AWARDS: Winners of the 2nd Annual Celebrity Film Awards

This past week, the Celebrity Film Awards announced their official list of 2023 movie winners. The 2nd Annual Celebrity Film Awards was broadcast live on Friday, February 24 on the official CFA YouTube channel. Flying flags to represent the United States, Film Obsessive, and Every Movie Has a Lesson, yours truly (along with a few familiar peers) is a proud member of this international group of critics, filmmakers, and influencers.

AWARDS, EVENT, NEWS, Social MediaDon ShanahanFebruary 28, 2023Celebrity Film Awards, Best DirectorComment

OSCAR PREDICTIONS 2018: My full and official list of predictions

All of the tea leaves on my 2018 Awards Tracker have been read. The analysis and breakdown. My seven editorial columns of detailed picks are complete using my head more than my heart. These aren't my personal choices of what "should" win. It's what I think "will" win because you and I have got Oscar pools to dominate! Here's my complete and master list of predictions for the 90th Academy Awards.

2018, Column, Editorial, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanFebruary 28, 2018Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Original Screenplay, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Foreign Language Film, Best Animated Feature, Best Animated Short Film, Best Documentary Feature, Best Documentary Short Subject, Best Live Action Short Film, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hair-Styling, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Original Score, Best Original Song, Academy Award winner, Academy Award nominations, Academy Award, Academy Award nominee, Academy Award nominees, Academy Awards, Academy Award hopeful, 90th Academy Awards, 90th Oscars, 2018, 2017 films, Get Out, The Shape of Water, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri, Oscar snubs, Oscar hopefuls, Oscar Checklist, Oscar nominee, Oscars, Oscar winners, Oscar, Oscar race, Oscar contenders, Oscar bait, Oscar talks, Oscar Predictions, Oscar surprises, Oscar nominations, Awards seasons, Awards, Awards Predictions, Awards bait, Awards Talk, Awards Tracker, Award Prediction, Checklist, checklist, List, list, 2018 Oscar Predictions Comments

OSCAR PREDICTIONS 2018: The race for Best Picture

Throughout the awards season, I’ve been tallying the minor and lead-up award winners in all of the Oscar categories on the 2018 Awards Tracker as a big source of my prognostication data. In this seventh post, we look at the race for Best Picture. As I say every year, stick with me and I will win you your Oscar pool!

2017, 2018, Best Films, Column, Editorial, SPECIALDon ShanahanFebruary 28, 2018Best Picture, The race for Best Picture, Best Motion Picture of the Year, Academy Award hopeful, Academy Award nominee, Awards Talk, Academy Award, Academy Award winner, Academy Award nominees, Awards Tracker, Awards seasons, Award Prediction, Awards, Awards Predictions, Awards bait, Oscar Predictions, Oscar nominee, Oscar nominations, Oscar winners, Oscar snubs, Oscar hopefuls, Oscars, Oscar talks, Oscar contenders, Oscar Checklist, Oscar, Oscar surprises, Oscar bait, #OscarsSoWhite, Oscar race, 90th Oscars, 90th Academy Awards, 2018 Academy Awards, 2018, 2018 Oscars, 2017 films, Academy Awards, Academy Award nominations, Best Director, Call Me By Your Name, Darkest Hour, Dunkirk, Get Out, Lady Bird, Phantom Thread, The Post, The Shape of Water, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing MissouriComment

OSCAR PREDICTIONS 2018: The writing and directing categories

Throughout the awards season, I’ve been tallying the minor and lead-up award winners in all of the Oscar categories on the 2018 Awards Tracker as a big source of my prognostication data. In this fourth post, we look at the screenplay and directing awards.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Beguiled

The transitive verb “beguile,” as defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, means “to engage the interest of” or “lead by deception.” Hoodwink and divert are synonyms. Director Sofia Coppola’s remake of The Beguiled means to charm our corsets and britches off right in line with its title’s root definition. Methodically and dastardly, the film wishes to seduce us with a heightened intrigue of challenged sexual repression.

