Posts tagged The Last 5 Years
EDITORIAL: Five films to watch before "La La Land"
EDITORIAL: Five films to watch before "La La Land"

With the glitzy Los Angeles setting of “La La Land,” many will point to the Old Hollywood musicals of Gene Kelly, especially “Singin’ in the Rain,” as a necessary practice rounds, but “La La Land” is an unequivocally modern-set film. A different range is possible. Furthermore, advising you to re-watch “Whiplash” for Chazelle’s kicks or revisit “Rebel Without a Cause” to touch base with the Griffith Observatory are too easy for practice. Dig deeper and try a few of these on for size as a “La La Land” primer.

Read More
2016, Column, Editorial, SPECIALDon ShanahanAMC River EastEditorial, La La Land, movie musicals, musicals, The Last Five Years, The Last 5 Years, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Crazy Stupid Love, The Artist, An American in Paris, Gene Kelly, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, primer, movie connections, movie influences, film influences, film connections, Don Shanahan, Donald ShanahanComment
COLUMN: 2015 Winter Movie Preview
COLUMN: 2015 Winter Movie Preview

It has to be said every year, but the slowest season of the box office year are the months of January and February.  It's a dumping grounds for studios in slow months of cold weather and foot traffic at the multiplexes.  These are movies that aren't good enough for awards qualification and the holiday audiences of December or for the chipper personality of spring.  It's cold, slow, and drop off from awards frenzy.

Read More
2015, Column, EditorialDon ShanahanWinter Movie Preview, 2015 Winter Movies, 2015 Winter Movie Preview, The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death, Leviathan, A Most Violent Year, Taken 3, Selma, Blackhat, The Wedding Ringer, Paddington, Spare Parts, Still Alice, American Sniper, Mordecai, The Boy Next Door, Strange Magic, Black Sea, Red Army, Wild Card, Jason Statham, Mark Wahlberg, Liam Neeson, Jupiter Ascending, Sevent Son, Seventh Son, Shaun the Sheep Movie, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, Fifty Shades of Gray, Kingsman: The Secret Service, The Last 5 Years, The Last Five Years, Hot Tub Time Machine 2, MacFarland USA, Lazarus, Wild Tales, Focus, Maps to the Stars, Little BoyComment
CHECKLIST: 2015 Winter Movie Calendar
CHECKLIST: 2015 Winter Movie Calendar

Here is your lineup of films coming your way in the slow months of January and February.  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.  Enjoy!

Read More
2015, Column, EditorialDon ShanahanChecklist, Calendar, 2015 Winter Movies, 2015, 2015 movies, Winter Movies, Winter Movie Preview, A Most Violent Year, The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death, Leviathan, Taken 3, Selma, Blackhat, The Wedding Ringer, Paddington, Spare Parts, Still Alice, American Sniper, Mordecai, The Boy Next Door, Strange Magic, Black Sea, Red Army, Max, Coming Home, Seventh Son, Shaun the Sheep, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, Fifty Shades of Gray, Kingsman: The Secret Service, The Last 5 Years, The Last Five Years, Hot Tub Time Machine 2, MacFarland USA, MacFarland, Lazarus, Janes Got a Gun, Wild Tales, Focus, Maps to the Stars, Little Boy, Every Movie Has a Lesson, Donald ShanahanComment
CAPSULE REVIEWS: My slate from the 50th Chicago International Film Festival
CAPSULE REVIEWS: My slate from the 50th Chicago International Film Festival

In accordance with the rules placed on me with my press credentials, I am not allowed to publish and post full reviews of the films I saw until their official U.S. distribution and release date.  For some movies, that's happening now with the festival itself and for others that holding stretches into 2015.  I would love to lay out everything, but I can't and you have to be patient.  What I am allowed put out are capsule reviews: brief takes and short critiques that offer a taste of the full meal.  Here are capsules for all of the films I attended from the 50th anniversary schedule.  Each are listed with their anticipatory U.S. release dates for when you will find my review.

Read More
2014, Column, Editorial, SPECIAL, Video on Demand, CAPSULE REVIEW, 2015Don ShanahanMiss Julie, Rudderless, The Imitation Game, The Last 5 Years, Clouds of Sils Maria, The Salvation, Two Days One Night, Winter Sleep, Wild, Chicago International Film Festival, Chicago Film Festival, 50th Chicago International Film Festival, Capsule reviews, Every Movie Has a Lesson, Don Shanahan, Donald ShanahanComment
COLUMN: Must-see films for the 50th Chicago International Film Festival
COLUMN: Must-see films for the 50th Chicago International Film Festival

While the festival doesn't boast anywhere near the amount of red carpet headliners found at Toronto or New York's film festivals, there are still several worthy films coming to Chicago for the first time in advance of their theatrical release and the year-end Oscar and awards season.  This very writer has acquired press credentials through Examiner.com to cover this year's event and here is a list of the must-see films from the festival's schedule.

Read More
2014, Column, Media Appearance, SPECIALDon ShanahanAMC River East 21The Imitation Game, Birdman, St. Vincent, The Last 5 Years, Wild, The Salvation, Rudderless, Low Down, Clouds of Sils Maria, Beyond the Lights, Dear White People, Force Majeure, Two Days, Two Days One Night, Winter Sleep, Natural Born Killers, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Oliver StoneComment
COLUMN: 50th Chicago International Film Festival special events
COLUMN: 50th Chicago International Film Festival special events

Since starting in 1965, the Chicago International Film Festival has operated as the country's oldest competitive international film festival.  Following "Miss Julie" and the Opening Night Gala, two films will be featured as the Festival Centerpieces.  Both films will screened on Wednesday, October 15th. Over the course of the two and a half weeks that follow, over 300 more films and events will take place primarily at the AMC River East 21 theater on 322 East Illinois Street.  Best of all, this whole extravaganza is open to the public.  For this watershed anniversary, several special presentations are planned.

Read More
2014, Column, SPECIALDon ShanahanAMC River East 21Chicago Film Festival, Chicago International Film Festival, 50th Chicago International Film Festival, Chicago, Don Shanahan, Every Movie Has a Lesson, Examiner.com, Miss Julie, St. Vincent, The Last 5 Years, Beyond the Lights, The Imitation Game, Birdman, CIFF, Oliver Stone, Taylor Hackford, Victor SkrebneskiComment