[Croft2018]

Much as I loved Siskel & Ebert they did have loads of hangups. Siskel hated international co productions (like The Wild Geese, Ffolkes) and Canadian films, particulalrly genre efforts which he suspected of being tax shelter projects. Ebert was maddeningly inconsistant; he excoriated The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003) for very specifc reasons but praised Van Helsing (2004) for the same ones. Both had a real burr up their ass about slasher or "Women in Danger" films with Siskel actually believing that the genre was a mass reaction to the rise of The Women's Movement. Just watch their segment in which they review Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984) with Ebert practically foaming at the mouth.

They could both be very inconsistant and obviously not go back and review what they said previously. The best example of this is the Star Trek film series in which their review of Star Trek IV: The Undiscovered Country (1991) they both agree that the odd numbered films are no good. Hmm, Ebert gave a thumbs up to Star Trek - The Motion Picture (1979) and both gave a thumbs up to Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984) and both gave thumbs down to Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989).

When they reviewed For Your Eyes Only (1981) on the show they both gave it thumbs up with Siskel liking it more and Ebert feeling it was rehashing too much but still recomending it. However, when you read Ebert's print review he gives it a paltry ** out of ****. Go figure.