MOVIE REVIEW: Megamind

Megamind, the newest computer-animated family film from Dreamworks, is just that kind of story. It's a villain's origin story and a look inside their motivations and inner psyche. It's a chance to see what would happen if the hapless bad guy actually won for once. While the pool that we get to look at is pretty shallow, it still has a lot more going on than one would realize. That different point of view is the cleverness and fun of Megamind and it's quality storytelling elevates it much higher than this year's previous villain-inside-story animated movie Despicable Me.

"2010", "3 STARS", "Megamind", "Movie Review"Don ShanahanNovember 23, 2010Comment

MOVIE REVIEW: Due Date

Simply put, Due Date suffers from, what I like to call, "Nacho Libre Syndrome," where all of the funny parts of the movie are in the previews and TV spots. The moments in-between turn out to be worthless, preposterous, or just bad.

"1 STAR", "2010", "Due Date", "Movie Review"Don ShanahanNovember 19, 2010 Comment

MOVIE REVIEW: Red

With this premise, Red is a fun action-comedy that doesn't take itself too seriously and definitely doesn't have to. It's an A-Team for the Viagra crowd. There's enough mystery in their preposterous mission to create a suspenseful puzzle to keep your attention, while balanced with enough bullet-filled "too-old-for-this-shit" moments to really entertain.

"2010", "3 STARS", "Movie Review", "Red"Don ShanahanNovember 19, 2010Comment

DOCUMENTARY REVIEW: Waiting for "Superman"

From both story perspectives, the cracks and deficiencies of the American public school system are revealed and out on display in a very strong way. Waiting for "Superman" doesn't sugarcoat or hold its statistics and ugly findings back. Much about No Child Left Behind and educational funding is discussed. It is both sickening and fascinating to watch at the same time, yet all the while poignant.

MOVIE REVIEW: Jackass 3D

Shock value sells. It always does. Dane Cook was right when he talked about even simple car crashes in an old stand-up routine. We can't take our eyes off of something like that. We are even drawn to it in some way. For those ways and reasons, the new Jackass 3D is irresistible. Those that are drawn to it will be endlessly entertained. Those that are appalled by it still won't be able to look away, even if they want to, because of its "how did they do that?" factor.

"2 STARS", "2010", "FUNNY", "Jackass 3D", "Movie Review"Don ShanahanOctober 18, 2010 Comment

MOVIE REVIEW: Life As We Know It

Real-life parents will likely watch this movie and talk about how easy the movie characters have it with their big house and endless amenities and income streams, despite the supposed appearance of stress and hardship. They're not going to find it believable. Sure, Life As We Know It has it's laughs, moments, and sincere touches. Duhamel is perfectly cast to play the evolving "himbo" jock and Heigl is always easy on the eyes, but everything is completely scripted and mostly predictable.

"2 STARS", "2010", "Life As We Know It", "Movie Review"Don ShanahanOctober 14, 2010Comment

MOVIE REVIEW: The Social Network

Finally, in what may be the biggest surprise of all, they all came together to make a movie about Facebook that didn't really talk about Facebook itself. Sure, we found out how it came to be and how it grew huge and popular, but the movie is about the people not the empire. The Social Network doesn't become a lecture on society's social networking behavior. In the movie, Facebook itself might as well be the "One Ring," the "MacGuffin," and "Rosebud." It's always present, but purely as a means to talk about and move the human side of the story. For that alone, The Social Network is quite an accomplishment and one of the best of the year.

"2010", "5 STARS", "Movie Review", "The Social Network"Don ShanahanOctober 4, 2010 Comment

MOVIE REVIEW: Easy A

Easy A brings that teen movie tradition proudly to a new generation. You begin to imagine what your high school self would be like in this digital age of Facebooking and Tweeting.

"2010", "4 STARS", "Easy A", "Movie Review"Don ShanahanOctober 2, 2010Comment

MOVIE REVIEW: The Town

The Town achieves to be as dangerous, interesting, and dramatic as the two movies it's being hyped by its studio to be compared to: Heat and The Departed. While it's not as epic and well-acted as Heat and nowhere near as visceral as The Departed, The Town can hold it's own in the crime thriller department.

"2010", "4 STARS", "Movie Review", "The Town"Don ShanahanOctober 1, 2010Comment

MOVIE REVIEW: Machete

As aforementioned, Machete is preposterous, fakely hyper-violent, and unrealistic in all scope and scale on purpose. For that, it's a creative success and a lot of manly fun for what it is supposed to be.

"2010", "3 STARS", "Machete", "Movie Review"Don ShanahanSeptember 21, 2010Comment

MOVIE REVIEW: The American

In The American, Clooney pulls off muted-serious and still creates a screen presence that demands your attention. The rest of the film, however, may not be so effective.

"2 STARS", "2010", "Movie Review", "The American"Don ShanahanSeptember 16, 2010Comment

MOVIE REVIEW: Dinner for Schmucks

Dinner for Schmucks is as stupid as its wildly eccentric characters, but it delivers the laugh-out-loud moments missing from a lot of comedies this summer.

"2010", "3 STARS", "Dinner for Schmucks", "Movie Review"Don ShanahanSeptember 9, 2010Comment