MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on the "Kicking the Seat" live YouTube recap for "Wandavision" Episode 6

A “spooktacular” Halloween episdoe of Marvel’s WandaVision on Disney+ brought out fun, new character, old costumes, and some new informations. We’re getting past interesting and heading to must-see TV. Each week, Ian Simmons of Kicking the Seat will host our usual quartet, including myself, Emmanuel Noisette of E-Man’s Movie Reviews, and David Fowlie of Keeping it Reel stand to be “Earth’s Mightiest Critics” conducting LIVE “wecap” shows on YouTube. We’ve been loving where this show is going and think you will too. Catch us every Friday at 8:30pm CST! Here’s our chat for Episode 6. More than anything else, come see the dork painted up as Vision!

Media Appearance, Podcast, Social Media, SPECIAL, 2020Don ShanahanFebruary 13, 2021AMC River East 21Kicking the Seat, WandaVisionComment

MOVIE REVIEW: Malcolm & Marie

Malcolm & Marie is nothing short of emotional pugilism. Not a hair is harmed on any head, mind you, yet hearts, feelings, and psyches are pummelled and destroyed over the tumultuous course of its 106 hard minutes on Netflix. It is a wringer of an experience that remarkably takes its loud and large volume of delicately vicious battery and orchestrates mesmerizing renewal that is downright captivating.

2020, 2021, 5 STARS, Independent Film, MOVIE REVIEW, StreamingDon ShanahanFebruary 5, 2021Malcolm & MarieComment

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on the "Kicking the Seat" live YouTube recap for "Wandavision" Episode 5

Bounding out of the stride-breaking fourth episode last week, the fifth episdoe of Marvel’s WandaVision on Disney+ increased the conflict and suspense both inside the “hex” and out. The creators are packing this show with mounds of details each time out and the actors are increasing their committed character work. Each week, Ian Simmons of Kicking the Seat will host our usual quartet, including myself, Emmanuel Noisette of E-Man’s Movie Reviews, and David Fowlie of Keeping it Reel stand to be “Earth’s Mightiest Critics” conducting LIVE “wecap” shows on YouTube. We’ve been loving where this show is going and think you will too. Catch us every Friday at 8:30pm CST! Here’s our chat for Episode 5:

Media Appearance, Podcast, Social Media, SPECIAL, 2020Don ShanahanFebruary 5, 2021AMC River East 21Kicking the Seat, WandaVisionComment

MOVIE REVIEW: Supernova

Harry Macqueen’s sophomore feature film takes its name from the celestial phenomenon of “the explosion of a star in which the star may reach a maximum intrinsic luminosity one billion times that of the sun.” We even watch the far off flicker of one occurring pre-credits. “Maximum intrinsic luminosity” meaning peak essential brightness, eh? Yes, that can aptly describe the very earthly power of Supernova’s loving relationship and the brimming personalities united in that bond.

2020, 2021, 4 STARS, Home Media, MOVIE REVIEW, Streaming, Video on DemandDon ShanahanFebruary 4, 2021Comment

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on the "Kicking the Seat" live YouTube recap for "Wandavision" Episode 4

The fourth episode of Marvel’s WandaVision playing on Disney+ sharply broke stride from the sitcom format to be one of the most sophisticated “clips” episodes you’ll ever see for any show. Histories were formed, theories were destroyed, and any lollygagging that annoyed casual viewers was smoked with new stakes. Each week, Ian Simmons of Kicking the Seat will host our usual quartet, including myself, Emmanuel Noisette of E-Man’s Movie Reviews, and David Fowlie of Keeping it Reel stand to be “Earth’s Mightiest Critics” conducting LIVE “wecap” shows on YouTube. Catch us every Friday at 8:30pm CST! Here’s our talk for Episode 4:

Media Appearance, Podcast, Social Media, SPECIAL, 2020Don ShanahanJanuary 29, 2021AMC River East 21Kicking the Seat, WandaVisionComment

SHORT FILM REVIEW: The Shout Out

Shout-outs are cute tributes that are morsel-sized by design, which is what makes the short film medium an ideal spot to play with them as a storytelling engine. Husband and wife filmmakers Charlotte Barrett and Sean Fallon (A Bad Feeling/The Phantom Menace) use The Shout Out to spin the impact, boundaries of length, and that desired purpose of positivity that comes with those quick tributes.

