It’s hard to imagine even being able to talk about film reviews without speaking about Roger Ebert. Come to think of it, it’s hard to speak about cinema at all without bringing up Roger Ebert. The man didn’t just review movies; he knew everything about the glorious art of film and was like an encyclopedia of movies. His reviews seemed to always reveal some new fact, or some superb inspiration for today’s modern movies.  You always felt like you were learning something new about film each and every time you read his reviews, watched his banter with Siskel or read his unsurpassable essays.

Without a doubt, Ebert will not just go down as a highly regarded critic; his struggle with cancer makes him a pinnacle of perseverance and strength as well. After losing the ability to speak in 2006, he continued to bless us with his superb writing and always had fascinating opinions and insight into cinema. Praising works ranging from “Iron Man” to “Argo”, he continued to be a formidable presence in the world of writing and film criticism. If before this he has broken the boundaries of film criticism, now he was showing the kind of dignity and grace in the face of tragedy that most human beings only wish they could imagine.

Two days before his death, Roger wrote an essay called “A Leave of Presence”. Even with a newly discovered cancer in his body, even though treatment looked beyond difficult, even amongst all this tragedy in his life, he sounded exuberant. He talked about how he was updating his website, how he was starting a new form of his old critics show “At The Movies” and, unlike many in the film industry, noted how he was embracing modern day technology by utilizing apps.

Maybe he knew death was near and wanted to ignite hope in his readers. Maybe he was blissfully ignorant of his impending death. Either way, his final piece of writing showcases the ambition of a man who wasn’t just a critic, he was a man who treasured the art of movies. We were all so lucky to have been able to experience his powerful writing, and I am blessed to be working in the same career as him. It’s impossible to understate his importance to critics and the form of writing in general; Roger Ebert changed it all.

And even now, his writing will live on and will to continue the legacy of the legendary Roger Ebert.