Roger Ebert Remembered

Like so many movie fans, I’m very sad about Roger Ebert’s passing. He was one of the finest film critics ever published -- and also a great guy! I love to read his movie reviews. They never seem formulaic, and he put so much of himself into everything he wrote. In fact, Roger and his work helped motivate me to become a film critic.

My husband and I had the good fortune to meet Roger several years ago at the Telluride Film Festival during the screening of The Mystic Masseur. This film focused on one man’s burning desire to become an author. "Put my picture on the cover," Ganesh, played brilliantly by Aasif Mandvi, insists to the publisher of his first book, a catechism about the Hindu religion. While discussing the movie with Roger after the screening, I mentioned to him that Larry and I identified with the main character because we just finished co-writing a romantic memoir. “Put your picture on the cover just like Ganesh did,” he advised us. (I believe Roger followed his own advice and made sure his photo was seen on many of the terrific books he wrote.)

Roger deserved the various honors he received, which include a Pulitzer Prize for film criticism and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

No doubt about it, Roger Ebert will be missed. My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and fans.