.

Director: Patrice Leconte | Stars: Jean Rochefort , Anna Galiena , Roland Bertin , Maurice Chevit

Votes: 10,359 | Gross: $1.16M

Siskel's 6th best film of 1992 Ebert's 7th best film of 1992

100. Damage (1992)

A Member of Parliament falls passionately in love with his son's girlfriend despite the obvious dangers.

Director: Louis Malle | Stars: Jeremy Irons , Juliette Binoche , Miranda Richardson , Rupert Graves

Votes: 20,528 | Gross: $7.53M

Ebert's 6th best film of 1992 Siskel's 7th best film of 1992

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7 Classic Horror Movies That Siskel & Ebert Actually Liked

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Film critics often aren't very kind to horror movies. And certainly this was true of Siskel & Ebert, arguably the most famous critics in history. They very rarely -- if ever -- gave their iconic "two thumbs up" to films of the horror genre.

But occasionally, it did happen.

I occasionally find myself watching old Siskel & Ebert reviews on YouTube, for reasons I can't quite explain. It all began with my curiosity about their opinions on my favorite film, "The Big Lebowski" from 1998 (they had differing views). But then, I got drawn into a rabbit hole of more Siskel & Ebert videos, such as "Siskel & Ebert's Best of 1992" and "Siskel & Ebert's Worst of 1995," and so on.

Some might find that odd, considering both critics passed away some time ago -- Gene Siskel in 1999, and Roger Ebert in 2013.

Why do I find them so compelling all these years later?

I don't really know. But I do know these two guys had a nationally syndicated TV show for a reason. They were smart, insightful, and had the capacity to be pretty funny at times. When they disagreed, it was particularly entertaining. There was just something about their back-and-forth dynamic that worked. Lord knows I didn't agree with them half the time, but that wasn't really the point of watching them.

Since it's late October and much of America is in scary movie season, I decided to look at some classic horror movies that Siskel & Ebert actually liked:

Classic Horror Movies That Siskel & Ebert Actually Liked

Gallery Credit: Will Phillips

Siskel & Ebert Reviews of Iconic New York Movies

The worst movies of 2022, the best movies of 2022.

Gallery Credit: Matt Singer

The Franchises With the Most Bad Movies

Two Big Thumbs Up: The Best Siskel and Ebert Moments

In September 1975, rival film critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert joined forces for a lively PBS program called Opening Soon at a Theater Near You . Filming from WTTW studios in their hometown of Chicago, this review show aired locally, once a month — and eventually led to a major shift in the evolution of film criticism.

As the chief critics for the city's competing newspapers, The Chicago Tribune and The Chicago Sun-Times , respectively, Siskel and Ebert were already household names in the Windy City. But in transforming their review process for the small screen, the pair created a new, highly personal — and highly popular — format. Opening Soon at a Theater Near You was a hit, and in 1977, the program expanded to a biweekly presentation that aired nationally on PBS.

Sneak Previews introduced the entire country to the outspoken personalities of Chicago’s favorite critics. Operating from a set designed to look like a literal theater, Siskel and Ebert themselves emerged as fascinating characters: endlessly knowledgeable and endlessly opinionated about the world of film.

Writing for Chicago’s main newspapers, Siskel and Ebert were at once peers and opponents. On TV, that rare dichotomy flourished into fiery debate. Right down to their physical appearance — the tall and lanky Siskel, the short and stout Ebert — they were as much Laurel and Hardy as yin and yang. And being such passionate critics, they both longed for the last word. Given their stubbornness, episodes teemed with friction. Relentless bickering dissolved, often, into spirited flurries of personal insults. And people loved it.

Delivering critique as entertainment, the show was amusing, informative — and groundbreaking. Aligning with one commentator over the other, loyal viewers could develop a personal stake in the performative debate. Meanwhile the more casual channel-surfer could tune in for the simplified “thumbs-up, thumbs-down” classification they famously coined. Only the best movies, of course, earned the elusive “two thumbs up” rating — consensus, after all, was rare.

