ARE STRAUSS AND WHIPP 'SNOBS'?

Dear L.A. Life: You should get new movie reviewers. The two you have - Bob Strauss and Glenn Whipp - are snobs of the highest order! Either that, or you are not doing what a local paper is supposed to do. That is informing its readers what entertainment is available in local theaters that they might be interested in seeing.

Examples Strauss and Whipp could not be bothered reviewing: ``Eye of the Beholder,'' ``Restaurant,'' ``Snow Falling on Cedars,'' ``Down to You,'' ``My Dog Skip,'' ``Bicentennial Man,'' ``Liberty Heights,'' to name a few.

However, they did review some things called ``The Cup'' and ``The Big Tease'' that you'd have to drive to Santa Monica or West Hollywood to view.

And they gave ``Topsy-Turvy'' - one of the most highly praised movies by East Coast critics - only a thumbnail review and didn't even rate it.

Also, the summaries they did on the coming movies for 2000 were insulting to all concerned - both the makers of the movies and potential audience members.

Your television reviewer (David Kronke) is much better - he gives straight-forward reviews and doesn't try to be cute. In addition, he's also a lot better looking.

- Clayton F. Meyer

Santa Clarita 

Editor's note: Many of the movies Mr. Meyer mentioned in his letter were, in fact, reviewed by Bob Strauss, Glenn Whipp or other Daily News staff members (Strauss and Whipp can't possibly see and write about every movie released).

``Eye of the Beholder'' was reviewed by Daily News staff writer Marla Matzer Rose. ``Restaurant'' only appeared in one theater in Los Angeles, and there was no screening for the press. ``Snow Falling on Cedars'' was reviewed by Glenn Whipp. ``Down to You'' was not screened for the press, but the Daily News ran a wire review. ``My Dog Skip'' and ``Bicentennial Man'' were reviewed by Daily News staff writer Valerie Kuklenski, and ``Liberty Heights'' was reviewed by Whipp.