The staff memo first hit the web yesterday by way of Romenesko, and now a day later, the fallout is continuing around news that Variety is doing away with several full-time film reviewers — including longtime chief film critic Todd McCarthy, who is probably one of the biggest industry names in entertainment media. (more...)

Roger Ebert is a world-renowned film critic whose website got 92 million visits last year. He has also had a rough ride over the past decade, battling various forms of cancer and undergoing serious and invasive operations, which left him unable to speak normally. He also can no longer eat or drink. That was the subject of an amazing and amazingly poignant column from Ebert earlier this week, called "Nil by Mouth." I can't recommend it enough. (more...)

"Sitting through this experience is like driving a pickup in low gear though a sullen sea of Brylcreem. " --Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times In a blistering review, famed film critic Roger Ebert slammed the much anticipated sequel The Twilight Saga: New Moon. In fairness, there were many soundbites to choose from: The characters in this movie should be arrested for loitering with intent to moan. Never have teenagers been in greater need of a jump-start. Granted some of them are more than 100 years old, but still: their charisma is by Madame Tussaud. "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" takes the tepid achievement of "Twilight", guts it, and leaves it for undead. You know you're in trouble with a sequel when the word of mouth advises you to see the first movie twice instead. Obviously the characters all have. Long opening stretches of this film make utterly no sense unless you walk in knowing the first film, and hopefully both Stephanie Meyer novels, by heart.