Michael Phillips (born March 11, 1961) is an American film critic formerly for the Chicago Tribune newspaper.
Early life Phillips was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and spent most of his early years in Racine.
Career Prior to being film critic for the Chicago Tribune, Phillips was the drama critic of the Tribune; the Los Angeles Times; the St. Paul Pioneer Press; The San Diego Union-Tribune; and the Dallas Times Herald.
From 2006 through August 2008, he appeared frequently on At the Movies with Ebert & Roeper, first as one of numerous guest critics filling in for the late Roger Ebert while he was on medical leave, and becoming a semipermanent cohost with Richard Roeper in the months before Roeper and Ebert ended their association with the series. On August 5, 2009, Phillips was hired along with New York Times critic A. O. Scott to replace hosts Ben Lyons and Ben Mankiewicz. The show was cancelled after one season due to low ratings, concluding its run in August 2010.
Phillips has introduced over 100 feature films for Turner Classic Movies. He appears on the Filmspotting podcast. He hosted a series about movie music called The Film Score and contributes to Soundtrack both for WFMT-FM (98.7).
In 2025, the Chicago Tribune eliminated its film critic role and Phillips accepted a buyout. His final review for the paper, published August 14, was for the film Highest 2 Lowest. His final piece for the paper overall, published September 4, was a preview for movies coming out in the fall of 2025.
Preferences In an interview with Rotten Tomatoes, Phillips listed his five favorite films (in chronological order):
The Passion of Joan of Arc His Girl Friday Citizen Kane The Band Wagon Taxi Driver
Best films of the year Each year, from 2005 until 2024, Phillips prepares a list of the top ten films of the year. In 2009, he also made a list for the films of the 2000s decade. Year #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #102005CapoteKing KongThe Three Burials of Melquiades EstradaNuit noire 17 octobre 1961The 40-Year-Old VirginThe Squid and the WhaleJunebugLe Grand VoyagePride and PrejudiceBrokeback Mountain2006ClimatesUnited 93Little ChildrenThe Death of Mr. LazarescuLetters from Iwo JimaBoratThe War TapesCasino RoyaleThe QueenCaché2007OnceThe Diving Bell and the Butterfly4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 DaysRatatouilleThere Will Be BloodNo End in SightMargot at the WeddingThe Bourne UltimatumThe Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert FordKnocked Up and Juno2008WALL-EThe ClassA Christmas TaleLet the Right One InThe Flight of the Red BalloonAlexandraMan on WireSnow AngelsStill LifeThe Dark Knight2009UpWhere the Wild Things AreOf Time and the CityThe Hurt LockerA Serious ManAdventurelandA Single ManSugarIn the LoopMe and Orson Welles2000sThere Will Be BloodRatatouilleClimatesOnceY Tu Mamá TambiénZodiacUnited 93Mulholland DriveGosford ParkMinority Report2010The Kids are All RightThe Secret in Their EyesBoxing GymLast Train HomeGreenbergCarlosThe Social NetworkThe King's SpeechThe Ghost WriterThe Fighter2011 PoetryMoneyballCertified CopyThe DescendantsThe InterruptersGuy and Madeline on a Park BenchA SeparationThe Tree of LifeTinker Tailor Soldier SpyWeekend2012 Zero Dark ThirtyLincolnOnce Upon a Time in AnatoliaThe MasterAmourChico and RitaThe Color WheelSearching for Sugar ManFlightMoonrise Kingdom2013 Her12 Years a SlaveConsuming SpiritsStories We TellFruitvale StationAmerican HustlePost Tenebras LuxInside Llewyn DavisLet the Fire BurnThe Gatekeepers2014 BoyhoodThe Grand Budapest HotelWinter SleepWhiplashThe Lego MovieListen Up PhilipForce MajeureMr. TurnerDear White PeopleHeaven Knows What2015 SpotlightAnomalisaLove & MercyThe Diary of a Teenage GirlSon of SaulCarolBeasts of No NationCreedHeart of a DogTangerine2016 MoonlightLa La LandManchester by the SeaToni ErdmannO.J.: Made in AmericaKrishaThe WitchHell or High WaterDon't Think TwiceThe Fits2017 Lady BirdA Ghost StoryGet OutPhantom ThreadRat FilmMudboundGood TimeRawThe Florida ProjectCall Me by Your Name2018 The RiderRomaCan You Ever Forgive Me?The FavouriteMinding the GapWidowsFirst ReformedSorry to Bother YouZamaBlack Panther2019 ParasiteMarriage StoryAsh Is Purest WhitePortrait of a Lady on FireThe IrishmanOne Child NationWavesPresent.Perfect.The Last Black Man in San FranciscoLittle Women2020 Lovers RockFirst CowAmerican UtopiaNomadlandCity So RealMa Rainey's Black BottomThe AssistantMangroveThe Vast of NightNever Rarely Sometimes Always2021 A Night of Knowing NothingThe Underground RailroadDrive My CarPassingWest Side StoryThe Lost DaughterLicorice PizzaSummer of SoulIt's a SinThe Green Knight and The Tragedy of Macbeth2022 All the Beauty and the BloodshedCompartment No. 6EOKimiLet the Little Light ShineMarcel the Shell with Shoes OnSaint OmerTárTurning RedThe Woman King2023 Past LivesThe BoyKillers of the Flower MoonBarbieAre You There God? It's Me, Margaret.The Zone of InterestReturn to SeoulThe Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar; The Rat Catcher; The Swan; & PoisonOppenheimerMay December2024 All We Imagine as LightAnoraThe BrutalistChallengersDo Not Expect Too Much from the End of the WorldGreen BorderJanet PlanetMy Old AssNickel BoysA Real Pain
Filmography Year Title Role Notes 2006-2010 At the Movies Guest Host/Co-Host 91 episodes 2008 Entourage Himself Episode: "Fantasy Island" 2010 Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Guest Expert 5 episodes The View Himself 1 episode Charlie Rose Guest 1 episode 2011 The Early Show Himself 1 episode 2013 TCM Friday Night Spotlight: Future Shock! Host
Notes
References
External links
Michael Phillips at the Chicago Tribune