The 12th Dingle International Film Festival to celebrate the best of local, Irish and international film this March

Set in the beautiful picturesque surroundings of the Dingle Peninsula, the Dingle International Film Festival kicks of it's 12th year on Thursday 22nd March with another quality packed programme with a strong emphasis on both local and Irish film that will please local and visitors alike.
I caught up with Maurice Galway the founder/CEO and Artistic Director of the Dingle International Film Festival to discuss the strong upcoming programme that will again contribute to make this boutique film festival in the south west of Ireland the ongoing success story that it continues to be.
Maurice agrees that there is a strong local and national presence at this year festival which  is paramount to the festivals success and this is evident with the sold out screening of the opening feature The Camino Voyage on Thursday 22nd March (with another screening scheduled for Sunday 25th). An epic 2,500 km modern day celtic odyssey, The Camino Voyage/Iomramh an Chamino is directed by Dónal Ó Céilleachair. and documents five men as they demonstrate the courage, endurance and friendship required to complete the historic voyage.
Friday March 23rd sees the screening of IFTA winning feature Michael Inside as well as a special screening an archive of the work of video journalist and West Kerry native,Seán Mac an tSíthigh. Seán provides provincial, national and international news for TG4 and RTÉ. Also on Friday night at St James Church is a very special treat for Bob Dylan fans with the European premiere of Bob Dylan's Trouble No More.

Saturday 24th March also sees some exceptional Irish film on show with  Nora Twomey's Oscar nominated animated feature The Breadwinner, recent Berlin and Dublin Film Festival favourite Kissing Candice and Pat Collin's renowned Song of Granite all part of the third day of programming.
The final day sees the spotlight shone on local film with the screenings of a collection of Kingdom Shorts at the famous St James Church which is the focal point of a lot of wonderful films over the four days. Ventry resident and Emmy award winner Nuala O'Connor feature directorial debut The Keeper of the Flame which tells the universal story of generations dealing with the consequences of war and civil war; of what is remembered and what is forgotten gets it's World premiere as the closing feature of the festival to wrap up four full days of outstanding film.

Maurice Galway Founder/Director
Dingle International Film Festival

Maurice reminds me that it is not only local and Irish film that make up this years International Film Festival with plenty of quality international features and short films to enjoy for the avid film buff.
Redoubtable, Western and Sami Blood are three international features that Maurice feels are worth catching while in Dingle for the festival.
There are a wealth of other events taking place over the four days, with the return of the successful Dingle POW WOW which is "aimed specifically at young creatives in the Film and Television industry, and will assist them in gaining knowledge of both film and television". This special event  takes place in Ionad an Bhlascaoid Mhóir on Saturday 24th March and will feature such talent as  Michael Uppendahl, American Television Director whose work includes Fargo, American Horror Story, Ray Donovan, and Daredevil along with  Ray Donovan star Paula Malcomson who plays Abby Donovan in the series. Barry Keoghan, Ireland's rising star of Dunkirk, Black 47 and The Killing of a Sacred Deer will also make an appearance as well as an Actors Panel that consist of Jill Eikenberry (Hill Street blues, LA Law (Golden Globe winner), and Michael Tucker (Hill Street Blues, LA Law).
There is also a Women Direct programme which includes the short films of seven female directors and the younger film fans are also catered for with the screening on Sunday 24th March of the iconic tale We're Going on a Bear Hunt at St James Church!
All these fantastic events, together with the always popular and already sold out "Animation Dingle" along with much more superb screenings and workshops too numerous to mention means Dingle is headed for yet another highly successful festival again this year.
A full list of upcoming events and further details can be seen on the Dingle International Film Festival 2018 website.

