Years ago, I didn't care for Roger Ebert. I thought he was kind of a snooty film critic.
After watching films as sort of a hobby, I came to really appreciate his opinions on film. I finally understood the way he went in-depth into film. Unlike most film critics, he really KNEW films. The thing I came to love about him is he never judged a film beforehand. He judged films based on their merit. Mainly, what was the film trying to do. Heck, he even gave the last Twilight film a favorable review based on the series itself.
Ebert was always full of wit and wisdom. Here's a few of my favorite quotes of his:
"No good movie is too long and no bad movie is short enough."
"I was perfectly content before I was born, and I think of death as the same state ... I am grateful for the gifts of intelligence, love, wonder and laughter. You can't say it wasn't interesting."
"Your intellect may be confused, but your emotions will never lie to you."
"We are born into a box of time and space. We use words and communication to break out of it and to reach out to others."
"And I think both the left and the right should celebrate people who have different opinions, and disagree with them, and argue with them, and differ with them, but don't just try to shut them up."
"Every great film should seem new every time you see it"
"The problem with being sure that God is on your side is that you can't change your mind, because God sure isn't going to change His."
"I know it is coming, and I do not fear it, because I believe there is nothing on the other side of death to fear."