Posts tagged The Railway Man
MOVIE REVIEW: Churchill
MOVIE REVIEW: Churchill

Brian Cox one of the most underappreciated character actors in the business today.  He has been an accomplished and terrifically versatile mainstay through all levels and genres of film for over thirty years since turning our heads as cinema’s first Hannibal Lecktor in Michael Mann’s Manhunter.  Cox is a consummate performer, brimming with fervid screen presence.  From Braveheart to Super Troopers, he is never the weak link to any picture.  Churchill offers a rare lead performance from Cox and, like the chameleon he’s always been, he reminds us of his indomitable intensity.

Read More
2017, 3 STARS, Foreign Film, Independent Film, MOVIE REVIEW, Video on DemandDon Shanahan2017, 2017 Summer Movies, Churchill, Jonathan Teplitzky, Alex von Tunzelmann, Brian Cox, John Slattery, Miranda Richardson, Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour, Joe Wright, Winston Churchill, Sir Winston Churchill, The Railway Man, Burning Man, British Bulldog, Operation Overlord, D-Day, World War II, World War II movies, Julian Wadham, James Purefoy, Bernard Montgomery, King George VI, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Eisenhower, Clementine Churchill, David Higgs, Lorne Balfe, Care Hall, prosthetics, Michael Mann, Manhunter, Hannibal Lecktor, Braveheart, Super Troppers, leaders, Prime Minister, movie review, film review, movie commentary, film commentary, historical drama, Biopics, war films, anti-war films, life lessons, life lessons from film, life lessons from movies, foreign film, independent films, independent film, Every Movie Has a Lesson, Don Shanahan, Donald ShanahanComment
COLUMN: The 10 Best Films of 2014
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! 

Read More
10 Best, 2014, Column, Editorial, SPECIALDon ShanahanThe Equalizer, A Most Wanted Man, Calvary, Get on Up, Magic in the Moonlight, They Came Together, The Edge of Tomorrow, Edge of Tomorrow, X-Men: Days of Future Past, The Railway Man, Two Days One Night, Big Hero 6, St. Vincent, Still Alice, Nightcrawler, Interstellar, Chef, Guardians of the Galaxy, The LEGO Movie, The Lego Movie, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, The One I Love, The Imitation Game, Birdman, American Sniper, Gone Girl, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Boyhood, Whiplash, 10 Best Films of 2014, 10 Best, Best of 2014, Top 10 list, 2014Comment
MOVIE REVIEW: Unbroken
MOVIE REVIEW: Unbroken

The scope of this year's slate of biographical films culminates with "Unbroken," the story of Olympian and World War II veteran Louis "Louie" Zamperini.  Of all of this year's biopics, this is the one with the highest profile that you've been hearing about for the better part of two years.  This is the one getting the widest release, right here on Christmas Day.  This is the one with the most continuous Oscar hope since the end of last year's Academy Awards.  Even on this very website, in an editorial of long-range Oscar picks for 2015, on the day after the 2014 Oscars, I handicapped and predicted "Unbroken" as the most likely eventual Best Picture frontrunner.  Was all of the hype and all of the anticipation rewarded?  Would it rank a success or a failure as a biographical film?

Read More
2014, 4 STARS, MOVIE REVIEWDon ShanahanLouis Zamperini, Louie Zamperini, Angelina Jolie, Jack O'Connell, Domhnall Gleason, Jai Courtney, The Bird, The Railway Man, Unbroken, Ethan Coen, Joel Coeh, The Coen Brothers, Japanese prison camps, Olympics, World War II, Roger Deakins, Alexandre Desplat Comment
EDITORIAL: The Best of 2014 (so far)
EDITORIAL: The Best of 2014 (so far)

Here are my picks for the "Best of 2014 (so far)" with a halfway count of the five best instead of the full ten.  It must be said, that I have far from seen every possible 2014 film entry.  Plenty of mainstream and arthouse films have eluded me and my busy schedule, but there is enough to talk about here.   As always, in matching with the theme of my website, I couple the best-so-far selection with the film's best life lesson.  Enjoy!

Read More
2014, Column, Editorial, 10 BestDon Shanahan2014, 2014 winter movies, 2014 Spring Movies, 2014 Summer Movies, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Lego Movie, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Chef, The Railway Man, Best of 2014, 10 Best Films of 2014, Best of 2014 (so far), Best of 2014 so far, Year's best, Best Films of 2014, Best Movies of 2014, Awards Talk, Award Prediction, Awards Predictions, 87th Academy Awards, Editorial, movie commentary, movie review, film review, film commentary, life lessons, life lessons from film, life lessons from movies, 10 BestComment
MOVIE REVIEW: The Railway Man
MOVIE REVIEW: The Railway Man

In my opinion, very few actors have established themselves with their performance history to the point that their presence alone is an automatic sign of elevated quality towards an entire film.  Call it "street cred" on a casual level or "artistic integrity" on a professional level, but few actors and actresses are near-guarantees for solid and award-worthy performances every time they take on a role.  By my account, Academy Award winner Colin Firth has elevated to become one of those rare performers.  He's outstanding in everything he takes on, comedy or drama, and the films he chooses become better with him being there.

Read More
2014, 4 STARS, MOVIE REVIEWDon ShanahanA Single Man, War Horse, Hiroyuki Sanada, Patti Lomax, Malaysia, World War II, Eric Lomax, The Railway Man, film review, Jeremy Irvine, 2014 Spring Movies, Nicole Kidman, life lessons from movies, life lessons, Stellan Skarsgard, Japanese prison camps, Autobiography, The King's Speech, movie commentary, Tanroh Ishida, life lessons from film, Colin Firth, POW, Thai-Burman Railway, movie reviewComment