2017, 3 STARS, ADVANCE MOVIE REVIEW, Film Festival, MOVIE REVIEW, Independent FilmDon ShanahanJune 25, 20172017, 2017 Summer Movies, 2017 Cannes Film Festival, Cannes winners, Cannes Film Festival, Cannes, Festival de Cannes, Best Director, Sofia Coppola, beguile, Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Don Siegel, Clint Eastwood, Nicole Kidman, Colin Farrell, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning, Angourie Rice, Oona Laurence, Emma Howard, Addison Riecke, Thomas Cullinan, Phillip Le Sourd, Sarah Flack, Stacey Battat, Anne Ross, Phoenix, movie review, film review, movie commentary, film commentary, film festival, Festival review, festival preview, remakes, movie remake, life lessons, life lessons from movies, life lessons from film, Life lessons, Donald Shanahan, advance movie review, Don Shanahan, Every Movie Has a Lesson, CIFCC, independent film, independent films, indie filmComment

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on the "Feelin' Film" post-Oscars podcast

One of the perks of becoming a regular blogging contributor on a podcast site is getting the occasional chance to appear on the actual podcast. Aaron White, one of the hosts of "Feelin' Film," connected time zones to bring myself and Popcorn Confessional critic Steve Clifton together for an extended post-Oscar wrap-up show. Listen to our reactions, rants, loves, and heartbreaks to both the 89th Academy Awards and the website's first annual "Feeler's Choice Awards."

2017, Media Appearance, Podcast, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanFebruary 28, 20172017, 2017 Oscars, 2017 Oscar Predictions, Academy Award nominations, Academy Award, Academy Awards, Academy Award winner, Academy Award nominees, Academy Award nominee, 2017 Academy Awards, 89th Academy Awards, 89th Oscars, 90th Academy Awards, 90th Oscars, Oscar hopefuls, Oscar surprises, Oscar bait, Oscar Checklist, Oscar nominee, Oscar nominations, Oscar race, Oscar snubs, Oscar contenders, Oscar, Oscar Predictions, Oscars, #OscarsSoWhite, Oscar talks, Oscar winners, Awards bait, Awards, Awards Talk, Feeler Awards, Feelin' Film, Aaron White, Steve Clifton, Popcorn Confessional, Twitter, Feeler, fan-voting, Awards seasons, Awards Tracker, Award Prediction, Awards Predictions, SAG Award, BAFTA, Best Sound, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Motion Picture, Best Film Editing, Best Actor, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Actress, Best Animated Film, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Animated Short Film, Best Animated Short, Best Animated Feature, La La Land, Moonlight, Manchester by the Sea, Best Art Direction, Best Production Design, Best Screenplay, Best Sound Editing, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Musical Score, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Live Action Short Film, Best Foreign Language Film, Best Costume Design, Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Documentary Short Subject, Best Documentary Feature, Best Documentary, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Mixing, Best Short Film, Best Live Action Short, Best Foreign Film, Donald Shanahan, Don Shanahan, Every Movie Has a LessonComment

EDITORIAL: Final 2017 Awards Tracker and Oscar Reactions

Between the prestigious Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday and the Academy Awards on Sunday, here are the final tallies for the 2017 Awards Tracker and my overall Oscar reactions in each category. Enjoy and see you this November when we fire all of this up again for the 90th Academy Awards!

2017, Column, Editorial, SPECIALDon ShanahanFebruary 27, 20172017, 2016 films, 2017 Awards Tracker, 2017 Academy Awards, 2017 Oscars, 2017 Oscar Predictions, Oscar talks, Oscars, Oscar bait, Oscar hopefuls, Oscar nominee, Oscar nominations, Oscar race, Oscar contenders, Oscar, Oscar Checklist, Oscar Predictions, Oscar surprises, Oscar snubs, Oscar winners, #OscarsSoWhite, 89th Oscars, 89th Academy Awards, Best Picture, The race for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Actress, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Song, Best Original Score, Best Documentary Short Subject, Best Musical Score, Best Live Action Short, Best Live Action Short Film, Best Animated Feature, Best Animated Short Film, Best Animated Short, Best Short Film, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Film Editing, Best Production Design, Best Documentary, Best Documentary Feature, Best Directing, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Makeup and Hair-Styling, Best Sound, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Foreign Language Film, Best Foreign Film, Best Visual Effects, Best Screenplay, Awards Tracker, Awards Talk, Awards seasons, Awards, Award Prediction, Awards Predictions, Academy Awards, Academy Award winner, Academy Award nominees, Academy Award nominee, Academy Award nominations, Academy Award, Awards bait, SAG Award, Editorial, Column, Don Shanahan, Donald Shanahan, Every Movie Has a LessonComment

OSCAR PREDICTIONS 2017: My full and official list of predictions

The 2017 Awards Tracker is full, the teas leaves have been read, the races have been broken down, and every category has been analyzed. I've made my detailed picks in seven columns and editorials over the past week. Here's my complete and master list. I've said it all along. Stick with me and I will win you that Oscar pool at home or at work! Use this as your checklist and cheat sheet of choice!