5 great films that were never Oscar nominated

With certain quarters screaming foul after Guillermo Del Toro's The Shape of Water somehow pipping Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri to a Best Picture Oscar, I decided to have a look over the history books and cast an eye over previous injustices throughout the prestigious Academy Awards. To my shock I discovered a bountiful supply of quality films that never even earned Oscar nominations yet alone win the sought after award. Have a look at my list of five such films below and please add any of your own ideas/suggestions/feedback in the comment box or via social media:

5. The Big Lebowski
Hard to believe such was the love shown to the Coen Brothers in the years to follow but this cult classic never earned a single Oscar nomination in 1998. In fact the only award that this comedy masterpiece took home that year was a Best Foreign Film from a Russian guild of film critics. To add insult to injury the Oscar winner for best picture that year was Shakespeare in Love !

4. Heat
Quite simply, the barometer for all heist movies since it's release, this Michael Mann directed action drama also contains two of Hollywood's greatest actors in top form. But alas in 1995 the Academy in it's infinite wisdom decided that this film was unworthy of a single nomination - bearing in mind that this was the year the Mel Gibson was beloved and Nicholas Cage won an Oscar!

3. Mean Streets
Martin Scorceses poor record being somewhat of a running joke before his eventual welcoming to the exclusive club of Oscar winners in 2007 with The Departed has been well documented. In it incredible however that it wasn't until 1982 with Raging Bull that he even earned his first nomination with the incredible Mean Streets having been released 9 years previously.( He wasn't nominated for Taxi Driver either incidentally)

2. Once Upon a Time in the West
Incredibly, Sergio Leone's iconic masterpiece didn't earn a single nominatin in 1968. The scorching cinematography, perfect direction, Ennio Morricone's famous soundtrack and Henry Fonda's outstanding lead performance all failed to convince the Academy of it's quality that year. To rub salt in the wounds the winner of Best Picture in 1968 was Oliver!

1. The Shining
Unbelievably, Stanley Kubrick's horror classic actually won a Razzie in 1980 rather than earning a single Oscar nomination. The Academy has never been taken by the horror genre but hopefully that trend may soon change with Get Out the first horror film since the Black Swan to earn an Oscar nomination and also earning a well deserved original screenplay win for Jordan Peele.

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

There is just the one new release for your consideration for this weeks Tuesday Treat at Tralee Omniplex and it is for fans of dark comedy. Despite it's disappointment at missing out on a Best Picture win Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri gets a rerun this week and for those who have yet to see it this is another opportunity to see one of the best movies you are likely to see this year. The Greatest Showman also returns to the cinema and along with some quality features already on show there is  something for everyone at Tralee Omniplex this week with the added bonus of all shows today costing just €6 as part of their Tuesday Treat!

Game Night
This dark comedy about a group of friends who meet regularly for game nights and suddenly find themselves trying to solve a murder mystery works well thanks to a talented ensemble cast with the likes of Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams in particular in top form and should be a nice break for those of us that may have had enough of all the Oscar hype!

This Weeks Top Movies on the Telly

Anchorman - (3e  Monday 5th March 21:00)
A comedy classic with Will Ferrell in top form, this Adam McKay directed feature works due to it's limitless supply of superb one-liners and a comedic ensemble to rival any comedy film. A film that can be enjoyed time and time again!
Hilarious!

Unbroken - (Film Four 4  Tuesday 6th March 21:00)
Largely underrated Angelina Jolie directed war biopic that tells the incredible story of , Olympian Louis Zamperini who after after a near-fatal plane crash in WWII,spends a harrowing 47 days in a raft with two fellow crewmen before he's caught by the Japanese navy and sent to a prisoner-of-war camp. Jack O'Connell and Domhnall Gleeson deliver incredible lead performances in this harrowing drama.

Memento - (BBC One Wednesday 7th March 00:40)
An early sign of the genius that is Christopher Nolan this head scratcher of a thriller keeps it's audience guessing up to the final shot and like all great films of this ilk the pay off is well worth the wait! Easily one to rewatch or indeed check out to see that this director's considerable talents were there for all to see from as far back as the year 2000.

