EDITORIAL: The Best of 2017 (so far)

I'm beginning to love making this annual halfway point list. For me, 2017 has been a year for immense volume. Since January, I've reviewed 64 films, 58 of which were 2017 releases and not carryovers from a late 2016 awards season. Thanks to some film festival and advance press access, you can add 16 short films and four more feature films pending the windows to publish reviews. True to my website's hook, I present each film with its best life lesson from my review.

10 Best, 2017, Best Films, Column, Editorial, LIST, SPECIALDon ShanahanJune 30, 20172017, 2017 films, Best of 2017, Best of 2017 (so far), checklist, list, Top 5, Top 5 list, Best lessons, Top 10 list, 10 Best, 10 Best Films of 2017, five-star reviews, four-star reviews, War for the Planet of the Apes, Lucky, Logan, My Egg Boy, Get Out, Baby Driver, The Blackcoat's Daughter, I Daniel Blake, The Hero, Beauty and the Beast, Alien: Covenant, Barry, Cars 3, Colossal, Dean, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, It Comes at Night, Julieta, Kong: Skull Island, The LEGO Batman Movie, Lost in Paris, Love Lies, Mr. Roosevelt, Score, Score: A Film Music Documentary, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Win It All, Wonder Woman, Worlds Apart, Your Name., Your Name, life lessons, Life lessons from movies, life lessons from film, life lessons from moviesComment

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on YPA Reviews' "The Cinephrauds"

Mike Crowley's YPA Reviews was soliciting for participants and topics for a video series of discussions highlighting guest-chosen overrated films, performers, and filmmakers. I nominated myself and the highly regarded auteur of Terrence Malick and a meeting and a rant on camera was born. Enjoy both the refined and uncut versions of our enlivened talk below!

GUEST CRITIC #24: King Arthur: Legend of the Sword

Steve Clifton acknowledges that his relevance in today's culture is barely recognized. I'm right there with him, but, both he and I continue to pretend people like us. Maybe you will too. The film critic of Popcorn Confessional and regular columnist Feelin' Film is my latest GUEST CRITIC reviewing "King Arthur: Legend of the Sword."

GUEST CRITIC #22: The Fate of the Furious

Between us two busy Chicago film critics and working fathers, Emmanuel and I are orchestrating a trade of "guest reviews" for each other's sites. I was swamped last week and I was unable to see "The Fate of the Furious." He missed Chris Evans' vehicle "Gifted." My review of that will go on his site and his review of vehicular mayhem arrives right here:

EDITORIAL: The 10 best Italian-themed films

As an equal opportunity movie writer and fan, I would be negligent and remissed if I didn't show my friends of Italian ancestry the same love I did just week for my fellow Irish-Americans. For those who don't know, today, just two days after St. Patrick's Day, is the Feast of St. Joseph, or St. Joseph's Day. This list is a refresh of an editorial list I made five years ago. To my Italian-American readers and friends, take in this list of muddled stereotypes and relish in what the American audience thinks of you and your heritage.

EDITORIAL: The 10 best Irish-themed films

I felt obligated to update an editorial list I made five years ago in 2012 of the best Irish-themed movies in time for celebrating St. Patrick's Day. It was due for a dusting with two new additions. For this list, I opened the field to either movies set in Ireland or those that feature notable Irish characters or stories outside of the Emerald Isle. That possibilities spanned movies both foreign and domestic. Pour the Guinness, heat the corned beef, and enjoy my list of the 10 best Irish-themed movies!

2017, Column, Editorial, SPECIAL, LISTDon ShanahanMarch 16, 20172017, Irish films, Irish American films, Ireland, Northern Ireland, films set in Ireland, Irish, Irish-themed films, Ireland films, St. Patrick's Day, Gangs of New York, Good Will Hunting, Ryan's Daughter, David Lean, Martin Scorsese, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Daniel Day-Lewis, Cork, Palme d'Or, The Wind That Shakes the Barley, The Commitments, Dublin, Best Irish Film of All-Time, Jameson Whiskey, British Academy Award, Unbroken, Jack O'Connell, '71, In the Name of the Father, Yann Demange, Jim Sheridan, Oscar nominee, Michael Collins, Liam Neeson, P.S., P.S. I Love You, Gerard Butler, The Departed, The Boondock Saints, Sean Patrick Flannery, Norman Reedus, Billy Connolly, Brooklyn, Saoirse Ronan, The Quiet Man, John Wayne, John Ford, Editorial, Column, UPDATE, film commentary, movie commentary, List, 10 Best, Top 10 list, Donald Shanahan, Don Shanahan, The IrishmanComment

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Minisode #16 on "Feelin' Film"

This week, I joined host Aaron White on the "Feelin' Film" podcast channel for a Minisode on "Kong: Skull Island." Mr. White was just pimped with full press credentials this past week in the Seattle market and we were both lucky to see "Kong: Skull Island" early. Listen for a lively and free discussion about the return of Kong to the big screen.

