With Ben and Ben out the door, fans of At The Movies can be happy with the show again starting this weekend. While it still lacks the charm of Roger Ebert and can never return to the glory days with Gene Siskel, At the Movies with Michael Phillips from the Chicago Tribune and A.O. Scott from the New York Times went to a good slow start.
The buddy dynamic is there but needs some time to develop more. A.O. Scott seemed a little intimidated now that he has a recurring host duty instead of being a guest again. However, his review of THE BURNING PLAIN was the best review of the show, mocking the presumed pretentiousness throughout the film. It was a weird television moment, as I wondering why he started off saying, "Kim Basinger plays the mother" before anything else. Michael Phillips is still fine, as he came into his own during his stay with Richard Roeper during Ebert's medical absence. The only major complaint toward them relates to their seating; Phillips is more similar to Ebert in screen style and mannerisms, so the fact he sat to the left is a bit off.
The set is still perplexing, as the attention went to the blue background instead of the chair and table, which looked like something from a public access show. Though, I must admit that the previous golden look is thankfully gone as the critics of this new show aren't happy Hollywood lap-dogs.
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