2017, Column, Editorial, SPECIALDon ShanahanFebruary 23, 20172017 Academy Awards, 2017, 2017 Oscars, 2017 Oscar Predictions, 89th Academy Awards, 89th Oscars, Awards Talk, Award Prediction, Awards, Awards bait, Awards Tracker, Awards seasons, Awards Predictions, Academy Award winner, Academy Award nominations, Academy Award nominees, Academy Awards, Academy Award nominee, Academy Award, Oscar winners, Oscar bait, Oscar, Oscar contenders, Oscar Predictions, Oscar snubs, Oscar race, Oscar talks, Oscar surprises, Oscar nominations, Oscars, Oscar hopefuls, Oscar nominee, List, Checklist, Oscar Checklist, Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Picture, The race for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Screenplay, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Foreign Language Film, Best Animated Feature, Best Animated Short Film, Best Documentary Feature, Best Documentary Short Subject, Best Live Action Short Film, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hair-Styling, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Original Song, Best Original Score, Don Shanahan, Donald Shanahan, Every Movie Has a LessonComment

OSCAR PREDICTIONS 2017: The writing and directing awards

In this fourth post, we look at the writing and directing awards covering Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Stick with me and I will win you your Oscar pool!

SPECIAL: Winners announced for the first annual CIFCC Awards!

The 28 film critics and voting members, including yours truly, of the Chicago Independent Film Critics Circle completed their final ballots in 25 categories for their first annual CIFCC Awards. The CIFCC hosted an invitation-only awards reception at Transistor Chicago on January 8, 2017.

2016, 2017, Independent Film, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanJanuary 9, 2017Transistor ChicagoAwards, Awards Talk, CIFCC, CIFCC Awards, Chicago Independent Film Critics Circle, 2016 CIFCC Awards, Oscar hopefuls, Ava DuVernay, 13th, Jacqueline Stewart, Charles Musser, Pioneers of African-American Cinema, Yorgos Lanthimos, The Lobster, The Love Witch, Anna Biller, Atmo Horrox, Piper, Doctors Strange, Swiss Army Man, La La Land, Justin Hurwitz, Tom Cross, Madeline Fontaine, David Wasco, Linus Sandgren, Viola Davis, Mahershala Ali, Manchester by the Sea, Natalie Portman, Jackie, Casey Affleck, Barry Jenkins, Tarell Alvin McCraney, Kenneth Lonergan, Damien Chazelle, Southside with You, Richard Tanne, Kubo and the Two Strings, Travis Knight, Laika, The Fits, Anna Rose Holmer, O.J.: Made in America, The Handmaiden, Best Independent Film, Best Studio Film, Best Foreign Film, Best Documentary, Best Microbudget Film, Best Animated Film, Best Chicago Film, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Ensemble, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Editing, Best Original Score, Best Makeup, Best Visual Effects, Best Short Film, Best Undistributed Film, Trailblazer Award, Impact Award, Donald Shanahan, Don ShanahanComment

COLUMN: Who should win/will win the 2017 Golden Globes?

What you're watching on TV on Sunday night is a party thrown by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association hosted by Jimmy Fallon in an effort to be loved and share some love. It’s a popularity contest more than a true Oscar precursor. The winners do get a pretty positive rub and the marketers gain a few more "Winner of..." graphics to put in the newspapers next to their films and we get Brendan Fraser GIFs.

SPECIAL: First annual CIFCC Awards nominations

Capping off their inaugural year, the members of newly-formed Chicago Independent Film Critics Circle, of which I am a director and co-founder, have announced their nominees for their first annual CIFCC Awards. Their voting membership of 28 members strong completed ballots over the holidays with the goal of three final nominees in 25 categories. They will commence a final round of voting ending on January 1, 2017 and host an invitation-only awards banquet at Transistor Chicago on January 8, 2017.