Opposable Thumbs_ How Siskel & Ebert Changed Movies Forever by Matt Singer

In a bygone era, determining the worthiness of a movie didn’t involve checking Rotten Tomatoes or IMDB. The litmus test was whether Siskel & Ebert had given it “two thumbs up.” On a chilly Saturday afternoon in 1975, Gene Siskel, film critic for the Chicago Tribune, and Roger Ebert, recently awarded the first Pulitzer Prize to a film critic for his work at the Chicago Sun-Times, met for lunch in a Chicago pub. Despite an initial disdain for each other, they reluctantly collaborated on a PBS movie review show, their off-camera conflicts mirroring their on-screen banter. Their often-antagonistic partnership evolved into a genuine friendship, creating iconic television with their signature “Two thumbs up!” becoming Hollywood’s most trusted critical brand. In “Opposable Thumbs,” award-winning editor and film critic Matt Singer chronicles their journey from humble beginnings on Chicago PBS to securing multimillion-dollar contracts for a syndicated series. Despite Gene Siskel’s untimely passing in 1999, their lasting influence on how we discuss and perceive movies endures.