The majority of movie audiences prefer their happy endings. Too often, screenplays are written with an exorbitant magic eraser, one stronger than anything made by Mr. Clean, to make sure any unsightly tragic blemishes are wiped clean in time for the credits when people go home. Savvy moviegoers know real-life drama isn’t that easy to erase and true happiness is far more difficult to earn, rather than luck into. Actress turned filmmaker Tamara Bass shows that she is someone who understands that reality. On that account, her film If Not Now, When? is an uncommon movie that tempers the illusions of automatic bliss.

2021, 3 STARS, Independent Film, MOVIE REVIEWDon ShanahanJanuary 7, 2021Comment

GUEST EDITORIAL: Perfecting the Art of the Binge

by Kevin Gardner

With the advent of online streaming services, a new kind of television experience became popular: the binge watch. More and more shows aren't just enjoyable to binge watch; they're built that way. Like the book you can't put down, there are some shows that you just know will have you saying "one more episode, just one more episode" until the wee hours of the morning. So whether the new season of your favorite streaming show just dropped or you're planning to marathon your favorite movie franchise, here are a few ways you can make sure that your next binge watch is as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.

2021, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, SPECIALDon ShanahanJanuary 5, 2021Comment

COLUMN: Best Movies That Can Inspire Kids to Be More Active

by Sandra Manson

Kids are naturally fast learners, and they quickly grab information, especially when they are between the age of one to four. Training your kids has moved on from pointing out pictures to them on hardcopy books — you can now do more, thanks to the TV. Unlike in the past, when televisions were a symbol of luxury and not a necessity, you can actually afford a TV now, and what's more, is that you can use it to teach your kids several things.

2021, Column, Editorial, Home MediaDon ShanahanJanuary 5, 2021Comment

EDITORIAL: A Celebration of Tom Tykwer, Germany's Finest Renaissance Man

Perhaps best known for the terrifying, yet romantic film Perfume, Tom Tykwer has many other titles up his sleeve. There are few people in the world of blockbusters who do so much of the work themselves. However, there aren't so many people who have even heard of Tom Tykwer. Though he is most famous for his directing accolades, he's also a composer, editor and sits on the board of Berlin's International Film Festival. This is a celebration of Tom Tykwer, a true renaissance man, and a selection of his most brilliant films.

2021, Column, Editorial, Foreign Film, Home MediaDon ShanahanJanuary 5, 2021Comment

GUEST CRITIC #52: The Players Club

by Lafronda Stumn

As busy I get from time to time, I find that I can't see every movie under the sun, leaving my friends and colleagues to fill in the blanks for me. As poetically as I think I wax about movies on this website as a wannabe critic, there are other experts out there. Sometimes, it inspires me to see the movie too and get back to being my circle's go-to movie guy. Sometimes, they save me $9 and you 800+ words of blathering. In a new review series, I'm opening my site to friend submissions for guest movie reviews.

GUEST CRITIC, Independent Film, MOVIE REVIEW, Social Media, Foreign Film, 2021Don ShanahanJanuary 3, 2021Comment

COLUMN: New Year's Resolutions for the Movie Industry for 2021

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. Annually, including this tenth edition, I have fun taking the movie industry to task for things they need to change. I have no false internet courage to be a Twitter troll. As always, some resolutions come true while others get mentioned and reiterated every year. Boy, was this a turd of a year for the movies, eh? There’s so much to say about so little that transpired with a predominantly locked-down marketplace.

Column, Editorial, LIST, Social Media, SPECIAL, 2021Don ShanahanJanuary 1, 2021Comment