IRISH FILM GENRES PART 17: WORLD WAR 2

Irish-themed Films set during the Second World War are few: Brylcream boys, Gentle gunman, Borstal boy, and Night boat to Dublin. All British made and rather condescending!

IRISH FILM GENRES PART 16: HERITAGE

One of the most popular (and reviled) genres in 1990's Irish cinema. Usually set in the mid-Twentieth century with miserable stories (usually rural): Dancing at Lughnasa, Run of the country, This is my father, Country (recommended), Agnes Browne, Angela's ashes, The field, Korea (recommended), Man of no importance, and Boy from Mercury.

IRISH FILM GENRES PART 15: SILENT

Of which only one seems to be available here on DVD: Irish destiny. Still, a number of famous Hollywood directors from the great silent era were Irish: Rex Ingram, Herbert Brenon, and William Desmond Taylor.

IRISH FILM GENRES PART 14: SOCIAL REALISM

Scandalously ignored in Irish cinema due to the obsession with the 'look' and too many jobbing directors. Some famous examples: Pavee Lackeen, Four days in July, and Man of Aran.

IRISH FILM GENRES PART 13: WESTERNS

None of the oater variety but a couple of modern versions: Eat the peach and Small engine repair.

CHEERS LUXEMBOURG!

Another country has checked out this blog so cheers Luxembourg!

TRAFFICKED OUT NOW ON DVD!

The already forgotten Irish movie Trafficked had now got a DVD release. Made about six years ago it took a long to to hit the cinemas. By then it was out of date and less interesting. So if you missed it first time now's the chance! Shame about the TV-series cover though?

IRISH FILM GENRES PART 12: ANIMATION

Although Shoot the cabbage only reviews/discusses live-action feature films it should mention the small number of Irish-made animation films. Sadly they're aimed at kids: Secret of Kells, Ugly duckling and me, and Niko and the way to the stars.

CHEERS SLOVENIA!

Yes, I know people are fed up reading these posts but the world's best Irish film blog has a policy of saluting every country that reads here. The latest visitor is Slovenia, cheers!

CHEERS POLAND!

Yet another country has accessed the world's top Irish film blog. So cheers Poland!

CHEERS RUSSIA!

Someone from that country has been reading this blog for a while now. So cheers Russia!

YOUR HIGHNESS GETTING SLATED!

Seems the Northern Ireland-filmed Hollywood medieval movie Your highness is getting terrible reviews this week. So what's this got to do with Irish cinema? Well it's not the first big budget film to come here, use the locations, but end up sh*te.

IRISH FILM GENRES PART 11: RELIGION

For a former religious country there are few Irish religious movies! Unless we include the telefilm 'exposés' of church abuse such as Magdalene sisters. The only ones to deal directly with religion were Bishop's story, Catholics, and the deranged Middletown. Plenty of room for more?

IRISH FILM GENRES PART 10: PROTESTANTS

Most Northern films have a few Protestant characters but very few are fully about them. So one of the smaller categories in Irish cinema: December bride, Resurrection man, Nothing personal, and With or without you. Could do with a few more titles?

WELL DONE TO MAN MADE MEN!

According to today's Irish Times the low-budget, Irish sci-fi movie Man made men won an award at the Arizona Film Festival. Well done. Haven't seen the film yet but maybe they'll stick a hyphen between the first two words in the title before release?

CHEERS NETHERLANDS!

Been visitors to this web log for a while now so it's time to say hello to whoever it is from that country that's reading. Cheers Netherlands!

LIGHT HOUSE GOING, GOING, GONE!

Today's Irish Times has an article on the worst secret in Irish cinema. The arty Light House cinema in Smithfield is closed down. Too far out of the city centre, too difficult to find if you don't know where it is, and the films had too many subtitles. So, despite the best era yet for Irish cinema it's bad news. Apparently the landlord doubled the rent! That's Ireland for you.

IRISH FILM GENRES PART 9: MUSIC

No doubt the first title to come to mind is Once. But there is also the famous Judy Garland film Little Nellie Kelly. Then of course there's Flight of the doves, The commitments, Last bus home, Finian's ranbow, and Darby O'Gill and the little people.

CHEERS SPAIN!

No doubt some people are fed up reading these posts but tough! Seems Spain are the latest country to check out the world's best Irish Film blog. So cheers Spain!

