Homage was clearly the goal of Danny Turkiewicz with Stealing Pulp Fiction. Matching Tarantino, our two leads of Rudnitsky and Soni are a mismatched pair of buddies with loser exteriors and ambitious interiors with their own acronym-filled lingo and hangout vibe. Jonathan and Steve are a pair classic QT chatty Cathys who incessantly talk and finish each other’s sentence. Choosing some easy traits to match, the movie is edited into several titled chapter sections, includes similar musical cues, and emulates some of the framing and slow-motion camera moves of Quentin’s motifs and techniques.

MOVIE REVIEW: Familiar Touch

Filming for Familiar Touch was done in collaboration with the residents and staff of Villa Gardens Continuing Care Retirement Community in New York. Backed by casting agent Betsy Fippinger (Eighth Grade and Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret), 67 residents, 13 staff members, and 12 caregiving and geriatrician consultants were credited for their involvement in making the movie, granting a tangible and uplifting authenticity that we’re being shown a positive standard of care and not an entirely sugarcoated movie version, just to perk up a plot with conflict.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Life of Chuck

One could go on and on, playing out those hypothetical scenarios and more after the movie. If you can reach this plane of empathetic understanding through the abnormal twists and turns of The Life of Chuck, you have found yourself one marvelous movie. If you can’t, or swaying between bliss and death makes you cynical or uncomfortable, you might be a little dead inside. That’ll be on you and not Mike Flanagan.

MOVIE REVIEW: On Swift Horses

Normally, one confidential love affair is all a movie needs to emphasize and feature to get that desired effect. Based on Shannon Pufahl’s 2019 page-turner, On Swift Horses dangles as many as four. While promiscuity or parallel threads do not have to be frowned upon from a movie standpoint, four dangling possibilities prove too many for veteran television director Daniel Minahan stepping up to feature films.

2024, 2025, MOVIE REVIEWDon ShanahanApril 24, 2025On Swift Horses, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Jacob Elordi, Diego Calva, Sasha Calle, Will PoulterComment

SHORT FILM REVIEW: Death is Business

As a short film, Death is Business dips its toe into the seedy underworld of murder-for-hire. For the specific and highly coordinated type of crime being committed on screen, the toe being dipped isn’t coming out explicitly bloody. It may even look stylishly clean, but make no mistake, there is an unchecked dirtiness clinging to the extremities. With an intellectual meticulousness matching its felonious acts, Dirty Business puts diabolic impetuses under an intriguing microscope.

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Participant in "World of Reel" Critics Poll for Best Films of the 1950s

As I have grown in press credentials and professional affiliations nationally, I have found myself landing in circles with other film critics of various levels. Recently, I was included in a poll for voting critics for Jordan Ruimy of World of Reel, a fellow Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. His survey was to collect picks for the best films of the 1950s from over 120 critics and other industry folk.

Media Appearance, Social Media, SPECIAL, LIST, Best Films, 2024Don ShanahanApril 8, 2025World of Reel, Jordan Ruimy, 1950sComment

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on the "Let's Talk About Flix" podcast chatting about "The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then The Bigfoot"

Mike Osborn and Curtis Menke of the irreverent and laugh-filled podcast “Let’s Talk About Flix are weekly appointment laughs for me and pod I support on Patreon. Mike and Curtis have become two full members of the Chicago Indie Critics group that I co-direct. For the second year in a row, I was honored to be asked on as the return guest during their “Patreon Picks” month. For that guest’s choice theme, I brought them 2018’s The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then The Bigfoot starring Sam Elliot. Enjoy our chat! Follow their show on podcast platforms and YouTube!

MOVIE REVIEW: Audrey's Children

Audrey’s Children chisels an important story into an extremely well-meaning film. Not all life-saving feats are glamorous and marked with crowds and cheers. Sometimes, all they are is a stabilized vital signs, hopeful test results to live longer, or a family that walks out the door of a hospital intact instead of grieving a loss. To enjoy and appreciate this film is to watch an uncompromising woman taking risks to put in the diligent work to make a difference for, once again, “her kids.”

MOVIE REVIEW: Riff Raff

Many would say, going by that selection of talent thrust together in this predominantly single-setting premise, the stars were aligned for a peppy crime comedy in Riff Raff. The potential combinations offer interesting mixes of presences and styles. It’s too bad because the script and the director cannot align characters and tones with any semblance of congruency. Simply put, everyone is in a different movie from their scene partners.

2 STARS, 2024, 2025, 5 STARS, Independent Film, Home Media, MOVIE REVIEW, StreamingDon ShanahanFebruary 27, 2025Riff Raff, Bill Murray, Jennifer Coolidge, Lewis PullmanComment

AWARDS: 2024 Windie Nominations from Chicago Indie Critics

Celebrating their ninth year, the Chicago Indie Critics have announced the nominees for their Windie Awards. The voting film critic members completed ballots this week to select Windie nominees in 27 categories. The CIC members will commence a final round of voting ending on January 12, 2024. The 2024 Windie winners will be announced on January 18, 2024 on their website and social media platforms.

2025, 2024, AWARDS, CIC, ColumnDon ShanahanJanuary 6, 2025Windie Awards, CIC Awards, CIC, Chicago Indie Critics, 2024 Windie AwardsComment

COLUMN: My 10 Best Movies of 2024

The arrival of 2025 brings a mini landmark to Every Movie Has a Lesson. This little website that I dreamed up and started way back on Google Blogger turns 15 years old in May of 2025. Before start a year of celebration, I owe you a “10 Best” list for 2024. I couldn’t (and can never) see everything, where I have my blind spots and gaps, but, as you can see, I specialize in digging for treasure behind the mainstream.

10 Best, 2024, Column, Editorial, LIST, Best Films, 2025Don ShanahanJanuary 1, 202510 Best, List, 10 Best Films of 2024, 2025Comment

MOVIE REVIEW: Nickel Boys

By Ross’s own words, the camera intensifies objectivity and that speaks volumes for Nickel Boys. Its well-executed impact begs audiences to become further informed on the tragedy after finishing the film. In the end, we cannot let go of what the eyes and arms want, especially if those needs cannot be attained due to the grim circumstances of the story. Better than many works by peers and contemporaries, Nickel Boys longs for us to hold dear the bonds of protective brotherhood with a fascinating filmic experience.

EVERY MOVIE HAS A LESSON

by Don Shanahan

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