September
16
At the Movies: Viewers Resisting the Two Bens
It was all-too predictable. Take a venerable show like Ebert & Roeper At the Movies, remove the critics who had built up some sort of following over the years, and replace them with a new format, younger critics and a critics' panel. (Obviously, star Roger Ebert losing his voice was not something anyone could fix.)
While older Ben Mankiewicz (of the fabled Hollywood Mankiewicz family) fits into the format and will presumably settle in and lose his awkwardness, younger Ben Lyons (son of critic Jeffrey) seems too wet-behind-the-ears and perky to lend credence as a serious film critic. And Disney-ABC should lose the "critics round-up," which smacks of insecurity. Either we trust these two "authorities" or we don't. The Two Bens will have to earn it, and that's it.
The "critics" panel is even less trustworthy than our two new critics, except for IFC's Matt Singer, who could easily take over a spot on the show, as far as I'm concerned. He has natural authority and charm and knows a lot about movies.
Here's the tell-tale video, in case you've missed the new show.
And here's Lyons, blogging from the Toronto Fest, where he hobnobs with celebs and poses for photos with the likes of Keira Knightley.
Judging from the comments here and a plethora of emails I've received---along with hopeful predictions that Disney-ABC will throw out the show forthwith--the new show is alienating stalwart watchers. Presumably the plan was to build a younger, bigger fanbase.
Here's a typical email:
"Mankiewicz acquits himself reasonably well, but the bulk of it's a train wreck. I guess if they were able to build an entirely new audience, it would be a decent reboot. But I doubt that will happen. And in doing so they'll have lost almost the entire audience who watched and appreciated the show for what it was. I don't see fans of Siskel & Ebert (or even Ebert & Roeper) coming along for the ride."
Disney-ABC, having made their disastrous move, may try to see if these two guys stick. Word from inside the show: The station managers are in revolt, and the station head at ABC Chicago stormed into the studio in the 9th hour of taping and reportedly said, "I've done telethons that took less time."
BTW: At the NYFF I ran into the NY Post's Lou Lumenick and asked him why he never got back to me on thwacking Ebert at the Toronto Fest. He looked uncomfortable and still had no comment. He's just waiting for it to go away.
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I watched this past weekend and won't watch again. The most annoying part was the critics roundup, with caffeinated young "entertainment reporters" elbowing each other to squeeze in the most face time and sound bites. The show all seems so calculated and devoid of real chemistry, and I resent Hollywood's kneejerk assumption that skewing something younger will make it better.
Posted by: Bigshaker | September 16, 2008 at 08:19 AM
Yeah, I immediately "unsubscribed" from the show on my DVR after the first episode. I thought the two guys standing at the counter looked like they were selling popcorn to each other. I also just couldn't believe that after 30 years, they got rid of the balcony. That made me really, really, really sad.
Posted by: Mike Everleth | September 16, 2008 at 08:43 AM
So even criticism is nepotistic in Hollywood? Its bad enough most "maverick" young directors have parents in the biz, same with actors, now critics. Im glad Im going to England to work.
Posted by: Randall | September 16, 2008 at 09:13 AM
Thirty years ago, Jonathan Winters did a brief stint on AM AMERICA (as GOOD MORNING, AMERICA was called then) reviewing movies in his inimitable style. On the set was a sign that read, "It's not the critic that counts." Boy, was that ever prophetic!
Posted by: cadavra | September 16, 2008 at 11:08 AM
I have to say, their smackdown of Surfer, Dude may have been the highlight of my weekend. I laughed harder during those 2 minutes than I did through all of Burn After Reading. Lyons was pretty priceless.
Posted by: JEFF SNEIDER | September 16, 2008 at 11:11 AM
At this point, I'll take Roger Ebert with subtitles! Okay, plus Ben Mankiewicz.
Posted by: Joyce | September 16, 2008 at 11:18 AM
I really dislike the new "At the Movies". Roeper and Tony Scott were light years more interesting than these 5 or 6 new critics. They should lose the panel IMMEDIATELY! Previously, it was the one show I tried to always catch so I could be up on current movies. Now, I just watch something else. Whoever messed with the show, which was not broken, should be fired and should go into another line of work.
Posted by: Ginger | September 16, 2008 at 12:43 PM
Leave it to MiraJeff to say something more boneheaded than Lyons...
Posted by: Mr. Milich | September 16, 2008 at 01:25 PM
Mr. Milich, did you watch the show? If you did, and you failed to crack up during the Surfer, Dude segment, then you have no sense of humor. Maybe I was just in on the joke because I actually survived that cinematic trainwreck. If that makes me a "bonehead" then so be it, but I'd watch your tongue round these parts. I know the sheriff.
Posted by: JEFF SNEIDER | September 16, 2008 at 03:02 PM
Oh boy was this a bad, bad idea. Losing a tried n' true format that works! Keep it simple stupid. Two reviewers in the balcony. This was so painful to watch! Well, I guess I don't have to watch it anymore since it's DOA anyway.
Posted by: J Barnett | September 17, 2008 at 03:44 AM
I also unsubscribed this show from my DVR immediately after watching the first episode. It was a moment for me - I've watched Siskel & Ebert (& Roeper) since the early 80s, when I discovered it as a young teen. The best thing about the show, up until now, was that two critics got to sit and have a conversation about a film. I got to know them and whether I tended to agree with them or not - but the important thing was that I knew them and where they were coming from, so I could really enjoy and think about their criticism.
Posted by: TonyG | September 17, 2008 at 01:03 PM
I think it is very telling that the At The Movies website the feedback post is either not activated or it is broken from the justified vitriol of the show's audience!
This guys STINK! The show SUCKS! The committee review is unbelieveably contrived. Please hope that Roeper and Phillips (or hopefully Roger when we gets well) will find themselves with and on a more supportive production company/network.
In the meantime, The A-holes at Disney need to do some housecleaning and stopping f-ing with something that people enjoy so that they may save a God Damned dollar.
MORONS
Posted by: P Olson | September 20, 2008 at 05:09 PM
Oh, and can young Ben not be so obvious when reading the teleprompter? Sounds like he is reading a high school essay.
Posted by: P Olson | September 20, 2008 at 05:11 PM