Review: I, Tonya - A unique and darkly comedic retelling of one of sports most sensational scandals

Based on true events, I, Tonya is the darkly comedic tale of American figure skater, Tonya Harding, and one of the most sensational scandals in sports history. Although Harding was the first American woman to complete a triple axel in competition, her doomed legacy will forever defined by her association with an infamous, ill-conceived, and even more poorly executed attack on fellow Olympic competitor Nancy Kerrigan.
A news story that dominated the media nearly 24 years ago, gets a highly original and compelling retelling, thanks to director Craig Gillespie, as the viewer is challenged at every turn as to what they previously believed is questioned and challenged by a film that drags you in, in it's own unique way and never ceases to amaze or entertain.
A documentary straight retelling of this infamous incident may have made for a presentable feature on what is a strange yet interesting period in sports history but director Gillespie thankfully takes a completley different route. Shot in the form of a "mockumentary" with the fourth wall constantly broken Gillsepie make use of dark satirical humour to make his point in a style that is not too dissimilar to the one employed by Scorcese in The Wolf of Wall Street.
To the director's credit whereas the film itself  has to deal with "the incident" does not completely revolve around it with the background to the main protagonists character being explored in rivetting detail.
Worthy of her place on the Oscar nomination list, Margot Robbie excels as the central character in this tale as she embraces Harding's character and encapsulates her spirit to perfection. More likely to rise victorious from awards season (having already won a Golden Globe and BAFTA) is Alisson Janney who plays Harding's monstrous mother  LaVona. Her performance is that of a classic villain and her fearless and cruel performance will rile even the most patient cinema viewer.
Aside from it's unique style, strong character performances and dark humour , I Tonya also delivers a scathing look at class politics, a view that it drives home quite successfully.
Overall, I, Tonya is a film that will shock, entertain, puzzle and laugh in all equal measure and is a unique piece of filmmaking worth viewing for the cast performances alone. Highly recommended!
✷✷✷✷

What movies to watch this weekend?

In the Cinema:

Game Night
Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams star in this dark comedy that has been earning high praise due to it's sharp script and some strong performances from it's talented comedic cast.Well worth checking out!



Streaming: 

The Final Year (Netflix)
Featuring unprecedented access inside the White House and State Department this Greg Barker directed documentary gives a unique insiders' account of President Barack Obama's foreign policy team during their last year in office. Arriving to critical acclaim this uncompromising snapshot into the former US presidents final year in office is worth checking out.


On Telly

The Help (BBC Two Saturday 3rd March 23:20)
Multi award nominated feature that saw Octivia Spencer take home a well deserved Best Supporting Actress Oscar this movie may gloss over the real core issues at play here but survives largely due to the excellent performances from it's talented cast!

5 great movies to look out for this March

After a solid February with award nominees flowing, this month sees us return to the usual mix of mega blockbuster, family friendly movies and action and thrills aplenty. Lots of quality features worth catching this month so without further ado here are a selection of just some of the great films making their way to a cinema near you this month:

5. Red Sparrow
Hailed for the electric performance of Jennifer Lawrence this spy thriller, which was screened as part of the Dublin Film Festival, sees the actress team up once again with Hunger Games director Francis Lawrence in a film that should have plenty of intrigue, action and thrills. One to look out for!

4. Game Night
After a succesful outing playing it straight in Netlfix's Ozark, Jason Bateman returns to his strengths in this dark comedy that boasts a hugely talented cast that includes Rachel McAdams, Kyle Chandler and Sharon Horgan in a film that has been earning rave initial reviews!

3. Peter Rabbit
This month's family film to watch is undoubtedly this Beatrix Potter adaptation directed and written by Will Gluck and starring Domhnall Gleeson, Rose Byrne and James Corden. With fantastic visuals and such a great cast this promises to be a lot of fun for all the family!

2. Tomb Raider
Curiosity is getting the better of me with this one. Lara Croft gets a reboot with Alicia Vikander in the hot seat and Roar Uthaug behind the lens. With a supporting cast that includes Walton Goggins, Nick Frost and Dominic West this mega budget blockbuster  is surely worth a watch!

1. Ready Player One
Highly anticipated Steven Spielberg directed feature of this dystopian adventure based off the 2011 sc-fi novel by Ernest Cline. Every Spielberg release is noteworthy but with this a somewhat return to his roots it is sure to garner a lot of interest!