GUEST EDITORIAL: Top 10 Films Starring Only Two Actors

By Ashley Halsey

Most commercially successful films tend to have big budgets, large cast and action taking place over several locations. But there are some films which take the risk of featuring just two actors, often limiting the action to one location and placing the emphasis on dialogue and the delivery of memorable performances. These ten films are as notable for their captivating and often poignant content, as they are for the skillful, powerful performances delivered by just the two actors who carry the weight of the entire film.

2019, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home Media, LIST, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanNovember 17, 2019Comment

GUEST EDITORIAL: Top 10 Movies About Food, Restaurants, and Chefs

by Nellie Rodriguez

Movies are great for captivating your sense of sight and sound. If the bass is high enough, you can feel 'touch' in the film. But, it is harder for a movie to make you taste or smell something. Or is it?

Films that captivate your senses connect with us on all levels. But that feat is easier said than done. When we try to remember our most memorable moments of movies about cooking and food, we can almost experience the synesthetic power via images, sizzling sounds, etc. that make our mouths water.

2019, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home Media, LIST, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanOctober 24, 2019Comment

GUEST EDITORIAL: 7 Biographical Movies About Scientists

People find the reading of biographies of some of the most notable individuals in the world interesting. You cannot see what it changes in them until you have sat and read one. The film industry has not fallen short of the same approach to its greatest movie creations. One common category is that of biographies of individuals such as scientists. If you find biographies of scientists interesting, then you cannot miss looking out this list of biographical movies about scientists.

2019, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, LIST, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanOctober 9, 2019Comment

GUEST EDITORIAL: 7 Best Films About the World of Translation

Nowadays, in today’s globalized world, translators are more important than ever before. The experts from The Word Point explain that” Translators are the ones that enhance communication by conveying information accurately from one language to another, thus, eliminating any language barriers that exist across the world. And, unlike computer-generated translations, professional interpreters can provide 100% accurate language translation”. Although there are very few movies who revolve around this profession, those who do, succeed to perfectly capture the challenges the translators and interpreters face. Here are the 7 best movies about the world of translation and its importance:

2019, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home Media, LIST, Social MediaDon ShanahanSeptember 26, 2019Comment

GUEST EDITORIAL: The Best Movies with the Most Unpredictable Denouement

The movie industry is flourishing. New movies are created every day and more and more young people get involved in the industry. But, making a movie that will be first in the box office is not that easy. It must have a great plot. It must have strong characters and an interesting story. It must have an eye-appealing graphic and mesmerizing effects. But, one of the things that contribute the most to the success of a movie is the denouement. In the digital era, everyone has access to the internet and information. And it often happens to read the spoilers. But if you are not concerned about them, here is a list of the best movies with the most unpredictable denouement that you should watch.

2019, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, LIST, Social MediaDon ShanahanSeptember 19, 2019 Comments

EDITORIAL: 7 Great Movies for Students

School life is bittersweet. You get to make a lot of friends and create many good memories. It can also exert so much pressure on you considering the heavy academic work involved. You may lose motivation when you feel overwhelmed or when your performance is not as good as you want it to be. It is not always easy to stay motivated at school. However, considering the examples of others who have managed to overcome obstacles and be successful can help you. Watching inspiration movies is one way to do this. Here are the top students movies to help you stay motivated.

2019, Column, Editorial, LIST, SPECIAL, Video on DemandDon ShanahanSeptember 14, 2019 Comment

EDITORIAL: Movies and the 9/11 effect

UPDATED SEPTEMBER 11, 2019: 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, 2019Comment

GUEST EDITORIAL: 8 Great Films about Writers and the Writing Lifestyle

If you’re a writer, then you probably watch movies in a slightly different way than the average person. You can appreciate all the joys and pains that go into putting together a piece of writing worthy of becoming a film. There’s something fascinating about a film based around the life of a writer and the writing process. These films can give you some incredible insight into the mind of a writer and what it’s like to pour your life and energy out onto the page. These eight films all give a unique perspective into the life of a writer.

2019, Column, GUEST EDITORIAL, Editorial, LIST, SPECIAL, Social MediaDon ShanahanAugust 30, 2019 Comments

INFOGRAPHIC: Which British Actors Guarantee Box Office Success?

British actors are making a name for themselves by starring in some of the most popular Hollywood releases. But, with all of the leading roles they take, what makes one actor more successful than the other? Which British actor guarantees box office success? The good people at Money Guru have crunched the numbers, analyzing which British actors offer the best Return On Investment (ROI) based on their box office sales as a leading actor and the respective film budgets. These are the stars that offer the biggest earnings, and the results will likely surprise you.

2019, Column, Editorial, Infographic, LIST, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanAugust 7, 2019Comment

INFOGRAPHIC: Who is the Most Villainous Actress of All-Time?

Bellatrix Lestrange, Mystique and Cruella de Vil. All familiar names with movie buffs and filmgoers alike due to their cunning, cruelty and villainousness. One of the greatest female baddies, Maleficent, is due to return to cinema screens in October in Maleficent: Mistress of Evil. Played by Angelina Jolie, her character is a powerful fairy who curses the King’s daughter. That got the folks at Casino Kings thinking, who is the most villainous actress of all time? To find out, Casino Kings have trawled through over 1,000 movie bios and storylines to find the most villainous movie actress of all-time.

2019, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Infographic, LIST, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanAugust 7, 2019Comment

INFOGRAPHIC: Disney Originals vs. Live-Action Remakes: Which is better?

We love our animated Disney classics—but the live-action interpretations have been met with mixed feelings. A more cynical person might say Disney is afraid to get creative with new stories, and these films are a terrific money-grubbing ploy. But at HowtoWatch.com, we wanted to see how fans and critics felt these remakes live up to the originals. HowToWatch brought in fan ratings from IMDb and critic ratings from Metacritic for the original animated films and their live-action reimaginings. After giving fan and critic ratings equal weight, here’s how the movies compared.

2019, Column, Editorial, Infographic, LIST, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanAugust 6, 2019Comment

GUEST EDITORIAL: 9 Iconic Movie Soundtracks to Learn on the Piano

Behind every great film is a meticulously planned soundtrack. Good soundtracks can make mediocre films unforgettable and bad ones can undermine stellar writing and performances. A soundtrack can build tension, establish characterization or even be part of the plot. Being nerds who spend most of our time in our basements, the folks at Jellynote LOVE a good soundtrack as it combines the two things we enjoy most in the world: music and living vicariously through other people. To celebrate the importance of the film soundtrack, they’ve compiled a list of our favorite soundtracks of all time and provided sheet music so you can have a go at playing them!

2019, Editorial, LIST, SPECIAL, Social MediaDon ShanahanAugust 6, 2019Comment