EDITORIAL: 18 films to watch for the 2018 Oscars

When one Oscar ceremony ends (and then is stopped and ends again), the race for next year's trophies have already begun. Next year will be the historic 90th Academy Awards and I expect Hollywood to spare no expense (especially in the accounting department) to ensure a banner event. For my fifth year in a row now, I have made it a tradition the day after the Oscars to gaze into the crystal ball and lay out some deep prognostication.

EDITORIAL: Final 2017 Awards Tracker and Oscar Reactions

Between the prestigious Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday and the Academy Awards on Sunday, here are the final tallies for the 2017 Awards Tracker and my overall Oscar reactions in each category. Enjoy and see you this November when we fire all of this up again for the 90th Academy Awards!

2017, Column, Editorial, SPECIALDon ShanahanFebruary 27, 20172017, 2016 films, 2017 Awards Tracker, 2017 Academy Awards, 2017 Oscars, 2017 Oscar Predictions, Oscar talks, Oscars, Oscar bait, Oscar hopefuls, Oscar nominee, Oscar nominations, Oscar race, Oscar contenders, Oscar, Oscar Checklist, Oscar Predictions, Oscar surprises, Oscar snubs, Oscar winners, #OscarsSoWhite, 89th Oscars, 89th Academy Awards, Best Picture, The race for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Actress, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Song, Best Original Score, Best Documentary Short Subject, Best Musical Score, Best Live Action Short, Best Live Action Short Film, Best Animated Feature, Best Animated Short Film, Best Animated Short, Best Short Film, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Film Editing, Best Production Design, Best Documentary, Best Documentary Feature, Best Directing, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Makeup and Hair-Styling, Best Sound, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Foreign Language Film, Best Foreign Film, Best Visual Effects, Best Screenplay, Awards Tracker, Awards Talk, Awards seasons, Awards, Award Prediction, Awards Predictions, Academy Awards, Academy Award winner, Academy Award nominees, Academy Award nominee, Academy Award nominations, Academy Award, Awards bait, SAG Award, Editorial, Column, Don Shanahan, Donald Shanahan, Every Movie Has a LessonComment

OSCAR PREDICTIONS 2017: My full and official list of predictions

The 2017 Awards Tracker is full, the teas leaves have been read, the races have been broken down, and every category has been analyzed. I've made my detailed picks in seven columns and editorials over the past week. Here's my complete and master list. I've said it all along. Stick with me and I will win you that Oscar pool at home or at work! Use this as your checklist and cheat sheet of choice!

2017, Column, Editorial, SPECIALDon ShanahanFebruary 23, 20172017 Academy Awards, 2017, 2017 Oscars, 2017 Oscar Predictions, 89th Academy Awards, 89th Oscars, Awards Talk, Award Prediction, Awards, Awards bait, Awards Tracker, Awards seasons, Awards Predictions, Academy Award winner, Academy Award nominations, Academy Award nominees, Academy Awards, Academy Award nominee, Academy Award, Oscar winners, Oscar bait, Oscar, Oscar contenders, Oscar Predictions, Oscar snubs, Oscar race, Oscar talks, Oscar surprises, Oscar nominations, Oscars, Oscar hopefuls, Oscar nominee, List, Checklist, Oscar Checklist, Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Picture, The race for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Screenplay, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Foreign Language Film, Best Animated Feature, Best Animated Short Film, Best Documentary Feature, Best Documentary Short Subject, Best Live Action Short Film, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hair-Styling, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Original Song, Best Original Score, Don Shanahan, Donald Shanahan, Every Movie Has a LessonComment

OSCAR PREDICTIONS 2017: The race for Best Picture

In this seventh and final post, we have reached the top of the mountain: Best Picture. I've said this through this entire Oscar prediction series and season. Stick with me and I will win you your Oscar pool!