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

GUEST COLUMN: An Ultimate Guide to Write Movie Scripts

by Jessica Fender

Writing a movie script may sound like a super-easy and fun thing to do. You’ve got an idea in your mind so, how hard can it be? But, talent and great ideas aren’t sufficient for writing a great movie script. It’s certainly an obligatory precondition, but it takes more than being super-creative and imaginative. Apart from that, you need to know how to develop the storyline and cover all the elements of writing a great movie script. That’s why we’ve put together this guide with all the steps you need to make. We’ll teach you what you need to do and what order to follow when creating brilliant movie scripts. Let’s take a closer look!

2021, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Social MediaDon ShanahanJanuary 12, 2021Comment

GUEST EDITORIAL: 6 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Netflix Subscription

by Kevin Gardner

Getting a Netflix account can be extremely exciting. It literally gives you access to thousands of items, thereby providing you with endless hours of entertainment. However, you may find the cost of your subscription a bit worrisome. In this case, it's important that you make the investment worthwhile. So, here are six tips for getting as much as possible out of your Netflix account.

2021, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, SPECIALDon ShanahanJanuary 8, 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

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.

2020, CIC, Column, EVENT, LIST, SPECIAL, Social MediaDon ShanahanJanuary 2, 2021 Comment

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

GUEST EDITORIAL: Do Movies Predict the Future or Influence It?

By Kevin Gardner

It is always strange when you are watching an old movie and see a far-fetched scenario that has since played out in the real world. Did the movie writers have privileged information about some new gadget? Maybe a child who watched that movie was inspired and grew up to design something similar. Either could be possible. On the other hand, there are some movies that predict social issues and world events that nobody could have imagined.

2020, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanDecember 30, 2020Comment

SPECIAL: Nominations for the fifth annual Chicago Indie Critics Awards

Leading all films with an impressive nine nominations is Netflix’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom helmed by Best Director nominee George C. Wolfe and starring acting nominees Chadwick Boseman and Viola Davis. Following next with seven nominations each was David Fincher’s Mank and Aaron Sorkin’s The Trial of the Chicago 7, both also hailing from Netflix. In all, 45 different films are represented with nominations for the 2020 CIC Awards.

2020, CIC, Column, EVENT, LIST, SPECIAL, Social MediaDon ShanahanDecember 28, 2020Comment

10 YEAR RETROSPECTIVE: The 10 Best Films of 2010

Despite the overall crappiness of this year, 2020 has been the 10th anniversary of this website Every Movie Has a Lesson. I didn’t start this endeavor until May of 2010 and, when the end of the year rolled around, I didn’t have a complete “sample size” or body of work, so to speak, to write a proper “10 Best” list. Missing that chance has always bothered the completist in me. I’ve been meaning to fix that and this little anniversary seemed like the right time, especially after charting a “best of the decade” list a year ago at the close of the 10s. So, turning back the clock a decade, here are my “10 Best Films of 2010.”

Best Films, Column, Editorial, LIST, Retrospective, SPECIAL, 2020, 2010Don ShanahanDecember 28, 2020Saint Joseph's College2010 Comment

GUEST COLUMN: The Top 10 Indispensable "Expendables" Action Star Film List

by Christopher D. Childs

In 2010, 63-year-old Sylvester Stallone had a brilliant idea: throw a bunch of veteran action stars all into one movie and then crank up the testosterone. Thus The Expendables was born. The film pulled in more than $220 million worldwide and spawned a sequel, The Expendables 2, which allows the franchise to pull in even more action stars. Some of these guys are heading into senior citizen territory but so far none is using a walker to kick some ass. So here's a list of the most indispensable films representing each of these iconic Expendables action stars.

2020, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home MediaDon ShanahanDecember 27, 2020Comment