MOVIE REVIEW: The Mauritanian

The Mauritanian presents a compelling case in the opposite direction to all those oorah roars. Shedding cinematic light on a staunch case of injustice tangential to those fateful 2001 events, this film has the unenviable task of proving its story’s importance in spite of the egregious systemic flaws it chronicles and exposes. You don’t have to go as far back as slavery or colonization in national history to know how most triumphantly-inflated Americans don’t want their noses rubbed in their heinous mistakes. The treatment of Mohamedou Ould Salahi is one of them.

2021, 3 STARS, ADVANCE MOVIE REVIEW, MOVIE REVIEWDon ShanahanFebruary 10, 2021Comment

GUEST COLUMN: Movies for Truck Drivers Who Want Something Different

by Kevin Gardner

You say you love movies about trucking, but you’re getting a little bored of watching Smokey and the Bandit and Convoy over and over. If you are looking for something a bit different that is good for a laugh but still involves lots of truck driving, you might want to consider trucking movies given the Mystery Science Theater 3000 or Rifftrax treatment.

2021, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home MediaDon ShanahanFebruary 10, 2021Comment

GUEST COLUMN: Sports Movies That Inspire Excellence

by Devin Caldwell

Throughout modern history, some of the most inspirational movies that have been made are those centered around sports. The stories are intriguing and often focus on the human ability to overachieve, overcome or make a comeback. Some are based on real-life accounts and others are fictional. These films spark many conversations about which ones are the best. Think about a few of these in different sports and the lessons they teach us.

2021, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home MediaDon ShanahanFebruary 8, 2021Comment

COLUMN: Essential Human Trafficking Movies

Human trafficking is widespread, both in America and worldwide. It’s a horrific practice and robs individuals of their most basic human rights. Some of those trafficked start doing sex work at a very young age, and they give up hope of ever finding a better life, particularly if it’s all they know. Several movies deal with this difficult subject matter. They can be hard to watch sometimes, but it’s better to know about these sorts of things happening in the world than to turn a blind eye and pretend it isn’t happening. In this article, we’ll cover a few of the more compelling human trafficking movies you’re likely to find.

2021, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanFebruary 8, 2021Comment

GUEST COLUMN: 6 Thought-Provoking and Motivational Movies For Students

by Pauline Jensen

After enrolling in college or university, we begin our new aspect of life. High school is behind, and new challenges are ahead. Sometimes, these challenges are way too hard to deal with. As a consequence, we lose our motivation to study, which results in low grades and overall dissatisfaction with studies and education. What to do then? Well, there are a dozen ways to boost your motivation. For instance, you can click here and get model projects to see how to complete it and get the highest grade.

2021, GUEST EDITORIAL, Editorial, Home MediaDon ShanahanFebruary 8, 2021Comment

GUEST COLUMN: Top 7 Romantic Movies That Will Make You Believe In Love

by Karl Murphy

Some people love watching action movies, others prefer detective stories, etc. We all have our interests and preferences, but what about love stories in cinematography? A lot of people don't even watch love movies anymore since the love stories depicted are far from reality. Let’s face it, love at first sight rarely has a happy ending due to both individuals getting to know each other better.

2021, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home MediaDon ShanahanFebruary 7, 2021Comment

GUEST COLUMN: 5 Iconic, Irreplaceable Filming Locations

by Devin Caldwell

A lot of filming is done on sets and backlots, many of which are dismantled almost as soon as filming ends. However, there are certain things that cannot be recreated on a soundstage. Sweeping vistas, iconic streets and irreplaceable grand homes make up an important part of many of the most recognizable films. Here are just a few iconic filming locations used by countless directors over the years.

2021, Column, Editorial, Home MediaDon ShanahanFebruary 6, 2021Comment

GUEST COLUMN: Great Health Documentaries on Netflix

by Devin Caldwell

If you’re looking to increase your general knowledge across many health and medical topics, look no further than Netflix. Buried behind the “latest releases” and “trending now” movies and TV shows is a bevy of non-fiction and documentaries dedicated to various aspects of health and wellness including diet, disease, mental health, medication and brain chemistry. Start your own personal tutorial with these films.

2021, Column, DocumentaryDon ShanahanFebruary 6, 2021Comment

MOVIE REVIEW: Malcolm & Marie

Malcolm & Marie is nothing short of emotional pugilism. Not a hair is harmed on any head, mind you, yet hearts, feelings, and psyches are pummelled and destroyed over the tumultuous course of its 106 hard minutes on Netflix. It is a wringer of an experience that remarkably takes its loud and large volume of delicately vicious battery and orchestrates mesmerizing renewal that is downright captivating.

2020, 2021, 5 STARS, Independent Film, MOVIE REVIEW, StreamingDon ShanahanFebruary 5, 2021Malcolm & MarieComment

GUEST CRITIC #57: One Night in Miami

by Lafronda Stumn

As busy I get from time to time, I find that I can't see every movie under the sun, leaving my friends and colleagues to fill in the blanks for me. As poetically as I think I wax about movies on this website as a wannabe critic, there are other experts out there. Sometimes, it inspires me to see the movie too and get back to being my circle's go-to movie guy. Sometimes, they save me $9 and you 800+ words of blathering. In a new review series, I'm opening my site to friend submissions for guest movie reviews.

GUEST CRITIC, Independent Film, MOVIE REVIEW, Social Media, Foreign Film, 2021Don ShanahanFebruary 5, 2021Comment

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on the "Kicking the Seat" live YouTube recap for "Wandavision" Episode 5

Bounding out of the stride-breaking fourth episode last week, the fifth episdoe of Marvel’s WandaVision on Disney+ increased the conflict and suspense both inside the “hex” and out. The creators are packing this show with mounds of details each time out and the actors are increasing their committed character work. Each week, Ian Simmons of Kicking the Seat will host our usual quartet, including myself, Emmanuel Noisette of E-Man’s Movie Reviews, and David Fowlie of Keeping it Reel stand to be “Earth’s Mightiest Critics” conducting LIVE “wecap” shows on YouTube. We’ve been loving where this show is going and think you will too. Catch us every Friday at 8:30pm CST! Here’s our chat for Episode 5:

Media Appearance, Podcast, Social Media, SPECIAL, 2020Don ShanahanFebruary 5, 2021AMC River East 21Kicking the Seat, WandaVisionComment

GUEST COLUMN: 9 Great Novels That Have Never Been Made into A Movie

by Dorian Martin

Books are a true goldmine of creative ideas, life-changing stories, memorable lines, and emotional experiences. Reading a great book is almost like watching a great movie. You can imagine the characters, hear their voices, and see the colorful pictures being painted in front of your eyes. But, when a book you love is adapted into a movie, you can truly experience the story with all your senses. Unfortunately, not all great novels have been made into a movie.

Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIALDon ShanahanFebruary 5, 2021Comment