Siskel and Ebert would be the first to admit that their televised animosity was no ruse. They really did disagree, vehemently, about many movies. And they were fiercely competitive over the spotlight. Still, Siskel and Ebert appreciated — even loved — one another and continued to collaborate for many years. In 1982, they left PBS for syndication with At the Movies (also known as At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert ). Produced by Tribune Media, this iteration of their weekly reviews ran until 1986, when the critics departed from the company over a contract dispute. Then joining with Buena Vista Entertainment, Siskel & Ebert (originally called Siskel & Ebert & the Movies ) premiered on September 14, 1986 and ran until Siskel’s sudden death from brain cancer in 1999 at age 53.

Following Siskel’s passing, Ebert said , “Gene was a lifelong friend, and our professional competition only strengthened that bond. I can't even imagine what it will be like without him.” (On the 10th anniversary of Siskel’s death, Ebert penned a longer, wonderful tribute .) Losing Siskel was a devastating blow. But professionally, their TV show continued in various forms, including Ebert & Roeper : a version which featured Ebert alongside the Sun-Times critic Richard Roeper. During that time, Ebert was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, and he died in 2013 after a long and painful battle with the disease.

Now, in honor of the 35th anniversary of Siskel & Ebert , enjoy some of the most colorful and beloved moments from this truly iconic duo.

That Corny Opening

This early intro to Sneak Previews really grounds viewers in the romanticism of the movies.

Another Corny Opening!

As Siskel and Ebert’s show matured, so did their introduction. The newer opening heavily featured the city of Chicago, leaning into the local celebrity of these hometown heroes.

The Dog of the Week

Every week, Siskel and Ebert brought a pup on-screen to present the Dog of the Week: that week’s worst film. Originally Spot the Wonder Dog, the canine was eventually replaced by other dogs, and even Aroma the Skunk, who aptly introduced the Stinker of the Week.

Fighting on Johnny Carson

This guest appearance on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson went down in infamy.

More Arguments

This whole compilation video is quite the cinema throwback.

They LOVED Do the Right Thing

When Do the Right Thing was snubbed at the 1989 Oscars, both Siskel and Ebert were livid!

And Hoop Dreams ...

Something Siskel and Ebert both agreed on: the masterpiece that was Hoop Dreams . The 1994 documentary charts the growth of young, inner city Chicago basketball players and was both critics’ pick for the best movie that year.

Advice to Young Critics

Prior to their careers on TV, both Siskel and Ebert’s newspaper writing was highly regarded, their work on the page bursting with voice. In 1975, Ebert was the first-ever movie critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.

The Best Rock Movie From Every Year

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Movies | Siskel & Ebert changed the way we talked about movies. A new book shows how.

Matt singer’s new book, ‘opposable thumbs: how siskel & ebert changed movies forever,’ reveals how the chicago film reviewers became a phenomenon..

I have a distinct childhood television-watching memory of watching two schlubby Chicago film critics talk about a movie about a fictional British rock band in freefall from their arena-filling heyday.

The reviewers were, of course, Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert; the film was of course, “This is Spinal Tap.” This being 1980s Billings, Montana, I had to wait a full calendar year to rent Spinal Tap on VHS, but there is no hyperbole when I say that five-minute TV review permanently altered my cultural awareness and future professional life.

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Screencrush editor Matt Singer’s new book “Opposable Thumbs: How Siskel & Ebert Changed Movies Forever” tells the duo’s story, from a disastrous 1975 public television debut through the show’s successful syndication years, a plethora of memorable David Letterman appearances, and a rotating cast of co-hosts after Siskel died of brain cancer in 1999 at the age of 53.

