At the Movies with Ebert & Roeper

Episode 1

Postcards from the Edge/Saving Grace/White Hunter, Black Heart/After Dark, My Sweet

Sat, Sep 15, 1990

Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert review four new movies. Also, Roger reports about the annual Telluride Film Festival.

Episode 2

Goodfellas/Narrow Margin/Funny About Love/The Tall Guy

Sat, Sep 22, 1990

Episode 3

Pacific Heights/King of New York/Miller's Crossing/Texasville

Sat, Sep 29, 1990

Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert review four new movies and examine the new movie rating, NC-17. Two thumbs down for Pacific Heights (1990). It's "a cheap thriller with high-priced actors," says Siskel. Ebert decries the clichés, including It Was Only a Cat. Two more thumbs down for Abel Ferrara's King of New York (1990): it has good performances, a nice visual style -- and a preposterous plot. Two thumbs up for the Coen brothers' Miller's Crossing (1990), although Siskel praises it more highly; Ebert felt the plot was overcomplicated and implausible. Two thumbs up for Texasville (1990), Peter Bogdanovich's sequel to The Last Picture Show (1971). It's not up to the class of the first movie, but they agree it's well worth seeing. They hope the new movie rating, NC-17, will usher in movies, such as Henry & June (1990), that can deal with adult subjects in mature ways. Finally, they recommend "The Last Picture Show", which will be coming to video soon.

Episode 4

Avalon/Listen Up: The Lives of Quincy Jones/Henry & June/Desperate Hours

Sat, Oct 6, 1990

Episode 5

The Hot Spot/Mr. Destiny/Memphis Belle/Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael

Sat, Oct 13, 1990

Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert review four new movies. Also, Gene Siskel interviews composer Quincy Jones about film music.

Episode 6

Reversal of Fortune/Quigley Down Under/White Palace/Night of the Living Dead

Sat, Oct 20, 1990

Episode 7

Silent Classics

Sat, Oct 27, 1990

Episode 8

Jacob's Ladder/Waiting for the Light/Tune in Tomorrow.../Vincent & Theo

Sat, Nov 3, 1990

Four new movies are reviewed. Then, Roger Ebert interviews Robert Altman about his thoughts on his current work and its reception.

Episode 9

Dances with Wolves/Graffiti Bridge/The Krays/The Rescuers Down Under

Sat, Nov 10, 1990

Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert review four new movies. Also, Gene Siskel interviews director Barry Levinson about his gripes with film criticism.

Episode 10

Rocky V/Child's Play 2/Home Alone/The Nasty Girl

Sat, Nov 17, 1990

Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert review four new movies and recommend a video; and Siskel interviews Garry Marshall. A split vote on Rocky V (1990). Siskel enjoyed Rocky's return to the streets, but Ebert found it predictable from beginning to end. Two thumbs down for the horror sequel, Child's Play 2 (1990). Ebert found it to be a well-made thriller that is nonetheless morally depraved; Siskel does not even concede it works as a thriller. Two thumbs down for the family comedy, Home Alone (1990). What would really happen if an eight-year-old were left home alone? The critics complain that the movie ignores that interesting premise and instead fills the screen with cartoon-like gags. A split vote on The Nasty Girl (1990). Ebert feels it is an exercise in style; Siskel found it to be a fresh take on the Holocaust. Gene Siskel interviews Garry Marshall about happy endings. The "Video Pick of the Week" is Mystic Pizza (1988).

Episode 11

3 Men and a Little Lady/The Nutcracker Prince/Predator 2/Mr. And Mrs. Bridge

Sat, Nov 24, 1990

Siskel and Ebert review four new films. Also, Siskel interviews Sylvester Stallone about love in movies.

Episode 12

Misery/Hidden Agenda/Cyrano de Bergerac

Sat, Dec 1, 1990

Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert review three new movies and examine a trend in children's movies. Two thumbs up for Rob Reiner's terrifying black comedy, Misery (1990), based on Stephen King's novel. Both critics appreciate the sly humor as well as the horror. Two more thumbs up for Hidden Agenda (1990), a shockingly brave political drama set in Northern Ireland, although both critics bemoan a large hole in the plot. Two thumbs up yet again for Cyrano de Bergerac (1990), the latest movie adaptation of Rostand's classic. Gene Siskel says that it's better than the 1950 José Ferrer version, but not quite as good as the modernized Steve Martin comedy. Ebert praises Gérard Depardieu and notes that some audience members find the movie corny while others dissolve into tears. Next, the critics examine why children are watching violent and depressing movies, some explicitly and some covertly intended for them. Finally, they recommend two good children's movies on video. Siskel's pick is the socially conscious Crusoe (1988); Ebert's is the nature film, The Bear (1988).

