Roger Ebert is a name synonymous with the movies. In Eberts Bests, he takes readers through the journey of how he became a film critic, from his days at a student-run cinema club to his rise as a television commentator in At the Movies and Siskel & Ebert. Recounting the influence of the French New Wave, his friendships with Werner Herzog and Martin Scorsese, as well as travels to Sweden and Rome to visit Ingrid Bergman and Federico Fellini, Ebert never loses sight of film as a key component of our cultural identity. In considering the ethics of film criticismwhy we should take all film seriously, without prejudgment or condescensionhe argues that film critics ought always to engage in open-minded dialogue with a movie. Extending this to his accompanying selection of 10 Bests, he reminds us that hearts and mindsand even rankingsare bound to change.
