Boondock Saints 2

Must admit STC had not seen the first one yet. This sequel seems to explain the previous movie? Starting off in a cottage in Ireland where Billy Connolly's two sons travel to Boston to avenge the shooting of a priest. It's great fun with lots of slow-motioned shootouts. What's impressive is that the film is all over the place with the edits but it's still easy to follow. Some big names appear including Willem Dafoe and Peter Fonda. If you like straight-to-DVD Irish movies then this one is recommended. The ending seems to be set up for part 3?

CHEERS CZECH REPUBLIC!

Another East-European country has accessed this blog, so cheers Czech Republic!

IRISH EXAMINER ARTICLE

Today's Irish examiner newspaper is going on about the future Irish Film Industry (yawn!). The usual suggestions include: extending s481, Irish film TV channel, and more training. This article could have been printed back in 2001! One good quote: 'We need to continue to nurture and develop the less-obviously commercial film-makers, otherwise, as has happened in parts of Europe, you can only be left with a service industry'.

IRELAND'S GREATEST ACTORS: WILLIAM DESMOND

Not to be confused with Irish director William Desmond Taylor, William Desmond appeared in over two hundred movies. The only ones I've seen are the Abbott and Costello clasic Naughty nineties, Scarlet Claw, Phantom of the opera, and the famous musical Naughty marietta.

MCDONAGH SLATES IRISH FILM - AGAIN!

This time it's the Australian media (West Australian) where he said: 'I don't find that there's a lot going on in Irish cinema. Basically if you make one good Irish film you're right at the top because there's no one else'. That's true actually. Even directors who made ONE decent film here a decade ago are still considered top directors even though most of their stuff since then has been rubbish.

CHARLIE CASANOVA AND THE IFB!

Ha, there are loads of different clips on the internet of Charlie Casanova's director slating the IFB! Good to see someone speaking their mind and not giving a f*ck! Can't wait to see this movie now.

Irish destiny

Silent film about the IRA. No classic but there's a great scene of a guy travelling down Grafton street over the Liffey and up to Parnell Square. Interesting footage from 1920's Dublin. Another interesting scene was the break out of the camp. Uncanny that it's so similar to the later Great escape war movie? The rest of the picture has lots of impressive master shots of people talking in a room (a common technique in silent cinema). The only Irish silent movie out on DVD?

KARL GOLDEN WELL DONE THAT GUY!

Almost a decade ago he made a €60K movie called The honeymooners. It was crap but he moved to England and is now directing a £2 million rave movie called Weekender. Good stuff!

WHERE'S THE ROSE OF TRALEE MOVIE?

Could be a hit picture? A bunch of girls from around the globe arrive in Ireland to compete in the famous competition. Get a few big name actors, a few unknowns, and a one of our many jobbing directors. Throw in a surprise disqualification and some controvsery. Add in a few photogenic shots of the Kerry landscape and viola - a (s)hit movie!

WHERE'S THE IRISH 3D MOVIE?

With every second or third movie released now in 3D isn't it about time we had own Irish version?

CAMDEN STREET HOTEL?

Seems that hotel in Camden Street, Dublin 2 has removed its posters and lobby cards of the old Irish movies. Shame!

Omagh

Another Troubles movie this one is a TV-style account of the infamous Omagh bombing where 31 people died. Lots of hand-held camerawork and dozens of actors in the frame for most scenes. Like most 'technical films' you end up looking at the story rather than getting involved. The second ½ is better as the reason why no-one is charged for the killings gets revealed. The cover up is described and the general air of the film is that the relatives are out of their depth when up against the Governments. Couldn't believe the way everyone walks out in front of the traffic at the start of the movie? Probably true but it looked strange. Also, the usual cast appear that we've seen in every second Irish film. Have we no other actors, indeed?

THE SHOUT?

Almost certain that the movie Gleeson watches in The guard is The shout? Impressive film from the '70s that is worth a look. Think it's finally out on DVD?

Town

Another Irish-American crime movie. This one is about several bank robberies in Boston and the FBI's attempts to capture the gang. The kind of film with a few good bits but you have to wait ages. Affleck acts and directs and the story is a bit silly involving the romance between him and a former hostage. The best parts are of course the violent robberies and the movie makes a big deal about the location and setting. The scenes are brief and there's too much editing.

