Top 5 Turkeys of 2017

Seeing as I have previously posted a list of the best of 2017, in the name of balance, I think that it's only fair that I post a list of the worst of 2017. That stinker that disappoints from the first shot to last, the feature that almost makes you ask for a full refund and even though 2017 was in general a solid (if unspectacular) year at the movies it did contain it's fair share of lame ducks!
Here are my top 5 turkeys!

5. The Dark Tower
A miss mash mess of a movie. Matthew McCounaghey makes it easy for us to forget his previous award winning work as he does his best panto villain impression on a film that had undoubted potential but feels like it was made up on the spot! Horrific!
Read my full review here.

4. Transformers: The Last Knight
Please stop Michael Bay! Please! In what is incredibly the fifth installment of this jaded franchise, the louder than the rest director returns with a unsurprisingly thin plot and as much CGI effects as the running time allows.

3. The Mummy
In a sign that Tom Cruise may have lost the midas touch, this reboot that nobody asked for (or was happy they got!) this adventure feature lacked any of the charisma or energy that previous Tom Cruise movies may have had and limped it's way to a unsatisfactory and at times boring conclusion.One to avoid!
Read my full review here.

2. Assassins Creed
Even Michael Fassbender couldn't rescue what was yet another failure to convert a gaming legend into a watchable big screen feature. Impressive stunts aside this was another snoozefest that had audiences rushing out the door on completion!

1. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
Another jaded franchise gets yet another reboot. Even the "Jack Sparrow" schtick shown by Johnny Depp is beyond wearing thin in another feature that had the fell of an improv show. Another one to avoid!

This weeks Top Movies on the Telly

Brooklyn - (RTE One  Monday 25th December 21:35)
Heartfelt drama that rightly earned Saoirse Ronan a deserved Osacr nomination this John Crowley directed feature is a simply story told beautifully, aided in no small part by dazzling cinematography and some exceptional performances from it's talented cast.

Jurassic World - (RTE One Tuesday 26th December 18:25)
Highly entertaining and visually stunning reboot of the popular mid 90's franchise this Colin Trevorrow directed production sees Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard bring solid performances to a swashbuckling adventure!

The Guard - (RTE One Wednesday 27th December 21:30)
Brendan Gleeson is outstanding in this John Michael McDonagh feature that is clever, violent and dark in it's humour but nonetheless worth the audience's attention for Gleeson's performance alone!

What movies to watch this weekend?

In the Cinema:

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle
The old Robin Williams vehicle gets a reboot with a highly energetic cast and it must be said quite positive initial reviews in what is sure to be a big hit with cinema goers over the holiday period. May just be a bit of fun!




Streaming: 

La La Land (Netflix)
Slightly overrated yet still incredibly enjoyable multi Oscar nominated musical that highlights the talent of director Damien Chazelle and his two leading actors in Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. Highly entertaining!




On Telly

The Full Monty (RTE One Friday 22nd December 00:00)
The surprise hit of the year that ended in an Oscar nomination for Best Picture, this hilarious comedy gave a series of gifted actors the exposure they truly deserved and was yet another film that year that contained a solid soundtrack!

Review: Jumanji:Welcome to the Jungle - Solid blockbuster fare that works due to it's entertaining cast!

Another week, another blockbuster and yet another reboot! This time it's the mid 90's Robin Williams vehicle that gets a modern day upgrade to appeal to a brand new audience. As much as this seemed to be a film that nobody asked for, thanks to it's charismatic cast and dazzling special effects it almost works!
In Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle four teenagers discover an old video game console and are physically drawn into the game's jungle setting becoming the adult avatars they chose on a rip roaring adventure.
Director Jake Kasdan who has mixed bag of previous features having served up films such as Walk Hard, Bad Teacher and Orange County gets one major element right in this film and that is gathering a charming and likeable cast that enjoy fantastic on screen chemistry and this most definitely papers over a lot of the predictable cracks that can appear in such big budget productions.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Kevin Hart and Karen Gillan due superb jobs in their respective roles but it is Jack Black that steals the show, hogging every scene he is in and bringing hilarious comic relief. The only negative on the actors side is the panto villainesque performance by Bobby Carnavale who fails to give any serious gravitas to the main villain Van Pelt.
The CGI is on an another level, with eye popping and jaw dropping effects at every turn and as a spectacle at times it looks terrific.
But it is predictable material filled with gaping plot holes and at times elements that prevent it from soaring above holiday matinee fare.
Overall though, whilst not being the best movie you will see this year, it is far from the worst and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is an entertaining (if not life changing) way to spend ninety minutes plus in the cinema.
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My Top 5 Movies of 2017

