MOVIE REVIEW: Wonder Woman

The three-part noun definition of “wonder” can be summarized as “a cause of astonishment, the quality of excited admiration, or rapt attention at something awesomely mysterious or new to one’s experience.” Used as an adjective in a proper name, the word could not be more fitting of Princess Diana of Themyscira, better known as Wonder Woman. Whether it represents a cog in a larger universe, a historical watershed for women’s leadership, or the answered prayers of long-suffering fans and idolizing dreamers, Wonder Woman is a valiant, momentous, and satisfying first step fitting of the iconic heroine.

2017, 4 STARS, MOVIE REVIEW, ADVANCE MOVIE REVIEWDon ShanahanMay 31, 2017ShowPlace ICON X at Roosevelt Collections2017, 2017 Summer Movies, DC Universe, DC Extended Universe, DCEU, DC C, Wonder Woman, Diana Prince, Princess Diana of Themyscira, Themyscira, Diana, Gal Gadot, Patty Jenkins, WB, Warner Bros. Pictures, Merriam-Webster Dictionary, dictionary, wonder, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright, Chris Pine, Danny Huston, Elena Anaya, comic book movie, comic book films, Comic Book Guy, Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Man of Steel, Superman, Batman, Ewen Bremner, Said Taghmaouri, Eugene Brave Rock, Harry Gregson-Williams, Monster, Pattie Jenkins, Charlize Theron, Allan Heinberg, Jason Fuchs, Ice Age: Continental Drift, Zack Snyder, movie review, film review, movie commentary, short film commentary, life lessons, life lesson from film, life lessons from film, life lessons from movies, Greek mythology, Ares, David Thewlis, movie casting, trolling, critics reactions, film critics, Rotten Tomatoes, Don Shanahan, Donald Shanahan, Every Movie Has a LessonComment

MOVIE REVIEW: Dean

When standup comedians come to the big screen, they tend to stay with what works, extending their personas and bits into feature-length material within their comfort zones. Most lack creativity to make something unique out of their individuality. That is not the case with Demetri Martin making his impressive feature writing and directing debut with Dean. In 87 breezy minutes pushing against the grief of its characters, his film squeezes earnest sweetness out of bleak material that would never play on his comedy club stages.

MOVIE REVIEW: Baywatch

Contrary to how well the Mythbusters pulled it off, you can't shine sh-t, not turds of the TV or film variety. Terrible TV shows make terrible movies. Asking for anything more is asking too much, and there's nothing wrong with that. All of the zing and jiggle audiences enjoyed in eleven seasons and 242 episodes of Baywatch get the amplified and gaudy movie treatment an entertaining guilty pleasure deserves. Enjoy what you enjoy and don't be ashamed of it.

CAPSULE REVIEWS: Short films of the 5th Chicago Critics Film Festival

Over 40 feature-length and short films, many of which making their Chicago premieres, graced the main screen of the Music Box Theatre this past week-and-change as part of the fifth annual Chicago Critics Film Festival. It was an honor and pleasure to be be granted press credentials to cover the event. Here are my collected capsule reviews of the short film programs.

2017, ADVANCE MOVIE REVIEW, CAPSULE REVIEW, Chicago Film Festival, Film Festival, Independent Film, MOVIE REVIEW, Social Media, SHORT FILMS, Video on DemandDon ShanahanMay 21, 2017Music Box Theatre2017, 5th Chicago Critics Film Festival, CCFF, Chicago Film Critics Association, CFCA, CIFCC, Collin Souter, The Dundee Project, Kaiju Bunraku, Drawn and Recorded, Drawn and Recorded: Teen Spirit, Teen Spirit, T-Bone Burnett, Nirvana, Bunraku Bay Puppet Theater, Mark Borchardt, Bill Benson, UFO Daze, Fry Day, Ted Bundy, Jordyn DiNatale, Tough, Chinese, Kieran Culkin, Mae Whitman, Approaching a Breakthrough, Hell You Talmbout, Janelle Monae, Civil Rights Movement, Northwest Tap Connection, Shakiah Danielson, Ten Meter Tower, short film, short films, short film review, Short films, short film commentary, Kurt Cobain, Kathleen Hanna, Bikini Kill, Smells Like Teen Spirit Comment

CAPSULE REVIEWS: Feature films of the 5th Chicago Critics Film Festival

Over 40 feature-length and short films, many of which making their Chicago premieres, graced the main screen of the Music Box Theatre this past week-and-change as part of the fifth annual Chicago Critics Film Festival. It was an honor and pleasure to be be granted press credentials to cover the event. Here are my collected capsule reviews of the feature-length films.

MOVIE CLASSROOM: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

THEY'RE BACK! I've been meaning to fire up my "Movie Classroom" series again after a few years off. Enjoy my YouTube review of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2! I've improved the tech/apps used to build them. Give me a few films and tries to get my voice and cadence together!

MOVIE REVIEW: Alien: Covenant

Designed by H.R. Giger and manifested by Oscar-winning special effects puppetry, the unforgettable xenomorph creature that debuted in 1979’s Alien lunged with more menace than suddenness. The acid-dripping extraterrestrial was an overpowering stalker. Fast-forward 38 years to Alien: Covenant, and the CGI-boosted effects capable today have accelerated the monster’s lethal velocity to an unhinged and downright bonkers level. Let me tell you, that’s a dandy of a jolt.

