What movies to watch this bank holiday weekend?

In the Cinema:

Peter Rabbit
What better way to kick off  the long weekend than in the company of Peter Rabbit. This update of the classic Beatrix Potter character written and directed by Will Gluck has received lukewarm initial reviews but there should be enough in this tale to entertain young and old alike!



Streaming: 

Annihilation (Netflix)
Another feature rescued by Netflix, this Alex Garland directed film boasts an impressive cast that includes Natalie Portman, Osar Isaac and Jennifer Jason Leigh and whilst looking impressive also leaves plenty of food for thought for viewers in this highly rated sci-fi/horror production. Recommended!



On Telly

I Went Down (RTE Two Saturday 17th March 21:15)
This Paddy Breathnach directed film is worth a revisit for the weekend that's in it as we celebrate a sometimes forgotten Irish gem. Brendan Gleeson and Peter McDonald make the most of some sharp writing in this very funny gangster tale told Irish style! Worth another look!

5 great Irish films currently available on Netflix

With St Patrick's Day just around the corner and a steady supply of quality film currently being produced by this artistically rich country of ours , I thought now might be a good time to shine a light on the incredibly talented filmmakers and features that this great country continues to produce and where better to start than to sift through the annals of Netflix to pick out 5 such gems to enjoy before March 17th for those of us overcome with national pride!
Here are 5 of the best:

5. Sing Street
Simply a joy of a movie from start to finish, this Golden Globe nominated feel good musical from director John Carney is bursting with heart, charm, optimism and accompanied by a killer soundtrack. This is one that can be enjoyed time and time again!

4. Cardboard Gangsters
One of the best Irish movies of 2017, this Mark O'Connor directed film enjoyed high critical and awards 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.

3. Handsome Devil
After the success of The Stag, director John Butler follows up with the highly enjoyable Handsome Devil, a movie dealing with the unlikely friendship between two totally different boys at boarding school. Andrew Scott almost steals the show as teacher Mr. Perry but overall a very enjoyable comic drama! Read mu full review here.

2. The Young Offenders
Hilarious comedy caper that that has now become a very successful TV show. Witty dialogue and strong performances by the two lead actors add up to deliver one of the funniest Irish movies in years.

1. Calvary
Written and directed by John Michael McDonagh and featuring a stunning central performance from Brendan Gleeson, this highly intense and compassionate, as well as at times extremely funny feature  rightly received high critical acclaim on it's initial release.

The 10 Most Underrated Actors in Hollywood - No.8 Michael Stuhlbarg

It may have been a while since I've entered another actor to my list of underrated actors in Hollywood (and with his Oscar win a few weeks ago you could argue that Sam Rockwell no longer belongs on this list!), but with his inclusion in no less than three Oscar nominated films this year without earning a single nomination, I felt it was time to add to this list with another incredible actor yet to get full recognition for his fantastic body of work.

9. Michael Stuhlbarg:
Born in Long Beach California on 5th July 1965 Michael Stuhlbarg attended UCLA, and then The Juilliard School in New York City, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts.While at UCLA, he was awarded a scholarship to study mime with Marcel Marceau.
His early acting career throughout the 90's and early 2000's consisted mainly of theatrical work with Stuhlbarg a main stay on Broadway in such productions as Cabaret, Taking Sides, Saint Joan, The Government Inspector, and The Pillowman by Martin McDonagh, which earned him a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play, and his first nomination for a Tony Award.
Stuhlbarg's first major film role was in 2008 as Laurence Gopnik in Joel and Ethan Coen's A Serious Man, for which he received his first Golden Globe nomination. He again rose to prominence in his first major television role in the period drama series, Boardwalk Empire, in which he was cast as the organised crime figure Arnold Rothstein.
In the years to follow he would a Hollywood regular in a number of high-profile films: Arrival, Steve Jobs, Blue Jasmine, Hugo, Seven Psychopaths, Men In Black III, Trumbo, Lincoln, Miss Sloane, Doctor Strange, Miles Ahead, and Pawn Sacrifice to name a few.
This year he had the unique honour of appearing in three Best Picture Oscar nominated films: Luca Guadinino and James Ivory's Call Me By Your Name, Guillermo del Toro's The Shape of Water, and Steven Spielberg's The Post yet somehow failed to earn an Oscar nomination (his role in Call Me By Your Name arguably his best of the three and well worthy of a nomination and proving without doubt that this is an actor on top of his game.
Michael Stuhlbarg has shown his obvious versatility in his strong back catalogue of work and the fact that he is present in so many high (and not so high) profile films indicates the high esteem in which he is held amongst his peers. Surely, award recognition is soon to follow. Take a look at 5 exceptional performances below to see the rich catalogue of work this incredible actor already has with the promise of lots more to come:

5 Exceptional Michael Stuhlbarg performances:
5. Mr. Perlman - Call Me By Your Name.
4. Andy Hertzfeld - Steve Jobs.
3. Dr Robert Hoffstetler  - The Shape of Water.
2. George Yeaman - Lincoln
1. Larry Gopnick - A Serious Man.

