Posts in EVENT
AWARDS: Winners of the 28th Annual Critics Choice Awards

On Sunday, January 15th, the Critics Choice Association (CCA), of which yours truly is a two-year member, announced the winners of the 28th annual Critics Choice Awards LIVE on The CW. The efficient and on-time show was hosted by Chelsea Handler and held at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles. One of these years, you will see me there!

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AWARDS: Winners of the 2nd Annual North American Film Critics Association Awards

The second year of the North American Film Critic Association winners are here. On Monday, January 9th, the team got together and voted LIVE on The Drive-In Podcast YouTube channel to determine who would take home the biggest prizes of the year. Yours truly is a new voting member of the NAFCA, and it was a pleasure to be a part of the wild banter of this live voting party.

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AWARDS: 7th Annual Chicago Indie Critic Windie Award Nominations

Celebrating their seventh year, the Chicago Indie Critics have announced the nominees for their newly-named film awards. Welcome to the era of “The Windies.” The voting film critic members completed ballots this week to select Windie nominees in 25 categories. The CIC members will commence a final round of voting ending on January 13, 2023. The 2022 Windie winners will be announced on the evening of January 21, 2023, during their annual Awards Party event held at the Music Box Theatre Lounge in Chicago.

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AWARDS: Nominees for the 2nd Annual North American Film Critics Association Awards

On Saturday, January 7, 2023, the North American Film Critics Association announced its nominee slate for the 2022 film season. Now in its second year, the group’s nominees represented 56 different films over 25 different categories. Yours truly, flying the Every Movie Has a Lesson and Film Obsessive flags, is a new member of the NAFCA. I participated in the live nominee announcement show:

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AWARDS: Nominees for the 2023 HCA Film Awards

Just as I reported last week as a member of the Hollywood Critics Association for their Creative Arts Awards, the organization announced their film award nominees on the morning of December 15th. The HCA, along with a trio of celebrity presenters, named the voted picks for the 2023 HCA Film Awards on the official HCA YouTube channel. The prestigious ceremony will be live-streamed on the same official channel and HCA App from the historic Beverly Wilshire in Los Angeles on Friday, February 24th beginning at 6 p.m. PST / 9 p.m. EST. Comedian, Actor, Writer Tig Notaro will host the 2023 HCA Film Awards ceremony.

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AWARDS: Nominees for the 28th annual Critics Choice Awards

The Critics Choice Association (CCA) announced today the film category nominees for the 28th Annual Critics Choice Awards. The winners will be revealed at the star-studded Critics Choice Awards gala hosted by Chelsea Handler, which will broadcast LIVE on The CW from the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles on Sunday, January 15, 2023. I am proud to be a CCA member and think the organization collectively selected stellar nominees.

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AWARDS: HCA Creative Arts Awards Nominees

The Hollywood Critics Association, of which yours truly is a proud voting member in good standing, has announced the full list of nominees for their inaugural HCA Creative Arts Awards. The winners of the HCA Creative Arts Awards will be revealed at their ceremony, scheduled to take place on Friday, February 17, 2023. I have always valued the under-the-title categories. This is where the real magic is, and I’m pleased to be a part of this vote. Great choices are everywhere on here.

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EVENT: Hosting a panel at Lodge Con 2022!

Every Movie Has a Lesson founder, 25YL film critic, and Cinephile Hissy Fit podcast co-host Don Shanahan returns to his hometown to host a panel and podcast recording on the Saturday schedule of LodgeCon 2022. He will be joined by friend and fellow 25YL critic Mike Crowley of You'll Probably Agree. The topic will be: "The Current State of Genre Film and TV.” The two will be pressing the flesh and laying down some future podcast audio for their mutual programs!

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EVENT: Preview of the 8th Irish American Movie Hooley

If you believe it, the city of Chicago has more citizens of Irish ancestry than Boston, myself among them. That means we know our whiskey and we know how to party. As the Irish say, when a party gets rowdy, they call it a “hooley.” The Windy City has two upcoming opportunities to have that kind of cinematic party with the 8th annual Irish American Movie Hooley.

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EVENT: ReedPop's C2E2 Returns to Chicago August 5-7

ReedPop’s Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo, better known as C2E2, returns to Chicago this coming weekend. The event runs August 5-7 at McCormick Place. Tickets are still available from single-day general admission all the way up to VIP packages. Yours truly will be representing 25YL with press credentials to scope out the scene. If you’re a first-timer, bring your cosplay style, comfy shoes, and a snack to enjoy this massive collection of fandom! You’ll definitely need a map to get around.

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MOVIE REVIEW: Relative

If Relative was trite, the plain circumstances or external vices would make everything turn out easily and conveniently. While family and good friends are the real answers for what makes matters of life easier, the effort of all involved to get there is hard. Smith understands that greatly, creating a relatable emotional obstacle course of cobwebs and intact skeletons in closets that promise to linger for future growth behind the credits.

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