Travellers

Updating of those violent rural films from the '70s (Southern comfort, Shoot, Deliverance) this one is about four English lads who vandalise an Irish(?) caravan only to get chased around the countryside by a group of violent men. Shot on a cheap video camera the movie looks shoddy, unoriginal, contrived, and not too good. Then it turns into Strength and Honour with a bare-knuckles boxing match. Some silly twists and one of the lads has a family secret. Seems to be ripping off other movies and making this too apparent?

CHEERS FINLAND!

Yet another good country has accessed Shoot the Cabbage. So cheers Finland!

IRISH FILM GENRES PART 8: PRISON

Many international productions have used Kilmainham Jail as a location. However most Irish prison movies deal with the Troubles: Hunger, H3, Silent grace, In the name of the father, and Quare fellow.

WHY ALL THE HATE FOR KILLING BONO?

Something is bothering Shoot the Cabbage! What's with all of these one-starred reviews and criticism of the movie Killing Bono? Seems to be some kind of smear campaign because: it's not that good; it wasn't filmed in Dublin; the lead guy was a di*khead; the technical quality wasn't great, and so on. Never has there been an Irish-themed movie that's got such bad reviews? Seems to be a bit harsh as the film is certainly watchable. Have these 'critics' never seen Anton or Summer of the flying saucer? Killing Bono is loosely based on a guy who's annoying and misguided. Anyone who checks out YouTube footage of Neil McCormick and his old band will see that. Seems the movie is getting better reviews in Britain than Ireland. Reckon it's because the film was so hyped that it's disappointing to everyone here? Like a lot of these rock movies Killing Bono will eventually find its audience and become a cult movie and hopefully then have the last laugh?

THANK FU*K FOR THIS RECESSION!

At long last things seem to be looking good for Irish cinema! Not too much shi*e anymore. Over the last month we've had Snap, Rewind, and Between the canals, with All good children released on DVD. Finally something is happening and March/April 2011 is one of the best times yet for Irish cinema! Really hope it continues.

FINALLY SOME GOOD FEMALE DIRECTORS IN IRISH CINEMA!

Shoot the Cabbage has previously posted how bad Irish movies are when directed by women. However although true, this week we has seen two VERY impressive features (Snap, All good children) both from female directors (one Irish, one English). Add in last year's best Irish film (Foxes) which was also directed by a woman (from Eastern Europe). Also too, add in the non-Irish-themed As if I am not there which was directed by an Irish woman. So things are certainly getting better and the future is hopefully bright for Irish cinema!

CHEERS IRAN!

Someone from Iran has read this blog in the last few days so cheers!

500 POSTS!

That's ½ of a thousand posts from the world's best Irish Film blog. May only have ten followers(!) but Shoot the Cabbage won't give up searching for the hard-to-find Irish films. Neither will we stop pointing out how bad our Film Board has been over the years in funding quality productions. Neither will we stop pointing out how 'cosy' the Irish Film scene is where the same crap directors are respected because they are 'nice' while the outsiders make better films with their debuts. For the best topics on Irish cinema read Shoot the Cabbage!

TRAVELLERS DVD!

Tesco are selling a new DVD called Travellers. Some kind of violent movie about Irish travellers in Britain. Sounds interesting and picked up a copy so review to follow.

A WORD ABOUT THOSE CATALYST FILMS!

Shoot the cabbage has seen ⅔ of these Catalyst-scheme films and wonders why the impressive Snap was not selected? Far better than that Eamon rubbish and superior to the more commercial and slick Rewind. Seems a shame but sure there was probably a good reason why it got dropped from this scheme?

Snap

Nothing to do with The Snapper! This is a dreary and experimental mixed-media feature about a messed up woman, sexual abuse, and a stolen child. It switches from 8mm cine-film to digital video. The small cast and disturbing storyline are memorable. Also memorable is the scene where Mick Lally has sex with Aisling O'Sullivan! What's interesting is that this is a very BRIGHT film picture wise - even though the story is dark. White walls, huge windows, and the lights are left on for the bed scenes! Way better than any other Irish movie from 2011 and will probably make the top ten Irish films from this decade. Recommended!

SNAP OUT TODAY!

Yet another new Irish movie on release this week. Word is that it's the best one this year so review to follow.

