Ebert & Siegel debate Magnolia

This episode was from the worst of 1999 special where Joel Siegel took over for Gene Siskel soon after his tragic passing from surgical complications. Both Roger Ebert and Joel Siegel go over the movie Magnolia. A split vote, Siegel did not like the movie and felt that it was uneven while Ebert was intrigued by it.

[@orangesplurt9273]

1:45 lol ebert’s look to the camera says it all.

[@user-yl4lf9mh1w]

hahaha

[@valentinwurth3306]

yeah that Siegel guy just did not get it.

[@matthewpaul6904]

He's thinking "Gene would've liked it"

[@michaelcoy311]

Anderson stated at the time, on Charlie Rose, that the ending was his first idea. You don’t have to like it, but it wasn’t a matter of incompetence.

[@user-yl4lf9mh1w]

He also wanted Kermit the frog to sing rainbow connection with all the characters... glad he went with his second idea.

[@ZacharyWeaver-rc8xc]

@@user-yl4lf9mh1wI’d have been okay with that honestly

[@user-yl4lf9mh1w]

@@ZacharyWeaver-rc8xcif anyone could pull it off, he could.

[@Keeno1]

It would have been interesting to have known Gene's take on this masterpiece.

[@lewis123646]

I KNOW! I forgot he'd passed by 99 so when the camera panned to NOT Gene, my heart sank. The only good temp host @ the time was Wesley Morris who was writing at the Boston Globe.

[@randywhite3947]

I think he would have liked it

[@Enigmalake]

He didn’t really like boogie nights so who knows

[@randywhite3947]

@@Enigmalakeactually he gave it a 3 1/2 out of 4

[@tonymontana4284]

It's a crap movie tries too hard and becomes a what is the point of this movie ?

[@papigringo5692]

Magnolia's in my all-time Top Five. I adore that movie.

[@CannibalWHORE22]

Everyone saying that Siegel is wrong just reminds that PTA is the man!

[@veldinjoeable]

I get what Ebert is saying, if the movie had a conventional climax, it would’ve defeated the whole theme of the movie.

[@RudieObias]

Magnolia is a masterpiece!

[@valentinwurth3306]

Siegel makes some good points but it also seems like he didn't really take into account the whole "unlikely events"-theme when he said "it doesn't have anything to do with anything"

[@joesnider880]

Ebert was on point with this one. He got the point of the movie and knows he's right

[@Nominay]

How can anyone not watch frogs falling from the sky? Especially the one that circumvented Philip Baker Hall from killing himself? This was the best part of the movie!!

[@razbigranicu]

I concede that the movie has some third act problems, but so much of the movie is so astonishing that I can overlook those problems.

[@randywhite3947]

razbigranicu I thought the third act was great and had no problems but to each their own

[@65g4]

I agree that the third act has problems but there was a lot to like about this film. Boogie Nights is still my favourite Paul Thomas Anderson film

[@Andrew-bc4pt]

Absolutely love the third act. You can’t control your past, dont let the past control your present, dont try to predict the future. The weather forecast is an attempt that humans make to feel in charge of nature when sometimes acts of god will happen. The end is great

[@uyeda]

Didn't Joyce also gave negative review for that film as well?

[@razbigranicu]

she did

[@sha11235]

Yes, and both of them were wrong. This was great.

[@zacharysiple783]

Agreed. One of the very best movies I have ever seen!

[@uyeda]

@@zacharysiple783 Well Tom Cruise was also in 1999 Stanley Kubrick final film Eyes Wide Shut. The same year he did that film.

[@randywhite3947]

@@sha11235 yup now Magnolia is considered to be one of the greatest movies ever

[@michiganjfrog366]

it's just his opinion. and we all know what opinions are like... we all have them and they usually stink

[@Levelistchampion]

I love the pushback on Magnolia. Defenders always talk about how the lack of interconnectivity (and the opening and closing scenes) are making a point. Ok, sure, I get that, but it's not a very GOOD one. Chekhov's Gun isn't a rule, more of a guideline for creating meaningful scenes, but Magnolia goes completely against the grain, making it overstuffed and overblown.

[@Andrew-bc4pt]

Nope

[@Levelistchampion]

​@Andrew-bc4pt Magnolia came up at least three times on the show in that reviewing season, and all three times, the guest hosts passionately disagreed with Ebert. Three different people, people Ebert considered qualified enough to guest host, disliked that movie.

[@user-yl4lf9mh1w]

Siegel who???

[@tonymontana4284]

He was famous in NYC and he was in Good morning America.

[@ralphus44]

Come on, Joel Siegel. You were a great critic but you blew this one big time.

[@jhjhjhjhjhjhify]

Some people still think this about Magnolia today. Heck, even PTA says he'd edit it down if he were making it if he could do it again. Thankfully he's not gone the George Lucas route on this film. I think they're wrong personally. Films need to earn their length and Magnolia does it. My favourite film.

[@johng6565]

Agreed! I was a little sad when PTA made that statement. There isn't a second I would want taken out of this film. I watched it at a time when my life was in turmoil and it really broke through all that for me. I don't know, maybe one has to experience real trauma to appreciate it. "Some times these things happen", a line that will always stay with me

[@stevent2049]

I agree the singing scene was very cringe. Other than that. Amazing movie. I could have watched more

[@jamk2668]

That's the thing. It's an incredibly bold choice that actually works when you view it from a specific angle. And even if it doesn't fully work for some at that particular moment, the boldness by itself manages to make it transcend any potential cringe.

[@nathansouthern3226]

Love Joel here.

[@awesomecaws]

Sigeal was better than roeper but not Siskel

[@madsleonardholvik3040]

Magnolia is one of the best movies I've seen. I think it's for people who can identify with the movie or who are deep thinkers and like that a movie has a clear message.

[@noahsworld5980]

Siegel took an L

[@dinastiachowfan1401]

WOW, this guy didn't like Magnolia... But no, Roger. Yhere is no way Magnolia is better than Bougie Nights.

[@randywhite3947]

Dinastía Chow Fan I could name plenty of reasons Magnolia is better than Boogie Nights

[@RudieObias]

Nope, Magnolia IS better than Boogie Nights. I really love both, but I give the edge to Magnolia.

[@Tastybathwater1]

I agree with Siegal

[@randywhite3947]

Gary well then you’re both cluless then

[@kubrickking5101]

Ebert wins the argument, in my opinion.