5 reasons to get excited about film in 2019

After another successful year in 2018 at the box office with superheroes, sequels, spin-offs and big budget blockbusters more than paying their way, the good news is that 2019 has more of the same in line for it's eager audience with some interesting reboots, original productions and sequels upcoming in what potentially has the box office ingredients for a fruitful and enjoyable year at the Omniplex. So without further ado here are 5 reasons (there are many many more..) to be excited about cinema in 2019!

1. Jordan Peele releases his follow up feature to Get Out 

When the director of one of 2017's top features finally releases his follow up feature with the premise which states "A mother and a father take their kids to their beach house expecting to unplug and unwind with friends. But as night descends, their serenity turns to tension and chaos when some shocking visitors arrive uninvited" - cinema audiences everywhere are bound to take notice and eagerly await the next instalment from a very talented filmmaker

2. Disney serves up a selection of live action remakes 

Following on from the success of the live action remakes of the Jungle Book and Beauty and the Beast, this year sees Disney release no less than three live action remakes of some well known classics with Dumbo, Aladdin and The Lion King all  getting the live action do over. With Jon Favreau, Guy Ritchie and Tim Burton behind the lens, interesting results surely awaits!



3. Avengers: Endgame hits our big screens!

The film that simply needs no introduction as Marvel fans are finally put out of their misery after a year of head scratching at the climax of the superb Avengers: Infinity War. What now for our fallen superheroes and who will save the day that half of them have been wiped out (spoiler alert!) If this final chapter in Marvel Phase 3 contains a fraction of the entertainment of Infinity War there will be no complaints from it's dedicated followers!

2. The Return of Quentin Tarantino

In a return to the setting of L.A. for the first time since Pulp Fiction has assembled an all star cast that includes Brad Pitt and Leonardo Di Caprio. His latest upcoming feature Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is a mystery crime film written and directed by the iconic film maker and centres around the Manson Family murders. A break from the steady diet of summer blockbusters its' sure to be and I for one, can't wait!

1. The Final Part of the Star Wars trilogy lands

A franchise that has been good for this corner of the world in recent times sees J.J.Abrams return to the director's chair and it is safe to say that fans will be more than ready to take their seats when this final episode hits our big screens next Christmas. With the late Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill and fellow alumni Billy Dee  making an appearance this is one sure to score big in the box office and with Abrams at the wheel is bound to be a film of great quality and entertainment!

Review - Glass : Glass half empty in limp end to supernatural trilogy

Those familiar with the work of M.Night Shyamalan will now that his career in film resembles somewhat of a rollercoaster ride with the heights of such features as The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable followed by the lows of The Happening and After Earth. Lately however has seen a resurgence in the director's career with The Visit and in particular the 2017 film Split gaining critical and popular acclaim for this "marmite" film maker.
On the back of an extremely intriguing ending to Split, I ventured to Tralee Omniplex to catch the final part in this supernatural trilogy, Glass and wondered which M. Night Shyamalan would I get ?
The reality was that I got neither, in a feature that never really hits the heights of any of it's predecessors in the series, Unbreakable or Split yet thankfully never sinks to previous depths of mediocrity either.
Following the conclusion of Split, Glass finds Dunn (Bruce Willis) pursuing Kevin Wendell Crumb's (James McAvoy) superhuman figure of The Beast in a series of escalating encounters, while the shadowy presence of Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson) emerges as an orchestrator who holds secrets critical to both men.
As comfortable as Shyamalan is with setting an air mystery and the unknown, I can;t help but get the feeling in Glass that as chuffed as he was reintroducing the characters from Unbreakable towards the end of Split that he never really thought through what to actually do with them in this film.
James McAvoy's multi-layered performance in Split was central to the success of the movie, yet seems jaded and overplayed here. Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson perform credibly in what is scant source material and the whole production seems to move at a pedestrian pace for a lot of it's near two hour running time.
As in all his movies, the director does surprise us with the showstopping big reveal towards the end and to M.Night Shyamalan's credit, this reveal along with competent cast performances (despite any real emotional weight) does salvage Glass to a certain degree.
However as the end credits role , I can;t help but feel that this was yet again somewhat of  a missed opportunity to bring the intriguing supernatural series to a more triumphant end and the search for M.Night Shyamalan's mojo continues in earnest!
✸✸1/2

Oscar Nominations for two films screened at Kerry Film Festival 2018

The high calibre of film showed at the Kerry Film Festival each year was highlighted again this week as two short films screened at this years event earned Academy Award nominations.

