REVIEW COLLECTION: 5th annual Irish American Movie Hooley

As an Chicagoan of strong Irish descent myself, let me step in and play the part of “good authority.” I have it on good authority that the annual Irish American Movie Hooley is a boisterous event with a trio of buried treasure movies that normally wouldn’t grace American screens. Just as the event’s name translates: “When a party gets rowdy, the Irish call it a ‘hooley.’” You need to join the 5th edition of this artistic autumnal party at The Gene Siskel Film Center over the weekend of September 27–29. Come for the scene. Consume some friendly and fascinating culture. Here are my capsule reviews!

2019, Chicago Film Festival, EVENT, Foreign Film, Independent Film, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanSeptember 25, 2019Gene Siskel Film CenterComment

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Quoted in Reel Chicago for the short film "A Sisterhood of Signatures"

I’ve know film critic and now filmmaker Okema “Seven” Gunn for a few years now. She is someone I recruited into the Chicago Independent Film Critics Circle for a time. When she tabled her review writing to work on her passion project of making a film, I told her I would first in line to give her work a proper review. Her film, A Sisterhood of Signatures, premiered at the Black Harvest Film Festival and recently had another showing at the Oak Park International Film Festival. I’m happy it’s getting itself out there, and I’m glad the words of my positive review could be a benefit for the film, as seen in recent coverage featured in Reel Chicago written by Daniel Patton:

EVENT: The upcoming 5th annual Irish American Movie Hooley in Chicago

As an Chicagoan of strong Irish descent myself, let me step in and play the part of “good authority.” I have it on good authority that the annual Irish American Movie Hooley is a boisterous event with a trio of buried treasure movies that normally wouldn’t grace American screens. Just as the event’s name translates: “When a party gets rowdy, the Irish call it a ‘hooley.’” You need to join the 5th edition of this artistic autumnal party at The Gene Siskel Film Center over the weekend of September 27–29. Come for the scene. Consume some friendly and fascinating culture.

2019, Chicago Film Festival, EVENT, Foreign Film, Independent Film, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanSeptember 14, 2019Gene Siskel Film CenterComment

EVENT: Season 9 of Asian Pop-Up Cinema in Chicago

Musicals, dramas, comedies, and thrillers are just some of the genres coming Chicago’s way from overseas during the ninth season of Asian Pop-Up Cinemas. For another month between September 10th to October 10th, the non-profit Sophie’s Choice film organization has brought another eclectic slate to the Windy City. Each season, Asian Pop-Up Cinema is the film series that cultivates American interest and understanding of Asian culture through movie storytelling.

2019, Chicago Film Festival, EVENT, Foreign Film, Film Festival, Independent Film, NEWS, SPECIALDon ShanahanSeptember 14, 2019AMC River East 21Comment

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: How Watching Movies the Right Way Can Revolutionize Your Writing

Most writers are not inclined to movies due to time management issues. The movie platform, however, equips individuals with the ability to develop articles that capture readers’ attention. People tend to respond actively to visual arts as opposed to reading since movies, paintings, and pictures create more profound imaginations in the minds of the readers. When writers apply the appropriate procedures in watching movies, they improve significantly on their artistic representation of scenarios into writing as discussed in the paper.

2019, Column, Editorial, Home Media, Infographic, SPECIAL, Social MediaDon ShanahanSeptember 13, 2019Comment

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

EDITORIAL: Terminator: The Dark Fate of the Universe?

Now it's time for Cameron to return to the helm of the Terminator franchise - sort of. He wrote the story for the new movie which was turned into a screenplay by David S. Goyer, Justin Rhodes, and Billy Ray. The movie will be directed by Tim Miller of Deadpool fame. As expected, it will ignore everything that happened after T2 - sort of. The new Terminator, played by Gabriel Luna, is similar to the T-X played by Kristanna Loken in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, and judging by the trailers, Mackenzie Davis' character looks and feels a lot like the one played by Sam Worthington in Terminator: Salvation. While the movie is presented as a sequel, the many new elements make it feel like another reboot that Cameron hopes will start a trilogy.

2019, Column, Editorial, SPECIALDon ShanahanSeptember 9, 2019 Comment

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

GUEST EDITORIAL: 7 Practical Tips to Start Movie Review Writing as a College Student

Finding an interesting writing job that won’t take up too much of your time while you’re still a student is a great way to both earn and get some writing experience. If you’re thinking about starting to write movie reviews, it is a really great idea. Watching a lot of films and sharing your personal opinions about them: What’s not to love? If you want to learn more about how to begin, which aspects you need to pay attention to, and where to find websites you can write for, you have come to the right place. Here is everything you need to know.

2019, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, SPECIAL, VIDEO REVIEWDon ShanahanAugust 30, 2019 Comments

MEDIA APPEARANCE: David Ehrlich's IndieWire Critics Survey on August 26, 2019

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: What is the best movie of this summer?

To end the month, David Ehrlich went for the season-ending trophy designation. He called upon us writers, podcasters, and more to tell us which film was the best of the summer. Personally, I think it was a substandard and lemon-filled summer comapred to years past. Redemption came in the form is several late-breaking exemplars that landed in July and early August. I repped one of those little guys as my pick for this week.

Independent Film, Media Appearance, Social Media, SPECIAL, 2019Don ShanahanAugust 28, 2019David EhrlichComment

EVENT: Special 90th anniversary festivities for the Music Box Theatre

Chicago’s famed Music Box Theatre, located near Wrigley Field in the Lakeview neighborhood, is nearly as old as its nearby ballpark neighbor. The historic venue opened its curtains on August 22, 1929 as the city’s first dedicated “talkie house.” The Southport Avenue gem is celebrating its 90th birthday this week with a special slate of outstanding programming that highlights both the rich history of film and the charm of the theater. Saying there’s something for everyone, from the casual fan to devout cinephile, would be an understatement. Follow the embedded links in this article for information and tickets.

2019, Chicago Film Festival, EVENT, Independent Film, SPECIALDon ShanahanAugust 23, 2019Music Box TheatreComment