2020, 2021, 3 STARS, Independent Film, SHORT FILMS, MOVIE REVIEWDon ShanahanJanuary 24, 2021Comment

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on the "Kicking the Seat" live YouTube recap for "Wandavision" Episode 3

After two stylishly establishing episodes, the third episode of Marvel’s WandaVision playing on Disney+ looks to jump a little more on that springboard of grabbing interest. The questions and the role players are multiplying with this comic book deep dive and I’m along for the ride. “Earth’s Mightiest Critics” have punched their streaming ticket for this ride! Each week, Ian Simmons of Kicking the Seat will host our usual quartet, including myself, Emmanuel Noisette of E-Man’s Movie Reviews, and David Fowlie of Keeping it Reel, conducting LIVE “wecap” shows on YouTube. Catch us every Friday at 8:30pm CST! Here’s our talk for Episode 3:

Media Appearance, Podcast, Social Media, SPECIAL, 2020Don ShanahanJanuary 22, 2021AMC River East 21Kicking the SeatComment

SPECIAL: Nominees for the 24th Online Film Critics Society Awards

The largest group of online film critics has spoken! Today, the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS), of which I am a member representing Every Movie Has a Lesson, announced their nominees for their 24th annual film awards. The OFCS, which is comprised of nearly 300 film critics from around the world, will be announcing the final winners on January 25, 2021. Here’s the list of nominees from OFCS. I think the voting body did an outstanding job celebrating 2020’s best.

2020, 2021, SPECIALDon ShanahanJanuary 19, 2021Comment

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on the "Kicking the Seat" live YouTube recap for "Wandavision" Episodes 1 and 2

Marvel’s brand-new foray into episodic television with WandaVision playing in Disney+ has brought out a first for me here on Every Movie Has a Lesson, namely talking television instead of movies. Ask anyone who knows me as a long-time cable cutter. I don’t consume anywhere near the content volume of the average viewer. Getting to talk about comics-based fun with “Earth’s Mightiest Critics” the way we do after movies created an easy exception to give TV a try. Each week, Ian Simmons of Kicking the Seat will host our usual quartet, including myself, Emmanuel Noisette of E-Man’s Movie Reviews, and David Fowlie of Keeping it Reel, conducting LIVE “wecap” shows on YouTube. Catch us every Friday at 8:30pm CST!

Media Appearance, Podcast, Social Media, SPECIAL, 2020Don ShanahanJanuary 18, 2021AMC River East 21Kicking the SeatComment

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on the "Kicking the Seat" YouTube channel talking "Wonder Woman 1984"

Back in December, I took my place among “Earth's Mightiest Critics” on Ian Simmons’ YouTube channel for Kicking the Seat to close out 2020 with the bizarre and divisive Wonder Woman 1984. Myself, Ian, David Fowlie of Keeping it Reel, and Emmanuel Noisette of E-Man’s Movie Reviews threw our lassos around the mixed back of a sequel. Enjoy our spoiler-packed round table digs into comics origins, missed opportunities, surprisingly effective heart-over-head moments, and the down side of politically charged comic-book movies.

Media Appearance, Podcast, Social Media, SPECIAL, 2020Don ShanahanJanuary 17, 2021AMC River East 21Kicking the SeatComment

COLUMN: The 10 Best Movies of 2020

Nothing seems to define 2020 like a long sigh and a deep breath. This past year likely makes the record books with all kinds of trivia nuggets and asterisks. Folks didn’t get to see all the movies they hoped for, but I’ve been telling people all year that “absence makes the heart grow fonder.” The last movie I saw in a theater was Onward on March 2nd, adding up to 304 days (and counting since) without a visit to the big screen. Sure, I miss it as a guy that used to go out 2-3 times a week, but movies can wait and so will I. After all, we’re surviving a pandemic and movies count as #firstworldproblems.

2020, Best Films, Column, Editorial, LIST, SPECIALDon ShanahanJanuary 13, 2021Comment

SPECIAL: Winners of the fifth annual Chicago Indie Critics Awards

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, directed by George C. Wolfe and adapted from August Wilson’s stage play, dominated this year’s CIC Awards, winning seven of its nine nominations. Topmost, the Netflix original film was named the Best Studio Film in a tie with another offering from the streaming leader, Best Director winner Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom also won awards for adapted screenplay, lead actor, lead actress, ensemble cast, costume design, and makeup.