"At The Movies" - news hosts announced
#52
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Re: "At The Movies" - news hosts announced
The balcony is closed for Ben and Ben on "At The Movies." They are officially off the show and being replaced by Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune and A.O. Scott from the New York Times.
#53
Banned
Re: "At The Movies" - news hosts announced




Balcony opens for Phillips, Scott;
closes for Lyons, Mankiewicz
/ / / August 5, 2009
by Lewis Lazare
Chigago Sun-Times Media & Marketing Columnist
Ben Lyons and Ben Mankiewicz, co-hosts for the past year of the weekly “At the Movies” movie review show, have been sacked, effective immediately. When the 24th season of the show premieres on Sept. 5, Chicago Tribune movie critic Michael Phillips and New York Times critic A.O. Scott will be seated in the balcony — or whatever’s left of it.
The changes come after a shaky year of “At the Movies” episodes, in which Mankiewicz and Lyons tried to carry on the review show created by legendary Sun-Times movie critic Roger Ebert and the late Gene Siskel, who was for many years the Trib’s chief movie critic.
With Lyons and Mankiewicz at the helm for the past year, “At the Movies” had suffered a ratings decline that apparently became irreversible and unacceptable to executives at Disney-ABC Television, which produces and distributes the show nationally. The version of “At the Movies” with Mankiewicz and Lyons also was a hokier, jazzed-up version of the original concept, which originally featured Siskel and Ebert simply debating with each other the merits of new movie releases.
After Siskel’s death in 1999, Ebert then teamed with Sun-Times columnist Richard Roeper. But starting in 2006, when Ebert began treatment for thyroid cancer and subsequently lost his voice, Roeper worked for a couple of years with a rotating series of co-hosts that at various times included both Scott and Phillips. Last year, just before the host change to Lyons and Mankiewicz, the Chicago-based Phillips had become the de facto “At the Movies” co-host with Roeper.
The switch to Phillips and Scott appears to be part of an effort to return the show to its beginnings, featuring two movie critics with substantive credentials, though it’s unclear yet whether the new duo will bring enough presence and punch to the proceedings to significantly boost the show’s ratings.
Tossing compliments at each other, Scott described Phillips as “one of the most intelligent and wittiest critics around,” while Phillips hailed Scott as “one of the sharpest critical voices in the nation. Roeper declined comment about the latest round of host changes for “At the Movies.”
closes for Lyons, Mankiewicz
/ / / August 5, 2009
by Lewis Lazare
Chigago Sun-Times Media & Marketing Columnist
Ben Lyons and Ben Mankiewicz, co-hosts for the past year of the weekly “At the Movies” movie review show, have been sacked, effective immediately. When the 24th season of the show premieres on Sept. 5, Chicago Tribune movie critic Michael Phillips and New York Times critic A.O. Scott will be seated in the balcony — or whatever’s left of it.
The changes come after a shaky year of “At the Movies” episodes, in which Mankiewicz and Lyons tried to carry on the review show created by legendary Sun-Times movie critic Roger Ebert and the late Gene Siskel, who was for many years the Trib’s chief movie critic.
With Lyons and Mankiewicz at the helm for the past year, “At the Movies” had suffered a ratings decline that apparently became irreversible and unacceptable to executives at Disney-ABC Television, which produces and distributes the show nationally. The version of “At the Movies” with Mankiewicz and Lyons also was a hokier, jazzed-up version of the original concept, which originally featured Siskel and Ebert simply debating with each other the merits of new movie releases.
After Siskel’s death in 1999, Ebert then teamed with Sun-Times columnist Richard Roeper. But starting in 2006, when Ebert began treatment for thyroid cancer and subsequently lost his voice, Roeper worked for a couple of years with a rotating series of co-hosts that at various times included both Scott and Phillips. Last year, just before the host change to Lyons and Mankiewicz, the Chicago-based Phillips had become the de facto “At the Movies” co-host with Roeper.
The switch to Phillips and Scott appears to be part of an effort to return the show to its beginnings, featuring two movie critics with substantive credentials, though it’s unclear yet whether the new duo will bring enough presence and punch to the proceedings to significantly boost the show’s ratings.
