“That's what fantasies are for, to help us imagine that things are better than they are.”

American film critic and journalist, 1942–2013. He became a defining voice of film criticism through his long tenure at the Chicago Sun-Times, where he championed thoughtful, accessible reviews that balanced rigor with warmth. His work extended beyond print to television, where his *Siskel & Ebert* show with Gene Siskel made film discussion a cultural touchstone.