Episode 13

The Rookie/Berkeley in the Sixties/Edward Scissorhands/The Grifters

Sat, Dec 8, 1990

Episode 14

Havana/Mermaids/The Sheltering Sky/Awakenings/The Long Walk Home

Sat, Dec 15, 1990

Episode 15

The Godfather Part III/Kindergarten Cop/The Bonfire of the Vanities/The Russia House

Sat, Dec 22, 1990

Episode 16

Green Card/Almost an Angel/Hamlet/Come See the Paradise/Alice

Sat, Dec 29, 1990

Episode 17

The Best Films of 1990

Sat, Jan 5, 1991

This week Siskel and Ebert took time out to reveal their individual lists for the best films of 1990. Gene 1. Goodfellas 2. After Dark, My Sweet 3. Avalon 4. The Plot Against Harry 5. Too Beautiful For You 6. Die Hard 2 7. Dances With Wolves 8. Reversal of Fortune 9. The Freshman 10. The Godfather Part III Roger 1. Goodfellas 2. Monsier Hire 3. Dances With Wolves 4. The Grifters 5. Reversal of Fortune 6. Santa Sangre 7. Last Exit to Brooklyn 8. Awakenings 9. The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover 10. Mountains of the Moon.

Episode 18

The Worst Films of 1990

Sat, Jan 12, 1991

Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert select the worst movies of 1990. For the "Big Stars, Big Bombs" category, Ebert selects Loose Cannons (1990) with Gene Hackman; Ghost Dad (1990) with Bill Cosby; and Graffiti Bridge (1990) with Prince. Siskel lambastes sequels for "Not Again": RoboCop 2 (1990), Another 48 Hrs. (1990) and Child's Play 2 (1990). Ebert skewers remakes for "Why Bother?": Desperate Hours (1990), Narrow Margin (1990) and Night of the Living Dead (1990). Siskel chooses the "Comedies Without Laughs": Funny About Love (1990), which wasn't; Short Time (1990), which wasn't short enough; and Sibling Rivalry (1990), which aims for sitcom level and fails even at that. Ebert slams bad children's movies in "For Kids?": Courage Mountain (1989), Jetsons: The Movie (1990) and The Nutcracker Prince (1990). Siskel adds special dispraise for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990). Lastly, Siskel knocks the patently bad ideas behind the two movies in "Forget About It": _Wild Orchid (1990)_, an unsexy sex movie and The Guardian (2006), William Friedkin's fiasco about a killer tree.

Episode 19

Once Around/Men of Respect/Flight of the Intruder/White Fang/Not Without My Daughter

Sat, Jan 19, 1991

Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert review five new movies and recommend a video. Two big thumbs up for Once Around (1991), a very non-formulaic movie about a pushy salesman and his relationship with his wife and her family. Siskel calls it the first really good movie of the year. Two thumbs down for the murkily photographed and clumsily written Men of Respect (1990), a mob version of Shakespeare's "Macbeth". Two thumbs down for the Vietnam action movie, Flight of the Intruder (1991). Each critic liked different parts that the other didn't like, but neither enjoyed the movie as a whole. Two thumbs up for the rousing family adventure, White Fang (1991), based on a Jack London novel. Siskel complains only about the way it is photographed. Two thumbs up for Not Without My Daughter (1991). Both agree it is dramatically effective, although Ebert finds the depiction of Iranians to be racist. His thumb is up for the unusual reason that audiences should confront what they may disagree with. Ebert's "Video Pick of the Week" is Windwalker (1980).

Episode 20

Breakthrough Stars of 1991

Sat, Jan 26, 1991

Siskel and Ebert take a look at more rising stars: Ray Liotta, Kathy Bates, Andy Garcia, Winona Ryder, Penelope Ann Miller, and John Turturro.

Episode 21

Queens Logic/Run/Meet the Applegates/The Vanishing

Sat, Feb 2, 1991

In addition to reviewing "Queens Logic", "Run", "Meet the Applegates", and "The Vanishing", Siskel and Ebert take a second look at "Home Alone" from the previous year and analyze why it was so popular.

Episode 22

L.A. Story/Sleeping with the Enemy/The Silence of the Lambs

Sat, Feb 9, 1991

Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert review three new movies; Ebert interviews Robin Williams; and Siskel recommends a video. They have a major disagreement on Steve Martin's L.A. Story (1991). Ebert thinks it's a comic masterpiece; Siskel found the jokes lame. Both thumbs are down for Sleeping with the Enemy (1991), a clichéd and implausible woman-in-peril movie that wastes Julia Roberts. They have another big disagreement on The Silence of the Lambs (1991). Siskel calls it an all-star freak show. Ebert found everything but the ending terrifically effective. Ebert interviews Robin Williams and asks about his struggle between being a serious actor and playing the comedian. Siskel's "Video Pick of the Week" is Longtime Companion (1989).