Matt Singer's new book, 'Opposable Thumbs: How Siskel & Ebert Changed Movies Forever,' reveals how the Chicago film reviewers became a phenomenon. (Courtesy of G.P. Putnam's Sons)

Ebert kept the show’s spirit alive, but in 2013, he too succumbed to cancer at the age of 70 , his last days poignantly captured in the documentary “Life Itself.”

Singer spoke about the duo and the book. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

Q. You’re a critic. What was your upbringing like in terms of watching movies?

I grew up in suburban Jersey and would go see whatever was playing because that was what kids did, but I wasn’t a budding cinephile or even a movie nerd as a kid. Comic books were my first love.

I don’t remember how I came across Siskel & Ebert — having watched countless hours now, I wish I knew specifically what my first episode was – but by the age of 13, I was obsessed. They were the gateway to me discovering beyond whatever was playing at the Freehold Multiplex. We didn’t have a cool theater, so I would go to Easy Video, which in my mind was massive, as big as a supermarket with all kinds of crazy sections. Siskel & Ebert didn’t just review new movies. They had video recommendations, so I rented whatever they discussed that week. The show was hugely important in developing my love of movies.

Q. That’s the same for me, and your book makes clear, we were not alone.

It was appointment television! And it wasn’t always easy to find. Once they were syndicated, the times slots seemed to shift every September, often later and later into the night. It was self-selecting in that way; you kind of had to earn it. But it also wasn’t a cool thing to be into. At middle school, kids were quoting “The Simpsons” and “Seinfeld,” so it felt like belonging to a secret club.

One of the joys of writing the book, and talking about it in public, is meeting so many Siskel & Ebert fans and coming to understand how so many of us who work in film or just love movies were hugely influenced by them. Maybe we could’ve been out on the playground discussing their humdinger of a disagreement over “Cop and a Half.”

Q. Siskel & Ebert were often accused of dumbing down film criticism. Do you think there was anything to the chastisement?

In hindsight, the answer is obviously, no. If for no other reason than all of the incredible next-generation filmmakers, like Ramin Bahrani, who credit Siskel & Ebert as an inspiration to create a life for themselves in the movies. Even at the time though, the “dumbing down” argument was about the “thumbs-up” summary and not the show itself. Studios exploited positive thumbs in marketing campaigns and posters for sure, but if you watched Siskel & Ebert artfully and insightfully give their thoughts about a movie, you discovered new films that opened up powerful new worlds, or made you see your own in a different way altogether.

Q. Siskel & Ebert often get compared to a married couple, which seems facile. How do you see the duo?

They were not like a married couple. A marriage with that much yelling and arguing would definitely call for counseling and probably end in divorce. In the book, there’s an Ebert quote where he says their success was because they weren’t a team, they were individuals. I think seeing themselves in that way is the key to their relationship.

For a short while early on, the shows were scripted and it didn’t work. Roger and Gene wanted to be who they were, two hyper-competitive newspapermen who reveled in their hotly contested cinematic debates. They went from enemies to adversaries to friends to having a deep personal bond, but they were never best buddies, didn’t go out to eat after taping. They were thrown together, but what ultimately made them so successful for so long, is the authenticity of their relationship. The unique Siskel & Ebert chemistry never wavered.

Q. A major theme of the book is their competitiveness. By what metrics could they possibly decide who “won” a movie reviewer showdown?

Theoretically, they could “keep score” by newspaper circulation, but nobody was subscribing to the Tribune or Sun-Times strictly for Gene or Roger. The competition, however they defined it, could have derailed everything. Instead, that combative energy fueled the show. If one or the other had been willing to acquiesce, or worse, give into the other’s viewpoint (which happened exactly once, Siskel changed his thumb from half-heartedly up to down after listening to Ebert’s thoughts on John Travolta’s “Broken Arrow”) it wouldn’t have worked. Even after they became close friends, they would still never budge an inch.

Q. When they united behind something they believed in they could make a difference. I watched a 1982 stand-alone episode, “Changing Attitudes Toward Homosexuality,” that was moving and ahead of its time.

