MOVIE REVIEW: Paint

There was a measure of true cleverness possible in inserting a throwback maverick character into the present day. Paint wanted to bend a vibe with fiction and flexed too far, to a place where its main character would not survive personally or professionally in the first place. The surrounding characters chipping away at the fraud underneath Carl Nargle– an arc amusingly not all that different from the esteemed Oscar-nominated TAR when you really think about it– exposed nothing we could not already see for ourselves.

2 STARS, 2023, Film Festival, Independent Film, Home Media, MOVIE REVIEWDon ShanahanApril 7, 2023Paint, Owen Wilson, Michaela Watkins, Brit McAdamsComment

MOVIE REVIEW: Marry Me

Based on the graphic novel and webcomic of Bob Crosby, Marry Me is a kinetic collection of romantic, comedic, and musical moments that amount to more than enough appeal to create a pleasant journey and viewing experience. Honestly, that’s all it needs to be to succeed. Still, its looseness is bound by its limitations of being mere moments and not something a step or two more lingering.

2022, 3 STARS, MOVIE REVIEW, StreamingDon ShanahanFebruary 10, 2022Marry Me, Jennifer Lopez, Owen WilsonComment

STUDENT-FRIENDLY MOVIE REVIEW: Wonder

I do my best to write professional grade film criticism fit for a formal audience, becoming best friends with a thesaurus and using my big boy words. By day, I'm an elementary school educator. At work this year, I've been organizing a special field trip for 5th graders to see Wonder after they've been reading the novel all fall. This second "student-friendly" movie review is for them and other younger readers. Revised, this review scales down my review down from an 11.6 Flesch Kincaid readability level to a comfy 4.4 average.

MOVIE REVIEW: Wonder

Wonder’s buoyant messages are the moving jolt of empathy this generation needs. Even better, its literal and figurative precepts carry an inspiring weight worthy to last many generations more. Directed by the good hands of Stephen Chbosky, Wonder is an instant classic, sure to become a new favorite, for its target audience and a winning (and rare) example of a film taking great care to do justice by the book it is based on.

2017, 5 STARS, MOVIE REVIEWDon ShanahanNovember 16, 2017The Wilmette Theatreelementary educator, Wonder, 2017 Holiday Films, 2017, R.J. Palacio, Cinderella, Auggie Pullman, Room, Jacob Tremblay, Treacher Collins syndrome, Star Wars, Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, Mandy Patinkin, Noah Jupe, Suburbicon, Millie Davis, Elle McKinnon, Bryce Gheisar, Daveed Diggs, Ali Liebert, bullying, empathy, kindness, Steve Conrad, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Jack Thorne, A Long Way Down, Stephen Chbosky, Izabela Vidovic, Danielle Rose Russell, Nadji Jeter, Sonia Braga, medlodrama, coming of age, syrup, Wonder Woman, dictionary, Merriam-Webster Dictionary, movie critic, film critic, movie review, film review, movie commentary, film commentary, life lessons, life lessons from movies, life lessons from film, family films, family drama, family comedy, Donald Shanahan, Don Shanahan, Every Movie Has a LessonComment

MOVIE REVIEW: Cars 3

Wendy's founder Dave Thomas once said: “It all comes back to the basics. Serve customers the best-tasting food at a good value in a clean, comfortable restaurant, and they'll keep coming back.” Apply that telling quote of ease and simplicity to Cars 3 as a perfect parallel. The savvy creators at Pixar know how to package a quality product of with clean and clear values that gain brand loyalty from wide audiences. Returning to its Americana roots, Cars 3 rediscovers the franchise’s successful foundation of wholesome heart.

MOVIE REVIEW: No Escape

"No Escape," the rudderless and violent thriller can't muster a strong political statement to back up what it's selling. This is a horror film disguised as an expat drama. To its credit, the action is unpredictable, unnerving, and flies at a white-knuckle pace. However, its purpose and delivery is senseless and nearly reprehensible. It lacks the spine to make the proverbial wringer the characters are put through matter in some way, shape, or form outside of exploiting our fears and senses. "No Escape" undoubtedly has an edge, but it's a raw and misshapen one.

EDITORIAL: The 15 films to watch for the 2015 Oscars

Once one awards season ends, another one begins! The winners from last night's 86th Academy Awards can bask in the glow of immortality for a while. Meanwhile, business in Hollywood will quickly shift and move on to the 87th Academy Awards that will happen in February or March of 2015. Here are 15 films to watch for the 2015 Oscars.