Episode 23

Oscar Nomination Surprises for 1990

Sat, Feb 16, 1991

Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert list the surprise inclusions and exclusions from the Oscar nominees. Surprise Best Picture inclusions: Ghost (1990). Exclusions: Reversal of Fortune (1990), Avalon (1990) and The Grifters (1990). Ebert asks why the Academy didn't make Penny Marshall for Awakenings (1990) the first American woman to get a Best Director nod. Surprise Best Actor inclusions: Richard Harris for the _The Field_. Exclusions: Robin Williams for "Awakenings", Ray Liotta for GoodFellas (1990) and Paul Newman for Mr. & Mrs. Bridge (1990). Supporting Actress inclusions: Diane Ladd for Wild at Heart (1990). Exclusions: Shirley MacLaine in Postcards from the Edge (1990), Glenn Close in "Reversal of Fortune" and Winona Ryder for Mermaids (1990). Supporting Actor inclusions: Graham Greene for Dances with Wolves (1990) and Bruce Davison for Longtime Companion (1989). Exclusions: Armand Assante for Q&A (1990) and Hector Elizondo for Pretty Woman (1990). Best Actress exclusions: Sissy Spacek and Whoopi Goldberg in The Long Walk Home (1990). The critics end with a discussion on ad campaigns for Oscar nominations.

Episode 24

Scenes from a Mall/Nothing But Trouble/He Said, She Said/King Ralph/The Field

Sat, Feb 23, 1991

Episode 25

The Doors/My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys/Iron & Silk/Superstar

Sat, Mar 2, 1991

Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert review five new movies and recommend several videos. They have a major quarrel over Oliver Stone's ambitious rock biopic, The Doors (1991). Both agree it's brilliantly made and features an uncanny performance from Val Kilmer as Jim Morrison, but Ebert found the experience to be relentlessly depressing and can't recommend it. Siskel briefly reviews three home videos: The Doors: Live at the Hollywood Bowl (1987), The Doors: Live in Europe 1968 (1990) and The Doors: Dance on Fire (1985). He recommends the first two, but not the last. The two critics give thumbs down to the routine rodeo melodrama, My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys (1991), although both liked Ben Johnson. They give two thumbs up for the disarming and non-formulaic Iron & Silk (1990) with its autobiographical performance from Mark Salzman. They split on the documentary, Superstar: The Life and Times of Andy Warhol (1990). Siskel complains that we learn nothing about Warhol; Ebert responds that it's possible no one knows what's behind the facade. Siskel's "Video Pick of the Week" is the underrated sequel to Chinatown (1974): The Two Jakes (1990).

Episode 26

The Hard Way/Closet Land/New Jack City/Shipwrecked/Ju Dou

Sat, Mar 9, 1991

Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert review five new movies and recommend a video. A split vote on The Hard Way (1991). Both critics liked and disliked aspects of this self-satirizing cop-buddy movie, but only Ebert liked it well enough to recommend it. Two thumbs down for the allegorical Closet Land (1990), a two-character piece that makes easy points in an obvious way. A split vote on the drug caper movie, New Jack City (1991). Siskel thought it was too Hollywood and that it glamorized the drug life; Ebert disagrees on both counts and admired its grittiness. Two thumbs down for the bland and corny children's movie, Shipwrecked (1990). Both critics found it old-fashioned in a bad way. Two thumbs up for the controversial Chinese drama, Ju Dou (1990). Both were caught up in the simple story told with vibrant three-color Technicolor images. Roger Ebert's "Video Pick of the Week" is Cinema Paradiso (1988).

Episode 27

Class Action/If Looks Could Kill/Guilty by Suspicion/True Colors

Sat, Mar 16, 1991

Episode 28

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze/The Comfort of Strangers/Defending Your Life/Mister Johnson/La Femme Nikita

Sat, Mar 23, 1991

Episode 29

They'll Do It Every Time: Part Two

Sat, Mar 30, 1991

Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, following their original 1989 show on the same subject, decry movie clichés and use generous movie clips to make their points. The clichés include: cars crashing through glass, classic cars getting destroyed, buddy movies in which buddies vow that they want nothing to do with one another, bars that are more for fighting than drinking, villains that are not really dead, poor characters with expensive apartments, roof-jumping and crotch injuries They also show us some blatant continuity errors.

Episode 30

The Marrying Man/Career Opportunities/The Five Heartbeats/The Object of Beauty/Daddy Nostalgia

Sat, Apr 6, 1991

Episode 31

Buried Treasures - 1991 Edition

Sat, Apr 13, 1991

Episode 32

Mortal Thoughts/Impromptu/Out for Justice/Journey of Hope

Sat, Apr 20, 1991

In addition to reviewing four new movies, Gene and Roger pay tribute to recently-deceased director David Lean.