Q. One of the joys of reading your book in 2023 is going through the YouTube archives. A random 1984 episode features the Tom Hanks raunch-fest “Bachelor Party,” in which Siskel says, “You might recognize the guy from ‘Splash.’”

Watching old episodes, you do get the journalist’s first draft of movie history. Whatever people were talking about in any given week, in any given year, is what they discussed on Siskel & Ebert. In that particular episode, Siskel labels Tom Hanks a “poor man’s Bill Murray by way of Michael Keaton.”It wasn’t until “Big” that they really warmed up to the guy who became arguably the most beloved actor of our time.

Q. Having watched so many hours of Siskel & Ebert, did you find interesting wrinkles about Gene and Roger’s specific tastes in movies?

Broadly, their top criteria was defending filmmakers against interference, championing directors to let them make the movies they wanted to make and say what they wanted to say, even if they didn’t always necessarily agree with the viewpoint.

Specifically, I was fascinated by how often Siskel gave sci-fi movies a thumbs-down. Ebert loved sci-fi, he created his own fanzine as a kid, but Gene had a major hangup with dark dystopianism. He wanted more movies that allowed for optimism about where we’re headed. He hated baked-in cynicism and pessimism about the future.

As for Roger, I was struck by how much he loved dog movies, but after reading the 2009 essay “Blackie Come Home,” it made sense. It goes back to his growing up and losing his beloved Blackie, a wake-the-neighbors dog that his parents got rid of when he was away visiting relatives. I’m sure there are a few thumbs-down in there, but the beautiful essay explains why he gave a thumbs-up to “Benji, the Hunted.” Gene didn’t share Roger’s love for dog pictures. He loathed that movie. Oh boy, did they ever go at one another over it.

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Keeping ‘Siskel and Ebert At the Movies’ Alive

It’s safe to say that most film-lovers know about Siskel and Ebert. Many of them grew up watching their seminal movie review show, commonly known as At the Movies with Siskel and Ebert , throughout the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s. Maybe some younger fans, like myself, enjoyed watching reviews from their show on YouTube, which were put there by fans who still has videotapes of the show they recorded off the television (some complete with those wonderful ‘80s-‘90s ads). The show has unfortunately come to a finish, following the untimely death of Siskel in 1999, as well as Ebert losing his voice in 2006, but it’s important to keep their legacy intact with the availability of the episodes of their review show – even with the surge of film review vloggers and podcasts, watching Siskel and Ebert is still the most enjoyable way to watch people discuss and review films, as well as film culture.

For years, this site was a haven for enthusiasts of these two reviewers, but it unfortunately is no more (hopefully for only a brief period). The site’s Facebook page announced on June that the site would no longer be online as it was too expensive to keep up. gradepoint soon responded to the fans who expressed desire to fund the site’s maintenance, saying it’s a possibility to keep the site going with fan funding. Another option available is to try again to reupload the episodes to YouTube, and if they are struck again with deletion, they may have more staying power on a lesser known video site like Vimeo, from where they can be linked from the Facebook page or an easy-going CMS site that simply categories the links as neatly as they were on the site. It’s unfortunate this site, which was easy to navigate and featured a more than usable video function, may never grace the internet again.

High On Films in collaboration with Avanté

Luckily, the fans cared more than the TV execs and have their own taped shows that have been made available for the rest of the world to enjoy, and at what seems no-one’s cost but the hosts of the Siskel and Ebert site. Hopefully it has a future, either as the wonderful way it was or on some other video website that will let it stay. It would be great if an archive of these Siskel and Ebert reviews could stay in the one location and attract visibility, as perhaps there are folks out there that have tapes of reviews that have not been uploaded yet. All that needs to happen is for these Siskel and Ebert reviews to make a re-appearance, and whether that’s through this fan-site or the official site, their work deserve to be made online, as that’s what these two film critics wanted.

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