Spider-Man: Homecoming counts as a clean slate for Peter Parker’s web-slinger. Now nestled into the established Marvel Cinematic Universe, Tom Holland is a true teenage Spider-Man, one that was never successfully conveyed by two previous franchises and their over-aged actors. Aiming to please and bursting with effervescent zest at every flip, swing, and turn, John Watts’ Spider-Man: Homecoming succeeds as a brand new jumping off point for a character that badly needed course correction.

2017, 4 STARS, ADVANCE MOVIE REVIEW, MOVIE REVIEWDon ShanahanJune 29, 2017AMC River East 212017, 2017 Summer Movies, Marvel Films, Marvel Comics, Marvel Entertainment, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Sony Pictures, Sony Entertainment, Dolby, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2, Tom Holland, Robert Downey Jr., Marisa Tomei, Jon Favreau, Iron Man, Avengers, The Avengers, John Watts, Cop Car, Michael Keaton, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Kurt Russell, Batman, Beetlejuice, Donald Glover, Bokeem Woodbine, Logan Marshall-Green, Michael Chernus, Hannibal Buress, Martin Starr, Mac Gargan, Kenneth Choi, Michael Giacchino, Steve Ditko, Deadpool, John Hughes, Captain America, Captain America: Civil War, Marvel Studios, Christopher Ford, Horrible Bosses, Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Daley, Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, The LEGO Movie, Jacob Batalan, Tony Revolori, Zendaya, Laura Harrier, Aunt May, Vulture, Shocker, movie review, film review, movie commentary, film commentary, comic book movie, comic book films, Comic Book Guy, comic book movies, film franchises, Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, life lessons, life lessons from movies, life lessons from film, Donald Shanahan, Don Shanahan, Every Movie Has a Lesson, Jon WattsComment

COLUMN: New Year's Resolutions for the Movie Industry in 2017

Plenty of regular everyday people make New Year's Resolutions, but I think bigger entities, namely movie makers and movie moguls, need to make them too. Annually, including this sixth edition, this is my absolute favorite editorial to write every year. I have fun taking the movie industry to task for things they need to change. I'm sarcastic, but I'm not the guy to take it to the false internet courage level of some Twitter troll. This will be as forward as I get all year.

2016, Column, Editorial, SPECIALDon ShanahanDecember 31, 2016New Year's Resolutions for the Movie Industry, New Year's Resolutions, Column, Editorial, 2016, 2017, New Year's Eve, Adam Sandler, Seth McFarlane, Michael Phillips, MTV, Donald Trump, Felicity Jones, Natalie Portman, Jessica Chastain, Jackie, Miss Sloane, Emma Stone, La La Land, #OscarsSoWhite, Moonlight, Fences, Hidden Figures, Mahershala Ali, Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Naomie Harris, Octavia Spencer, Ava DuVernay, 13th, The Birth of a Nation, Southside with You, The Fits, Kicks, LGBT, Disney/Marvel, 20th Century Fox, Sony Pictures, Sony Entertainment, Captain America: Civil War, Spider-Man, Spider-Man: Homecoming, X-Men: Apocalypse, Deadpool, Doctor Strange, Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad, Geoff Johns, Denis Villeneuve, Dwayne Johnson, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Prisoners, Enemy, Sicario, Arrival, Blade Runner 2049, Ridley Scott, Alien: Covenant, Jumanji, Baywatch, Kicking the Seat, Pixar, Pixar Punch, Sing, The Secret Life of Pets, The Angry Birds Movie, The Emoji Movie, Pete's Dragon, Mark Wahlberg, Deepwater Horizon, Patriots Day, Transformers: The Last Knight, Jason Statham, Saturday Night Live, Ghostbusters, Damien ChazelleComment

EDITORIAL: The Best of 2016 (so far)

Many of my personal most-anticipated picks and my crystal ball Oscar prognostications are still coming, but I have been lucky enough to see over 50 film films in the first half of 2016. Since it's only been a half-year, I'll split a year-end "10 Best" list into a Top 5. True to this website's theme, I present you my picks for the "Best of 2016 (so far)" coupled with their best life lesson from my full reviews.