Firstly, to list just 5 great movies in a year is a near impossible task especially when it's in a year full of quality. 2017 saw more and more reboot, superheros and franchises (even though not all were bad!) but it also saw some highly original, compelling and exceptional film on show. Without further ado here are my picks for the best of 2017 (which hopefully contains something for everyone!) in an eventful year in cinema.

5. Logan
A different take on the superhero movie with James Mangold adding extra heartfelt drama and added violence on Hugh Jackman's final hurrah as the infamous Wolverine. Gives substance to a well told tale. Read my full review here.

4. Paddington 2
A wonderful sequel to the 2014 hit, this Paul King directed film is fun for all the family and will leave you grinning from ear to ear for it's 105 minute running time. Makes the 2017 best film list quite comfortably. Highly recommended!
Read my full review here.

3. Blade Runner 2049
Maybe a controversial pick this one as it tends to cater for sci-fi fans in the main but this Denis Villeneuve directed feature persists with the same ingredients that made the original such a cult classic but adds his own unique brushstrokes and combined with Roger Deakins breathtaking cinematography serves up one of the years best.
Read my full review here

2. Dunkirk
Simply one of the cinematic events of the year. Director Christopher Nolan and a cast that included Tom Hardy, Mark Rylance and Kenneth Brannagh bring this World War spectacle eerily to life. One for the MAXX screening and one that will resonate with the audience long after the end credits. Magnificent!
Read my full review here

1. Get Out
Chilling and highly original horror film from Jordan Peele that would correctly be the "movie of the year" choice of a lot of the cinema going public. This is a film that will haunt you for days after viewing! My first review to appear on www.traleetoday.ie so it will always hold a special (if not scary) place in my heart!
Read my full review here.


Some movies that just missed out on the list: The Big Sick, Wind River, Detroit and War for Planet of the Apes.

Final Call for Submissions for the inaugural Killarney Mountain Festival which takes place in Killarney in March 2018.

9th to 11th March next year sees in the holding of the inaugural Killarney Mountain Festival  which takes place in Killarney.

December 22nd 2017 is the fast approaching deadline to submit a short or feature film to Killarney Mountain Festival celebrating the great outdoors.

Working in partnership with the renowned Kendal Mountain Festival, the Killarney Mountain Festival will host a celebration of all things mountain and adventure related over the weekend of March 9-11 2018 and the aim is to provide the biggest and best social event for outdoor enthusiasts in Ireland.

As Ireland’s adventure capital, Killarney is home to the biggest mountain range in the country, the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks, and is a natural location for this festival.

The programme of film screenings and events will include adventure, environmental and mountain films along with speakers and workshops. Award categories in short and feature film categories will be presented.

AWARDS:

• Killarney Mountain Festival Grand Prize 
• Best Mountain Film 
• Best Short Mountain Film 
• Best Adventure Award

Share the Adventure of a lifetime at the Killarney Mountain Festival March 9 -11 2018

Submissions: filmfreeway.com/KillarneyMountainFestival 

Yet another great film based festival in the county of Kerry to look forward to in 2018.

For full details go to www.killarneymountainfestival.com

This weeks Top Movies on the telly

Cardboard Gangsters - (TV3  Monday 18th December 21:00)
On of the best Irish movies of 2017, the network premiere of this Mark O'Connor directed film enjoyed high critical acclaim on it's cinematic release, driven by a strong performance by co-writer John O'Connor in this tale which follows a group of wannabe gangsters as they attempt to gain control of the drug trade in Darndale. Read my full review here.

Raiders of the Lost Ark - (BBC One Wednesday 20th December 13:45)
What would Christmas be without a bit of Indiana Jones? The first in the series this Steven Spielberg directed classic makes the most of Harrison Fords charisma in a film that simply never ages! Now where is that box of celebrations?

