It's war!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let's put the music on before we start, cos I'm gonna get CROSS!

That does it. That absolutely does it. I declare war on Roger Ebert.

It's been quite a while coming, and I did have respect for him, like, when I recommended his website two months ago BUT that has all changed now.

And it's not like I don't mind people having their own opinion.

But he is too small minded. Far far far.

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19910315/REVIEWS/103150304/1023

Hmm. Read it, do not believe it. In fact, don't even read it. The gist is he doesn't like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, which is fair enough. You either love it or you hate it (or, as someone on imdb said, you either love it or havem't heard of it).

But he has no excuse to give it 0 stars. o stars?!. A bit extreme...he says he likes the original play, the script's virtually the same and that's worth a star at least.

"No, I think the problem is that this material was never meant to be a film, and can hardly work as a film."

A moral objection? True, it's a play about a play, which contains a play. Indeed in the film there's the play of Hamlet, then there's the play of R+G, there's the Murder of Gonzago, there's the play in the Murder of Gonzago and there's the other play the Tragideans do. So five plays in total. Hmmm. And I can see where he's coming from. I get het up about adaptions which I deem to be "morally" wrong. So I allow him that.

But he also contradicts himself pretty badly, and is unfairly harsh with the rating. He claims to like everything about it, the script, direction and acting, accuses Richard Dreyfuss of scene stealing and after all that still gives it 0 stars over a moral objection. If there are some good things, at least give it half a star.

I for one think they get the feeling of "behind the scenes" very well. Peering in on minor scenes through small, barred windows; light drifting in at strange angles; arriving at highly similar but definitely different rooms in an utterly confusing manner. Even on the boat at the end, they are separated from Hamlet by yet another barred window.

Ah well. To tell you the truth, I can understand how someone could dislike it. On the other hand, one I do not understand is this one:

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19691013/REVIEWS/910130301/1023

I genuinely thought no one could dislike this film...disappointing and slow? Are we even watching the same movie? He's evidently got some taste, he thought The Godfather was good...though that's not a very glittering recommendation, as it's a "classic" he's bound to enjoy it...my problem is the tone of the review isn't consistent with the rating. BC+SK got 2.5 stars (I can't bear to type it!) and he slaughtered it. Unbreakable he praised and was quite enthusiastic about, and gave it only half a star more. One of those ratings evidently isn't right - um, he's lying. (By the by, this is not an attack on Unbreakable - I loved that film. I simply mean that if he hated one and loved the other they should be further than a star apart...)

I don't know how he can criticise the tone either. The cheerily anachronistic script is what gives it much of its charm. He likes the script of the first half, yet a few paragraphs later he says he gets bored in the quiet bits. And then at the end he says the film would have been more engaging if they spoke like they were from 1910 instead of 1967. Make your mind up!

Lets see what he thinks of Signs....my God he likes it! OK, so I forgive him a little, I was starting to believe I was the only one who liked it.

I said a little. I'm still mad. Very mad...hey, I haven't used my Angry-Al blinkie yet! Gosh, I can't believe I didn't think of that! Ah well, I've calmed down a bit now anyway...grrrr.

On a lighter note, and one including helicopters, http://www.rotaryaction.com/ is a cool site. It's run by a helicopter-movie nut, who lists films with helicopters in and reviews the biggies, like Apocalypse Now. They were overjoyed with Black Hawk Down...

Finally, do you like the new banner? I thought so too...and the name? Genius!