Kerry Film Festival , an internationally recognised film festival that takes place in the picturesque town of Killarney, Co. Kerry is delighted to have screened two of the five short films nominated for the Academy Award for Live Action Narrative Short, Detainment and Mother.

Both films screened at Cinema Killarney in October 2018 at the 19th edition of the Kerry Film Festival with Detainment winning Best Irish Short, a much coveted award at the festival.

Speaking about the nominations yesterday, Kerry Film Festival Chair of the board, Grace O’Donnell noted that, 'The Kerry Film Festival has consistently programmed films that win awards. Films that screen at Kerry Film festival go on to win Oscars, Baftas and Iftas. We curate unique films through the submission process and this allows a Kerry audience to see the best independent film being made from around the world”

Detainment is a true story based on interview transcripts and records from the James Bulger case which shocked the world in 1993.

Mother follows the everyday conversation between Marta and her mother which turns into a tragic, against- the-clock situation, when they get a call from the former’s son.

And the Secret Screening Movie for Tralee Omniplex is ...... Instant Family

Teased by hints via social media on the days leading up to Tralee Omniplex's Secret Screening this week,the pieces had begun to fit together and I had a sneaky feeling that the feature on show may be another quality feature from director Sean Anders who has previously served up some comedic gems such as Daddy's Home and low and behold as the curtain raised to a eagerly anticipated full house, all were pleasantly delighted to see his latest movie Instant Family was the subject of the secret film!
I will review the film itself in detail in due course but the whole concept of the Secret Screening is one which was again very popular in this particular movie theatre as all seats were full for this "surprise" showing.
The price of €10 for a cinema ticket, medium popcorn and medium soft drink is very appealing for cinema goers and the opportunity to get to see a preview showing of a big budget feature long before it's release date adds to the appeal!
The fact that the audience doesn't know what film they are about to watch also amplifies the attraction of this great offer from Omniplex Cinemas.
With this secret screening  full to capacity, this successful outing continues the popularity and success of  Secret Screenings at Tralee Omniplex and long may they continue!

Oscar Nominee among very strong programme of shorts announced for this years Dingle Film Festival

Oscar nominee Detainment, a true story based on interview transcripts and records from the James Bulger case which was written and directed by Vincent Lambe is among a selection of exceptional short film just announced and which will be on show at this years eagerly anticipated 13th Dingle International Film Festival taking place from 21st to 24 March 2019.
The first taste of what is sure to be a quality packed programme sees short films that include the likes of Moe Dunford, Rosaleen Lenihan and Brendan Gleeson with something for everyone to enjoy.
With films being screened in some unique venues such as St James Church and McCarthys Bar this years Dingle International Film Festival promises to live up to the strong reputation it already has amongst film festivals worldwide.
Considering that features, workshops and special events are yet to be announced, it is surely well worth pencilling 21st to 24th March of this year into your diary for what will undoubtedly be another special event with film lovers of all tastes catered for over the four days of this exceptional event - and all this practically on your doorstep!

For further announcements and Dingle International Film Festival related news check out www.dinglefilmfestival.com 

