Question: An interesting post. Do you have any rules of thumb about writing spoilers? I ask because sometimes it is hard to tell where to draw the line. Also, do you have any rules about writing notes during a viewing?

Ebert: What I sometimes try to do is, refer to an event in a movie in a way that means one thing if you’ve seen it but another thing, although making sense, if you haven’t. For example (spoiler!) this line from my “Zack and Miri” review: “This does not happen easily, and is accompanied by a flood of scatological humor.” Rules about writing during movie: Do so, but not with an illuminated pen!