I Hated, Hated, Hated This Movie

I Hated, Hated, Hated This Movie is a collection of Roger Ebert's most critical film reviews from 1999-2000. The book compiles his lowest-rated reviews, focusing on movies he gave negative ratings in the Chicago Sun-Times. Ebert's sharp wit and deep knowledge of cinema shine through as he dissects what makes these films fail. His reviews examine technical elements, storytelling choices, and performances while maintaining his signature straightforward style. The book showcases Ebert's ability to find humor even in cinematic disappointment, turning negative reviews into entertainment. His critiques span genres from big-budget action films to independent productions. The collection demonstrates how criticism itself can become an art form, with Ebert's reviews serving as commentary on the broader state of filmmaking and audience expectations. His work raises questions about the responsibility of critics and the nature of quality in cinema.

Readers appreciate Ebert's wit and humor in dissecting bad films, with many noting his ability to be entertaining even when describing terrible movies. The negative reviews become a form of comedy, with readers particularly enjoying his takedowns of films like "Deuce Bigalow" and "North." Several readers mention that the book works best in small doses rather than reading straight through, as the negative reviews can become repetitive. Some readers wanted more analysis of why films failed beyond just criticism. Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (2,100+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (90+ ratings) Specific reader comments: "Reading his bad reviews is more fun than watching good movies" - Goodreads reviewer "Like listening to a friend rant about horrible films" - Amazon reviewer "Gets tiresome after a while, best read in small chunks" - Goodreads reviewer "Would have liked more depth in explaining why certain films didn't work" - Amazon reviewer

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🎬 Each review in the book was given a rating of 2 stars or less by Ebert, representing what he considered the worst films released between 1995 and 2000. 🌟 The book's title comes from Ebert's review of "North" (1994), where his complete quote was "I hated this movie. Hated, hated, hated, hated this movie. Hated it." 📝 Roger Ebert was the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism (1975) and was also the first film critic to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 🎯 Despite his harsh critiques, Ebert maintained that writing negative reviews was less enjoyable than praising good films, saying "It is more fun to praise than to criticize." 📚 The book includes not just reviews but also Ebert's famous "Glossary of Movie Terms," which humorously defines recurring clichés and tropes found in bad movies.