Terminator 2: Judgement Day - (3e Thursday 21st December 21:00)
Subject to a recent upgrade and cinematic rerelease this James Cameron directed iconic film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger in arguably his greatest role in a film that the years have been kind to and deserves another watch!

What movies to watch this weekend?

In the Cinema:

Star Wars: The Last Jedi
The only movie to catch this weekend on the big screen, the highly anticipated next chapter in the famous Star Wars series sees a new director at the helm in the shape of Looper's Rian Johnson and also contains more of the magnificent Skellig Michael for us to enjoy! If current Star Wars form is anything to go by this should be worth the wait.


Streaming: 

Back to the Future (Netflix)
All three in the Robert Zemeckis trilogy are available on Netflix for viewers to relive Michael J.Fox in his iconic role as Marty McFly. Classic films that can be enjoyed time and time again. A duvet day treat for sure!




On Telly

Men in Black (Film Four Saturday 16th December 21:00)
It's 20 years since this summer blockbuster from Barry Sonnenfield exploded onto our screens. Superb effects, smart script and an engaging cast that included Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones made this the hit of that summer season (and also had Will Smith's theme tune ringing in our years relentlessly!)

Star Wars: The Last Jedi - The force is still strong in this well loved series!

In Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Rey develops her newly discovered abilities with the help of Luke Skywalker, who is unsettled by the strength of her powers. Meanwhile, the Resistance prepares to do battle with the First Order.
With the fine job done by J.J. Abrams on resurrecting this ever popular franchise and with the highly talented Rian Johnson (Looper) taking on both writing and directing roles to say that Star Wars: The Last Jedi was eagerly anticipated would be perhaps one of the cinematic understatements of the year! The return of old favourites such as Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Chewbacca with the excellent newer additions to the series like Rey, Finn and Po with the added promise of more detailed and prolonged shots  and running time dedicated to Skellig Michael this time around and it's perfectly natural that all cinema goers would be joyously heading to the local Omniplex full of hope for what had to potential to be another action packed adventure between the Dark Force and the Resistance.
The good news for all Star Wars fans is that this second installment in this reboot is full of quality, immersed in all that has made the Star Wars comeback a resounding success. Fantastic creatures, stunning set pieces, strong characters and a plot that engages and keeps it's audience guessing right up to the last shot are all present here.
The seamless transition from the old to the new is again present in this film with Johnson (like his predecessor Abrhams) marrying the best of the iconic classics with a fresher perspective to outstanding effect. The Last Jedi may not have the novelty effect of the Force Awakens but there is much more occurring plot wise in this second episode and more compelling twists and turns on show.
It may be slightly long at a running time of two and a half hours but that will not bother Star Wars fans as The Last Jedi sits quite comfortably as the meat in this particular blockbuster series sandwich with the promise of more excitement to come. The force is strong with this one!
✷✷✷✷

5 Christmas Crackers!

Everyone has their favourite Christmas movie. That film that is unabashed in it's sentimentality, goodwill and cheer. A movie that if you watched it any other time of the year it just not seem right! I have put together a list of 5 such movies but please feel free to add your own suggestions in the comment box below of via facebook or twitter.

5. Scrooged
Richard Donner's modern take on this classic Christmas tale has Bill Murray to thank for elevating it to a higher level as he is in top form in this Christmas classic proveing that with the right premise he can make any film look great!. Always worth repeated viewing!

4. Home Alone
This timeless yuletide classic from Chris Columbus is a fun filled fiesta of family fun as we follow the hapless antics of Harry and Marv as they are constantly twarted by the exceptional Macauley Culkin. Never gets old!!

3. Elf
This seasonal hit sees Will Ferrell abandon his usual gross out humour for a performance filled with charm and hilarity in a film that proved a big hit with all members of the family and is a frequent resident on audiences favourite Christmas movies. Highly entertaining!

2. Love Actually
So sweet it may give you diabetes and cynics have critized it for this but leave the cynicism to one side and you have a collection of sweet and funny tales brought together in the undeniable style of Richard Curtis. This all star cast seems to be really having fun with the script and it shows. Guaranteed to bring out a smile in its audience around Christmas time!

