It turns out that you’re not the only one who thinks that pregnancy is the stuff of horror movies. Hollywood directors seem to agree with you, and they’ve been cashing in on the idea for some time. The basic plot for one of these movies goes something like this: there’s a strange demonic force growing inside a woman’s belly. Once the nine months are up, she releases it into the world where it does all sorts of nasty things. Everything seems idyllic to begin with, but eventually goes horribly wrong.

2022, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIALDon ShanahanFebruary 9, 2022Comment

GUEST EDITORIAL: What Movies Teach Us About the Teenage Experience Today

by Adrian Johansen

Too many films depict what is often one of the most difficult periods of life with an idealistic nostalgia that little resembles lived experience. There are some films, though, that actually get it right — ones that encapsulate what it means to be a teenager in the 2020s. What these films reveal is that, while some aspects of teen angst are universal and timeless, others are unique to the world we live in today. So, what can the movies teach us about life as our teenagers experience it now?

2022, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIALDon ShanahanFebruary 8, 2022Comment

Some of the Best Sci-Fi movies and Believable Takes on Distinct Topics

For every sci-fi movie, the creator has a strong sense of what if's that they turned into an enchanting piece of art. Films differ in their concepts. Some speak about catastrophic events, climatic ups, and downs, some about superheroes and their superpowers. When incorporated with realistic episodes that are threatening, the movies earn audiences. Apart from that, a touch on the distinct human emotions is captivating. The filmmaker captures it in every shot to invoke feelings in the viewers. Every Sci-Fi movie holds a supreme topic projected with different events happening in the lives of the protagonists.

2022, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIALDon ShanahanFebruary 8, 2022Comment

GUEST COLUMN: "The Sandlot" Movie Review

by Kevin Gardner

The Sandlot is a 1993 film that follows the misadventures of a group of young baseball players. David Mickey Evans co-wrote and directed the film. The central character is a shy fifth-grader named Scott Smalls.

2022, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home MediaDon ShanahanFebruary 7, 2022Comment

GUEST COLUMN: Lessons Learned From the Movie "Julie and Julia"

by Kevin Gardner

In 2005, Julie Powell was a young New Yorker in a dead-end job who set out to prepare all the recipes in Child's book. She chronicled the life-changing experience in her own book "Julie and Julia," published in 2005. In 2009, "Julie and Julia" was adapted into a movie starring the venerable Meryl Streep as Child and then-rising star Amy Adams, almost unrecognizable in a pixie hairdo, as Powell. The following are enduring life lessons from this affirmational film.

2022, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIALDon ShanahanFebruary 7, 2022Comment

GUEST COLUMN: "The Fault in Our Stars" is a Good Movie - As Long As You Don't Expect the Book

by Kevin Gardner

John Green's novel "The Fault in Our Stars" took the YA literary world by storm when it was released. The movie based on the novel was almost as popular. Interestingly though, many who loved the book didn't love the movie, while many who loved the movie didn't love the book. It's a good movie. It's a really good book. But maybe for very different reasons.

2022, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIALDon ShanahanFebruary 7, 2022Comment

Digital Marketing as a Dominant Tool in Promoting the Film Industry

It's no secret that quarantine has dealt a crushing blow to the movie industry. Due to the pandemic outbreak, the largest movie distribution networks all over the world ceased operations and cinemas closed down. Businesses begin to play by new rules and use a profitable alternative to the traditional promotional methods, digital marketing. That is direction, where the money, power, and attention of the viewers are concentrated, and where the potential growth of the industry is going.

2022, Column, EditorialDon ShanahanFebruary 6, 2022Comment

GUEST EDITORIAL: Lessons Learned From 2014's "The Imitation Game"

by Kevin Gardner

The 2014 film "The Imitation Game," which takes its name from Turing's most influential paper, stars the chameleonic Benedict Cumberbatch in the role of the brilliant but beleaguered mathematician. Though tragic in some respects because of the injustice done to him, Turing's life and the film based on it also offer some valuable life lessons.

2022, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIALDon ShanahanFebruary 5, 2022Comment

GUEST EDITORIAL: Family Movie Night: "Cheaper by the Dozen"

by Kevin Gardner

Cheaper by the Dozen is an entertaining and funny movie the whole family will enjoy. Parents can be sure to expect some adult humor weaved in throughout the show. Kids will enjoy the silly and sometimes outrageous actions and stunts pulled by the children in the movie. All in all, pop a bag of popcorn, grab some drinks and settle in for a family movie night because you have just found the next great movie everyone will love.

2022, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, GUEST CRITICDon ShanahanFebruary 5, 2022Comment

GUEST EDITORIAL: "The Judge" Movie Review

by Kevin Gardner

The Judge is a 2014 legal drama starring Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall. It was directed by David Dobkin. It follows the story of Hank Palmer, played by Downey Jr., and his troubled relationship with his father, played by Duvall.

2022, Column, Editorial, GUEST CRITIC, GUEST EDITORIALDon ShanahanFebruary 5, 2022Comment

GUEST EDITORIAL: 6 Movies About Life in the Digital Age

by Kevin Gardner

Almost everyone uses computers on a regular basis, or if not computers per se then Internet-compatible smart devices. Because such electronics are an inescapable part of daily life, it makes sense that they would inspire movies. Some movies about computers and digital life take place in the future, while others are contemporaneous with the moment in history that they were created. Some are documentaries and others are made-up tales of science fiction or horror. Here are several worth checking out for various reasons.

2022, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIALDon ShanahanFebruary 5, 2022Comment

GUEST EDITORIAL: Business on the Big Screen

by Kevin Gardner

The business world is a dynamic place, rich with powerful and energetic ideas that inspire. It is a place where liability mingles with equity, and where everybody's got their eyes on the bottom line. Money is what makes this world go around, and it's even been implied that money never sleeps. Is greed good? Is philanthropy a requisite of a successful businessperson? Does passion for a project determine one's level of success? Here are three great movies about business, which explore various, disparate characters engaging in the good, the bad, and the ugly side of Wall Street and beyond.

2022, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIALDon ShanahanFebruary 4, 2022Comment