MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on "Culture Junkies Live!" talking Film Critics vs. Film Fans

Facebook is the main place that I’ve come to know and commiserate with Kenan Cross, part of the Culture Junkies network of genre-loving content creation. Their YouTube channel and Twitch presence are outstanding. In their brand’s Facebook group, I play “the ringer” as the vetted and RT-approved film critic surfing in the discussion thread. Kenan invited me on recently to talk with his squad all about that work landscape during a time when the “critics vs. fans” debate couldn’t be higher

2023, Interview, Media Appearance, Podcast, Social Media, StreamingDon ShanahanAugust 28, 2023Culture Junkies, Culture Junkies Live, YouTube, YouTube channel, Twitch, film critics, film fansComment

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on the 100th "Kicking the Seat" podcast of 2017 talking "Star Wars: The Last Jedi"

For the second time in a month, the hard-working host of the "Kicking the Seat" podcast, Ian Simmons, invited Every Movie Has a Lesson to join the barstool daius for his 100th show of 2017. Fitting for the milestone century number is the central film of the discussion: Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Ian was joined by his regular partner-in-crime David J. Fowlie of Keeping it Reel and Emmanuel Noisette of E-Man's Movie Reviews. The four us go deeply into SPOILERS, so buyer beware.

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on "E-Man's Movie Reviews" podcast for "Justice League"

Emmanuel Noisette of the newly updated E-Man's Movie Reviews called for a wingman on a team-up movie. He was kind enough to invite me to represent Every Movie Has a Lesson on a recorded SPOILER-FILLED podcast of our immediate reactions after watching the Zack Snyder/Joss Whedon concoction of Justice League. We sit down and discuss what we saw, what we liked, and didn't like.

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on "Kicking the Seat" podcast talking "Justice League"

This past week, I was cordially invited and honored to join a panel on the "Kicking the Seat" podcast hosted by Ian Simmons. As always, Ian is joined by his regular wingman David Fowlie of Keeping it Reel. We left a seat warm for mutual friend Emmanuel Noisette of E-Man's Movie Reviews, but he couldn't make it. Ian, David, and I have talked comic book movies before, so it was only proper to get together for Justice League.

GUEST CRITIC #25: It

Emmanuel Noisette of Eman's Movie Reviews is an emerging film critic tackling both written and video reviews. His YouTube channel is must-watch and automatic-subscribe material. Emmanuel is one of the co-directors with me of the Chicago Independent Film Critics Circle. Between us two busy Chicago critics and working fathers, Emmanuel and I are orchestrating a trade of "guest reviews" for each other's sites. Horror is not my cup of tea and he was all over It.

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on the "Page 2 Screen" podcast talking 20 years of "L.A. Confidential"

I joined Jeff York recently as his guest for a special 20th-anniversary 35mm screening of 1997's Oscar-winning L.A. Confidential at the storied Music Box Theatre as part of the Noir City Chicago Festival. As an added treat, author James Ellroy was in the house to kick things off with an expletive-laden bang. After the screening, he and I hunkered down in Frio Gelato near the theatre to share our admiration and examination of Curtis Hanson's masterpiece.

Film Festival, Media Appearance, Podcast, Social Media, SPECIAL, Vintage ReviewDon ShanahanSeptember 9, 2017Frio Gelatopodcast discussion, Podcast, podcasting, podcast guest, podcast, International Screenwriters' Association, ISA, Curious About Screenwriting, Curious About Screenwriting Network, Page 2 Screen, Page 2 Screen podcast, Jeff York, Jeffrey York, Jeff York Caricatures, The Establishing Shot, CIFCC, Chicago Independent Film Critics Circle, film critics, Post-film reactions, Post-film roundtable, Post-movie reactions, movie critics, movie critic, screenwriters, Brian Helgeland, Curtis Hanson, James Ellroy, Noir City, Noir City Chicago, Noir City Chicago Film Festival, Festival coverage, L.A. Confidential, film review, movie review, movie commentary, film commentary, vintage review, Top 5, Top 5 list, Frio Gelato, Music Box Theatre, life lessons from films, life lessons from film, life lessons from movies, 1997, 1997 films, 20th AnniversaryComment

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Discussing July and the top films of 2017 on the "Reel Talker" podcast

Fellow CIFCC critic and director Jim Alexander of Reel Talker extended the invitation for me to co-host a new episode of his podcast. On this installment of the Reel Talker podcast, Jim and I discuss the July movie releases and which we consider hits or flops. Also, he and I disclose our Top 10 movie lists through the halfway point of 2017. Jim and I had very different picks, chock full of surprises!

MEDIA APPEARANCE: "Feelin' Film" podcast minisode on "Detroit"

Kathryn Bigelow's new film Detroit deserves the attention and lightning rod attraction it hopes to receive. Her historical drama is unrelenting in weight and topical in its parallels to similar and remaining mistreatment still happening today. On the same night as seeing an advance screening, three critics got together to unpack and reaction to Detroit. Aaron White, one of the hosts of the Feelin' Film Podcast, invited me and fellow Chicago critic Emmanuel Noisette of Eman's Movie Reviews to put our thoughts and feelings into words.

MOVIE REVIEW: A Ghost Story

Welcome to the polarizing gamut of engagement, acceptance, and disquiet of A Ghost Story. This is a wholly original film that takes preparation, patience, absorption, and reflection that some, or even many, may not be ready for. Presented in the rounded and claustrophobic corners of a centered 1.33:1 aspect ratio, it is safe to say, you will see nothing like this all year and maybe several more.

2017, 3 STARS, Film Festival, Independent Film, MOVIE REVIEWDon ShanahanJuly 12, 2017Music Box Theatre2017, 2017 Chicago Critics Film Festival, 5th Chicago Critics Film Festival, David Lowery, A Ghost Story, Sundance Film Festival, 2017 Sundance Film Festival, Casey Affleck, Rooney Mara, Andrew Droz Palermo, Terrence Malick, Emmanuel Lubezki, Daniel Hart, Dark Rooms, I Get Overwhelmed, Annell Brodeur, Ain't Them Bodies Saints, aspect ratio, polarizing, CIFCC, Music Box Theatre, Virginia Woolf, A Haunted House, patience, ghost stories, life lessons, independent film, A24 Films, A24, life lessons from movies, life lessons from film, film review, movie review, film commentary, movie commentary, Donald Shanahan, Don Shanahan, Every Movie Has a Lesson, Pete's Dragon, social commentary, film critics, film critic, movie critic, movie critics, Chicago Film Critics Association, film festival, Festival coverage, Festival reviewComment

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on Eman's Movie Reviews audio podcast for "Spider-Man: Homecoming"

Friend-of-the-page Emmanuel Noisette of Eman's Movie Reviews invited me to record the beginnings of a new podcast for his brand. Because his YouTube reviews tend to be spoiler-free, these new chats will be spoiler-filled reactions and discussions. As always, we have a fun back-and-forth as two guys free of "fanlexia" to praise Spider-Man: Homecoming. Enjoy!

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

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on Episode 3 of the "Reel Talker" podcast hosted by Jim Alexander

Episode 3 of the Reel Talker Podcast is all about Wonder Woman. I was invited again to join Jim Alexander, my fellow co-founder and co-director of the Chicago Independent Film Critics Circle. Jim brings up his frustrations with the early Wonder Woman critic reactions while I discuss my favorite moments of the film and why I think it can be an inspirational movie. We also debate where Wonder Woman ranks among DC movies. All that and more in the Reel Talker podcast!

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