Tossing compliments at each other, Scott described Phillips as “one of the most intelligent and wittiest critics around,” while Phillips hailed Scott as “one of the sharpest critical voices in the nation. Roeper declined comment about the latest round of host changes for “At the Movies.”
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Re: "At The Movies" - news hosts announced





Those are EXACTLY the two I would have put in the balcony in the first place. They should do very well. Now, if they can tone down the garish yellow of the set and graphics...
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Re: "At The Movies" - news hosts announced
Great news. I don't mind Ben Mankiewicz but Lyons was fricking terrible. A.O. Scott and Philips were both very good with Roeper and I think this will be a great return to form for At The Movies.
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Re: "At The Movies" - news hosts announced
One mildly interesting tidbit I just found is that Scott and Phillips are almost exactly the same relative ages that Siskel and Ebert were 20 years ago, when the show was really coming into its own.
And I love the "back to its roots" comments. I just wish the producers had realized a year ago that the original concept of the show is what makes it cool. There was no need to try to make it "hip".
And I love the "back to its roots" comments. I just wish the producers had realized a year ago that the original concept of the show is what makes it cool. There was no need to try to make it "hip".
#61
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: "At The Movies" - news hosts announced
Great news! Oh, I'm SO glad to have this show back--and back to its original form.
QFT.
QFT.
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Re: "At The Movies" - news hosts announced
I for one mourn this decision, and I ask for a brief moment of reflection...
R.I.P, Ben Lyons Quote of the Week. You made me laugh, you made me cry, you made me think. Mainly about how unfair it was that so many web critics never get paid for insightful criticism while Ben Lyons gets to be on two channels.
OK, good, now bring on the real criticism.
R.I.P, Ben Lyons Quote of the Week. You made me laugh, you made me cry, you made me think. Mainly about how unfair it was that so many web critics never get paid for insightful criticism while Ben Lyons gets to be on two channels.
OK, good, now bring on the real criticism.
#71
Re: "At The Movies" - news hosts announced
#72
Re: "At The Movies" - news hosts announced
I don't see how this will improve ratings. Roeper was the best thing about the show after Ebert left. Was Disney too proud to woo him back?
#73
Re: "At The Movies" - news hosts announced
I remember as a kid watching Siskel & Ebert at the very beginning when the show was called "Sneak Previews", and briefly on PBS before moving to syndication. Those first few years there was no other movie review show on TV, so this type of show was very entertaining and appealing to me. And apparently to others. Because the show just kept getting bigger. I feel bad for Ben Lyons. Yeah, he's a dork, but so are most critics. Hello, Gene Shalit!? He, too, has made a gazillion eye rolling and embarrassing remarks too. As have so many other fellow nerd critics. But I have to say, I really liked Ben Mankiewicz. He's smart, articulate and seemed to know movies. But sadly, with 1000 channels on cable and satellite, I do think this show is lost (and dead). Regardless of whoever they bring in. I seriously doubt Michael Phillips and A.O. Scott will bring the ratings.
#74
Banned
Re: "At The Movies" - news hosts announced
I remember as a kid watching Siskel & Ebert at the very beginning when the show was called "Sneak Previews", and briefly on PBS before moving to syndication. Those first few years there was no other movie review show on TV, so this type of show was very entertaining and appealing to me. And apparently to others. Because the show just kept getting bigger. I feel bad for Ben Lyons. Yeah, he's a dork, but so are most critics. Hello, Gene Shalit!? He, too, has made a gazillion eye rolling and embarrassing remarks too. As have so many other fellow nerd critics. But I have to say, I really liked Ben Mankiewicz. He's smart, articulate and seemed to know movies. But sadly, with 1000 channels on cable and satellite, I do think this show is lost (and dead). Regardless of whoever they bring in. I seriously doubt Michael Phillips and A.O. Scott will bring the ratings.
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Re: "At The Movies" - news hosts announced
Ben Lyons Quote of the Week is about so much MORE than cherrypicking the whorish blurbs. It is a Conrad-like descent into the suppurative decay of man. Lyons is Kurtz, and the sea of quote whoredom is his jungle. Lyons is no worse than any other pathetic sell-out, but his methods of shameless self-promotion and an open disregard for consistency in opinions and even backpedaling on-air when Mank calls him on it makes him special.