This Week in Roeper

Regular readers of Rotten Tomatoes will know that there's a lot of random critics that have gotten themselves worked into the website's formula. This is part of what makes RT so much fun. For the truly snobbish however, the site still compiles a "Cream of the Crop" list of reviewers working for more established, highly regarded publications. Among these Cream reviewers, there's a lot of eloquent and thoughtful critics; men and women who understand film and know how to express an opinion that heightens their readers' understanding of a given film. And then there's Richard Roeper.

To recap quickly, Richard Roeper is a humor columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, a.k.a. the Chicago Tribune's ginger stepchild. After Gene Siskel's death left Roger Ebert without a partner, the producers of Siskel and Ebert gave a handful of folks a tryout to fill the empty seat. Roeper emerged victorious, despite a tragically inferior appreciation of film.

Now, I don't watch Ebert & Roeper, but I will read Roger Ebert's print reviews every once in a while. But conveniently, Rotten Tomatoes pulls a quote from each critic giving me a chance to experience a little bit of Richard Roeper every week. From what I can tell, he doesn't actually write any reviews, instead only delivering them orally, but that's no excuse for saying something that might as well have come out of the mouth of an eight year old.

Each Sunday, join me in enjoying the best of Richard Roeper, presented without comment to preserve it's original genius. So without further ado, here's This Week in Roeper:

• The Queen - "It’s beautifully written and the acting is just pinpoint perfect."


• Volver - "It’s very moving, It’s beautifully done."


• Notes on a Scandal - "It is a chilling, memorable performance by Dame Judith, who will earn many award nominations, as should Blanchett. They are the perhaps the most impressive acting duo in any film of 2006. And Bill Nighy is their equal."


• Night at the Museum - "It’s just so dopey."


• Dreamgirls - "As much as I appreciated the performances from the terrifically talented cast -- as much as I liked Dreamgirls -- I didn't love it. Maybe it was just a little too slick and over the top for its own good."