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

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

MEDIA APPEARANCE: David Ehrlich's IndieWire Critics Survey on August 19, 2019

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: What is the best performance in a Richard Linklater movie?

After a small pause in early August, the IndieWire Critics Survey returned in time for the the release of Where’d You Go, Bernadette from renowned Texas filmmaker Richard Linklater. I count as a very positive fan of his work with the Before Trilogy and Boyhood on the drama side and Everybody Wants Some!! and School of Rock on the comedy end. When it comes to the best, I pick the biggest transformation of range that came from Jack Black in Bernie. What a stunner of a character shift from an actor compared to his usual.

Independent Film, Media Appearance, Social Media, SPECIAL, 2019Don ShanahanAugust 19, 2019David EhrlichComment

SPECIAL EVENT: Previewing 2019's Wizard World Chicago Comic-Con

Rosemont’s Donald E. Stephens Convention Centers hosts the eighth Wizard World Chicago Comic-Con. The four-day event highlights all the pop culture fun possible from stages, big screens, small screens, game screens, game boards, and all the collectibles in between. The Chicago edition begins Thursday, August 22nd and runs through Sunday, August 25th. Yours truly from Every Movie Has a Lesson has been granted press credentials to cover and access the event. I’m a first-timer, so I hope to be amazed and present a glimpse or two inside the celebrated gathering!

2019, EVENT, Media Appearance, SPECIAL, Social MediaDon ShanahanAugust 19, 2019Donald E. Stephens Convention CenterComment

EDITORIAL: The Best Films to Ever Show on TV

Watching movies has always been an experience that’s best shared with others. You can watch it with your family or friends, and even while you’re watching alone, you’re sharing this experience with the characters you see on screen. These days, you don’t have to travel all the way to a movie house or rent out tapes as many TV channels show reruns of some of the best films that you can watch with your loved ones in the comfort of your own home.

2019, Column, Editorial, Home Media, Social Media, SPECIAL, Video on DemandDon ShanahanAugust 19, 2019Comment

EDITORIAL: Hearing Fear: Why Music is Half the Battle in Horror Movies

Horror films rely heavily on sound and music to set the tone. The film score and soundtrack of a horror movie can make or break its capacity to strike fear into the hearts of audiences. The catharsis of a horror film—the death of an antagonist or the sudden revival of a monster—is nothing without the protracted, eerie build up throughout a film. Music matters in horror arguably more than it does in any other film genre. If you want to get over a movie that traumatized you in the past, try watching it with the sound muted. But if you want to keep the fear alive, brace yourself and turn the volume all the way up.

2019, Column, Editorial, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanAugust 15, 2019Comment

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on the "Kicking the Seat" YouTube channel talking "Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood"

Huge kudos go out to Ian Simmons of the Kicking the Seat podcast for diving into the realm of YouTube! Enjoy Ian, David Fowlie of Keeping It Reel and Emmanuel Noisette of E-Man’s Movie Reviews, and swim across the 1960s and your very screen talking about Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood. It’s Ian’s inaugural YouTube round table. If you’ve always thought our podcasts sounded fun with us picking on points and each other, now you get to watch our obnoxious repartee. Enjoy this new video!

Media Appearance, Podcast, Social Media, SPECIAL, 2019Don ShanahanAugust 8, 2019Music Box TheatreKicking the SeatComment

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

GUEST EDITORIAL: 10 Mistakes to Avoid While Writing a Movie Review

by Daniela McVicker

Movie review writing mistakes can be very sneaky. They can slip into great movie reviews and can happen even to the best writers. A seemingly irrelevant mistake can corrupt a perfectly good movie review. If you want to write something that stands out and gives the reader relevant information, you should stay away from common mistakes and clichés. Knowing the following mistakes to avoid will make it easier for you to create an amazing movie review.

2019, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, 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