Review: The Favourite - Wonderfully weird satirical drama bound for awards glory

It's fair to say that Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos is an acquired taste with his previous features The Killing of a Sacred Deer and The Lobster whilst bold and at times brilliant films are also polarising and not for all cinematic tastes. His latest film The Favourite does bridge that gap from the wonderfully weird to the mainstream whilst still having the Greek auteur's fingerprints all over it and this is largely due to the three simply incredible performances from it's leading actors.
After a limited release nationwide earlier in the year, The Favourite thankfully get's it's platform at Tralee Omniplex this week giving local audiences the chance to see first hand newly crowned Oscar winner Olivia Coleman's award winning performance as Queen Anne.
Set in early 18th century with England at war with the French. A frail Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) occupies the throne and her close friend Lady Sarah Churchill (Rachel Weisz) governs the country in her place while tending to Anne's ill health and mercurial temper. When a new servant Abigail Masham (Emma Stone) arrives, her charm endears her to Sarah with Sarah taking Abigail under her wing and Abigail seeing a chance at a return to her aristocratic roots. As the politics of war become quite time consuming for Sarah, Abigail steps into the breach to fill in as the Queen's companion. Their blossoming friendship gives her a chance to fulfil her ambitions and she will not let woman, man, politics or rabbit stand in her way.
Dressed up in period drama clothes, this film is so much more - dark, cutting, cruel, funny, sad, uncomfortable yet it looks incredible thanks to the work of cinematographer Robbie Ryan who achieves the royal over the top flamboyant look with ease.
Olivia Coleman quite rightly received her Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe for a performance of complexity, anarchy and wit that is worthy of all the gushing praise that has come her way in recent times.
Large credit too has to go to Rachel Weiss and Emma Stone for two equally impressive portrayals and the obvious chemistry between the cast is clear for all to see and the feature is so much the better for it. Nicholas Hoult, also deserves recognition for a wonderfully spiteful performance as Robert Harley which may get overlooked due to the success and recognition rightly given to his co-stars.
As with most Lanthimos's features this will not be for the everyone and is sure to gain a mixed reaction at the Omniplex but for me, due to the director's bold film making style (at times resembling Kubrick's Barry Lyndon), the casts larger than life performances and a tale that will keep you intrigued until the very end, The Favourite is worthy of it's place at the top table at this years awards events.
✹✹✹✹

Review: Stan and Ollie - Brilliant Bromantic Biopic on Hollywood's original comedic double act!

Abbott and Costello, Morecambe and Wise, Bob Hope and Bing Crosby are all famous comedic duos that have the trailblazing works of a certain Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy to thank for paving the way for all that followed such was there popularity and success worldwide. As much as there on screen antics were lamented, there private and personal lives were tales largely untold until this John S.Baird directed feature hit Tralee Omniplex this week to a willing audience having received positive initial reviews.
Stan and Ollie tells of Laurel & Hardy, one of the world's great comedy teams, who set out on a doomed variety hall tour of Britain in 1953. Worn by age and with their golden era now behind them, they face an uncertain future. However, as the charm and beauty of their performances shines through, they re-connect with their adoring fans and the tour becomes a hit. Tragically, Stan & Ollie can't quite shake the spectre of their past; the long-buried skeletons, along with Oliver's poor health, start to threaten their precious partnership.
What director Baird has quite remarkably managed to achieve in this warm and charming film is to combine the brilliance and hilarity of the famous duo without resorting to easy and cheap tricks and shows not only their talent and likability but their humane and vulnerable sides too.
This is aided in no small part by two incredible lead performances by Steve Coogan and John C.Reilly who has been nominated for a BAFTA (Coogan) and a Golden Globe (Reilly) for their touching portrayal of this dynamic couple.
This tender and poignant feature focuses largely on the love between these two figures and how it took them until the end of their long and illustrious careers to fully realise how much they meant to each other. Coogan and Reilly, who are undoubtedly skilled comedians bring enormous depth and warmth to their roles and as a result serve up a fitting tribute to this comedy icons.
Praise also must go to Nina Arianda and Shirley Henderson who play Stan and Ollie's long suffering wives as serve up their own unique double act in the process.
If , on your trip to Tralee Omniplex this week you are looking for a heartfelt, funny yet emotionally charming film filled with immense acting performances from a bygone era then look no further than Stan and Ollie.
✸✸✸✸

Secret Screenings Return to Tralee Omniplex With New Comedy this January

 Beat the January Blues with Tralee Omniplex by seeing a brand new comedy before its release. Omniplex Cinemas are delighted to announce it’s next in its series of hugely successful Secret Screenings, taking place on Wednesday 23rd of January with a brand new comedy!

Omniplex Secret Screenings are special events hosted regularly through the year giving cinema fans the chance to see a new release before anyone else.  However, like every good plot, there is a twist.  The only clue is in the movie genre which Omniplex reveal when tickets go on sale. Movie goers will be comfortably seated with treats in hand before the movie itself is revealed as the opening credits start to roll.

Whether you’re a film fanatic who simply loves the cinema no matter what’s on offer, or an avid movie goer who likes to pick and choose from new releases, Omniplex Secret Screenings offer something for everyone with different genres covered at each special showing.  The common theme will be the Omniplex guarantee that whatever the Secret Screening event, it will be a major new movie that has not gone on general release. Previous screenings have included Get Out, Crazy Rich Asians, Searching, Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing Missouri, & The House.

