INFOGRAPHIC: Box office magic and the wizarding world of Harry Potter

The careers of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint skyrocketed when Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone premiered in November 2001. The film was a major success and made $32.3 million on its opening day, breaking the United States' single day record previously held by Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. Though this was only the beginning! The subsequent films continued to be record breakers and collectively generated $7.2 billion at the box office. Read for more fun facts in this infographic!

2018, Column, Editorial, Infographic, LIST, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanJuly 30, 2018Comment

EDITORIAL: How online casinos draw inspiration from the big screen

One of the reasons why people love going to the movies is the atmosphere. There is simply nothing like it, as you lay back, grab a bag of popcorn, watch the lights dim and allow yourself to get immersed into the big screen. It feels like you are one with the characters – if the movie is any good, that is. Enjoy this guest editorial!

2018, Column, Editorial, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanJuly 29, 2018Comment

EDITORIAL: Movies that like casino games and love roulette

Nothing says casino quite like a game of classic roulette. The spinning wheel and the gamblers placing wagers on their number of choice is one of the most iconic parts of casino visuals. Movies frequently tap into the glamour of the casino world by depicting favorite casino games like poker, blackjack and roulette. Enjoy this guest editorial!

2018, Column, Editorial, Social MediaDon ShanahanJuly 29, 2018 Comment

COLUMN: Late summer box office forecast

Every annual summer box office season tends to be front-loaded in the months of May and June with films looking to rake in the dough early. Disney releases led the way. The Mouse House clearly isn’t hurting and neither is the competition. But there’s still two months of the summer schedule to go. A few solid contenders remain to clean up the remaining monetary potential of the 2018 summer box office. Let’s take a quick look at the remaining field.

2018, Column, Editorial, Social MediaDon ShanahanJuly 13, 2018Comment

INFOGRAPHIC: Ranking the most iconic movie falls

Long, dramatic falls are a frequently used device in cinema to provide a suitably theatrical demise for a character. Whether it’s from a skyscraper, an aircraft or even a mountain chasm, there are few more visually arresting ways to provide a cinematic send-off. To give the frequently used set-piece some well-needed recognition, Roof Stores put together a movie "Fall of Fame" acknowledging the best examples of falling in film history. Enjoy!

2018, Column, Editorial, Infographic, LIST, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanJuly 11, 2018Comment

SPECIAL: Highlights for the upcoming 22nd Fantasia International Film Festival

The expression "lions, tigers, and bears, oh my!" merely scratches the surface of the wildly imaginative creations that grace the annual Fantasia International Film Festival. The Montreal-based gathering celebrates its 22nd year from July 12 through August 2. Long acclaimed as one the largest and best exhibitions of genre films in North America, this year's festival lineup has as much promise as it does fantasy and Every Movie Has a Lesson will be offering its reviews and coverage.

EDITORIAL: The Best Films of 2018 (so far)

Usually for this website, half of a year equals half of a future “10 Best” in December, meaning normally only five films make this “best of” list. However, I have seen six 5-star feature films as well as one 5-star documentary and one 5-star short film. I’m giving all of them the spotlight. As always for this “so-far” list and the year-end final and true to my website’s hook, I present each film with its best life lesson from my review. Enjoy!

10 Best, 2018, Best Films, Column, Editorial, Independent Film, LIST, SPECIALDon ShanahanJuly 2, 2018 Comments

MEDIA APPEARANCE: David Ehrlich's IndieWire Critics Survey on June 18, 2018

Notable and notorious IndieWire film critic David Ehrlich recently put out a social media call for film critic peers to join a weekly survey to discuss movie topics, answer questions, and highlight their work. Representing Every Movie Has a Lesson, I, along with over 60 other emerging and established film critics including four of my fellow Chicago Independent Film Critics Circle members, accepted the invitation to participate. I'm honored by the opportunity, and I hope my responses are chosen each week.

Social Media, SPECIAL, Media Appearance, Editorial, 2018Don ShanahanJune 24, 2018Comment

EDITORIAL: What current stories will make good films?

Once upon a time, it took a little while for Hollywood to take on modern stories. There was a sort of unofficial understood waiting period before a major, real life event could be turned into a film. These days, however, that period has evaporated, as evidenced by numerous recent examples like Patriots Day, Zero Dark Thirty, and Charlize Theron is set to play Megyn Kelly in a film about the Roger Ailes scandal. Basically, films about current events are coming out a lot closer to the actual events. That got me wondering about what current stories might make for good films.

2018, Column, Editorial, GUEST CRITIC, Social MediaDon ShanahanMay 29, 2018Comment

MEDIA APPEARANCE: YouTube guest on YPA Reviews reflecting back on "The Social Network"

In light of Mark Zuckerberg's testimonies before Congress this past week, Mike Crowley, the excellent YouTube video creator of his You'll Probably Agree channel, hit me up with the idea of looking back at David Fincher's The Social Network. Fincher's film has evolved from a tell-all biopic of sorts to a cautionary tale with an impact that is still growing. Mike and I think the film holds up and we went the social media route to record a video chat of our conversation.

2018, 2010, Editorial, Media Appearance, Retrospective, VIDEO REVIEW, Vintage Review, SPECIAL, Social MediaDon ShanahanApril 17, 2018Comment

INFOGRAPHIC: 10 of the Most Memorable Cars from the Movies

I may not be a full-on gearhead, but I do love a great car in a film! Car leasing company OSV has created an interesting and engaging infographic detailing the 10 most memorable cars to have graced the silver screen in the last 50 years. From Steve McQueen’s Mustang GT390 in Bullitt to Vin Diesel’s Dodge Charger from The Fast and The Furious, these are mean machines that really stand out from the crowd.

2018, Editorial, Infographic, LIST, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanApril 13, 2018Comment

INFOGRAPHIC: 99 Insanely Interesting Gambling Movie Facts

Do you want to kill at parties or learn to talk like a pro gambler at CasinoSites? Hollywood might help there! This little infographic below gives you 99 insane facts about some of the most popular gambling movies of all time. Like, the box office take for Casino Royale looked like the GDP of a small, developing country at around $599 million. Or that over 250 movies have been filmed in Las Vegas over the last seven decades.

2018, Editorial, Infographic, LIST, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanApril 11, 2018Comment