Episode 33

Oscar/Toy Soldiers/A Kiss Before Dying/Citizen Kane 50th Anniversary/A Rage in Harlem

Sat, Apr 27, 1991

Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert review four new films and pay tribute to Citizen Kane (1941) on its 50th anniversary.

Episode 34

The Movies We Loved as Kids

Sat, May 4, 1991

In this special episode, Siskel and Ebert look at various movies they watched as kids, and examine if they hold up today.

Episode 35

One Good Cop/FX2/Switch/Spartacus/Drowning by Numbers

Sat, May 11, 1991

Episode 36

Backdraft/Truly Madly Deeply/Madonna: Truth or Dare/The Ballad of the Sad Cafe/A Rage in Harlem

Sat, May 18, 1991

Episode 37

Thelma & Louise/Hangin' with the Homeboys/Dice Rules/Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken

Sat, May 25, 1991

Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert review four new movies. Also, Siskel interviews Bruce Willis, who criticizes the box office-driven mentality.

Episode 38

Soapdish/What About Bob?/Hudson Hawk/Only the Lonely

Sat, Jun 1, 1991

Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert review four new movies. Two thumbs up for Soapdish (1991), which spoofs soap operas and has a sufficient number of big laughs. A split vote on the "Odd Couple"-like comedy, What About Bob? (1991). Both critics liked Bill Murray, but Siskel thought Richard Dreyfuss was over the top. Two thumbs down for the bizarrely unfunny caper comedy, Hudson Hawk (1991), in which everyone tries way too hard to little effect. A split vote on the John Hughes comedy, Only the Lonely (1991). Both critics were glad to see Maureen O'Hara back after a 20-year absence from the screen, but Siskel thought the writing should have been just a little smarter. Roger Ebert has a report from Cannes and discusses the movies at the festival, including Barton Fink (1991), Jungle Fever (1991) and Boyz n the Hood (1991). Gene Siskel chooses Jacob's Ladder (1990) as the "Video Pick of the Week".

Episode 39

City Slickers/Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead/Jungle Fever/An Angel at My Table

Sat, Jun 8, 1991

Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert review four new movies. Also, director Ron Howard is interviewed about the special effects in his new movie Backdraft.

Episode 40

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves/Straight Out of Brooklyn/Dark Obsession/Bright Angel

Sat, Jun 15, 1991

Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert review four new movies. Then, Gene Siskel interviews Spike Lee about his frustration that he hasn't won an award at the Cannes Film Festival.

Episode 41

Dying Young/Kickboxer 2/The Rocketeer/Tatie Danielle

Sat, Jun 22, 1991

Siskel and Ebert review four new movies. Also, the duo take another look at "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" and examine why many critics gave it bad reviews.

Episode 42

Terminator 2: Judgment Day/The Reflecting Skin/Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear/Europa Europa

Sat, Jun 29, 1991

In addition to reviewing four new movies, Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert examine why Julia Roberts seems to be making the same film over and over.

Episode 43

Regarding Henry/101 Dalmatians/Point Break/Boys N the Hood/The Miracle

Sat, Jul 13, 1991

Episode 44

The Doctor/Dutch/Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey/My Father's Glory/My Mother's Castle

Sat, Jul 20, 1991

Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert review five new movies. Also, the duo discuss the fights that broke out at certain screenings of "Boys n the Hood", blaming a misleading trailer.

Episode 45

V.I. Warshawski/Trust/Life Stinks/Mobsters/Slacker

Sat, Jul 27, 1991

Episode 46

Doc Hollywood/Return to the Blue Lagoon/Hot Shots!/Paris Is Burning/Another You

Sat, Aug 3, 1991

Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert review five new movies. Two thumbs up for the "delightful, wistful romantic comedy", Doc Hollywood (1991), with Michael J. Fox as a plastic surgeon trapped in a small town. The critics mock the ridiculous sequel, Return to the Blue Lagoon (1991), which is a tease for prurient interests. Both critics laughed at Hot Shots! (1991), but only Siskel laughed enough to recommend it; Ebert feels that it's coming too soon behind the recent "Naked Gun" movie, which is better. Both are fascinated by the documentary, Paris Is Burning (1990), which is about black and Hispanic transvestites. Two thumbs down for Another You (1991), the depressingly bad comedy with Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor. Roger Ebert recommends two concert films on video: Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip (1982) and Richard Pryor... Here and Now (1983).

Episode 47

Barton Fink/Double Impact/Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll/Pure Luck/The Commitments

Sat, Aug 17, 1991

Episode 48

Dead Again/True Identity/Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man/Defenseless/The Pope Must Die

Sat, Aug 31, 1991