Sex and Death 102

So when we last left off, I was heading off to a screening of the new comedy "Sex and Death 101", written and directed by Daniel Waters. I had no idea what the interest level for this film would be, but I guessed that it would be slim. Probably a few "Heathers" fans and then the inevitable few who'll turn out for anything with the word "sex" in the title. I was wrong. When I arrived at the theatre (about an hour early, as it turned out) the screening was already sold out. When showtime finally arrived, a woman from Anchor Bay entertainment, the film's distributor, introduced Daniel Waters, the man of the hour. "You people obviously don't read reviews", was his first remark as he looked out on the crowded theatre. He said a little bit more about how the film had been slammed for its shifts in tone, but he felt that fans of his work would have no trouble with it. The film unspooled, and although the movie's not perfect, it was certainly an above average comedy with an original premise and sharp writing. After the film, Waters was interviewed briefly by screenwriter Josh Olson, who praised the movie, and called it "the Apocalypse Now of Adult Sex Farces". Waters took a few questions, jokingly invited the entire theatre back to his house for a party, and then it was time to clear the house for the next screening.

Fast forward a couple of days to Sunday evening, and I'm watching the Ebert and Roeper show with my wife, as we're wont to do, and wouldn't you know, one of the films on the show this week is "Sex and Death 101." Since Roger Ebert is still unable to speak due to complications from cancer in his salivary gland, this week's guest reviewer was Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune. After some initial discussion of the movie, where Roeper recommended it and Phillips did not, things got nasty. Phillips congratulated Roeper on being "Sex and Death"'s one defender. Roeper responded that he was sure there would be others, then Phillips responded with "not even Daniels Waters would defend this film." Not only is this an arrogant and pretentious statement on Phillips' part, but I can personally state that it's patently untrue. Every critic has the right to his or her opinion, of course, but this was a cheap shot, and if I may say, one that Roger Ebert never would have taken.