GUEST ESSAY: Architecture as a Vessel: "The Fifth Element"

By Coleman Coddington

Architecture in The Fifth Element functions as a vessel for the narrative of the film. The architecture is reminiscent of a utopian society in which the majority of objects are automated and function autonomously from human intervention. With this comes a certain level of disconnection between the characters and the buildings within the film. Architecture in The Fifth Element serves little purpose to the characters other than housing the events they partake in. Architecture remains ordinary and typical, allowing it to not become very prominent and distracting in the film. However, Besson has caused the opposite reaction. In viewing the film, the built environment almost becomes suspicious to the viewers. Since it consistently seems to be removed from the characters and events, viewers begin to wonder why it appears in the form it does

2020, Column, Essay, EditorialDon ShanahanJanuary 9, 2020 Comment

GUEST EDITORIAL: Five Lessons from "The Fault of Our Stars"

“My greatest fear in life is oblivion. I wouldn’t want to live without being remembered after I’m gone.” This line is from Augustus Waters, One of the lead characters from the movie The Fault in Our Stars which is an adaptation of John Green’s teen novel, “The Fault in Our Stars.” The movie is a heartbreaking story of a young girl Hazel Grace whose battle with metastatic thyroid cancer has left her with little rays of hope for life. Her condition and constant battle for her life defines the storyline of the movie.

2020, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home Media, Independent FilmDon ShanahanJanuary 9, 2020Comment

COLUMN: My Top 100 Movies of the 2010s

To build a master list, I turned to the Pub Meeple Ranking Engine. I entered a list of just under 200 five-star and high four-star movies and let the hundreds of clickable “versus” matchup permutations slot everything. It’s really a slick tool, and it nailed my results. The cream of the rose to the top, just as they should. I’ve said this before on other lists, but this is more about “best” than “favorites.” Also, I did not include documentaries. Quality edges easy entertainment more often than not. Here are the results with a little commentary here and there in between!

COLUMN: New Year's Resolutions for the Movie Industry for 2020

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 eighth edition, have fun taking the movie industry to task for things they need to change. As always, some resolutions come true while others get mentioned and reiterated every year. Welcome to 2020. Enjoy this year’s and this decade’s hopes and dreams.

Column, Editorial, LIST, Social Media, SPECIAL, 2020Don ShanahanJanuary 1, 2020Comment

COLUMN: The 10 Best Movies of 2019

In all, I published “only” 94 film reviews in 2019, which is plenty, but down from 110 last year and my high mark of 126 in 2017. I saw a dozen and a half more, but full-time school teachers, husbands, and dads like me only have so much free time to put 1000 words down every time. Work-life balance, so to speak, is always a challenge, one that I aim to do better in the life direction. No matter, I think I’ve got 2019 figured out. Here are my picks for the ten best films of the year accompanied by, as always and true to my site’s namesake niche, their best life lesson.

2019, 2020, Best Films, Column, Editorial, LIST, SPECIALDon ShanahanJanuary 1, 2020 Comment

20 YEAR RETROSPECTIVE: The best of the rest of 1999

As the historians will tell you, 1999 was a damn fine year. Man, that was living. There are many films from that year that count as favorites and greats in several different ways. Some have gotten better with age and some have worsened, even dropping at as former favorites. Here are my little breakdowns of the “rest of 1999.” Enjoy some personal favorites, underrated gems, guilty pleasures, overrated picks, and still bad dogs.

Best Films, Column, Editorial, Retrospective, SPECIAL, 2019Don ShanahanDecember 28, 20191999Comment

20 YEAR RETROSPECTIVE: The 10 Best Films of 1999

In an annual series, Every Movie Has a Lesson is going to look back twenty years to revisit, relearn, and reexamine a year of cinema history to share favorites, lists, and experiences from the films of that year. When measuring back as far as twenty years or more, I feel like “favorites” that have stood the test of time have aged to become some level of “best.” I feel like a bunch of those populate my reflective look back at the best of 1999.

Best Films, Column, Editorial, LIST, Retrospective, SPECIAL, 2019Don ShanahanDecember 27, 2019Saint Joseph's College1999Comment

GUEST COLUMN: 7 Best Movies to Watch While Being On a Winter Break

Winter breaks are awesome because they give you the time you need to spend with yourself and your family and friends. Some people love visiting their friends or family, while others love spending time indoors, drinking mulled wine and enjoying the cozy atmosphere. Winter holiday is the perfect moment to relax and chill, and how can you better do this otherwise than watching some movies? Some movies are full of action and thrill, but some movies inspire you to be good and calm. When it is snowing and the weather is cold, you can enjoy a cup of hot chocolate, some cookies, and a movie.

Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanDecember 27, 2019 Comments

COLUMN: Looking for Some of the Best Classic Movie Posters? Buy Online

According to Forbes, movie enthusiasts are always looking for novelty. However, they are obsessed with only those films that match with the conventional genres they seem to be used to and comfortable with. They would like to enjoy something new, fresh and original within the same genre. Movie buffs love original stories that present unique visceral experiences, visuals, and viewpoints. Over the years, many Hollywood movies have won the hearts of millions of viewers. Let us explore some of the classic film posters that are still in huge demand among movie buffs, auctioneers, and collectors. If you are thinking of adding to your collection of classic movie posters, buy online for an amazing selection.

2019, Column, Editorial, Home Media, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanDecember 23, 2019Comment

EDITORIAL: How Do People See AI in Movies?

AI in the real world isn’t remotely advanced enough to allow it to have a true personality. But in movies, AI has been a constant source of interest for many people since the very beginning. Movies allow filmmakers to explore a world in which AI is truly sentient. But that sentience hasn’t always been good.Interestingly enough, when you spread out AI in movies by intelligence and morality, you may start to see a strange correlation. In general, childlike robots tend to be typed as “good,” while superhuman robots tend to be typed as “evil.” Walk through this ranking of AI in movies and see how people tend to type AI across the board.

2019, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home Media, LIST, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanDecember 23, 2019Comment

EDITORIAL: How to Create a Perfect Female Character to Grab Millennials' Attention to Your Movie

Everyone sees millennials as the young generation who gets bored very quickly and is continually looking for something new to do or watch. When it comes to movies, the industry changed in the past years, given the millennials' appetite to spend more time in front of the TV, watching Netflix, than going to the cinema. Still, the film industry manages to reach incredible peaks and attract millennials’ attention in different forms. When you write female characters for millennials, you need to keep high standards. Even though the cost of quality might be high when trying to meet millennials’ needs, the benefits will exceed all the efforts.

2019, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home Media, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanDecember 23, 2019Comment

GUEST COLUMN: Christmas Movies for Couples: Make Your Christmas Ideal

By Cheryl Hearts

When the weather outside is cold, the best way to enjoy your stay with your partner indoors is by watching a romantic Christmas movie with them. Nothing beats having a homemade dinner or a well-baked pizza, a bottle of quality wine, a dark room, and a huge TV for Christmas with your partner. This kind of romantic atmosphere helps you build a new level of intimacy that would strengthen your relationship and make you cherish the value of being with your partner.