Omniplex Secret Screenings will take place on Wednesday 23rd of January at 6.45PM in 10 Omniplex locations nationwide: Mahon Point, Cork; Rathmines, Dublin; Arklow; Carlow; Craigavon; Downpatrick; Kennedy Centre, Belfast; Lisburn; Omagh; and Tralee. Tickets are priced at €10 each including a medium popcorn and drink. There are limited tickets available for each Secret Screenings which are available to book online at Omniplex.ie exclusively to MyOmniplex members aged 16 years and over only.

For a bit of speculation on this covert operation, join the conversation! #OmniplexSecretScreening

For further information and booking details check out www.omniplex.ie

This weeks Top Movies on the Telly

Katie - (RTE 1 Tuesday 15th January 22:15)
Ross Whitaker's compelling documentary on World Boxing champion Katie Taylor gets it's network TV premiere this week and judging by the reviews on it's cinematic release is a feature well worth catching.

2001: A Space Odyssey - (Sky Arts Thursday 17th January 21:00)
Hard to believe that this film is over 50 years old but Stanley Kubrick’s dazzling Academy Award winning compelling science fiction drama of man vs. machine is a feature that needs to be revisited time and time again.

True Grit - (TG 4 Friday 18th January 21:00)
Award winning Coen Brothers western remake that features some stellar performances from the likes of Matt Damon, Hailee Steinfeld and Jeff Bridges in particular. This may be one of the talented directors less quirky films but nevertheless stands proudly amongst their very strong back catalogue.

Review: Welcome to Marwen - Visually superb,well intentioned yet poorly executed true story that will split audiences!

Robert Zemeckis, director of such classics as Back to the Future and Forest Gump has in recent times taken to redeveloping the source material of some extraordinary documentaries as his source material for his most recent feature films and unfortunately not always to great effect. He did in with 2015's The Walk mirroring what already was an astonishing award winning documentary in Man on Wire and here he rehashes the subject matter of the 2010 compelling doc Marwencol in his latest feature Welcome to Marwen.
The main pitfall with this film making strategy is that, in these two cases, the documentaries were so strong that the feature film remakes were simply not needed and in both instances did nothing to improve on the original subjects.
Welcome to Marwen tells the compelling true story of Mark Hogancamp (Steve Carell) who when a devastating attack shatters and wipes away all memories puts together pieces from his old and new life to create a wondrous town where he can heal and be heroic. As he builds an astonishing art installation—a testament to the most powerful women he knows—through his fantasy world, he draws strength to triumph in the real one.
Gathering together a stellar and talented cast with Steve Carrell again demonstrating his remarkable range as an actor joined by a very strong supporting cast that includes Leslie Mann, Diane Kruger and Janelle Monáe and combining this talent with some incredible visual effects, director Robert Zemeckis almost assembles a worthy feature film. It is however, a disjointed,tonal mess with serious pacing issues that falls short in capturing the essence of the true story of Mark Hogancamp and as a result does both his character and tale a real disservice.
Mirroring his inner Charlie Kaufmann, Zemeckis cannot decide whether this film is for an arthouse or mainstream audience and in the end caters for neither.
Whereas his ambition in assembling such a bold and technically complex film is to be commended and as much as there is to admire in the visual effects in the film, it is only when the real life actors get their stage back that this film resembles any real heart and conviction.
The shoehorned pop reference to a time when Zemeckis made awe inspiring influential films is also deafening in it's lack of subtlety and only serves to remind us how far this legendary film maker has fallen in recent times.
Overall, although it may look spectacular (and it really does) and contain some solid performances (Steve Carell deserves so much more that what he was given to work with here) it is on the whole a missed opportunity to capture the remarkable true story in the manner in which it deserves to be told.

Beat the January Blues at Omniplex Tralee as Moulin Rouge tangos its way back onto the big screen!

Get the tissues at the ready because Baz Luhrmann’s masterpiece, Moulin Rouge, is coming back to Tralee Omniplex for one week only from Friday the 11th of Jan 2019.

 Swinging you all the way back to 2001 (or 1899!), Omniplex Cinemas #BringItBack kicks off the new year with a Spectacular Spectacular show like no other. This is a story about truth, beauty and freedom. Above all things, this story is about love.

