INFOGRAPHIC: Box office magic and the wizarding world of Harry Potter

The careers of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint skyrocketed when Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone premiered in November 2001. The film was a major success and made $32.3 million on its opening day, breaking the United States' single day record previously held by Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. Though this was only the beginning! The subsequent films continued to be record breakers and collectively generated $7.2 billion at the box office. Read for more fun facts in this infographic!

2018, Column, Editorial, Infographic, LIST, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanJuly 30, 2018Comment

EDITORIAL: How online casinos draw inspiration from the big screen

One of the reasons why people love going to the movies is the atmosphere. There is simply nothing like it, as you lay back, grab a bag of popcorn, watch the lights dim and allow yourself to get immersed into the big screen. It feels like you are one with the characters – if the movie is any good, that is. Enjoy this guest editorial!

2018, Column, Editorial, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanJuly 29, 2018Comment

EDITORIAL: Movies that like casino games and love roulette

Nothing says casino quite like a game of classic roulette. The spinning wheel and the gamblers placing wagers on their number of choice is one of the most iconic parts of casino visuals. Movies frequently tap into the glamour of the casino world by depicting favorite casino games like poker, blackjack and roulette. Enjoy this guest editorial!

2018, Column, Editorial, Social MediaDon ShanahanJuly 29, 2018 Comment

MEDIA APPEARANCE: "Connecting With Classics" Episode 7: "Vertigo"

Aaron White and I have been circling Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo for months, ever since it officially celebrated its 60th anniversary on May 9th. Next to Casablanca, it’s probably the highest regarded film “Connecting With Classics” will present in this series during this inaugural year of 2018. We here dive into the AFI’s Top 100, but Vertigo sits atop "The 50 Greatest Films of Time" as voted on by the British Film Institute’s Sight and Sound magazine. Ladies and gentlemen, they don’t get much better than this.

2018, Media Appearance, MOVIE REVIEW, Podcast, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanJuly 29, 2018VertigoComment

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Returning to "Black Panther" as a guest on the "Kicking the Seat" podcast

About six months ago, the unofficial "Comics Council" guest dais of Ian Simmons' Kicking the Seat podcast sung the praises of Ryan Coogler's Black Panther. We knew then during that episode that we just watched something special that was going to explode and resonate with audiences beyond the multiplex. Sure, enough we were right. Ian, David Fowlie of Keeping It Reel, Emmanuel Noisette of E-Man's Movie Reviews, and myself made a pact then to revisit the film and expand on our first discussion. Welcome to our returning second spin, this time collected via Skype, with the Wakandan King and all his victorious results.

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Minisode podcast guest for "Feelin' Film" to review "Eighth Grade"

Host Aaron White of the Feelin' Film podcast brought me in for a chat about rookie director Bo Burnham’s new feature film Eighth Grade. The film is currently generating a lot of buzz and most everyone who has seen this darling indie has loved it - us included. You can count on it making our year-end list conversations. Director/Writer Bo Burnham is most known for his stage comedy routines so humor was definitely a big part of the film, but it has an amazing amount of heart and life lessons (my favorite) for us to discuss, as well.

2018, CAPSULE REVIEW, Film Festival, Independent Film, Media Appearance, MOVIE REVIEW, Podcast, Social MediaDon ShanahanJuly 21, 2018Comment

MOVIE REVIEW: Eighth Grade

Dropped jaws, bashfulness, winces, worries, and all, this dynamite film needs to be required viewing for the teens out there, especially girls, of these complicated and confusing present times. And the people that should be joining them in the next closest seats are their parents who need their eyes and hearts opened as well. Adults, this Eighth Grade may not be your plight or a mirror to your own middle school experience, but you can engage and empathize easily with its challenges.

COLUMN: Late summer box office forecast

Every annual summer box office season tends to be front-loaded in the months of May and June with films looking to rake in the dough early. Disney releases led the way. The Mouse House clearly isn’t hurting and neither is the competition. But there’s still two months of the summer schedule to go. A few solid contenders remain to clean up the remaining monetary potential of the 2018 summer box office. Let’s take a quick look at the remaining field.

2018, Column, Editorial, Social MediaDon ShanahanJuly 13, 2018Comment

MEDIA APPEARANCE: David Ehrlich's IndieWire Critics Survey on July 9, 2018

Notable and notorious IndieWire film critic David Ehrlich recently put out a social media call for film critic peers to join a weekly survey to discuss movie topics, answer questions, and highlight their work. Representing Every Movie Has a Lesson, I, along with over 60 other emerging and established film critics including some of my fellow Chicago Independent Film Critics Circle members, accepted the invitation to participate. I'm honored by the opportunity, and I hope my responses are chosen each week.

2018, Independent Film, Media Appearance, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanJuly 11, 2018David EhrlichComment

INFOGRAPHIC: Ranking the most iconic movie falls

Long, dramatic falls are a frequently used device in cinema to provide a suitably theatrical demise for a character. Whether it’s from a skyscraper, an aircraft or even a mountain chasm, there are few more visually arresting ways to provide a cinematic send-off. To give the frequently used set-piece some well-needed recognition, Roof Stores put together a movie "Fall of Fame" acknowledging the best examples of falling in film history. Enjoy!

2018, Column, Editorial, Infographic, LIST, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanJuly 11, 2018Comment

SPECIAL: Highlights for the upcoming 22nd Fantasia International Film Festival

The expression "lions, tigers, and bears, oh my!" merely scratches the surface of the wildly imaginative creations that grace the annual Fantasia International Film Festival. The Montreal-based gathering celebrates its 22nd year from July 12 through August 2. Long acclaimed as one the largest and best exhibitions of genre films in North America, this year's festival lineup has as much promise as it does fantasy and Every Movie Has a Lesson will be offering its reviews and coverage.

MEDIA APPEARANCE: David Ehrlich's IndieWire Critics Survey on July 2, 2018

Notable and notorious IndieWire film critic David Ehrlich recently put out a social media call for film critic peers to join a weekly survey to discuss movie topics, answer questions, and highlight their work. Representing Every Movie Has a Lesson, I, along with over 60 other emerging and established film critics including some of my fellow Chicago Independent Film Critics Circle members, accepted the invitation to participate. I'm honored by the opportunity, and I hope my responses are chosen each week.

2018, Independent Film, Media Appearance, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanJuly 4, 2018Comment