The Peerless Mr. Corliss

It’s painful to try to find words to describe our cherished film critic Richard Corliss, who died April 23 at 71, since Richard was such a master of them. They were his tools, his toys, to the point that it felt sometimes as though he had to write, like the rest of us breathe and eat and sleep. It’s not clear that Richard ever slept, for the sheer expanse of his knowledge and writing defies the normal contours of professional life.

Everyone who had the pleasure of working with him has stories of his kindness, his quirks, his humor, his obsessions, the bright, fresh breezes of his head and heart. And the many millions more who had the pleasure of reading him found the most engaging and trustworthy guide not just to which movies were worth seeing but to the sprawling variety of his interests and passions. Our tributes and a sampling of his writing from his 35 years at TIME (which you can find at time.com/corliss) allow us to savor the immense range and excellence of his work as one of the world’s most important voices on film and so many other subjects.

We will miss him terribly, and our prayers are with his beloved wife Mary.

Nancy Gibbs, EDITOR

LIGHTBOX

When a friend offered him a helicopter ride over the Netherlands’ vast tulip fields, “it was an offer I couldn’t refuse,” says aerial and nature photographer George Steinmetz. His approach to capturing the vibrant patchwork of orchards was to go with his gut: “If you think too much, you screw things up.” See more photos at lightbox.time.com.

NOW ON TIME.COM

Our series You Asked answers your questions on a range of popular health, science and tech topics. Here, a sampling of what’s at time.com/youasked:

Should I use antibacterial soap?

In a word, no. Evidence suggests that the risks outweigh any benefit.

How many friends do I need?

A handful of close ones is ideal for well-being; quality trumps quantity.

Are the honeybees still disappearing?

Unfortunately, yes. An average winter reduces their numbers by 30%.

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