Reviewing the reviewers.

Studio-whores. That seems to be the most appropriate description I can think of for people like Roger Ebert, Gene Shalit, and Peter Travers of Rolling Stone. The latter seems to like absolutely every movie he has ever seen. And why not? By offering positive reviews of movies, movie reviewers can rest assured that they will see their name in the numerous print and TV ads promoting the movie. Ego-stroking? You decide.

It's classic "give and take." I give a positive movie review, I take away a lot of perks...invitations to special events and parties, VIP access and treatment, and of course celebrity.

I suggest that instead of these same folks being given free access to the movies they review, let them pay to see the movies out of their own pocket. No more VIP advance screenings in quiet, uncrowded settings. Let them venture out to their local theater on a weekend like you and I generally do. Let them fight the crowds, pay for overpriced, tasteless concessions, endure the talking of fellow patrons during the movie, have their shoes stick to the sticky floors while sitting in too warm or too cold environments, and THEN have them write their "unbiased" review and see how their prospective changes.

As the old saying goes, "It's not wise to bite the hand that feeds you." And these folks rarely do.