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

There are two new releases for your consideration for this weeks Tuesday Treat at Tralee Omniplex. A Best Picture and Best Director winner at the recent Academy Awards and another screwball action comedy. Those two additions along with plenty of award nominated features means there is plenty of selection at Tralee Omniplex this week with the added bonus of all shows today costing just €6 as part of their Tuesday Treat!

Gringo
After last week's Game Night, we have another entry into the caper comedy category with Charlize Theron, Joel Edgerton and David Oyelowo combining in this Nash Edgerton directed feature that is bound to be another ninety minutes plus of pure unadulterated escapism!

The Shape of Water
Guillermo Del Toro's fantasy drama comes to Tralee Omniplex giving the locals an opportunity to see this highly imaginative piece of film for themselves. May not be to everybody's taste but this Best Picture Oscar winner for 2018 is undoubtedly a prime example of a film maker in complete control of his craft! Worth a look!

This weeks Top Movies on Telly

Ghostbusters - (SKY One  Monday 12th March 21:00)
A chance to take a trip down memory lane, this infectious blend of action and comedy, along with undeniable on screen chemistry between the cast and Bill Murray's famous deadpan performance ensures that this cult 80's classic has lived on long after it's initial release. A classic!

Full Metal Jacket - (ITV4  Tuesday 13th March 22:00)
Written, produced and directed by the late great Stanley Kubrick this war feature may not be the easiest watch at times but it is ultimately a necessary one. A classic of war cinema this iconic film is worthy of repeated viewing.
Highly Recommended!

The Artist - (BBC One Wednesday 7th March 00:40)
2011's Academy Award Winner for Best Picture this crowd pleasing tribute to the silent movie era which was written and directed by Michel Hazanavicius is a wonderful bit of film filled with style, substance and some excellent performances. Well worth a revisit!

Review: Game Night - Entertaining, absurd dark and satisfying action comedy - but not a game changer!

After a few intense weeks of Oscar hype, excitement, anticipation and in some cases disappointment (how Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri lost out to the Shape of Water for Best Picture is something I may never understand!) it was nice to settle in this week for an old fashioned caper comedy guaranteeing over ninety minutes of pure cinematic escapism!
In Game Night, Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams star as Max and Annie, whose weekly couples game night gets kicked up a notch when Max's charismatic brother, Brooks (Kyle Chandler), arranges a murder mystery party, complete with fake thugs and imitation federal agents. Things take a turn for the worse when Brooks gets kidnapped, and all is not as it seems!
Directed by Horrible Bosses writing duo John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, Game Night sees a return to the screwball action comedy that was a staple diet of cinema audiences of the 80's. This feature works largely due to it's sharp script, plenty of impressive action sequences and an ensemble cast that  manage to paper over the farcical plot cracks with some fine performances.
Jason Bateman (back on familiar ground after his superb transition to drama in Netflix's Ozark), you feel could play his part in this film in his sleep such is his natural charisma for roles like this. Rachel McAdams also seamlessly fits the role of Annie and the on screen chemistry between the two leads is obvious and one of the main reasons that this film works. The supporting cast is full of comedic quality with Sharon Horgan, Lamorne Morris and Billy Magnussen all adding their considerable  talents to the production but it is undoubtedly Jesse Plemons as creepy neighbour Gary that steals the show in a role that he completely makes his own.
There are some downfalls to Game Night however with the premise of the film itself at times beyond far fetched and it could be argued that this is yet another patchy comedy about suburbanites getting dragged into a dodgy crime caper - a plot theme that hasn't really worked previously (Date Night, Keeping Up with the Jones etc) but does fare slightly better here.
Ultimately though, whilst this may not be a film that will live long in the memory it does contain enough laughs, thrills and fun to label it an enjoyable and entertaining film - just not a game changer!
✸✸✸1/2

What movies to watch this weekend?

In the Cinema:

The Shape of Water
A first chance for cinema goers to see what all the hype is about in this Guillermo Del Toro Best Picture Oscar winning feature. Visually stunning, this unique piece of work also contains some excellent performances from it's cast with Sally Hawkins in particular shining in the lead role. An acquired taste to some degree it's still worth checking out on the big screen!


Streaming: 

Hunt for the Wilderpeople (Netflix)
Before he became known to a world wide audience thanks to the brilliant Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi served us this critically acclaimed comedy drama which follows the manhunt of foster kid Ricky and cantankerous Uncle Hec as they rebel against the authorities who threaten to remove Ricky from foster care. A strong cast combined with a wonderful story which reminds us of the difficulty of having to grow up and those who help us along the way.


On Telly

Dial M for Murder (BBC Two Saturday 10th March 23:15)
Sophisticated and chilling thriller for the master of suspense Alfred Hithcock. Whilst this may not be the iconic director in peak form this tense thriller still hits its mark quite comfortably and boasts a fine performance from the legendary Grace Kelly. Worthy of another look!