THAT S&S ARTICLE!

Don't agree with some parts of this article on Irish cinema in September's Sight and sound magazine. For example the Irish Film Board is not the be all and end all in current Irish cinema. Plenty of Irish filmmakers are working outside of the 'system'. Also, Lenny Abrahamson while certainly our most acclaimed new filmmaker is not the sole future for cinema here. There's no mention of Ivan Kavanagh either who is our most promising new director. Points agreed on: Perrier's bounty was sh*te, there were too many features funded in 2008 (twenty eight!), most Irish filmmakers could do with watching some OLD classic films, Conor McPherson's films are indeed 'hard-to-classify films' (but they're also sh*te!). Thankfully there's no mention of Kirsten Sheridan in the article but some new female directors get a mention.

SIGHT AND SOUND SEPTEMBER 2011

Seems the new issue of the British Sight and sound film magazine has an article on Irish cinema. Good stuff.

Last of the high kings (second review!)

Well-made but boring movie about a young man waiting for his Leaving Certificate results (which are out today!). He lives in posh Howth back in the '70s and his family are crazy; as in actor crazy. Then he gets mixed up with a few Protestant and American girls. Some problems with this movie include: the lead (singer with famous rock band 30 seconds to Mars!) is too good looking to be shy with women, the mother is a nutcase and anti-Protestant, and there are too many famous actors in smaller roles. The story is slight and it's too tame with no real humour, lame rock songs on the soundtrack, and a general blandness which characterised most Irish cinema of the '90s.

NEXT IRISH MOVIES?

Documentaries aside the next Irish features arriving seem to be Parked and Sensation in about October? Hope they're good as that's usually a good release time.

CHEERS SWEDEN!

Playing them in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers and someone from there has accessed this web log. So cheers Sweden!

IFB CASTING AGENCY?

Here's a theory: we only have one dozen screen actors in this country. Here's another theory: the same actors get all the roles. Especially when the movie is a crime/comedy/horror one? Which theory makes more sense? I reckon the second one might? Oh look, there's Liam Cunningham playing the same role in all his movies. Need to cast a bad guy? How about David Pearse or Wilmot? Oh look there's Darren Healy or is it Gavin Kelty? Could never tell those two apart until Savage came out. Yep, the sense that the same actors are getting roles in this this country regardless of suitability is a suspicion that STC has had for a while now. Of course no-one else will say this because you might get blackballed. None of the above are particularly good actors either? So wanna get steady film acting roles in this country? Then join the IFB casting agency!

SPAGHETTI WESTERN MUSIC!

With all the buzz about The Guard using a Spaghetti Western music score STC recalls another Irish movie doing likewise. Made almost 25 years ago A prayer for the dying has a similar '60s Italian Western soundtrack score. See, this blog has its uses!

A LOT OF IRISH FILMS FALL BY THE WAYSIDE, MAINLY BECAUSE THEY’RE RUBBISH!

Just been reading the Telegraph online and the director of hit Irish movie (instead of the usual sh*t Irish movie!) has been quoted as saying A lot of Irish films fall by the wayside mainly because they’re rubbish. So there's a big F*CK YOU to those fools on FMN.ie who claimed it's bad form for Irish filmmakers to be criticising our films!

LAST OF THE HIGH KINGS!

Just picked up a rare DVD of this movie. Nothing to do with the Clancy Brothers copycats High Kings folk act. This is a forgotten Irish movie from the '90s. Review to follow!

Guard

Finally got round to watching this. Is it any good? Yes, but no classic. Slow-paced, talky movie where the actors recite the script and know the jokes. It's about drugs smugglers on the West coast and then the FBI get involved. Some funny stuff and dialogue. Politically incorrect and uncomfortable scenes. Good contrast between the country Irish and the Dubliners. Usual faces appearing in the roles - straight from the IFB casting agency! 2011 is the best year yet for Irish movies!

INTERESTING!

Seems you can type up a post but if the crap college PC has a Javascript error and won't allow this post to be published you can use another PC the next day and the previous day's name will appear above the post when it gets published.

