MEDIA APPEARANCE: Participant in "World of Reel" Critics Poll for Best Modern Film of Francis Ford Coppola

As I have grown in press credentials and professional affiliations nationally, I have found myself landing in circles with other film critics of various levels. Recently, I was included in a poll for voting critics for Jordan Ruimy of World of Reel, a fellow Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. His survey was to collect picks for the best film of famed director Francis Ford Copolla (The Godfather series, Apocalypse Now) from over 100 critics and other industry folk. I was honored to chime in with my vote for 1997’s The Rainmaker to be included with some very high professional company.

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Participant in "World of Reel" Critics Poll for Best Films of the 1950s

As I have grown in press credentials and professional affiliations nationally, I have found myself landing in circles with other film critics of various levels. Recently, I was included in a poll for voting critics for Jordan Ruimy of World of Reel, a fellow Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. His survey was to collect picks for the best films of the 1950s from over 120 critics and other industry folk. I was honored to chime in with my top five selections to be included with some very high professional company.

Media Appearance, Social Media, SPECIAL, LIST, Best Films, 2024Don ShanahanApril 12, 2024World of Reel, Jordan RuimyComment

COLUMN: My 10 Best Movies of 2023

For me, 2023 was the embodiment of the Ferris Bueller quote: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Yup, that was my year as a husband, father, school teacher, podcaster, editor, and movie critic. The continuing stresses of my work-life balance occasionally morphed into joys where, when the flow was right, chasing movies didn’t matter. Normally, I would regret the blind spots, but this was a year where I didn’t completely.

10 Best, 2024, 2023, Column, Editorial, LIST, Best FilmsDon ShanahanJanuary 1, 202410 Best, 10 Best Films of 2023, ListComment

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Participant in "World of Reel" Critics Poll to rank the best of Martin Scorsese

As I have grown in press credentials and professional affiliations nationally, I have found myself landing in circles with other film critics of various levels. Recently, I was included in a poll with over 110 voting critics by Jordan Ruimy of World of Reel, a fellow Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. His survey tallying votes for our choices for the best Martin Scorsese films. He asked for our Top 3 and did the math from there. It’s an honor to be invited and included!

Media Appearance, Social Media, SPECIAL, LIST, 2023, Best FilmsDon ShanahanOctober 13, 2023World of Reel, Jordan Ruimy, Martin Scorsese, Goodfellas, Hugo, CasinoComment

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Participant in "World of Reel" Critics Poll for best Christopher Nolan film

As I have grown in press credentials and professional affiliations nationally, I have found myself landing in circles with other film critics of various levels. Recently, I was included in a poll for voting critics for Jordan Ruimy of World of Reel, a fellow Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. His survey was to collect votes for the single best Christopher Nolan from over 110 critics and other industry folk. I was honored to chime in with my vote of Memento to be included with some very high professional company. Enjoy the article and list. Check out your boy!

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Participant in "World of Reel" Critics Poll for best films so far in 2023

As I have grown in press credentials and professional affiliations nationally, I have found myself landing in circles with other film critics of various levels. Recently, I was included in a poll for voting critics for Jordan Ruimy of World of Reel, a fellow Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. His survey was to collect the best films from the first half of 2023 from over 100 critics and other industry folk. I was honored to chime in with my top five selections to be included with some very high professional company. Enjoy the article and list. Check out your boy!

Media Appearance, Social Media, SPECIAL, LIST, 2023, Best FilmsDon ShanahanJuly 27, 2023World of Reel, Jordan RuimyComment

COLUMN: My 10 Best Movies of 2022

Closing a year, as usual, means getting out the scorecard and making a “10 Best” list. This one didn’t take much agony and neither will my second year of voting for the Critics Choice Awards and Hollywood Film Critic Awards and seventh year with my own Chicago Indie Critics group with many of these movies in mind. I’ve had this list up on Letterboxd and presented them on TikTok, but the homebase deserves its annual post.

Best Films, Column, Editorial, LIST, SPECIAL, 2022Don ShanahanDecember 26, 20222022, Best of 2022, 10 Best, 10 Best Films of 2002, ListComment

20 YEAR RETROSPECTIVE: The best of the rest of 2002

In an annual series, Every Movie Has a Lesson is going to look back twenty years to revisit, relearn, and reexamine a year of cinema history to share favorites, lists, and experiences from the films of that year. When measuring back as far as twenty years or more, I feel like “favorites” that have stood the test of time have aged to become some level of “best.” I feel like a bunch of those populate my reflective look back at the best of the rest of 2002.

Column, Editorial, Retrospective, SPECIAL, 2022, Best FilmsDon ShanahanDecember 25, 20222002Comment

20 YEAR RETROSPECTIVE: The 10 Best Films of 2002

In an annual series, Every Movie Has a Lesson is going to look back twenty years to revisit, relearn, and reexamine a year of cinema history to share favorites, lists, and experiences from the films of that year. When measuring back as far as twenty years or more, I feel like “favorites” that have stood the test of time have aged to become some level of “best.” I feel like a bunch of those populate my reflective look back at the best of 2002.

Best Films, Column, Editorial, LIST, Retrospective, SPECIAL, 2022Don ShanahanDecember 25, 2022Saint Joseph's College2002, 10 Best, 10 Best Films of 2002Comment

COLUMN: My 10 Best Movies of 2021

Nevertheless, the day job work was harder, family life was harder, the balance between them both was harder. It was all wonderful, but harder. Compared to 94 published reviews on Every Movie Has a Lesson in 2020, I only published 67 this past year (with a good two dozen still in the draft folder), including my 1000th on this site in its 11th year of service. Even with a lower written output, the personal growth of it all hasn’t stopped.

Best Films, Column, Editorial, LIST, SPECIAL, 2021, 2022Don ShanahanJanuary 2, 2022Comment

20 YEAR RETROSPECTIVE: The best of the rest of 2001

In an annual series, Every Movie Has a Lesson is going to look back twenty years to revisit, relearn, and reexamine a year of cinema history to share favorites, lists, and experiences from the films of that year. When measuring back as far as twenty years or more, I feel like “favorites” that have stood the test of time have aged to become some level of “best.” I feel like a bunch of those populate my reflective look back at the best of the rest of 2000.

Best Films, Column, Editorial, Retrospective, SPECIAL, 2020Don ShanahanDecember 30, 20212001, 9/11Comment

20 YEAR RETROSPECTIVE: The 10 Best Films of 2001

In an annual series, Every Movie Has a Lesson is going to look back twenty years to revisit, relearn, and reexamine a year of cinema history to share favorites, lists, and experiences from the films of that year. When measuring back as far as twenty years or more, I feel like “favorites” that have stood the test of time have aged to become some level of “best.” I feel like a bunch of those populate my reflective look back at the best of 2001.