A Great Thing Ebert Did

Recently, I kicked up the tinyest bit of fuss on the internets about the word “critic” used to describe what was a mix of a lot of different types of writers on a Toronto film poll. Many took that to mean, because I didn’t explain myself well enough, that I felt their writing was somehow sub-par. On the contrary, I never intended to insinuate that the best writing on film can’t be found on the internet – or that many a folk who starts up a movie blog can’t write better than many film critics. Most of the film writing I read these days are by people who aren’t technically “film critics” but who are brilliant writers. If they write exclusively on film perhaps that ends them up being film critics -but many out there have their fingers in several different pies – they report on the business of Hollywood, they do interviews with stars, set visits, etc. And that is their right and one of the best things about the internet.

Saying they weren’t film critics, as I said, wasn’t meant as an insult. Anyway, Ebert took some time out last week to single out his favorite commenters (“a distinctive readership of interesting people”) and their well-written blogs. If you look, you’ll find a great many writers out there — really, there have to be thousands. I’m wondering about the blogs you all read.