ASTERIX 4?

Saw Gerard Depardieu off Grafton Street a few years back sitting outside a café. No-one recognised him but now he's back here making a €50 million movie. Shooting in Drogheda and it's going to be in 3D!

NO POST LAST NIGHT!

Due to some kind of Javascript error. No post tonight due to Ireland playing Croatia in the soccer!

CHEERS MALAYSIA!

Another country has recently accessed this blog. So cheers Malaysia!

IRELAND'S GREATEST ACTORS: DERRICK O'CONNOR

Dublin-born actor with an impressive British filmography: Blood on Satan's claw (recommended), Jabberwocky, Time bandits, Brazil, Hope and glory.
Hollywood titles include: End of days and Daredevil.

IRELAND'S GREATEST ACTORS: GERALDINE FITZGERALD

Another Dublin actress who appeared in several well-known Hollywood productions: Wuthering Heights, Dark Victory, Watch on the Rhine, Pawnbroker, Rachel Rachel (Paul Newman movie), Last American Hero, Arthur, and Easy Money (with Rodney Dangerfield!).

IRISH DIRECTOR FOR THOR 2?

According to Variety news another Nordy director, Brian Kirk, is due to direct Thor 2. Best of luck to him but won't be watching that rubbish! Still, can't be any more far-fetched than Middletown?

IRELAND'S GREATEST ACTORS: OLIVER MACGREEVY

Instantly recognisable bald actor from Dublin. Appeared in several famous titles from the '60s: Leather boys (in the penultimate scene), Girl with green eyes, Ipcress file, Modesty Blaise. Also appeared in later famous titles: Ruling class, Four musketeers, and Flash Gordon.

RADIO DOCUMENTARY ON BRIAN DESMOND HURST

Good radio documentary on the RTÉ website for Irish director Hurst. Interesting life: born beside the Belfast shipyards, family was working there when the Titanic got built, directed about 30 features (including the best version of Scrooge and several Irish titles in the '30s), gave Roger Moore his first break, and died penniless in the 1980s. Interestingly, he tried to set up an Irish film industry here back in the 1950s. This was a decade before John Huston tried the same. Not sure if he was Ireland's most prolific director, Herbert Brenon maybe?

TEN IRISH FILMS YET TO GET MADE!

Here's a list of ten movies that really should be made here instead of the festival fodder or mainstream rubbish we produce.

KILL THE IRISHMAN DVD?

According to XtraVision's free magazine the movie Kill the Irishman is coming out on DVD soon. So that means no cinema release?

LAST WEEK'S SINDO

Another article about how 'great' the Irish film industry is. This time it's last week's Sunday independent newspaper. Lots of new titles on the way, but the problem is that none are of much interest. Haywire is a Hollywood movie made here, Albert Nobbs is another. Byzantium is Neil Jordan's latest but his best work is long gone. Shadow dancer seems to be some kind of Irish movie with international leads? At swim-two-birds is actor Gleeson's pet project and no doubt will impress those who've not read the book! Can a song save your life? is Carney's new movie but is not Irish. Parked is the latest Colm Meaney vehicle. Asterix 4 is shooting here too, nothing Irish about that one! That's it (for the big-budget ones anyway). No doubt one or two will be good and the rest rubbish and straight to DVD?

CHEERS ECUADOR!

Another far-away country has accessed this blog. So cheers Ecuador!

CALLBACK QUEEN

Great news, the director of Anton is back. This time he's making another challenging film - in the romcom(!) genre. It's about an actress who goes for auditions, no doubt based on people the director knows in London. Left Ireland for some reason and I hope it wasn't because of the negative feeback for Anton? Recall his criticising another jobbing hack, Shimmy Marcus, on some webpage after Headrush got made. What goes around came around?

CROSSFIRE

Though not an Irish movie this claustrophobic noir starring three Roberts (Ryan, Montgomery, and Mitchum) has a remarkable scene where a detective discusses his grandfather. He moved from Ireland to America and bought land but was then persecuted for his nationality and murdered. The movie mentions the parallel with racism towards the Irish and its anti-semitic theme. Worth noting!