RIP Roger Ebert: 1942-2013

Roger Ebert was much more than a film critic to most people.  He was like a god in the world of film criticism and criticism in general.  I found his reviews at a very young age and related to him on a lot of movies, as well as disagreed with him on others.  In fact, on his Facebook page, I had asked him how he had liked the Kevin James movie 'Zookeeper.'  It was on his posting for his review of 'Horrible Bosses,' which he really liked.  At the time, Mr. Ebert gave 'Zookeeper' a positive 3 stars out of four, where I was more negative on the film when I eventually saw the movie about 2 weeks later.  The following conversation actually happened:

This would be the only time I would ever come in contacts with Mr. Roger Ebert.  At the time, I kind of felt awful about how I came off to the biggest movie critic in the entire world.  Probably then he just thought I was some kid who made a dumb comment that needed to be answered, which he would soon forget about an hour later.  Thinking about it now, I do still feel bad about the way my conversation started, but then again I still think to myself: how come of all of the people who commented on his posting that he chose to answer mine, and even answer my second question AFTER I came off wrong?  Personally, the answer doesn't matter to me, because I feel honored to had at least get my name out there and speak to one of my personal heroes.  Roger Ebert was one of the reasons why I started writing movie reviews in the first place.  That, and I had a passion for movies and an instinct to write out of the blue.  70 years is a young age to die at, and I'm still having a hard time believing that he's gone, and that I'll never get to meet him in person, or have him review a movie I made in the future.  I can only hope the best for Roger's wife Chaz, his friends and family, and even himself.  I like to imagine Roger up in heaven now sitting next to Gene Siskel talking about life and the thing that they loved most: movies.  Roger Ebert, you were a true hero, and carried around a god-like voice wherever your work and life took you.  From the bottom of my heart, I will miss you Mr. Ebert.  Rest in peace.