Roger Ebert didn't just review movies—he tracked the cultural moment they arrived in and sometimes, how far ahead of it they were. While many critics leaned into consensus, Ebert had a habit of planting his flag early. He championed genre films that broke form, camp oddities with hidden teeth, and experimental misfires that turned out to be visionaries in disguise. And while some of his contemporaries scoffed, audiences—and time—caught up. He didn't always love what was fashionable; he loved what endured. This list rounds up 10 films Ebert vocally supported, even when it meant standing alone. Some were commercial flops. Some were critically reviled. Some were just… misunderstood. But all of them have since found their audience, and in some cases, their legacy. Call them cult classics, guilty pleasures, or misunderstood masterpieces—whatever the label, one thing's clear: Roger Ebert was usually right.
