EDITORIAL: Is "Casino Royale" the Best Bond Film?

The debate over which of the many great films in the James Bond canon is the best could go on and on for decades. The series has produced some excellent films that balance action and drama around Agent 007 while on Her Majesty’s Secret Service. The films have helped define what an action movie can accomplish and set the standard for film franchises that series like the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the Harry Potter films have tried to emulate, somehow managing to make each movie distinctive and yet fit perfectly into the wider canon. Casino Royale has quickly become a fan favourite and is one of the most financially successful Bond films of any era, but is it the best Bond film? This is what we are going to try and find out.

2020, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanDecember 10, 2020Comment

MOVIE REVIEW: Wild Mountain Thyme

Unfortunately, this moment of the borrowed title song getting its proper spotlight is the rustic crest of this movie. Wild Mountain Thyme tries so hard to climb higher. Its romance is constantly saddled with blindness that misses the point of the lyrics. It’s as if the refrain of “will ye go” in the song is stuck by the living embodiment of “s--t or get off the pot” instead. There’s real beauty there, it’s a shame the movie didn’t have it other than the scenery. In the words of one of Ireland’s ancient language, dia ár sábháil!

1 STAR, 2020, ADVANCE MOVIE REVIEW, Home Media, Independent Film, MOVIE REVIEW, Streaming, Video on DemandDon ShanahanDecember 9, 2020Comment

MOVIE REVIEW: The Midnight Sky

Humanity rightly becomes the beautiful and ruminative zenith of The Midnight Sky. It occupies a reality that could match the here-and-now as much as it defines its fictional future when addressing the helpful and harmful effects of both minute and broad human actions. Clooney’s combined work on this drama is forthright with its altruism and free of forced villainy. True to the earlier introduction, this experience to be cherished rises to be about character more than crisis, which is where poignant performances take over. Their benevolence is mesmerizing and their endurance beyond is moving.

2020, 5 STARS, ADVANCE MOVIE REVIEW, Home Media, MOVIE REVIEW, Streaming, Video on DemandDon ShanahanDecember 9, 2020 Comments

COLUMN: Most Memorable Movie Soundtracks Ever

There are loads of film soundtracks that you may feel resonate with you. The best ones can hold their own without the film. But which ones have touched the most fan’s hearts around the world? When it comes to music in the movies, it’s all about details. Touches like the hard or soft hit on the hi-hat drum on the best reviewed hi hats can build tension or excitement. Like a long, drawn-out note on a violin or cello, other instruments can add nostalgia, dramatic flair, or suspense. Let’s check out which soundtracks have most hit home.

2020, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, LISTDon ShanahanDecember 9, 2020Comment

GUEST COLUMN: 5 of the Most Impactful Movies About Climate Change

by Kevin Gardner

Everyone knows that there is nothing that can get you quite as emotional, excited, or invested like a good movie, and there are plenty of good movies out there. Watching movies about health and wellness might have the power to get you to cut down on your sugar intake, and watching movies about rescue pets might push you to adopt an animal. Therefore, watching a movie about climate change might just get you invested in environmental justice.

2020, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home Media, Documentary, SPECIALDon ShanahanDecember 9, 2020Comment

GUEST COLUMN: The Top 10 Female Action Heroes

by Nicholas H. Parker

Mad Max: Fury Road is one of the best action films ever made, and it's being recognized not only for its incredible vehicular mayhem, but for its introduction of one of the strongest female action heroes seen in the cinema: Imperator Furiosa played by the excellent Charlize Theron. The film is named after Mad Max (Tom Hardy), but the film could arguably actually be led by Theron's redemption seeking desert-badass, a war rig General to an evil dictator that has finally had enough and decides to steal his most precious possession: His model wives that serve as his breeding stock. Theron not only fights Max to a draw (with one arm, no less!) but also reveals herself to be fearless, as she rams her monster rig through pursuing war parties, and dangles on the outside of speeding vehicles. In honor of Imperator Furiosa, here are the top ten female action heroes of all time.

2020, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, LISTDon ShanahanDecember 6, 2020 Comment

GUEST COLUMN: The Worst of Navy SEAL War Movies

by John M. Caviness

Everyone knows what a Navy SEAL is. These secretive commandos are so uniquely popular in our American culture that they've become like celebrities. Whether it's jumping into an NFL football game, or having characters based on them in the latest video games, SEALs are assumed by Americans the country over to be the best of the Special Forces community. And because they are so very popular, they've popped up in many films, especially within the last two decades. Not all of these films though obtain the quality of character that is required of SEALs themselves. Here are the worst.

2020, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Independent Film, Home MediaDon ShanahanDecember 6, 2020Comment

GUEST COLUMN: Top Most Influential Action Films

by Diane H. Wong

There are thousands of inconsequential action films: Uninspired, rote, and derivative of everything that has come before. Who remembers 1992's Freejack starring Emilio Estevez and Mick Jagger? Or Costner in 2014's 3 Days to a Kill? These are films that are forgotten almost as quickly as they're released for the simple reason that they are just photocopy templates of much better action films. And then there are the tentpole pictures, the influential action films, the ones that decades later, everyone still remembers, the films that have earned a place in our cultural collective. These are the films that inspire all the many other thousands of copycat films.

2020, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home MediaDon ShanahanDecember 6, 2020Comment

GUEST COLUMN: Top Time Travel Movies

by Hannah Butler

The ability to move back and forth in time has long fascinated writers and filmmakers. H. G. Wells popularized the idea in 1895 with his novel The Time Machine, which has had multiple film and TV adaptations. Since then the notion of traveling through time – whether through deliberate choice or bizarre accident – has been a popular theme in movies. Here are the ones that will likely survive the test of time.

2020, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home MediaDon ShanahanDecember 6, 2020Comment

GUEST COLUMN: Best and Worst Criminal Investigation War Movies

by William S. Andrews

Criminal investigations in the military are a bit different than in the civilian world. There are consequences to speaking as a witness when half the community's population outranks you. Plus, it's a community filled with people who kill for a living. Consequently, criminal investigations that take place in the military can be very thrilling and vastly entertaining to watch on film. Or, depending on the filmmaker, they can also be really painful. Here are the best and the worst criminal investigation war movies.

2020, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home MediaDon ShanahanDecember 6, 2020Comment

GUEST EDITORIAL: The Top 5 Plot Holes in "Teminator Genisys"

by Richard L. Woodard

What was once great love I felt for the Terminator franchise has turned into hate, most especially after seeing Terminator Genisys. Prior to seeing the film, I wrote an article attempting to explain the increasingly convoluted chronology, as well as an article detailing the plot holes in the franchise thus far. Then after watching the film, which was horrible, I realize both that the chronology is completely destroyed and I have to write this article just to focus on the plot holes in this one film! Arnold Schwarzenegger, if you ever make another Terminator film, a pox on your house!

2020, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home MediaDon ShanahanDecember 6, 2020Comment

GUEST COLUMN: The Greatest Holiday Films to Watch Together with Someone Special

by Rebecca Shinn

There is nothing like enjoying a cozy night of holiday movies with someone you cherish. During the lockdown, it is a very welcome choice indeed. Staying in and having a safe but entertaining time is all the more important nowadays. We will give you a list of the most loved holiday movies so you won't run out of great options to watch.