Let's make this birthday one to remember.

79 years old (Born on January 26, 1946)

Happy Birthday, Gene Siskel! While most of us stumble through life giving questionable ratings to pizza shops and Netflix series, nobody did thumbs-up quite like you. Your legendary debates with Roger Ebert turned cinematic quarrels into art forms and kept popcorn manufacturers very happy indeed.

Even today, your thoughtful critiques remind us why movies matter—humorously reminding filmmakers that a good narrative beats explosions every time (although a bit of popcorn-friendly spectacle never hurts). Here’s hoping the great screening room in the sky provides endless reels of four-star classics. Two enthusiastic thumbs up for a timeless critic whose reviews deserve their own sequel!