In other movies of this type, the whizzy sci-fi often becomes the place where all money, effort, and speed was spent, shortchanging any balance of patience to highlight characters or create tangible emotions. Going back to the likes of Real Steel, Date Night, the Night at the Museum series, and Free Guy on his resume, Shawn Levy has established a proven forte at producing shining and human sources of wonder next to the dashing delights. He’s made another crowd-pleasing and heart-filling winner here with The Adam Project.

2022, 4 STARS, Home Media, MOVIE REVIEW, StreamingDon ShanahanMarch 10, 2022The Adam Project, Shawn Levy, Ryan ReynoldsComment

MOVIE REVIEW: Turning Red

The good storytellers at Pixar take all the possible cringeworthy “red” jokes and mask them through creatively conceived metaphors that soften the obligatory embarrassment with heart, humor, and courage. After all, to the Chinese culture on display in Turning Red, the potentially frightening shade of crimson counts as a lucky color of vitality, success, and happiness. Leave it to the ever-reliable Pixar to swim freely within that intrinsic good fortune as they so often do.

2022, 4 STARS, ADVANCE MOVIE REVIEW, MOVIE REVIEW, StreamingDon ShanahanMarch 7, 2022Turning Red, Pixar, Pixar PunchComment

MOVIE REVIEW: The Batman

Not to sound like a barista at a coffee shop, but we’ve reached a point after 83 years of character history across innumerable pages and screens that one has to ask, “How do you take your Batman?” Do you need emblematic cream, sugar, ice, extra caffeine, froth, or some similar fancy twist? If you take it black, filmmaker Matt Reeves has a trenta special called The Batman with your name on it.

MOVIE REVIEW: Death on the Nile

In his second screen appearance as the famed private investigator Hercule Poirot, both the camera and our eyes are magnetized to Kenneth Branagh. There are drop dead gorgeous and expressive characters gallivanting all around, and we can’t pull away from the diminutive observer with that prominent mustache and those impeccable suits. Watch him in character.

2022, 4 STARS, ADVANCE MOVIE REVIEW, MOVIE REVIEWDon ShanahanFebruary 7, 2022Death on the Nile, Kenneth BranaghComment

MOVIE REVIEW: A Journal for Jordan

For all intents and purposes in telling the memoir of Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Dana Canedy, Washington has a movie that encircles patriotism, duty, the War on Terror, gender politics, Black love, colourism, the plight of military spouses, substitute fatherhood, legacies, and more. Each is treated in an ultra-respectful fashion. Even with heavy emotions in play, none of those issues are shouted at with either favoritism or admonishment. In standing firm as it does, there’s a heap of bravery across many people and places to be found in A Journal for Jordan.

2021, 4 STARS, MOVIE REVIEWDon ShanahanDecember 28, 2021A Journal for Jordan, Denzel Washington, Michael B. Jordan, Chante AdamsComment

MOVIE REVIEW: American Underdog

That’s why American Underdog carries the kind of story we may never see again. Kurt Warner is a special individual and, as history shows, more than his athletic prowess. Fewer stories this past quarter-century were riper for cinematic celebration and fewer hero worship subjects were more deserving. Go ahead and lionize this man. He’s the real deal and he earned it.

2021, 4 STARS, ADVANCE MOVIE REVIEW, MOVIE REVIEWDon ShanahanDecember 22, 2021American Underdog, Kurt Warner, Zachary LeviComment

MOVIE REVIEW: Spider-Man: No Way Home

The successes spring forth from the roller coaster of crowd reactions between cheers and tears that you yourself will undoubtedly witness (or share) at your own theater visit. Imagine if everything you eventually see was a protected surprise and that measurement goes through the multiplex roof even further. Top to bottom from a production standpoint and crowned with a smile from ear to ear, this is what big screen escapism and dream fulfillment looks like at the highest level.

2021, 4 STARS, ADVANCE MOVIE REVIEW, MOVIE REVIEWDon ShanahanDecember 16, 2021Spider-Man, Spider-Man: Far From Home, Spider-Man: No Way HomeComment

MOVIE REVIEW: West Side Story

Though the nostalgic director has rightfully earned a carte blanche status from galactic success to make whatever he wants, it feels like Spielberg had not really challenged himself for the better part of the last two decades. Yet, here he is making his first musical with the energy of a man half or even a quarter of his age. Populated with fresh faces, sung with fiery voices, and varnished with spirited hues of toughness and beauty, his resulting West Side Story can win over the purists and cure those remake value worries. We (myself included) can put the memes away for this one.

2021, 4 STARS, ADVANCE MOVIE REVIEW, MOVIE REVIEWDon ShanahanDecember 3, 2021West Side Story, 20th Century Studios, Ariana DeBose, David AlvarezComment

MOVIE REVIEW: King Richard

Almost predictably, some folks are not going to key into the bold messages of King Richard. What’s cloying for some is exactly the rightful heft and positive intentions for others. Even if the movie is too long in its gradual sculpture of its future stars, the movie means to inspire and has the perfect popular subjects for celebration to do just that. King Richard will mean something, and that’s the greater success than filmmaking. There’s too much good truth to share, both in the biographical department and in the familial saga of prime life lessons. Once again, passing on it all would be a mistake.

2021, 4 STARS, MOVIE REVIEW, StreamingDon ShanahanNovember 19, 2021Comment

MOVIE REVIEW: The Harder They Fall

Readying its eager and loose dramatic license, the opening message of The Harder They Fall begins with “While the events of this story are fictional…” and changes to proclaim “These. People. Existed.” fading in one word at a time with those table-slamming periods. Consider that an emphatic shout to be heard that is louder than any broken bone or gunshot that follows in this Netflix release. The indignation seething from this movie is warranted and gladly received.

MOVIE REVIEW: No Time to Die

Pushing new discipline, they realigned their creative engine to strip the rote and antiquated character’s foundation back down to its very studs. Progressive change was needed for a new era of geopolitical influences and a new leading man who favored toughness over suaveness. Cinematic dalliances that burned hot, moved with excitement, and extinguished themselves quickly were given depth that was previously rare or entirely dismissed.

2021, 4 STARS, ADVANCE MOVIE REVIEW, MOVIE REVIEWDon ShanahanOctober 5, 2021AMC River East 21James Bond, No Time to DieComment

MOVIE REVIEW: Surge

The answers to those measured questions are what makes Surge starring the award-winning Ben Whishaw so alarming and downright terrifying. Set over the course of just under two days in London and shot guerilla-style with handheld cameras that weave through the crowds and shifting locations, Surge careens through one man’s unpredictable downward spiral and the isolated damage it causes. These kinds of movies are certainly not for everyone, but this one is a fascinating test of stamina and understanding.