Don Shanahan

DOCUMENTARY REVIEW: John Candy: I Like Me — Every Movie Has a Lesson The film’s energy comes from how Candy’s co-stars and collaborators talk about him. Leaning heavily on his old SCTV mates Eugene Levy, Dave Thomas, Catherine O’Hara, Dan Aykroyd, and the continuing ...

NEW REVIEW on Every Movie Has a Lesson: This documentary justifies its idolization and will make you see every movie, clip, skit, or scene with John Candy in a whole new light. everymoviehasalesson.com/blog/2025/10...

YouTube video by YPA Reviews Good Night and Good Luck-The Power of Peaceful Protest

While Leo and PTA are having their revolution through bloodshed, take a look at the power of the spoken word. 7pm CST. Tonight! #goodnightandgoodluck #EdwardRMurrow #georgeclooney @casablancadon.bsky.social @jeffyorkwriter.bsky.social

www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1HE...

MOVIE REVIEW: The Smashing Machine — Every Movie Has a Lesson Still, how many times have we written Dwayne Johnson off? How many times have folks rolled their eyes at another beefy piece of blockbuster cheese with his name at the top of the poster? Well, those d...

NEW REVIEW on Every Movie Has a Lesson: How many times have we collectively written off Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson? He established a hulking heap of new credibility with this one. everymoviehasalesson.com/blog/2025/10...

See you tomorrow!

@criticschoice.bsky.social

MOVIE REVIEW: Eleanor the Great — Every Movie Has a Lesson Thanks to a strong third act monologue from Ejiofor speaking on approaching loss as the “inevitable outcome of the love that unites us all,” we want what we he wants and have to remove cynicism to acc...

NEW REVIEW on Every Movie Has a Lesson: After THELMA last year, I'll watch anything the 94-year-old June Squibb wants to do. In this case, it's actress Scarlett Johanssons strong and emotional directorial debut: everymoviehasalesson.com/blog/2025/9/...

2001: A Space Odyssey

NEW EPISODE of @cinephilefilm.bsky.social: Kubrick's 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY is one of those cornerstone films that demand required viewing. One of us was had it as a blind spot, and one of us is done trying to watch it and call it a necessary classic. open.spotify.com/episode/45uq...

Shameless self-promotion: If there are any movie-loving families out there who might find themselves bored this coming weekend, I’m hosting a community movie talk this Sunday at 3pm at the Elmwood Park Library. Come on over!

Yes and no. It just means the effort must be larger as well, and I don’t think we’re going to get that from Jimmy Kimmel support alone.

The hard part is Disney is so ginormous in their revenue streams that they are practically “too big to fail.”

A Farewell To 'Hollywood's Golden Boy' Don Shanahan, the newsletter's resident movie critic, offers this tribute to heartthrob and screen legend Robert Redford, who died at the age of 89 on September 16.

I penned a tribute Robert Redford for the Elmwood Park Advocate and to the mother who introduced him to me. www.elmwoodparkadvocate.org/p/a-farewell...

a famine of beauty Robert Redford represented all that was good—and fleeting—about America

wrote about robert redford bit.ly/redfordfamin...

Love, Brooklyn Chooses Its Selected Emphasis With Heart LOVE, BROOKLYN makes a choice between focusing on a romantic love triangle or a modern treatise on culture.

NEW REVIEW on @filmobsessive.com: My September struggle catch-up continues with solid romantic drama LOVE, BROOKLYN, out in theaters now. filmobsessive.com/film/new-rel...

Noir City 2025 Spotlights Legacy Of Women Who Shaped Classic Genre Resident movie critic Don Shanahan previews the 2025 "Noir City" film festival happening at Music Box Theatre in Chicago from September 5-11. While it's a drive, this annual festival is worth your whi...

My latest entertainment piece for the Elmwood Park Advocate: Noir City 2025 Spotlights Legacy Of Women Who Shaped Classic Genre www.elmwoodparkadvocate.org/p/noir-city-...

Being a school teacher by day, I don't know how I thought I was going to have spare time and energy to review a pair of movies last week or this week with the start of school. #underwater #filmcriticproblems

Illinois Gov. Pritzker vows to pursue Trump officials who participate in an illegal National Guard deployment to Chicago:

"If you hurt my people, nothing will stop me - not time or political circumstance - from making sure that you face justice under our constitutional rule of law."

Highest 2 Lowest Creates Homage From One Master to Another HIGHEST 2 LOWEST unites Oscar winner Denzel Washington with provocative storyteller Spike Lee to remake Akira Kurosawa.

NEW REVIEW on @filmobsessive.com: Two things in movies that always go right together are Denzel Washington and Spike Lee. It's been a long 19 years since INSIDE MAN, and HIGHEST 2 LOWEST has the two genuflecting to Akira Kurosawa for a modern ransom thriller. filmobsessive.com/film/new-rel...

The 2025 70mm Film Festival Arrives at Chicago's Music Box Theatre The 70MM FILM FESTIVAL features 11 large-format films at Chicago's Music Box Theatre from August 8 to August 21.

The annual 70mm Film Festival is underway at the Music Box Theatre. Here's my preview piece on it for @filmobsessive.com: filmobsessive.com/film/film-ne...

Fan Expo Brings Top Pop Culture Talent to Chicago This August FAN EXPO CHICAGO comes to Rosemont, Illinois with a stacked lineup of fan favorite guests from film, TV, comics, and animation.

Genre fans of all types! Get your tickets for FAN EXPO Chicago in team for next weekend. Here's my preview piece on the event on @filmobsessive.com filmobsessive.com/film/film-ne...

Shoshana Observes Its Complicated Love and Politics SHOSHANA guides its dramatization through a strong Jewish woman romantically involved with a Brit in Mandatory Palestine.

NEW REVIEW on @filmobsessive.com: When you have a film talking about difficult history, this one sticks to the titular figure as the right measure of sidestep. filmobsessive.com/film/new-rel...

Happy Gilmore 2 Cinephile Hissy Fit · Episode

NEW @cinephilehissyfit.bsky.social podcast episode! Cati Glidewell stayed on for two shows in a row to talk about HAPPY GILMORE 2! open.spotify.com/episode/2EOz...

Fantastic Four: First Steps Cinephile Hissy Fit · Episode

NEW @cinephilehissyfit.bsky.social podcast episode! Cati Glidewell joins Will and myself for THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS! open.spotify.com/episode/6O9W...

Being a school teacher by day watching the summer break circle down the drain, I'm taking the week off from new releases. No Freakier Friday, The Pickup, or Weapons for me. Time to turn my gaze to the classroom. #schoolteacherproblems #filmcriticproblems

Since I was accepted to @rottentomatoes.com 7 years ago, I've been slowing submitting my entire 15-year library of reviews. As of today, after much data entry over the years, everything I've reviewed is now on there! It's done!

death to tyrants! from disney’s animated robin hood

“keep politics out of kids movies”

disney in 1973:

I see some people genuinely love the marketing move of selling ODYSSEY tickets a year early. Personally, I'm completely turned off by it. You want to fight over movie tickets for next July? Have at it. But it makes me want to avoid IMAX entirely.

SAME!

Brilliant piece, Rex!

Brilliant piece, Rex!

Right on.