GUEST COLUMN: Tips for Creating the Ultimate Home Cinema

by Mike Cahill

Colder weather is approaching, and the average American’s options for outdoor activities are beginning to dwindle. While winter recreation can be a blast, there’s truly no better time to hunker down and enjoy the comfort of your own home. What better way to do that than building your own home theater? From cables and sound to projectors and comfy seats, we’re delivering the best tips on creating your perfect home theater from the professionals who know best. Whether you’re in Bedford or Portland, read on and learn how to create the best home theater experience on the block.

2020, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanOctober 11, 2020Comment

GUEST COLUMN: 10 Car Makes and Models in Classic Films That Can Be Bought

by Kevin Gardiner

For many movie-goers, timeless films are remembered for two things - the plot and the style. Particularly, the style of the cars that are driven. Cars are an iconic staple of a time period, and owning a well-known one is a dream come true. Here are ten car makes and models from classic films that can be purchased (even if it's only in an auction).

2020, Column, Editorial, Home Media, GUEST EDITORIAL, LISTDon ShanahanOctober 3, 2020Comment

GUEST COLUMN: Checklist of 90s Movies You Should Definitely Watch

by Henry Thompson

The 90s was definitely the decade of the film. I mean, what other era spawned hits across several genres? Who can ever forget classics like Titanic? Or powerful romance films like Pretty Women and Clueless, ideal for the idealists and romantic (at heart). Mystery, thrillers, and even Disney animations were also not left out. The 90s produced movies that catered to every taste, leaving a lasting impression even so many years after. As an avid movie fan, you may yearn to relive the moments in these movies. It might even be that you’ve not had the pleasure to watch them for the first time. We’ve got you covered. In this article, we bring to you some of the evergreen movies from the 90s.

2020, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home Media, LISTDon ShanahanSeptember 28, 2020 Comment

COLUMN: Football Film Culture: "Invincible" to "Leatherheads"

Americans love football. Anyone hailing from the rural regions of the US knows that football is often regarded as an important part of life: it teaches discipline, provides an outlet for grueling competition, and is one way to become a local or national hero. Football in film delivers on a few key components of the American associations with the sport. Films that feature the NFL or NCAAF as a focal point of the plot often depict hard-fought battles where the odds are stacked against a rag-tag team. Whether through comedic mishaps, determined work ethic, or the powerful bonds of community, football squads always prevail in the end.

2020, Column, Editorial, Home Media, LISTDon ShanahanSeptember 26, 2020Comment

GUEST COLUMN: Great Movies to Create a Retro Mood at Home

by Theresa Cofield

Whether you are a classic movie enthusiast or you simply enjoy retro style in movies, there are some movies for you to enjoy. Sometimes it is just needed, you want to stay at home and feel cozy. It’s also a great idea to enjoy retro settings with your friends or family members. Below you may find some interesting movies with descriptions. Check out these options, some of these movies are modern but create an unforgettable retro atmosphere. Others are retro movies considered to be the best masterpieces of all time.

2020, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanSeptember 26, 2020 Comments

GUEST COLUMN: Unbelievable Movies Based On True Stories That Deserve Documentary Status

by Kurt Waller

There are times when you search for great documentaries, but in the end, what you find are movies based on true stories that have enough in them to be called a documentary or be recorded as one but aren’t. These movies re-live those things that happened in real life over someone’s life. It could also be a global catastrophe or some other event, and they are amazing to watch.

2020, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home Media, LIST, Social Media, SPECIAL, Video on DemandDon ShanahanSeptember 23, 2020 Comment

GUEST COLUMN: Top 10 Best College Movies

by Lewis Robinson

Whether you're in college, thinking about going to college soon, or just enjoy a good college flic, you may enjoy watching some of the movies on this list. Below are some of the top ten best college movies made in the last fifty years. Watch one tonight!

Column, Editorial, Essay, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home Media, Streaming, SPECIAL, Social MediaDon ShanahanSeptember 23, 2020Comment

Top 6 Lessons We Can Learn from Casino Movies

There are several reasons why people get involved in casinos or gambling. Apart from playing to win, they are forms of entertainment and ways of relaxing the mind. However, there are lessons that people take for granted while playing in casinos. As they say, some of the essential life lessons always come from what you experience. Through playing in casinos, one gets several information and lessons that get applied in real-life experiences. Winning or losing a bet gives you some useful lessons. Here is a list.

2020, Column, Editorial, Home MediaDon ShanahanSeptember 14, 2020Comment

GUEST COLUMN: 4 Card Game Techniques Films Have Taught

by Kevin Gardiner

Playing a card game is a thrilling experience. It takes wits, luck and mastery of the body. Some of the best examples of well-played card games can be seen in film. Action heroes sit at a table and stare down an opponent. Tension fills the air as an entire life's savings is gambled. These scenes are not just thrilling cinematic moments. Each film with a high stakes card game contains the opportunity to learn. Film necessitates a clear cause of the hero's win or loss, so pointers on playing are nearly always provided. Here are 4 card game techniques films have taught.

2020, Column, Editorial, GUEST CRITIC, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanSeptember 12, 2020Comment

The Uniqueness of "Rain Man"

In this story a lot of complicated stories are raised, sometimes they are able to touch to the core of the soul, but it is necessary to gain courage and watch the film to the end, because together with the main characters we go through a long, complex, thorny path. This applies to the director, actors, and spectators, who have revealed in front of themselves completely unusual facets of human society. And I want to believe that the example shown by the creators in Rain Man and inspiration by the biography of Kim Peek, will be interesting and useful for more than one generation.

2020, Editorial, Essay, Home MediaDon ShanahanSeptember 12, 2020Comment

EDITORIAL: Movies and the 9/11 effect

UPDATED SEPTEMBER 11, 2020: In an update to my annual editorial (after the original post on the 10th anniversary in 2011), I’ve got new movie inclusions in several sections, including the most recent section of faded and relaxed sensitivity in films. I plan to make this an annual post and study for at least until the 20th anniversary in 2021.

Column, Editorial, LIST, Retrospective, SPECIAL, 2019Don ShanahanSeptember 11, 20209/11 anniversary, 9/11 films, 9/11, 9/11 movies, Movie based on 9/11Comment

GUEST COLUMN: Top Five Movies the Kids Will Love... (and Parents Too!)

by Devin Caldwell

Fall Time is always a special time of the year. It is the time of year where the weather begins to change and you are no longer able to play outside all of the time. This is the perfect time for you to grab a blanket, a bowl of popcorn, and snuggle up for a great movie. Here are some of the best movies for you and your family to watch this fall!

2020, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanSeptember 9, 2020Comment