1. It's a Wonderful Life
There is a reason that this film resonates over 70 years after it's initial release. The Christmas movie that laid the path for all that followed. This Frank Capra directed classic tale starring James Stewart is simply a must watch every Christmas.
Timeless!

Tralee Filmmaker Bertie Brosnan's new short art-films Last Service & Forgotten Paradise funded by the Cork City Arts now available online for free

Tralee Film maker Bertie Brosnan whose previous films Sineater & Jacob Wrestling With The Angel have been picked up by internationally-owned shorts network Shorts TV now sees two of his excellent short films that were funded by the Cork Citys Arts Fund available to view online for free!
Bertie Brosnan’s previous short films: Sineater & Jacob Wrestling With The Angel were picked up earlier this year by internationally-owned shorts network Shorts TV in a non-exclusive deal via the US distribution outfit Bidslate have been critically acclaimed and selected at international film festivals and markets such as 'Cork Film Festival', 'Fastnet Film Festival', 'Kerry Film Festival', 'Cannes Short Film Corner', 'Hollywood North Film Festival', and much more. (Bertie's success was reported by traleetoday earlier this year and you can read the full article here)

Director, Bertie says on these two short films: “It was a wonderful experience creating these films, the budget was only 3,000 euros but I was able to harness the creative powers of small crews and the wonderfully talented Charlie Ruxton & Stephen O' Connor. As a writer, I am always interested in characters that have a depth to them that isn't always apparent. As a society, we judge and marginalize 'types' of people in a matter of seconds, as we never take the time to understand a little about them. With these two shorts films, I am hoping to shed some light on two characters that our society has preconceived judgement.”
In what is about to be a very busy and undoubtedly successful period for this Tralee born film maker with the release of his feature film Con in the next few weeks (of which you can read the first Irish based review right here!) Bertie's rich catalogue of short and features are sure to reap the critical acclaim deserved and will also reach a larger audience due to their availability online.

Please view both of Bertie's short films below:

For further details on Bertie Brosnan's work see https://www.bertiebrosnan.com or https://www.facebook.com/bertiebrosnanfilms/

Tralee Omniplex Tuesday Treat - What movie deserves your €6 this week?

With the impending arrival of the highly anticipated Star Wars:The Last Jedi to Tralee Omniplex s on midnight Wednesday (with a special showing of the Force Awakens also available beforehand for those interested) there are no new releases on show for Tuesday Treat. There are however plenty of quality features still on show and I've included previews of all below and all for the giveaway price of just €6!

The Star:
Another yuletide delight, this animated account of the Nativity has split critics and audiences right down the middle but should be highly enjoyable for the younger members of the family. Good family fun!

Wonder
This heartfelt and charming drama from director Stephen Chbosky based on the New York Times best selling novel is alleviated largely due to some terrific performances form its cast that includes Owen Wilson, Julia Roberts and Jacob Tremblay - Just may well be this weeks pick of the bunch!

Daddys Home 2:
Subject to my traleetoday review (which can be read here) and overall an enjoyable ninety minutes holiday for the brain, the antics of Ferrell, Wahlberg, Gibson and Lithgow keep this yuletide tale of merriment rolling nicely along as is well worth your attention. Just don't expect any Oscar's to be handed out for it!

Battle of the Sexes
 This Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris true life dramedy has enjoyed very positive reviews with Emma Stone and Steve Carrell in particular earning high praise for their strong performances.
One to watch!

Justice League:
Some mixed reviews circulating for this one already. Whereas it hasn't hit the depths of Batman vs Superman (thankfully!) it still has an over reliance on it's big budget CGI effects with the plot, script and characters suffering. Maybe one strictly for fans of the franchise!

Paddington 2:
The world's favourite fictional bear (Winnie the who?) gets another outing as director Paul King again takes the reins which sees the lovable bear and the Brown family undertake another whirlwind adventure.

Thor:Ragnorak
Benefiting from some positive reviews, this latest edition in the Thor series is one packed with action, humour and most of all fun as it reaps the rewards of having Taiki Waititi on board and the unique style he brings as director.

Murder on the Orient Express:
Kenneth Brannagh directs and stars in this adaptation of the Agatha Christie novel whilst surrounded by an all stellar cast. Reviews have been somewhat mixed so may be one for fans of the genre only.