2017, 4 STARS, ADVANCE MOVIE REVIEW, MOVIE REVIEWDon ShanahanMay 16, 2017ShowPlace ICON X at Roosevelt Collections2017, 2017 Summer Movies, Alien: Covenant, Alien, Prometheus, Ridley Scott, Billy Crudup, Michael Fassbender, Katherine Waterson, Hermann Goering, Alien franchise, Prometheus sequel, sequels, movie sequels, prequel, reboot, Rogue One, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Star Wars, Darth Vader, 1979, Sigourney Weaver, Carmen Ejogo, Demian Bichir, Danny McBride, Jed Kurzel, Macbeth, Pietro Scalia, Dariusz Wolski, New Zealand, xenomorph, H.R. Giger, Origae-6, facehugger, Noomi Repace, Guy Pearce, Weyland Corporation, 20th Century Fox, John Logan, Dante Harper, Neill Blomkamp, James Cameron, special effects, Science Fiction films, Science Fiction, Science fiction, horror films, horror, R-rated summer films, movie review, film review, movie commentary, film commentary, life lessons, life lessons from movies, life lessons from film, Life lessons, Donald Shanahan, Don Shanahan, Every Movie Has a LessonComment

SHORT FILM REVIEW: Jack & Amelia

The key strength of “Jack and Amelia” is the focused narrative that sketches a telling and accurate microcosm example of Chicago. It blends lifestyles for people feeling the city’s stresses in their own unique ways. Just when you think you these four central characters are random and will stay random, the short-order shifts and twists of “Jack and Amelia” push their destinies forward in engaging and cunning ways. This really was a blossoming treat.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Dinner

More often than not, the label of “private family matter” spells doom and gloom. A good time is not going to be had. That’s the unfortunate impetus that brings two disunified brothers and their wives together for “The Dinner.” Compressing layers of familial discontent and rancor thinly-masked by the repulsive worst of white privilege, the tightly-wound urgency and shattering purpose of this titular meeting reveals itself over the film’s two hours.

MOVIE REVIEW: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2” is an brazen explosion of Crayola-sheened special effects wonder mixed with invisible grays of magnetic character growth and depth. Just as with the first film, Marvel and company have taken a D-list roster of obscure also-rans and created new superstars and household names that you actually care about. True to the unwritten rules of sequels, the core is bolstered and improvements have been made.

4 STARS, 2017, ADVANCE MOVIE REVIEW, MOVIE REVIEWDon ShanahanMay 4, 2017AMC River East 212017 Summer Movies, Disney/Marvel, Visual Effects, life lessons from movies, comic book films, Bradley Cooper, movie commentary, Groot, film commentary, James Gunn, The Avengers: Infinity War, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Dave Bautista, life lessons from films, Marvel, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, 2017, Don Shanahan, Donald Shanahan, movie review, 2017 Summer Movie Challenge, Marvel Entertainment, life lessons, comic book movie, Zoe Saldana, Star Lord, Marvel Comics, Karen Gillan, film review, Guardians of the Galaxy, Thanos, Kurt Russell, The Avengers, Nebula, Glenn Close, soundtrack, Michael Rooker, Chris Pratt, Rocket Raccoon, Drax, Thor: Ragonark, Marvel Films, Peter Quill, life lessons from film, Dave Jordan, Sean Gunn, Star Trek Into Darkness, Elizabeth Debicki, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Sylvester Stallone, Starhawk, Stakar Ogord, Taserface, Chris Sullivan, Star-Lord, Yondo, MTV Pop-Up Video, Wham Bam, Silver, Father & Son, Cat Stevens, Oprah Winfrey, Oprah Comment

MOVIE REVIEW: Love, Lies

“Love, Lies” plays upon the decaying dichotomy orbiting the two women as they vie for love and validation against dignity and betrayal. It’s impossible not to feel the emotions imbued into the punctuating moments of expression through song that fully embody the conflict and romantic encumbrances weighing on the characters. The music is the vital and resonating fiber that unites the period atmosphere with the stirring portrayals of talent.

2017, 4 STARS, ADVANCE MOVIE REVIEW, Film Festival, Foreign Film, Independent Film, MOVIE REVIEW, Social MediaDon ShanahanMay 4, 2017AMC River East 212017, 2016, 2017 Asian Pop-Up Cinema, Asian Pop-Up Cinema, Love Lies, Seoul, Gyeongseong, Jo Eun-soo, Lee Byung-hoo, Korea, South Korea, Park Sung-woong, Yoo Yeon-seok, Reply 1994, Cold Eyes, The Wailing, New World, Japan, Park Heung-sik, Foreign films, foreign films, foreign film, life lessons from foreign films, life lessons from film, life lessons from movies, life lessons, melodramas, movie melodramas, film review, movie review, film commentary, movie commentary, Donald Shanahan, Don Shanahan, Chicago premiere, Danielle Garnier, Garnier Public Relations, Sophia's Choice, Sophia's Choice Presents Comments

MOVIE REVIEW: My Egg Boy

The trappings of “My Egg Boy” are firmly entrenched in melodrama, yet kissed with delightful fancy. The strength is in the dynamic writing to weave practical magic with fertile imagination. The romantic and symbolistic peaks and valleys built by Tien-Yu Fu are endlessly relatable even when characterized. What begins as whimsy evolves quite affectingly to something rapturously heartfelt.

EVERY MOVIE HAS A LESSON

by Don Shanahan

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