MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest contributor on Natural Transplants talking bald movie characters

Every now and then, I get tabbed as the published film critic to contribute ideas on a movie-related question or topic for other websites. Recently, I feel like I was profiled for a second signature trait of mine. The publishers for NaturalTransplants.com must have seen my social media profile picture featuring a shorn head because they pitched me to name my Top 5 iconic bald movie characters. I’m not kidding when I say that I’ve had that exact list in mind for a while, so I couldn’t resist the assignment.

2023, Column, Editorial, GUEST CRITIC, Home Media, Media Appearance, LIST, Social MediaDon ShanahanMarch 16, 2023Natural Transplants, bald movie characters, Back to the Future, Austin Powers, The King & I, Fast and Furious seriesComment

MOVIE REVIEW: Baby Driver

The films of Edgar Wright pulse with a signature flair for visual comedy built on wildly imaginative stylings in the areas of music, framing, camera movement, sound effects, and editing. His creative trickery wins for looks, but it also constantly advances the storytelling at hand. For that and so much more, Baby Driver is first-rate example of a kinetic film and joins the top ranks of Wright’s filmography.

2017, 4 STARS, Film Festival, MOVIE REVIEWDon ShanahanJune 26, 2017AMC River East 212017, Baby Driver, Edgar Wright, Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, Lily James, Jamie Foxx, Jon Hamm, Eiza Gonzalez, Jon Bernthal, Kid Koala, Barry White, Queen, Premium Rush, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, kinetic movies, Kinetic Movies, visual comedy, 2017 Summer Movies, Cinderella, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Cornetto Trilogy, Danger Mouse, Sky Ferreira, Kirsten Lane, Bradley Farmer, Ryan Heffington, Bill Pope, Jonathan Amos, Paul Machliss, Robert Nagle, Smokey and the Bandit, Days of Thunder, Fast and Furious series, Song-Database, LyricFinder, film review, movie review, film commentary, movie commentary, life lessons from film, life lessons from movies, life lessons, Donald Shanahan, Don Shanahan, CIFCC, Every Movie Has a LessonComment

MOVIE REVIEW: X-Men: Apocalypse

After two movies of turn-back-the-clock course correction, it is fair to rank the "X-Men" series right next to "The Fast and Furious" as a film franchise that was derailed, left for dead, and since rescued with a filmmaking resurgence. "X-Men: First Class" introduced new youthful vigor and was followed by the return of original franchise steward Bryan Singer for the slate-wiping "X-Men: Days of Future Past." The latter film grossed more than double any of its franchise predecessors and enabled the series to pass the torch from the seniors to the juniors. Flush with success, good graces, and a new lease on life, "X-Men: Apocalypse" arrives with the goal to top everything that's been done in 20th Century Fox's offshoot shingle of a Marvel universe.

2016, ADVANCE MOVIE REVIEW, MOVIE REVIEW, 2 STARSDon ShanahanMay 16, 2016AMC 600 North MichiganX-Men: Apocalypse, X-Men: First Class, X-Men: Days of Future Past, X-Men: The Last Stand, Bryan Singer, Simon Kinberg, Brett Ratner, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Oscar Isaac, Alexandra Shipp, Ben Hardy, Olivia Munn, Magneto, Erik Lehnsherr, Raven Darkholme, Mystique, Psylocke, Angel, Storm, Lucas Till, Nicholas Hoult, Hank McCoy, Tye Sheridan, Sophie Turner, Charles Xavier, Seth Rogen, Moira MacTaggert, Rose Byrne, Evan Peters, Quicksilver, Nightcrawler, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Scott Summers, Jean Grey, life lessons from movies, life lessons from film, life lessons, Life lessons, life lessons from films, movie review, movie commentary, film review, film commentary, comic book films, comic book movie, Fox Marvel Universe, X-Men, X-Men franchise, Fast and Furious series, 2016, 2016 Summer Movies, summer movie, summer blockbusters, Summer Movies, Every Movie Has a Lesson, Don Shanahan, Donald ShanahanComment

MOVIE REVIEW: Furious 7

I'm going go out on a limb right now and make a bold statement after watching the amazing "Furious 7" that I didn't think I could or would say about this series a decade ago. Outside of maybe, and I mean maybe, the "Harry Potter" film series, I don't think any singular film franchise or series in cinematic history has gotten better with age more than "The Fast and the Furious." Yeah, I said it and I dare you to name something better that has spanned five-plus entries.

CHECKLIST: 2015 Spring Movie Calendar

Here is your lineup of films coming your way in the surprisingly slow months of March and April. Add these to your calendar or print and slip this list on the fridge. As always, release dates shift all of the time, so be aware. My full seasonal preview will be coming soon! Enjoy!

MOVIE REVIEW: X-Men: Days of Future Past

The successful revitalization brought by “X-Men: First Class” and the unfaded star power of Hugh Jackman have brought us to “X-Men: Days of Future Past.” Original series director Bryan Singer, fresh from “Jack the Giant Slayer,” and “X-Men: The Last Stand” screenwriter Simon Kinberg have returned to correct old mistakes, untangle the knots, and realign this previously failed franchise for a healthy new lease on cinematic life and relevance.