MOVIE CLASSROOM: Updated archive on YouTube channel

In returning to my "Movie Classroom" series of interactive whiteboard video reviews with new vigor, new skills, and new tools, I wanted to bring back and upload my old video attempts to my Every Movie Has a Lesson YouTube channel. In a massive file drop, I recently uploaded 29 of my past Movie Classroom videos from 2014, including winners like Whiplash and Birdman. Head over and reminisce on some fine films and commentary by yours truly.

2014, 2015, Independent Film, MOVIE REVIEW, Social Media, SPECIAL, VIDEO REVIEWDon ShanahanJune 8, 20172014, 2015, Movie Classroom, interactive whiteboard app, interactive whiteboard, video review, movie commentary, film commentary, YouTube, ShowMe, social media platform, social media, film critics, movie critics, critics reactions, movie review, film review, life lessons, life lessons from film, life lessons from movies, life lessons from films, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Birdman, Boyhood, Calvary, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Chef, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Draft Day, Edge of Tomorrow, The Equalizer, Get On Up, Godzilla, Gone Girl, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Guardians of the Galaxy, Happy Christmas, Magic in the Moonlight, A Most Wanted Man, Neighbors, The One I Love, Sex Tape, Snowpiercer, St. Vincent, They Came Together, Whiplash, The Zero TheoremComment

EDITORIAL: Movies and the 9/11 impact

ANNUAL UPDATE: I'm here for an editorial on the anniversary of 9/11 to showcase a few movies, both serious and not-so-serious, that speak to that day whether as a tribute, remembrance, or example of how life has changed since that fateful day. Enjoy!

Column, Editorial, SPECIALDon ShanahanSeptember 11, 20169/11, 9/11 films, 9/11 movies, Films based on 9/11, Movie based on 9/11, Films affected by 9/11, Movies affected by 9/11, 9/11 anniversary, War on Terror, Ghostbusters, Independence Day: Resurgence, Independence Day, The Walk, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Godzilla, Star Trek Into Darkness, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Man of Steel, Olympus Has Fallen, White House Down, Patriots Day, Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk, Sully, American Sniper, Captain America: The First Avenger, Live Free or Die Hard, We Are Marshall, Hitch, National Treasure, Miracle, Million Dollar Baby, Ladder 49, Elf, Gangs of New York, Spider-Man, The Amazing Spider-Man, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Spider-Man 2, We Were Soldiers, Black Hawk Down, Behind Enemy Lines, The Last Castle, Pearl Harbor, The Patriot, Air Force One, Rambo III, Charlie Wilson's War, Jarhead, Courage Under Fire, V for Vendetta, The Sum of All Fears, Fight Club, Arlington Road, Munich, Syriana, The Dark Knight Rises, The Siege, True Lies, Pushing Tin, Turbulence, Executive Decision, Passenger 57, Airplane!, Cloverfield, War of the Worlds, Watchmen, Deep Impact, Armageddon, The Day After Tomorrow, King Kong, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Superman, Boyhood, The Fifth Estate, Snowden, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, Source Code, Bridesmaids, Iron Man, Harold and Kumar Escape Guantanamo, Snakes on a Plane, Soul Plane, Anger Management, The Terminal, An Inconvenient Truth, Fahrenheit 9/11, 25th Hour, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, 13 Hours, Good Kill, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, A Most Wanted Man, Lone Survivor, Zero Dark Thirty, Act of Valor, Restrepo, Green Zone, Dear John, The Lucky One, Brothers, Taking Chance, The Messenger, Stop-Loss, Body of Lies, In the Valley of Elah, Lions of Lambs, The Kingdom, Rendition, Grace is Gone, The Hurt Locker, Home of the Brave, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Remember Me, Reign Over Me, World Trade Center, United 93, Big Trouble, The Time Machine, Serendipity, Zoolander, Men in Black II, Sidewalks of New York, City by the Sea, Collateral Damage, The Glass House, Hardball, Rock Star, Soul Survivors, The Musketeer, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Ocean's 11, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, New York, New York City, The Pentagon, Afghanistan, Iraq, Editorial, War movies, film commentary, movie commentary, social commentary, SPECIAL, ANNUAL, Donald Shanahan, Don Shanahan, Every Movie Has a LessonComment

COLUMN: The 10 Best Films of 2014

Getting into the numbers, I reviewed twenty four-star films and twelve five-star gems. That means my final "10 Best" list are all champs with two that had to be bumped to lead the next ten. From there, my four-star reviews were ranked from 12-20 and then honorable mention. In keeping with the hook of my website, each of my "10 Best" are presented with their best life lesson and linked full reviews. Enjoy!

MOVIE REVIEW: A Most Wanted Man

This is still a bit of a tough sell. I think there's a large audience that wants explosions and sexiness with their spy thrillers. Some are going to call all of this quiet work boring and maybe even somber, matching some of the mainstream thoughts on other John le Carre film adaptations like "The Tailor of Panama," "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," "The Constant Gardner," and "The Russia House." Exciting or not, the man writes incredibly good thrillers. I see past the need for action and love that the devil is in the details. The slow burn factor works in "A Most Wanted Man" with compelling and steadily increasing story developments that maintain your investment.

CHECKLIST: 2014 Late Summer Movie Calendar

Here is the master list of releases and dates for the late half of this summer movie season for 2014. Print it out, slap it on the fridge, and pick your spots. As always, dates and movies shift all of the time, so look before you drive out to the theater. Full preview coming up next!

2014, Column, EditorialDon ShanahanJune 20, 2014July 2014 movies, July 2014 films, July 2014 releases, Tammy, Deliver Us From Evil, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Boyhood, And So It Goes, Sex Tape, The Purge: Anarchy, Planes: Fire and Rescue, Wish I Was Here, Mood Indigo, Hercules, Lucy, Step Up: In All, Magic in the Moonlight, A Most Wanted Man, Happy Christmas, Guardians of the Galaxy, Get On Up, Cavalry, What If, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Hundred-Foot Journey, Into the Storm, The Expendables 3, The Giver, Let's Be Cops, Life After Beth, The One I Love, The Trip to Italy, August 2014 films, August 2014 movies, August 2014 film releases, August 2014 movie releases, Sin City: A Dame To Kill For, If I Stay, When the Game Stands Tall, Frank, Jessabelle, The Loft, The November Man, Underdogs, The Congress, Life of CrimeComment

EDITORIAL: The 15 films to watch for the 2015 Oscars

Once one awards season ends, another one begins! The winners from last night's 86th Academy Awards can bask in the glow of immortality for a while. Meanwhile, business in Hollywood will quickly shift and move on to the 87th Academy Awards that will happen in February or March of 2015. Here are 15 films to watch for the 2015 Oscars.