COLUMN: The 10 Best Movies of 2020

Nothing seems to define 2020 like a long sigh and a deep breath. This past year likely makes the record books with all kinds of trivia nuggets and asterisks. Folks didn’t get to see all the movies they hoped for, but I’ve been telling people all year that “absence makes the heart grow fonder.” The last movie I saw in a theater was Onward on March 2nd, adding up to 304 days (and counting since) without a visit to the big screen. Sure, I miss it as a guy that used to go out 2-3 times a week, but movies can wait and so will I. After all, we’re surviving a pandemic and movies count as #firstworldproblems.

2020, Best Films, Column, Editorial, LIST, SPECIALDon ShanahanJanuary 13, 2021Comment

10 YEAR RETROSPECTIVE: The 10 Best Films of 2010

Despite the overall crappiness of this year, 2020 has been the 10th anniversary of this website Every Movie Has a Lesson. I didn’t start this endeavor until May of 2010 and, when the end of the year rolled around, I didn’t have a complete “sample size” or body of work, so to speak, to write a proper “10 Best” list. Missing that chance has always bothered the completist in me. I’ve been meaning to fix that and this little anniversary seemed like the right time, especially after charting a “best of the decade” list a year ago at the close of the 10s. So, turning back the clock a decade, here are my “10 Best Films of 2010.”

Best Films, Column, Editorial, LIST, Retrospective, SPECIAL, 2020, 2010Don ShanahanDecember 28, 2020Saint Joseph's College2010 Comment

20 YEAR RETROSPECTIVE: The best of the rest of 2000

In an annual series, Every Movie Has a Lesson is going to look back twenty years to revisit, relearn, and reexamine a year of cinema history to share favorites, lists, and experiences from the films of that year. When measuring back as far as twenty years or more, I feel like “favorites” that have stood the test of time have aged to become some level of “best.” I feel like a bunch of those populate my reflective look back at the best of the rest of 2000.

Best Films, Column, Editorial, Retrospective, SPECIAL, 2020Don ShanahanDecember 25, 20202000, 2000 moviesComment

20 YEAR RETROSPECTIVE: The 10 Best Films of 2000

In an annual series, Every Movie Has a Lesson is going to look back twenty years to revisit, relearn, and reexamine a year of cinema history to share favorites, lists, and experiences from the films of that year. When measuring back as far as twenty years or more, I feel like “favorites” that have stood the test of time have aged to become some level of “best.” I feel like a bunch of those populate my reflective look back at the best of 2000.

Best Films, Column, Editorial, LIST, Retrospective, SPECIAL, 2020Don ShanahanDecember 25, 2020Saint Joseph's College2000 Comments

GUEST COLUMN: The 30 Best-Shot Films of All-Time

by Bethany Watson

Oftentimes, directors get all the credit when a movie is being celebrated. Other crucial individuals such as cinematographers, are ignored. This sort of misconception is rife not only in film but in spheres like music, cybersport, etc. However, every insider knows that for a movie to be shot correctly, the cinematographer has to be excellent. In this collation, we celebrate some of the best-shot movies of all time. (In no particular order).

2020, Best Films, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Home Media, LISTDon ShanahanAugust 19, 2020Comment

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Participant in "World of Reel" Critics Poll for Best Films of the 2000s

As I grow with press credentials and professional affiliation locally and nationally, I find myself more and more landing and conversing in circles with other film critics of various levels. Recently, I answered an open social media call from Jordan Ruimy of World of Reel. He is a fellow Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic who also has contributed to The Young Folks, The Playlist, We Got This Covered, and The Film Stage. His poll was to collect the Top 5 films of the 2000s from critics and other industry folk. I was honored to chime in with my quintet with some very high company, even if my picks didn’t climb very high compared to my peers. Enjoy the article and list. Check out your boy!

Media Appearance, Social Media, SPECIAL, LIST, Best Films, CICDon ShanahanJune 8, 2020Comment

FEATURE: Final 2020 Awards Tracker

Welcome to the ninth year of Every Movie Has a Lesson's "Awards Tracker." My goal every year is simple: Help each and every one of you win your Oscar pools. As a member of three recognized awards-voting bodies of film critics (OFCS, OFTA, and Chicago Indie Critics), it’s a pleasure and honor to see my own picks made it into the award season discussion. Here's how this little page of my personal interest works. I find value in tracking the trends and following the tea leaves of the all the minor lead-up awards before the Oscars. I chart the winners of each category with listed winners and comments on the surrounding buzz.

FINAL TAKE: Prediction-wise, I was a so-so 16 of 24. Not great, but not bad. I’ll take being wrong to watch a night of history honoring women and international film!

2020, 2019, Best Films, Column, Editorial, SPECIALDon ShanahanFebruary 9, 2020Comment

COLUMN: My Top 100 Movies of the 2010s

To build a master list, I turned to the Pub Meeple Ranking Engine. I entered a list of just under 200 five-star and high four-star movies and let the hundreds of clickable “versus” matchup permutations slot everything. It’s really a slick tool, and it nailed my results. The cream of the rose to the top, just as they should. I’ve said this before on other lists, but this is more about “best” than “favorites.” Also, I did not include documentaries. Quality edges easy entertainment more often than not. Here are the results with a little commentary here and there in between!

COLUMN: The 10 Best Movies of 2019

In all, I published “only” 94 film reviews in 2019, which is plenty, but down from 110 last year and my high mark of 126 in 2017. I saw a dozen and a half more, but full-time school teachers, husbands, and dads like me only have so much free time to put 1000 words down every time. Work-life balance, so to speak, is always a challenge, one that I aim to do better in the life direction. No matter, I think I’ve got 2019 figured out. Here are my picks for the ten best films of the year accompanied by, as always and true to my site’s namesake niche, their best life lesson.

2019, 2020, Best Films, Column, Editorial, LIST, SPECIALDon ShanahanJanuary 1, 2020 Comment

20 YEAR RETROSPECTIVE: The best of the rest of 1999

As the historians will tell you, 1999 was a damn fine year. Man, that was living. There are many films from that year that count as favorites and greats in several different ways. Some have gotten better with age and some have worsened, even dropping at as former favorites. Here are my little breakdowns of the “rest of 1999.” Enjoy some personal favorites, underrated gems, guilty pleasures, overrated picks, and still bad dogs.

Best Films, Column, Editorial, Retrospective, SPECIAL, 2019Don ShanahanDecember 28, 20191999Comment

20 YEAR RETROSPECTIVE: The 10 Best Films of 1999

In an annual series, Every Movie Has a Lesson is going to look back twenty years to revisit, relearn, and reexamine a year of cinema history to share favorites, lists, and experiences from the films of that year. When measuring back as far as twenty years or more, I feel like “favorites” that have stood the test of time have aged to become some level of “best.” I feel like a bunch of those populate my reflective look back at the best of 1999.

Best Films, Column, Editorial, LIST, Retrospective, SPECIAL, 2019Don ShanahanDecember 27, 2019Saint Joseph's College1999Comment

GUEST EDITORIAL: Unusual Stories of Actors Before They Became Famous

For some, it’s quite difficult to come to terms with the fact that some of the iconic figures in the entertainment front were ordinary people at some point doing regular jobs and others going for days without shelter. Many of the biggest acts in the movie industry got their start by chance while others worked really hard to get to where they are currently. Well, we could go ahead to say it does help to be in the right place at the right time but then again for some hard work supersedes all.