Posts tagged Nightcrawler
MOVIE REVIEW: X-Men: Apocalypse
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.  

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2016, ADVANCE MOVIE REVIEW, MOVIE REVIEW, 2 STARSDon ShanahanAMC 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
OSCAR PREDICTIONS 2015: The race for Best Picture
OSCAR PREDICTIONS 2015: The race for Best Picture

In this seventh and final post, we've come to the big one, folks.  Here's my analysis and breakdown of the race for Best Picture.  This is a close one, so read on!  Let's do this!  I've said it all season.  Stick with me and I will win you your Oscar pool.

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10 Best, 2015, 2014, Column, EditorialDon ShanahanAmerican Sniper, Birdman, Boyhood, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game, Selma, The Theory of Everything, Whiplash, Nightcrawler, Gone GirlComment
COLUMN: The 10 Best Films of 2014
COLUMN: The 10 Best Films of 2014

Getting into the numbers, I reviewed twenty four-star films and twelve five-star gems.  That means my final "10 Best" list are all champs with two that had to be bumped to lead the next ten.  From there, my four-star reviews were ranked from 12-20 and then honorable mention.  In keeping with the hook of my website, each of my "10 Best" are presented with their best life lesson and linked full reviews.  Enjoy! 

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10 Best, 2014, Column, Editorial, SPECIALDon ShanahanThe Equalizer, A Most Wanted Man, Calvary, Get on Up, Magic in the Moonlight, They Came Together, The Edge of Tomorrow, Edge of Tomorrow, X-Men: Days of Future Past, The Railway Man, Two Days One Night, Big Hero 6, St. Vincent, Still Alice, Nightcrawler, Interstellar, Chef, Guardians of the Galaxy, The LEGO Movie, The Lego Movie, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, The One I Love, The Imitation Game, Birdman, American Sniper, Gone Girl, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Boyhood, Whiplash, 10 Best Films of 2014, 10 Best, Best of 2014, Top 10 list, 2014Comment
MOVIE REVIEW: Nightcrawler
MOVIE REVIEW: Nightcrawler

"Nightcrawler" is the cinematic equivalent of not being able to look away from an impending accident.  This is the movie on that test that stops and watches for even more peril.  In a movie like this, our own voyeurism and curiosity takes over and we find ourselves enraptured in what we see, even if it is wrong and against our usual likes, dislikes, morals, or beliefs.  Movies that do that and still entertain are rare. 

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2014, 4 STARS, MOVIE REVIEWDon ShanahanNightcrawler, Jake Gyllenhaal, Dan Gilroy, James Newton HowardComment
COLUMN: 2014 Fall Movie Preview
COLUMN: 2014 Fall Movie Preview

Traditionally, the months of September and October are the dumping grounds of movies that weren't good enough or too dark to be summer releases or films not quite good enough to be held until the prime awards season during the winter months of November and December.  Every now and then, though, a future Academy Award winner sneaks into early into the Oscar race with an October release.  Here is my full preview of the 2014 fall movie season.  I hope I can steer you to a few hidden gems before the real big-timers get here in November and December. 

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2014, ColumnDon ShanahanThe Identical, Frontera, The Drop, No Good Deed, Dolphin Tale 2, The Maze Runner, This is Where I Leave You, A Walk Among Tombstones, The Skeleton Twins, Hector and the Search for Happiness, Tracks, The Equalizer, The Box Trolls, The Two Faces of January, Pride, Gone Girl, The Good Lie, The Judge, Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day, Whiplash, Kill the Messenger, Fury, The Best of Me, Book of Life, Dracula Untold, Birdman, Ouija, White Bird in a Blizzard, St. Vincent, John Wick, Nightcrawler, Before I Go to Sleep, HornsComment
CHECKLIST: 2014 Fall Movie Calendar
CHECKLIST: 2014 Fall Movie Calendar

Now that September is here, the summer movie season is officially over and we shift girls to the fall movie season.  Here's a handy checklist and calendar of upcoming releases for September and October.  Bookmark this, print this out, or slap it on the fridge as your new must-see list.  My full 2014 Fall Movie Preview will be dropping soon.

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Don ShanahanThe Indentical, Frontera, The Drop, No Good Deed, Dolphin Tale 2, The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby, The Maze Runner, This is Where I Leave You, A Walk Among Tombstones, The Skeleton Twins, Hector and the Search for Happiness, Tracks, The Equalizer, The Box Trolls, The Two Faces of January, Pride, The Good Lie, Gone Girl, The Judge, Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day, Whiplash, Kill the Messenger, Fury, The Best of Me, Book of Life, Dracula Untold, Birdman, Ouija, White Bird in a Blizzard, St. Vincent, John Wick, Nightcrawler, Before I Go to Sleep, HornsComment