Posts in Editorial
EDITORIAL: The Best Films of 2018 (so far)

Usually for this website, half of a year equals half of a future “10 Best” in December, meaning normally only five films make this “best of” list. However, I have seen six 5-star feature films as well as one 5-star documentary and one 5-star short film. I’m giving all of them the spotlight. As always for this “so-far” list and the year-end final and true to my website’s hook, I present each film with its best life lesson from my review. Enjoy!

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MEDIA APPEARANCE: David Ehrlich's IndieWire Critics Survey on June 18, 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 four 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.  

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EDITORIAL: What current stories will make good films?

Once upon a time, it took a little while for Hollywood to take on modern stories. There was a sort of unofficial understood waiting period before a major, real life event could be turned into a film. These days, however, that period has evaporated, as evidenced by numerous recent examples like Patriots Day, Zero Dark Thirty, and Charlize Theron is set to play Megyn Kelly in a film about the Roger Ailes scandal. Basically, films about current events are coming out a lot closer to the actual events.  That got me wondering about what current stories might make for good films.

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MEDIA APPEARANCE: YouTube guest on YPA Reviews reflecting back on "The Social Network"

In light of Mark Zuckerberg's testimonies before Congress this past week, Mike Crowley, the excellent YouTube video creator of his You'll Probably Agree channel, hit me up with the idea of looking back at David Fincher's The Social Network. Fincher's film has evolved from a tell-all biopic of sorts to a cautionary tale with an impact that is still growing. Mike and I think the film holds up and we went the social media route to record a video chat of our conversation.

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INFOGRAPHIC: 10 of the Most Memorable Cars from the Movies

I may not be a full-on gearhead, but I do love a great car in a film!  Car leasing company OSV has created an interesting and engaging infographic detailing the 10 most memorable cars to have graced the silver screen in the last 50 years. From Steve McQueen’s Mustang GT390 in Bullitt to Vin Diesel’s Dodge Charger from The Fast and The Furious, these are mean machines that really stand out from the crowd.

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INFOGRAPHIC: 99 Insanely Interesting Gambling Movie Facts

Do you want to kill at parties or learn to talk like a pro gambler at CasinoSites?  Hollywood might help there!  This little infographic below gives you 99 insane facts about some of the most popular gambling movies of all time. Like, the box office take for Casino Royale looked like the GDP of a small, developing country at around $599 million.  Or that over 250 movies have been filmed in Las Vegas over the last seven decades.

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COLUMN: Sofy.tv emerges as an amazing new platform for short films

Every Movie Has a Lesson has gradually become more and more of an advocate and proponent of the buried treasure that is the short film scene.  I'm excited to share this report of a promising new hub named Softy.tv for audiences to experience and enjoy more from this branch of the film medium. Enjoy and learn up on this great viewing opportunity!

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EDITORIAL: 2018 March Madness Movie Bracket Challenges

Everything nowadays gets scored and ranked against everything.  As an educator with accountability to assessment and achievement, I can respect that and gladly drink that Kool-Aid.  With the annual NCAA March Madness tournament going on in full swing, a pair of movie-themed brackets have been surfing the Facebook waves and I couldn't help but be intrigued.  One challenge is for the youthful casual fan and one is for the somewhat more serious cinephile.  

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COLUMN: 2018 Box Office Predictions

With Black Panther showing no signs of slowing down, what films coming in 2018 can make similar dents in our wallets?  What blockbusters could put up big time numbers? Can anything catch Black Panther?  I know the oddsmakers and informative websites like Sports Betting Dime can be a great resource for answering those questions and examining the field.   In a quick list and editorial, let’s handicap and predict 10 contenders that could rule the 2018 box office.

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INFOGRAPHIC: 15 ways to get around in Harry Potter

Wouldn’t it be great if you could just click your fingers and change location spontaneously? Think how much time we’d get back! No more delays at the airport check-in, no more rushing to the station to catch the train. Well, if you live in Harry Potter’s world, and have the magical skills, there’s a whole bunch of ways to get from one place to the next.  Here are some of OSV’s favorites

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INFOGRAPHIC: The Disney/Fox Merger

ABCFinance has compared these media giants, looked at the potential impact of the deal on both their own employees and the end user, and demonstrated how Disney is looking to leverage this deal to break into new markets.  Read on to see how the merger will affect everything from television and the cinema box office to streaming platforms and sports broadcasting with their comprehensive infographic.

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EDITORIAL: 19 films to watch for the 2019 Oscars

In what has become an annual day-after-hangover and post-Oscars tradition, I have this editorial that closes the book on one awards season and declares the next one open for competition.  Each year, I pull out the crystal ball and look into the murky future to prognosticate which films coming in 2018 will we be applauding for at this time next year for the 91st Academy Awards.  Here are 19 films to watch for the 2019 Oscars.

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