Who's your favorite movie reviewer?

Interesting reviewer, Monger -- thanks for the link. Because Roger Ebert has become as much a film historian (his "Book on Film" is a wonderful compiliation of writings about film) and he always seems able to compare oranges to oranges and apples to apples, I nearly always appreciate his reviews (as if you hadn't guessed). Paulene Kael is still my favorite movie critic and I often refer back to her essays even if I don't agree with what she says about a film. Ebert's commentary, incidentally, on the new "Citizen Kane" DVD is the finest I have ever heard on any film.

Link to Ebert Home Page

Gotta love Elvis. I like Anthony Lane, too, but Elvis Mitchell (NYT) has recently (the last year or so) completely won me over. He combines insightful reviewing qua reviewing with GREAT writing.

Ha, I had totally forgotten about the Brunching Shuttlecocks' site.

I'm still trying to figure out the author of this tidbit about some musical Western from, I think, the '60s, when referring to Clint Eastwood: "Clint sings like a moose."

Whoever wrote that is my favorite.

That was a review of "Paint Your Wagon" by Paulene Kael, I believe.

Yeah, it's definitely "Paint Your Wagon", and it sounds like something Pauline Kael would write.

Pauline Kael. That's it, that's all. I've never trusted anyone else, and no one else can write that well.

Pauline's the queen, yeah. But Elvis is king.

Random sample:

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/06/movies/06EQUI.html

Ah, I saw that line re Equilibrium, and loved it. Couldn't recall who'd penned it. Thanks for the reference.

The critic whose taste is closest to my own is probably Joe Morgenstern, who reviews movies for the Wall Street Journal. (I disagree with almost everything they say on their editorial page, but I like many of their critics). Unfortunately, you have to pay to subscribe to the WSJ online, but there's usually a copy floating around the office that I manage to snag on Fridays, to read the movie reviews. I also like J. Hoberman's reviews in the Village Voice, even when I don't agree with them.

As for Elvis Mitchell, I must respectfully disagree with the other opinions about him that have been expressed on this thread, as I find him virtually unreadable. It may simply be a function of my advanced age and general crankiness, but I find that he strains too hard to be clever, and to drag popular music references into everything he writes, whether the references are relevant to the movie or not. But since other people think highly of him, I'll try to keep an open mind the next time I read one of his reviews, and maybe I'll be won over.

I do think Elvis speaks to a younger reader, which is part of what I like. I don't think he "drags" anything, but that's his frame of reference, and mine too.

I would also vote for Anthony Lane in The New Yorker," and nearly every reviewer in "Sight and Sound."

This has only the slightest bit to do with movie reviewers. In the current issue of Home Theatre magazine they reviewed the new "fusion" sodas, Code Red, Red Fusion, Pepsi Blue, etc.

One of them said of Pepsi Blue: "I couldn't help but think I was drinking 2000 flushes."

Hahahaf*^%ingha! I loved the line on Equilibrium by Elvis that Sozobe quoted here.
Here's another great example of reviewer rage I read today from The Self-Made Critic's archives.......over here: GODZILLA.

I am not referring to any of the critics mentioned above, particularly the excellent Elvis Mitchell and Paulene Kael, however I get the impression that some critics whose reviews are so inconsistent make their reviews positive or negative to agree with some witticism that they have thought up.

Growing up in England and enjoying his show for years I´m voting for Barry Norman.
I really should read some of Kaels stuff though.Maybe I´ll change my mind.

hebba, Pauline Kael is dead. Alas! Her selected film reviews are available in a book titled FOR KEEPS.

J. Hoberman is probably the best weekly critic around now. He has a depth of film culture that no other weekly critic can match, certainly not the egregious Elvis Mitchell, who should be reviewing hip-hop music for ROLLING STONE.

Anthony Lane in THE NEW YORKER is completely unreliable since he is straining every gray cell in his tired brit brain to be clever. I prefer his reviewing partner David Denby, who can be tone-deaf (he missed the point of THE PIANIST) but at least has the virtue of dutifulness.

The WORST film critic in America is, hands down, A.O. Scott of the New York Times whose review of GANGS OF NEW YORK was like a defese lawyer's brief in a death penalty case. He called it "near great" and claimed that "over time, it will become great" making the film sound like a cheeese that needed to ripen. It was the most embarassing movie review I've read in years.

The late Pauline Kael is my favorite movie reviewer. She is probably the most discerning critic I have ever read. In fact, one of my favorite film books is a compilation of some of her earlier reviews and is titled, Trash, Art and the Movies.

I REALLY must read some of Kaels writing.
Halliwell often gives a few of her quotes in his guide.