To me Roger Ebert fills the role of legendary but I'm not sure I could think of anyone else. Like all movie critics, Ebert would sometimes express opinions that

To me Roger Ebert fills the role of legendary but I'm not sure I could think of anyone else. Like all movie critics, Ebert would sometimes express opinions that would surprise or vex me, but - more or less uniquely to him - by the end of his reviews I would usually come to respect and somewhat understand his opinion despite the fact that I did not share it.