There is nearly always a smirk of veiled anticipation when a plot setup meets a full-stop right after a descriptive peak with the zinger transition of “hi-jinks…… Read more “New from Don Shanahan on 25YL: The Lovebirds Throws Down On Hi-Jinks and Charisma”

An overused description in film reviews has someone giving “the performance of their life.” Figuratively speaking, the label is completely subjective as to what someone feels is…… Read more “New from Don Shanahan on 25YL: Birdman: Inside the Actor’s Head”

One of the classic catchphrases of the old Scooby Doo franchise is the vocalized signal, often from the eager mouth of their de facto leader Fred, of…… Read more “New from Don Shanahan on 25YL: Scoob! Has Us Asking Where’s the Mystery”

For something like Capone, let’s talk about faculty, which can span natural aptitude all the way up to powers of the mind to function, act, or do.…… Read more “New from Don Shanahan on 25YL: Capone Subversively Pushes Back Against the Romanticized Urban Legend”

Let’s just say it. The subgenre of redneck crime films is a messy place. The “black hat” is almost always a crazy SOB engaged with a less…… Read more “New from Don Shanahan on 25YL: Arkansas Has Half the Slickness to Enliven the Redneck Crime Subgenre”

Some actors hit a point in their careers where they became polarizing personas, not for the daring roles they took onscreen, but for their lifestyle choices offscreen.…… Read more “New from Don Shanahan on 25YL: The Beaver Begs Comparisons Between Character and Star”

Movies becoming timely is almost always an accident. They’re made months in advance and can never reliably predict the future they will enter when released. The right…… Read more “New from Don Shanahan on 25YL: Working Man Rewards Its Own Timeliness”