PODCAST: Episode 89 of "The Cinephile Hissy Fit" Podcast

For their 89th episode, two green film critics, two perfect stranger dads, and two hulking school teachers Will Johnson and Don Shanahan step into the arena of TV, but not far from the movie universe of Marvel to discuss the recent She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Disney+ series. In defending the show against its hot take criticisms, our two hosts also review Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a whole in looking ahead to what's coming next from the top blockbuster factory in the business.

Cinephile Hissy Fit, Podcast, 25YL, Media AppearanceDon ShanahanNovember 20, 2022Cinephile Hissy Fit, Podcast, Will Johnson, 25YL, Black Panther, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Chadwick BosemanComment

PODCAST: Episode 88 of "The Cinephile Hissy Fit" Podcast

For their 88th episode, two pointy-eared film critics, two war-painted dads, and two non-scientific school teachers Will Johnson and Don Shanahan burn the midnight oil straight out of the press screenings for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The thoughts are raw and so is the conversation between Will, the eternal Marvel shill, and Don, the critic feeling the superhero fatigue more and more. They're ready for the big holiday hitter.

Cinephile Hissy Fit, Podcast, 25YL, Media AppearanceDon ShanahanNovember 11, 2022Cinephile Hissy Fit, Podcast, Will Johnson, 25YL, Black Panther, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Chadwick BosemanComment

MOVIE REVIEW: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Viewers and fans will contemplate whether Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was the best Ryan Coogler and company could have done with their tragic circumstances. They will wonder if this pivot and royal escalation was the right approach. At some point, all of those questions (and others) have dual contexts between what they mean on-screen and off. Those questions also do not have a universal best, right, or perfect answer. For better or worse, we are now past “must” and the show emphatically goes on.

2022, 4 STARS, ADVANCE MOVIE REVIEW, MOVIE REVIEWDon ShanahanNovember 8, 2022Black Panther, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Leticia Wright, Angela Bassett, Winston Duke, Ryan Coogler, Tenoch Huerta MeijaComment

COLUMN: The 10 Best Films of 2018

If this teacher/critic learned anything himself this year it’s to more consistently define the difference between “favorite” and “best.” Often they are different measures, yet it is a special distinction when some films can be both. That’s a whole bunch of those of this definitive 2018 list. All ten and a few extra were no-doubt five-star films for me. True to this website’s specialty, each film will be paired with its best life lesson. Enjoy!

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Returning to "Black Panther" as a guest on the "Kicking the Seat" podcast

About six months ago, the unofficial "Comics Council" guest dais of Ian Simmons' Kicking the Seat podcast sung the praises of Ryan Coogler's Black Panther. We knew then during that episode that we just watched something special that was going to explode and resonate with audiences beyond the multiplex. Sure, enough we were right. Ian, David Fowlie of Keeping It Reel, Emmanuel Noisette of E-Man's Movie Reviews, and myself made a pact then to revisit the film and expand on our first discussion. Welcome to our returning second spin, this time collected via Skype, with the Wakandan King and all his victorious results.

2018, Media Appearance, MOVIE REVIEW, Podcast, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanJuly 25, 2018AMC River East 21Black Panther, Kicking the Seat, Kicking the Seat podcast, Ian Simmons, David J. Fowlie, David Fowlie, Keeping it Reel, Emmanuel Noisette, E-Man's Movie ReviewsComment

COLUMN: 2018 Box Office Predictions

With Black Panther showing no signs of slowing down, what films coming in 2018 can make similar dents in our wallets? What blockbusters could put up big time numbers? Can anything catch Black Panther? I know the oddsmakers and informative websites like Sports Betting Dime can be a great resource for answering those questions and examining the field. In a quick list and editorial, let’s handicap and predict 10 contenders that could rule the 2018 box office.

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on "Kicking the Seat" podcast talking "Black Panther"

Due to scheduling hurdles, the usual comic book film roundtable called in by the Kicking the Seat Podcast hosted by Ian Simmons had to merge their voices over the fun for an extended and perky podcast to cover Marvel's record-shattering blockbuster phenomenon, Black Panther! Ian was joined by myself, David Fowlie of Keeping it Reel, and Emmanuel Noisette of Eman's Movie Reviews.

