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Roger Ebert to Revamp At The Movies

Will air on PBS starting in January 2011.

Here’s news we can applaud: Movie critic Roger Ebert announced on Friday the return of the half-hour film review program At the Movies (revamped as Roger Ebert at the Movies), which will air on PBS stations starting in January 2011. Ebert and his wife, Chaz, will produce the show, in the format first made famous by Ebert and Gene Siskel three decades ago. The AP’s film critic Christy Lemire and NPR’s Elvis Mitchell will serve as its hosts, and film bloggers Kim Morgan and Omar Moore will make occasional contributions. “American television is swamped by mindless gossip about celebrities, and I’m happy this show will continue to tell viewers honestly if the critics think a new movie is worth seeing,” wrote Ebert. This announcement comes on the heels of the cancellation in August of Michael Phillips and A.O. Scott’s Disney-ABC version of the show.