MOVIE REVIEW: The Mitchells vs. The Machines

At first glance, be it the poster of car-riding mayhem or a closer look at the textured exaggerations of the animation style amid the slick futuristic adversaries, a title like The Mitchells vs. The Machines from Netflix likely evokes shades of Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World stirred with a scoop of Clark Griswold-like shenanigans. That’s a fair read, yet there’s, of course, more to it than that. Believe it or not, there’s some finger-wagging and heart-affirming family truthfulness within the zany scribbles.

2021, 4 STARS, ADVANCE MOVIE REVIEW, Home Media, MOVIE REVIEW, StreamingDon ShanahanApril 27, 2021Comment

GUEST EDITORIAL: How to Choose a Language Learning App to Watch the Film in the Original Language

by Ryan Pell

Have you ever watched Lois de Funès timeless comedies? They are great in English translation, but they are absolutely divine when you watch them in French. The incomparable humor in Fantomas and La Grande Vandrouille only comes to its fullest glory when watched in the original language. Watching original movies is also a common technique in learning foreign languages. But before you can do that, you need to get your knowledge of the language to a solid level, which you can achieve with a language learning app.

2021, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home MediaDon ShanahanApril 26, 2021Comment

Want to Watch a Movie When Boating? Here are Some Recommendations

Ditch the boring drive-in movies or watching them at home on the couch with friends for a movie night on a boat. Imagine being able to watch a movie on a comfortable boat with your friends. Only only will this be a whole new experience but will definitely be a memorable one. If this sounds like something you would be interested in, then read along the below recommendations to make this movie night on the boat is a superhit.

2021, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home MediaDon ShanahanApril 23, 2021Comment

MOVIE REVIEW: Mortal Kombat

2021’s new Mortal Kombat, debuting simultaneously in reemerging theaters and on HBO Max April 23rd, is a catechism of created clout. It passes tonal tests and achieves feats of action strength to renew and amplify the original zest powered by that inescapable theme song that evaporated from a bad sequel nearly 25 years ago. Bolstered by a commitment to build a mythology beyond the button-smashing combos, Mortal Kombat should ensnare new and old fans alike.

2021, 4 STARS, Home Media, MOVIE REVIEW, StreamingDon ShanahanApril 23, 2021Mortal KombatComment

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on the "Cinematic Underdogs" podcast talking "Slap Shot"

Through mutual social circles within the Facebook group of the Feelin’ Film Podcast, I was approached by Paul Keelan, one of the hosts of the Cinematic Underdogs podcast, to be a guest on their program. Joined by Jordan Puga, they’ve been targeting sports films for extended conversations. They pitched me to talk about Bennett Miller’s 2011 gem Moneyball, continuing a streak of behind-the-scenes sports movies. Talking with Paul as the “bonus episode” following the main show, our conversation went on to cover film criticism tropes, my hot take of The Tree of Life, and eventually, as planned, our impressions and musings on Moneyball.

2021, Home Media, Media Appearance, Podcast, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanApril 21, 2021Quality ComixComment

COLUMN: Movie Characters that Defined the Gambler Stereotypes

Have you ever stopped and wondered how in movies certain characters felt familiar despite seeing them for the first time? There are a handful of gambler movie characters that have certainly left a mark and impact on the way we view gamblers in general. That’s what we’re hoping to learn more about today.

Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home MediaDon ShanahanApril 19, 2021Comment

GUEST COLUMN: 10 of the Most Exciting Movie Car Chases

by Kevin Faber

Nothing compares to a suspenseful movie car chase. Watching this chase unfold keeps you on the edge of your seat, eagerly wanting to know what will happen next. Will the protagonist make it out alive? Will the villain be captured? You are afraid to blink an eye because you don't want to miss a single second. Here are 10 of the most memorable car chases in movie history.

2021, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home MediaDon ShanahanApril 17, 2021Comment

INFOGRAPHIC: The most stunning buildings found in James Bond films

Few franchises have influenced American culture like “James Bond” has—and that includes architecture. Manicured estates, Prairie-style house plans and well-furnished lodges provide more than incredible film sets and backdrops for the movies. They have inspired millions of fans over the years and have served as travel inspiration for every corner of the world. To pay tribute to these structures, HomeAdvisor compiled a comprehensive list of beautiful architecture from every Bond film to create a series of posters – immortalized by artist Leonie Wharton. These minimalist posters explore Bond’s architectural history and remind viewers of key scenes ahead of the release of No Time to Die later in 2021.

2021, Infographic, Home Media, Column, Editorial, SPECIALDon ShanahanApril 16, 2021Comment

GUEST COLUMN: Best Business Movies of the Decade

by Kevin Gardner

The past decade has been an excellent one for movie lovers. Many films have been released that are sure to become classics that will be watched over and over for years to come. There have been movies in all genres that people have loved, from science fiction to superheroes. One category that has seen a number of great movies is business movies. In addition to being fun to watch, these movies can be instructive for business owners and students. Viewers can learn things to do (and not to do) and can come away with ideas to improve their businesses, like marketing strategy small business ideas.

2021, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home Media, StreamingDon ShanahanApril 12, 2021Comment

MOVIE REVIEW: Voyagers

This is going to get confusing, but critiquing Voyagers calls upon several illustrative conflicts. First off, science fiction is the realm of high-minded concepts of fantasy, and yet organic humanity creates and drives each and every great idea in the genre. In the same regard, you have homage versus originality in applying prototypical themes to the luster of new settings. Lasty, you have an audience’s subjective aim to project any number of thoughts out of a movie while the work was created with certain objectives in mind that may not be seen or readily interpreted. All three of those dichotomies clash in Neil Burger’s new film with mixed results.

2 STARS, 2021, Home Media, Independent Film, MOVIE REVIEW, StreamingDon ShanahanApril 9, 2021Comment

MOVIE REVIEW: Thunder Force

This is the fifth husband-and-wife/director-and-star collaboration between Ben Falcone and Melissa McCarthy. Sure, the Frank Sonnnenberg saying of “If work isn’t fun, you’re not playing on the right team” applies to this ensemble. Everyone’s clearly having fun but the “because I’m fun” lines aren’t enough this time. Once again, we’ve seen these “think before you act” and “don’t get carried away” manchild pleadings too much outside of superhero costumes to be duped into enjoying them just because they’re now clad in muscular leather and special effects.

1 STAR, 2021, ADVANCE MOVIE REVIEW, Home Media, MOVIE REVIEW, StreamingDon ShanahanApril 9, 2021Comment

MOVIE REVIEW: The Tunnel

The genre of disaster movies loves to take the well-worn “Murphy’s Law” of “anything that can go wrong will go wrong" as pseudo-logical permission to get excessively creative with their hazards and menaces. There’s most certainly spectacle to be generated but also overindulgence. Just ask Roland Emmerich. The new Norwegian dramatic thriller The Tunnel from director Pål Øie is somewhere wisely in between.

2021, 3 STARS, Foreign Film, Home Media, MOVIE REVIEW, StreamingDon ShanahanApril 8, 2021Comment