Moulin Rouge stars Ewan McGregor as Christian, a young poet who moves to Paris to join the Bohemian revolution taking over the underground scene of the city. He soon falls in love with the star courtesan of the Moulin Rouge, Satine, played by Nicole Kidman. A love triangle ensues once the unlovable Duke gets involved and so the dance begins. Come and get me boys!

Fly away with nostalgia for one week only at Omniplex Cinemas from Friday the 11th of Jan 2019.

#BringItBack sees some of the world’s most loved movies returning to Omniplex Cinemas Nationwide, enhanced by the best in modern day cinema experiences - quality projection, state of the art sound technology and of course, the comfiest seats.  Tickets are priced at €8 and advanced booking is recommended at www.omniplex.ie.

A night of shocks at this years Golden Globes

It was an night of unprecedented shocks at this years Golden Globes as Bohemian Rhapsody and Rami Malek were the big winners on a night when the much fancied A Star is Born took home only  one gong for Best Song with the Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga and the film itself failing to reap rewards for the incredible hype that has followed the film since it's cinematic release last year.
There was also notable shocks in the success of Peter Farrelly's Green Book with the feature winning  Musical or Comedy Motion Picture as well as Supporting Actor for Mahershala Ali.
Less shocking were the wins for Alfonso Cuaran for Best Director and Foreign Language Feature for Roma, Christian Bale for Best Actor for Vice and Olivia Coleman for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy for The Favourite although Glenn Close's win for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Drama for The Wife suggests that she may have some stiff competition come Academy Award time in a category that is sure to be the hardest to call for many years.
Overall, this years Golden Globes have shown to indicate that this years Awards season may carry that air of unpredictability about it and could throw up a few more surprises comes Oscar season in a year full of quality with no clear favourite amongst the runners and riders.

This years Golden Globe Winners in full are:

Best Motion Picture - Drama
Bohemian Rhapsody 

Best Director - Motion Picture
Alfonso Cuarón (Roma) 

Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Green Book 

Best Motion Picture - Foreign Language
Roma 

Best Motion Picture - Animated
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 

Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
Glenn Close (The Wife)  

Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody) 

Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Olivia Colman (The Favourite)  

Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Christian Bale (Vice)  

Best Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture
Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk) 

Best Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture
Mahershala Ali (Green Book) 

Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
Peter Farrelly, Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie (Green Book) 

Best Original Song - Motion Picture
Shallow (A Star Is Born) 

Best Original Score - Motion Picture
Justin Hurwitz (First Man)  

Review: Mary Poppins Returns - A Magical Musical that will delight all ages

Remaking classic movies can often be risky business with more misses than hits (remakes such as Sylvester Stallones' take on Get Carter simply can't be unseen!). Therefore it was with a little trepidation that I ventured to Tralee Omniplex with family on board to the Rob Marshall remake of what is one of Hollywood's most beloved musicals in Mary Poppins.
Mary Poppins Returns tells the tale of bank teller Michael Banks, now an adult with three children who learns that his house will be repossessed in five days unless he can pay back a loan. His only hope is to find a missing certificate that shows proof of valuable shares that his father left him years earlier. Just as all seems lost, Michael and his sister receive the surprise of a lifetime when Mary Poppins (played by Emily Blunt) - the beloved nanny from their childhood - arrives to save the day and take the Banks family on a magical, fun-filled adventure.
Director Rob Marshall had to unenviable job of not only recreating this classic story but also giving it it's own air of originality and not disappointing the many fans of the original 1964 feature. The good news for all concerned is that by and large he manages to achieve this, thanks in no small part to some superb central performances and accompanying stunning visual effects.
Emily Blunt brings her own unique qualities to the lead character with an added sass and humour that works quite well with Lin-Maniel Miranda, Ben Whimshaw and Emily Mortimer adding strong support in their respective roles.
The one area where the film does underwhelm slightly is in the musical department with the musical numbers lacking the unforgettable quality of the original but then again replicating calibre of the original songs was always going to be a near impossible task.
As far as pure escapism goes however, Mary Poppins Returns was a delight, with smiles etched across the faces of the younger members of my cinematic clan at regular stages throughout the 130 minute running time. Advances in technology, also add to the production with some musical sequences in particular strikingly spectacular and help elevate this feature above the levels of mediocrity often seen in the family film genre throughout 2018.
Overall, Mary Poppins Returns is a more than capable sequel to the original classic and is one that is bound to bring a smile to faces young and old in what is a delightful feel good feature with much to admire.
✸✸✸✸