WILL SOMEONE PLEASE TELL THE IRISH FILM BOARD ...

that GOOD HORROR FILMS ARE USUALLY MADE BY HORROR DIRECTORS! Not by jobbing directors who move from genre to genre and fail in everything they do. Most recent (and rubbish) Irish horror movies (Shrooms, Daisy chain, Dorothy, Wake Wood, Boy eats girl) were directed by people WITH NO REAL INTEREST IN THE GENRE! Ever wonder why Dawn of the dead, Shivers, Texas chainsaw massacre, Suspiria, and Hills have eyes are such classics? Will Shoot the Cabbage reveal the 'secret'? It's because the directors of these famous titles work mainly in this genre. They don't switch from romantic comedy, or heritage film to horror that's why! They are fans of the horror genre and understand the 'rules' and how to change these. But of course in Ireland where the jobbing director reigns supreme, every new Irish horror film MUST be directed by a hack with no previous experience in this genre. That's why they are so rubbish and drerivative! That why there are stupid sound effects to 'scare us'. That's why the cameraman need to visit Specsavers as the image keeps going out of focus. That's why these films try too hard to be scary in postproduction instead of doing this on set. It's just sh*t and sad!

Wake Wood

This is just sh*t! Hyped and in the news as the latest Hammer feature, then it creeps into a small number of cinemas. Yet ANOTHER creepy child Irish movie (Daisy chain, Dorothy) it's badly made, confusing, and boring. There's Aiden Gillen walking like he's got a fire poker stuck up his arse and Eva Birtwistle giving a less demented performance from Middletown. It rips off Don't look now with the traumatised couple of the deceased child and Wicker man with the insular rural community. Contrived, rubbish, and worst of all disappointing!

All good children

Impressive and arty film similar in style to Helen. An Irish youth travels abroad and has a holiday romance with a young girl, but things turn sour. Lots of strange cutaways (bees on cake, slug on a plate), Eno-type soundtrack music, actors in the woods, older characters with a background role, and little plot. The kind of movie that sticks in your mind afterwards unlike most other Irish-themed efforts.

WHERE'S THE RAWNESS IN IRISH TERROR?

Three recent and acclaimed 'terror' movies (Savage, Wake wood, Rewind) all fail for one common reason: They are just too slick! By that Shooot the Cabbage means too technical, too well photographed, over-directed, drawing attention to themselves, self-conscious, and using too much post-production work. These films are all one-dimensional and smothered by film technique. Not sure who is to blame? Is it the film schools? Is it the short schemes? Is it Irish filmmakers' complete obsession with the 'look' of their work? Whatever it might be it actually ruins these titles. There is a strange lack of 'rawness' in Irish cinema. Similar but famous titles such as Hills have eyes, Driller killer, Exterminator, Death wish, and Last house on the left all have an unpolished look and it enhances the effect of their stories. However, in Ireland even the most routine of horror/terror films need lots of shaky, zoomy, washed-out cinematography in order to get an IFTA nomination! These films completely miss the point! Honestly, the scene in the badly-made American classic The Exterminator where the guy gets put into a meat grinder is far more memorable and disturbing than any of these polished and forgettable turds that the Irish Film Board fund! There is too much emphasis here on technical filmmaking ability and not enough emphasis on shocking the audience or creating memorable cinema. Nothing original, voiceless, and aimed at people who are impressed with focus pulls and post-production sound effects!

CHEERS BULGARIA!

Seems another country has checked out this fine blog. This time it's in Eastern Europe so cheers Bulgaria!

WAKE WOOD OUT ON DVD!

Don't know why this movie has got a theatrical and DVD release at the same time but just picked up a copy. Review here tomorrow!

CHEERS MEXICO!

Seem the world's best Irish Film blog is now being read in Mexico. So whoever read this blog from that country in the last few days, cheers!

IRISH FILM GENRES PART 7: MARTIAL ARTS

Surely some mistake? Irish-themed martial arts films? Well there are a few: Medallion with Jackie Chan and it was average. Then there was the earlier Bloodfist 8 filmed along the West coast. Finally, there was the extremely watchable VHS feature Fatal deviation. Would love to see a Kung Fu movie with a fight scene at the Cliffs of Moher?

KILLING BONO

Well don't believe the critics! Quite enjoyable movie about failure! Some of it reminded me of Last bus home (the upper deck on the bus, everyone going to see the Pope) and some of the comedy falls flat. But the era from the late '70s to the late '80s is interesting and the actors give it their all. In fact the lead guy is very impressive. The reason his character never made it is obvious: He was not serious enough with his music and is a bit of a wan*er!

KILLING BONO IS BAD?

Seems today's reviews for the film Killing Bono are strictly one starred! As Public Enemy said 'don't believe the hype'! Can't wait to see this now!