2016, Editorial, Best Films, 10 Best, Column, SPECIALDon ShanahanJune 30, 2016most anticipated movies, Lo and Behold, Everybody Wants Some, Best Movies of 2016, Deadpool, 2017 Oscar Predictions, Louder than Bombs, Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Life Animated, 2016 films, 2017 Oscars, Oscar contenders, 10 Best, Top 5 list, Column, Coming Through the Rye, most anticipated films, Race, Oscar hopefuls, Born to Be Blue, Best of 2016 (so far), 2016, Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World, Elvis & Nixon, High-Rise, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, SXSW Film Festival, Kung Fu Panda 3, Sundance Film Festival, In a Valley of Violence, Tribeca Film Festival, Cannes, 10 Best Films of 2016, Hail Caesar!, Midnight Special, Editorial, Best Films of 2016, Captain America: Civil War, Cannes Film Festival, La Belle et la Bete, Beauty and the Beast, Top 10 list, Best of 2016, List, The Invitation, The American SideComment

MOVIE REVIEW: Captain America: Civil War

The absolute proof of the intact Marvel formula is the elevated scope and confidence given to "Captain America: Civil War." Spinning as a dual sequel to 2014's "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" and last year's "Avengers: Age of Ultron" and following the darkly-operatic-yet-similarly-premised competitor "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice," this film survives a few glaring imperfections and overweight ambition to maintain the Marvel flagship. It plays it safe because it knows safe works for their brand and satisfies the masses. They know they're getting their cash registers out and hiring extra accountants. To others looking for more risk, you've come to the wrong place.

2016, ADVANCE MOVIE REVIEW, MOVIE REVIEW, 3 STARSDon ShanahanMay 3, 2016Navy Pier IMAXSebastian Stan, Falcon, Disney/Marvel, Jeremy Renner, Steve Rogers, Ant-Man, film commentary, Robert Downey Jr., Marvel Phase 3, Henry Jackman, Spider-Man, Paul Bettany, Marvel Entertainment, Scarlett Johansson, Stephen McFeely, Clint Barton, Every Movie Has a Lesson, Bucky Barnes, Crossbones, Chadwick Boseman, Peter Parker, Don Shanahan, Captain America: Civil War, movie review, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Christopher Markus, Tom Holland, The Avengers, life lessons from films, Frank Grillo, Anthony and Joe Russo, Wanda Maximoff, 2016, War Machine, Squad goals, Life lessons, life lessons from film, life lessons from movies, Don Cheadle, Elizabeth Olsen, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Iron Man, movie commentary, Collateral damage, Black Widow, Chris Evans, Helmut Zemo, The Winter Soldier, 2016 Summer Movies, Anthony Mackie, Hawkeye, Paul Rudd, IMAX, The Incredible Hulk, Scott Lang, Daniel Bruhl, Marvel Films, 3D, summer blockbusters, Sokovia, Thunderbolt Ross, Captain America: The First Avenger, T'Challa, Black Panther, William Hurt, Tony Stark, life lessons, Scarlet Witch, Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Donald Shanahan, film review, Compromise, Marvel, Marvel Comics, Vision Comment

EDITORIAL: My 16 most anticipated films for 2016

2016 looks decidedly less spectacular that 2015 on paper. I think there is still plenty to love, but I don't think we'll get another pair of $500 million-plus earners like "Jurassic World" (over $600 million) and "Star Wars: The Force Awakens. In an annual tradition, here are the sixteen movies I'm most looking forward to for 2016. I'm a ranker kind of guy, so let the first countdown begin. Enjoy!

EVERY MOVIE HAS A LESSON

by Don Shanahan

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