MOVIE REVIEW: Marshall

Can you learn about a popular band by listening to their B-sides instead of their greatest hits? Can you get a sense of the brilliance within a writer from their early drafts and not their published masterpieces? Can you spot the traits of a future Hall of Fame sports legend solely by their work in college or the minor leagues before the professional ranks? The answer to each is quite likely the same: sometimes, but not always. Tally one in the sometimes column for Reginald Hudlin’s Marshall and its biographical podium choice.

4 STARS, 2017, Chicago Film Festival, Film Festival, MOVIE REVIEWDon ShanahanOctober 12, 201753rd Chicago International Film Festival53rd Chicago International Film Festival, Chicago International Film Festival, CIFF, CIFCC, #StandUpForSomething, Marshall, Biopics, Biographical films, lawfare, NAACP, Reginald Hudlin, Hidden Figures, Serving Sara, Boomerang, dramatic license, drama, legal drama, courtroom drama, Supreme Court, U.S. Supreme Court, E-Man's Movie Reviews, Eman, Eman's Movie Reviews, Emmanuel Noisette, Chadwick Boseman, Black Panther, Mr. Biopic, Joseph Spell, State of Connecticut vs. Joseph Spell, White Savior, white savior, Josh Gad, Dan Stevens, James Cromwell, Sam Friedman, Sterling K. Brown, 42, Get On Up, Kate Hudson, Opening Night Film, Opening Night Gala, Brown vs. Board of EducationComment

MOVIE REVIEW: Captain America: Civil War

The absolute proof of the intact Marvel formula is the elevated scope and confidence given to "Captain America: Civil War." Spinning as a dual sequel to 2014's "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" and last year's "Avengers: Age of Ultron" and following the darkly-operatic-yet-similarly-premised competitor "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice," this film survives a few glaring imperfections and overweight ambition to maintain the Marvel flagship. It plays it safe because it knows safe works for their brand and satisfies the masses. They know they're getting their cash registers out and hiring extra accountants. To others looking for more risk, you've come to the wrong place.

2016, ADVANCE MOVIE REVIEW, MOVIE REVIEW, 3 STARSDon ShanahanMay 3, 2016Navy Pier IMAXSebastian Stan, Falcon, Disney/Marvel, Jeremy Renner, Steve Rogers, Ant-Man, film commentary, Robert Downey Jr., Marvel Phase 3, Henry Jackman, Spider-Man, Paul Bettany, Marvel Entertainment, Scarlett Johansson, Stephen McFeely, Clint Barton, Every Movie Has a Lesson, Bucky Barnes, Crossbones, Chadwick Boseman, Peter Parker, Don Shanahan, Captain America: Civil War, movie review, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Christopher Markus, Tom Holland, The Avengers, life lessons from films, Frank Grillo, Anthony and Joe Russo, Wanda Maximoff, 2016, War Machine, Squad goals, Life lessons, life lessons from film, life lessons from movies, Don Cheadle, Elizabeth Olsen, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Iron Man, movie commentary, Collateral damage, Black Widow, Chris Evans, Helmut Zemo, The Winter Soldier, 2016 Summer Movies, Anthony Mackie, Hawkeye, Paul Rudd, IMAX, The Incredible Hulk, Scott Lang, Daniel Bruhl, Marvel Films, 3D, summer blockbusters, Sokovia, Thunderbolt Ross, Captain America: The First Avenger, T'Challa, Black Panther, William Hurt, Tony Stark, life lessons, Scarlet Witch, Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Donald Shanahan, film review, Compromise, Marvel, Marvel Comics, Vision Comment

COLUMN: New Year's Resolutions for the Movie Industry in 2016

As I say every year, plenty of regular everyday people make New Year's Resolutions, but I think bigger entities, namely movie makers and movie moguls, need to make them too. Over the life of this website, this is my absolute favorite editorial to write every year. I have fun taking the movie industry to task for things they need to change. I'm sarcastic, but I'm not the guy to take it to the false internet courage level of some Twitter troll. This will be as forward as I get all year.