MOVIE REVIEW: The Farewell

Even with this divisive indigenous practice happening to challenge the sensitivity of audiences, the universal human condition feels are extremely strong in one of the most entertaining and freeing film experiences of recent memory. The writer and director herself attests there is “not a wrong moment to laugh.” Lulu Wang is right. The catharsis, the grief, or both are intensely relatable. With that humorous dread and paralyzing poise, this distinct film carries poignant spirit. There is room in any season for an unexpected film to surround and heal one’s self in the difficult or awkward stakes of familial love and loss.

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on the "You'll Probably Agree" podcast talking "The Lion King" and Disney's future

Mike Crowley of the steaming-ahead “You’ll Probably Agree” brand welcomed yours truly back on the podcast microphone again, this time to talk about The Lion King. Neither one of our childhoods were married to the 1994 original, but we recognize its greatness while questioning and critiquing the new Jon Favreau visual achievement. Mike and I gaze ahead into the Disney crystal ball and wonder where they are heading with these reimaginings that border on creative bankruptcy. Fire up the audio! Give the show episode a listen, his YouTube channel a new subscriber, his Facebook page a like, and his Twitter a follow!

Social Media, SPECIAL, 2019, Editorial, Podcast, Media AppearanceDon ShanahanJuly 16, 2019Comment

GUEST EDITORIAL: The Relevance of "Fight Club"

In the last twenty years, however, it’s become something of a cult classic, and many have tried to dissect what the film actually means. To me, it’s mainly a satire on the American consumerist lifestyle, the prevalence of advertising, and masculinity. Some see it as a very political film, throwing around words such as “Marxism” or “propaganda.” To others, it’s about spirituality. Everyone has their own take on Fight Club. Personally, I think it’s some kind of combination of all of these ideas, and I’m dedicating the rest of this article to explaining why I believe that Fight Club has inadvertently become much more relevant now than it was in 1999.

2019, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, SPECIAL, RetrospectiveDon ShanahanJuly 14, 2019Comment

MOVIE REVIEW: The Lion King

Jon Favreau’s The Lion King stands as the biggest test to all of that progress and the attached criticism because of how little beyond the pristinely pixelated exterior is actually “reimagined.” So incredibly and, dare I say, unnecessarily much is nearly a shot-for-shot duplication of Disney’s most popular and most successful film of their Renaissance era. To go back to Dumbo, duplicated enjoyment may have been the goal, but that makes one question a tangible purpose for truly needing any such update. Luckily, the shininess, so to speak, is an undeniably impressive redeeming feature to a lack of implemented originality.

SHORT FILM REVIEW: A Bad Feeling

Star Wars fans will quickly have their sensors triggered when they note the title of this short film from Charlotte Barrett and Sean Fallon. It is a nod to a running gag that is said as often in Star Wars films as the classic line “May the Force be with you.” The phrase alludes to a character’s audible dread and the heebie-jeebies warning of something awful, visible or invisible, on their horizon. The characters in those movie moments say it and mean it. In A Bad Feeling, the husband and wife central figures know their trouble, entirely feel it, but don’t announce their fears when they should.

GUEST EDITORIAL: How filmmaking companies make money

We all love to watch films and feel as if we’re the part of movie-making art. And every time we go to the cinema we try to imagine what stands behind all these scenes and how the magic is done. Well, only film-makers know these secrets but we definitely know that they cost a lot of money. Movie production companies know that you won’t cover all the expenses with the help of ticket revenue. Filmmaking doesn’t only include the involvement of celebrities, cameramen, and other staff but also development, production, promotion, etc. So, let’s find out how people make money in this industry.

2019, Column, Editorial, GUEST EDITORIAL, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanJuly 9, 2019 Comment

INFOGRAPHIC: Vacation destinations that are out of this world

Every town and city in the world employ various strategies to attract tourists to helps boost the local economy. If certain towns were lucky enough to be the backdrop of some of the most famous TV shows and movies, it’s only natural for the city councils to capitalize on the recent trend of tourists visiting set locations based on their favorite shows. Alpharooms, an online travel booking agent, has created travel brochures for FOUR of the most iconic TV and movie locations so fans can immerse themselves into these ‘out of this world’ holiday destinations browsing.

2019, Column, Editorial, Infographic, LIST, Social Media, SPECIALDon ShanahanJuly 9, 2019Comment

MOVIE REVIEW: Extra Innings

The expression “heart in the right place” is normally used as a smallish complement to counteract some obvious flaw or as a baseline pleasantry when something does not achieve its goal fully. Albert Dabah’s intensely personal independent film Extra Innings carries that expression with neither of those dismissive caveats. Its heart is indeed in the right place, with that position being right next to its soul. That soul is wearing cleats, a ball cap, a weathered glove, and a stirrup-ed uniform patrolling the grasses of center field on a baseball diamond on a sunny summer day.

2019, Independent Film, MOVIE REVIEW, Social Media, Video on Demand, 4 STARSDon ShanahanJuly 9, 2019Comment

INFOGRAPHIC: America's most popular Pixar movies by state

A generation has grown up with Pixar, starting with Toy Story way back in 1995. Now that Toy Story 4 is upon us, it’s safe to assume that Buzz Lightyear wasn’t kidding about taking it “To infinity . . . and beyond!” In celebration of the June 21 release of Toy Story 4, we toyed around with Google Trends to determine the most popular Pixar movie in each state. Let’s see what everyone ages three and up has been searching for in the Pixar world this year.

2019, Editorial, Infographic, LIST, Social MediaDon ShanahanJuly 8, 2019Comment

MEDIA APPEARANCE: David Ehrlich's IndieWire Critics Survey on July 8, 2019

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION: What is the best ever horror performance and how did it leverage the genre to accomplish something that might not have been possible in a more grounded type of film?

Horror is not my cup of tea, coffee, cocktail, or even water, and I didn’t see Midsommar which inspired this week’s survey question, but I have dipped my toe in enough good and classic horror to pick out a great performance or two. I’ve seen no one unravel under the fictional stresses better than Mia Farrow in Roman Polanski’s Rosemary’s Baby.

Independent Film, Media Appearance, Social Media, SPECIAL, 2019Don ShanahanJuly 8, 2019David EhrlichComment

DOCUMENTARY REVIEW: Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable

The light produced by this documentary matches the inspirational shine of the subject herself. Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable is an admirable and impressive chronicle of its sunlit sporting world of “calculated chaos.” Over and over, with every step she takes forward as a woman and as a competitor, Bethany Hamilton remains undefined by the famous shark attack incident that claimed her left arm. Instead, her actions and stature make her the pillar very worth celebrating.

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on the "Kicking the Seat" podcast talking "Spider-Man: Far From Home"

Ian Simmons of the Kicking the Seat podcast leads what has come to be lovingly called “Earth’s Mightiest Critics” to explore another big and loud comic book movie. Matching the fireworks of the holiday, Spider-Man: Far From Home was the entertainment coming off the grill to the picnic table for our talk. As always, Ian, David Fowlie of Keeping It Reel and Emmanuel Noisette of E-Man’s Movie Reviews, and myself bounce the ideas. Us unqualified old men are joined by a special guest from the target demographic, David’s teenage daughter Grace. This was a very fun and long show for all of us! Give Kicking the Seat, a subscribe, follow, and a listen:

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