FEATURE: Final 2020 Awards Tracker

Welcome to the ninth year of Every Movie Has a Lesson's "Awards Tracker." My goal every year is simple: Help each and every one of you win your Oscar pools. As a member of three recognized awards-voting bodies of film critics (OFCS, OFTA, and Chicago Indie Critics), it’s a pleasure and honor to see my own picks made it into the award season discussion. Here's how this little page of my personal interest works. I find value in tracking the trends and following the tea leaves of the all the minor lead-up awards before the Oscars. I chart the winners of each category with listed winners and comments on the surrounding buzz.

FINAL TAKE: Prediction-wise, I was a so-so 16 of 24. Not great, but not bad. I’ll take being wrong to watch a night of history honoring women and international film!

2020, 2019, Best Films, Column, Editorial, SPECIALDon ShanahanFebruary 9, 2020Comment

MOVIE REVIEW: Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)

Yowzers, that’s one long subtitle. What an interesting choice of terms too. There’s emancipation signaling “the act of being freed.” And then you have fantabulous as its adjective slinging its slang of “remarkably good.” That extra announcement goes from silly to proper in consecutive words. When it comes to the movie being sold, ahem, excuse me, presented, proper is nowhere to be found when the silly is everywhere. There is certainly fun to be had, but to shoot to fantabulous is going to count as overselling and the liberation most desired will be to escape this fever dream.

2020, 2 STARS, MOVIE REVIEWDon ShanahanFebruary 7, 2020AMC Navy Pier IMAXComment

CHECKLIST: My full predictions for the 92nd Academy Awards

All of the tea leaves on my 2020 Awards Tracker have been seeped in the cups of buzz. The analysis and breakdown from my seven editorial columns of detailed picks are complete using my head more than my heart. These aren’t my personal choices of what “should” win. It’s what I think “will” win because you and I have got Oscar pools to dominate! Here are my complete and official predictions for the 92nd Academy Awards. Feel free to use this as your cut-to-the-chase checklist and cheat sheet of choice!

2019, Column, Editorial, LIST, SPECIAL, 2020Don ShanahanFebruary 7, 2020Comment

OSCAR PREDICTIONS 2020: The race for Best Picture

The short turnaround 92nd Academy Awards arrive host-free for the second consecutive year on Sunday, February 9th, barely a month after nominations were announced. The pace has added excitement and urgency right on down to my website’s 2020 Awards Tracker. Let’s start calling some winners. You have made it until the end. This last chapter column examines the Best Picture race. As I say every year, stick with me and I will win you your Oscar pool!

2019, Column, Editorial, Foreign Film, Independent Film, SPECIAL, 2020Don ShanahanFebruary 6, 2020Comment

OSCAR PREDICTIONS 2020: The male acting awards

It’s time to breakdown each category and put some stone cold predictions into digital ink. Throughout the busy awards season, this website’s 2019 Awards Tracker has been my workspace to tally all the early award winners. That prognostication data is cited in these predictions. This column examines the races for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor. As I say every year, stick with me and I will win you your Oscar pool!

Column, Editorial, SPECIAL, 2019, 2020Don ShanahanFebruary 6, 2020Comment

OSCAR PREDICTIONS 2020: The female acting awards

It’s time to breakdown each category and put some stone cold predictions into digital ink. Throughout the busy awards season, this website’s 2019 Awards Tracker has been my workspace to tally all the early award winners. That prognostication data is cited in these predictions. This column examines the races for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress. As I say every year, stick with me and I will win you your Oscar pool!

2019, Column, Editorial, SPECIAL, 2020Don ShanahanFebruary 6, 2020Comment

OSCAR PREDICTIONS 2020: The writing and directing awards

It’s time to breakdown each category and put some stone cold predictions into digital ink. Throughout the busy awards season, this website’s 2019 Awards Tracker has been my workspace to tally all the early award winners. That prognostication data is cited in these predictions. This column examines the screenplay and directing awards. As I say every year, stick with me and I will win you your Oscar pool!

Column, Editorial, SPECIAL, 2019, 2020Don ShanahanFebruary 6, 2020Comment

OSCAR PREDICTIONS 2020: The visual and artistic categories

The short turnaround 92nd Academy Awards arrive host-free for the second consecutive year on Sunday, February 9th, barely a month after nominations were announced. The pace has added excitement and urgency right on down to my website’s 2020 Awards Tracker. Let’s start calling some winners. This column examines the visual and artistic categories of designs, editing, effects, and more. As I say every year, stick with me and I will win you your Oscar pool!

Column, Editorial, 2020Don ShanahanFebruary 5, 2020Comment

OSCAR PREDICTIONS 2020: The minor film categories

The short turnaround 92nd Academy Awards arrive host-free for the second consecutive year on Sunday, February 9th, barely a month after nominations were announced. The pace has added excitement and urgency right on down to my website’s 2020 Awards Tracker. Let’s start calling some winners. This column examines the minor film categories of international, animated, and documentary films. As I say every year, stick with me and I will win you your Oscar pool!

2019, Column, Editorial, Foreign Film, Independent Film, SPECIAL, SHORT FILMSDon ShanahanFebruary 5, 2020Comment

OSCAR PREDICTIONS 2020: The music and sound categories

The short turnaround 92nd Academy Awards arrive host-free for the second consecutive year on Sunday, February 9th, barely a month after nominations were announced. The pace has added excitement and urgency right on down to my website’s 2020 Awards Tracker. Let’s start calling some winners. This column examines the music and sound categories of score, song, sound mixing, and sound editing. As I say every year, stick with me and I will win you your Oscar pool.

Column, Editorial, 2020Don ShanahanFebruary 5, 2020Comment

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on the "Feelin' Film" FF+ podcast for "Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero"

Aaron White and Patrick Hicks of the Feelin' Film Podcast were offered the chance to review Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero from animator and voice actor Jordan Beck. With its educational aims, the two brought me in to be the third man and the teacher voice in their interview with Mr. Beck. The three of us loved the film, its values, and its themes. It was a please to speak with Jordan, who couldn’t have been more gracious and accomodating! Take a listen to the episode here or below:

MOVIE REVIEW: Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero

The filmmakers and artists at Fun Academy Motion Pictures answered that line of questioning the best way it ever can be: with a true story. Even better, they do so with a dog, in a humdinger of a tale far beyond a click-bait or “stop me if you heard this one” trivia that needs to be seen to be believed. Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that authenticity always earns appreciation. It’s even better when it resonates. This movie earns both. Discover something astonishing and adorable at the same time.

2018, 2020, 4 STARS, Independent Film, MOVIE REVIEW, PodcastDon ShanahanFebruary 4, 2020Comment