Lights, Camera, Action - all set for the 19th Kerry Film Festival

The launch of the 19th Kerry Film Festival

The award winning 19th Kerry Film Festival was launched on Monday 8th October to an excited audience as yet another quality programme was announced for the prestigious festival which begins on Wednesday 17th October.

The Festival which will run from 17th - 21st October 2018 screening short and feature films from around the world along with national and regional short film programmes. The festival will also host industry and networking events along with the annual awards ceremony.

Short film programmes are a vital part of the Kerry Film Festival programme and the festival will screen selected world premieres alongside new programme categories, music video and advertising. The shorts programme features significant acting talents including Luke Norris, Jessie Buckley, David Gyasi and Dominic West while the European premiere of short film, Hero starring Charles Dance and directed by Freddie Fox will screen as a featured short.

In the Children Through the Lens shorts programme, powerful performances from young children feature in Misplaced, a true story about two half Chinese children and their Irish mother abandoned in rural 1980’s Ireland and award winning film, Detainment,a true story based on interview transcripts and records from the James Bulger case which shocked the world in 1993.

The Irish premiere of Mad Hannans directed by Martin Shore will be screened at this years Festival

Other festival highlights include, the Irish premiere screening of Melody Makers,from director Leslie Ann Coles telling the true story of the rise and fall of the most influential music publication in history, Melody Maker magazine. The Irish premiere of Mad Hannans directed by Martin Shore is a film about brothers and musicians Jerry and Seán Hannan, chronicling their rise, fall, and ultimate reconciliation. A live performance with Jerry Hannan and band in J.M Reidy’s, Killarney will follow the screening.

Irish feature film, Metal Heart,starring Jordanne Jones and Moe Dunford will screen on Friday 19th October with director, Hugh O’Conor in attendance. The festival will host the Irish Premiere of 2018 SXSW grand jury prize winning feature film Thunder Road from Jim Cummings. The Discovery Feature programme presents No Party for Billy Burns and Around Here.

There are screenings of award winning documentary films, When All is Ruin Once Again and The Man Who Wanted To Fly while the festival features a 100th anniversary screening of 1918 silent film, Knocknagow with live music accompaniment.

Romanian feature film Hawaii brings a story of 1980’s Romania to the big screen while documentary Keepers of the Port looks at Dublin Port and those who work there. Kerry feature films Tradition and Con screen on opening night and closing night respectively.

Deirdre O'Kane 

The annual Maureen O’Hara Award will be presented to Deirdre O’Kane in 2018. In presenting the Maureen O’Hara Award, the festival acknowledges the wealth of female talent in all sectors of the film and television industry, women in front of and behind the camera, who shine through for their exceptional talent and commitment to their craft.

Speaking about the 2018 Kerry Film Festival, festival director, Maeve McGrath noted, “The quality of films submitted in 2018 was outstanding, the short films in the 19th edition of the Kerry Film Festival are the cream of the crop from around the world. There is a marked rise in the appearance of high profile actors starring in short films submitted to the festival and it reflects the importance of the short film form”

Maeve added,“We are incredibly proud of our feature film presentations this year, we feel that there is something for everyone in the 2018 programme and we look forward to sharing the KFF 2018 programme with the local and visiting audience.”

With some shows already sold out don't delay in getting your tickets for a variety of top quality programming over the course of the five days of the festival.

For further information and tickets visit www.kerryfilmfestival.com

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

There are three new releases on show this week at Tralee Omniplex. A reboot of an old Hollywood tale with a modern edge, Another Marvel movie and the third installment in a tired franchise.
With 8 screens and plenty of quality still available why not catch a movie at Tralee Omniplex  with the added bonus of all shows today just €6 as part of Omniplex Cinema's Tuesday Treat!

A Star is Born
A true gem from first time director Bradley Cooper has been lauded with lavish praise from critics and audiences alike. Lady Gaga is simply outstanding in her big screen debut in a film that is sure to feature strongly come award season. Read my full review here.

Venom
Another Marvel movie to add to the list sees Tom Hardy in the title role in a film that has split critics and the viewing public down the middle. Maybe one for those of us you are not yet full on the comic book diet of films being rapidly produced by Hollywood currently!

Johnny English Strikes Again
A third installment that nobody asked for from a rather jaded franchise, Rowan Atkinson reprises his role as the hapless secret agent Johnny English in this David Kerr directed feature. Critics reviews suggest this may be one to avoid!

This weeks Top movies on the telly

Ransom - (ITV4 Monday 8th October 18:55)
Solid Ron Howard directed thriller featuring Rene Russo and Mel Gibson in his pomp.
Slightly underrated it is packed with tension and includes an impressive cast made up of the likes of Gary Sinise, Delroy Lindo and Liev Schreiber.

The Last Samurai - (Sky One Tuesday  9th October 21:00)
A lesser known Tom Cruise vehicle, this epic tale written and directed by Edward Zwick may not have had the critics purring but was a box office success and lauded by audiences. Worth a watch!

Die Hard - (Channel Four Saturday 13th October 23:15)
Who doesn't love Die Hard? The film that announced Bruce Willis as an action star and gave us one of cinema's greatest panto villains in Max Gruber played superbly by the late great Alan Rickman. Any chance to relive this guilty pleasure has to be taken even if it is still a bit too far away from Christmas for this festive classic!

Review: A Star is Born - Cooper and Gaga excel in triumphant modern retelling of classic Hollywood tale

I'm not sure why Bradley Cooper chose a second retelling of a famous Hollwood tale as the subject of his directorial debut but when the final credits rolled at the end of A Star is Born at Tralee Omniplex this week, I was sure glad that he did.
In Cooper's new take on this tragic love story,he plays musician Jackson Maine, who discovers( and subsequently)falls in love with) struggling artist Ally (Gaga) who has just about given up on her dream to make it big as a singer until Jack coaxes her into the spotlight. But as Ally's career is taking flight, the personal side of their relationship is breaking down, as Jack fights an ongoing battle with his own internal demons.
There is lots to admire in Bradley Cooper's big budget feature that masquerades as an indie film, but for me, three key factors will make this movie stand out and unsurprisingly has had the critics glowing since first viewing.
Firstly, the first time director proves that he may have a long successful career behind as well as in front of the camera as he avoids a lot of mawkish and forced cliches and more importantly gives his co star the scope and support to showcase her considerable talent.
Secondly, Lady Gaga delivers not only as good a performance as you will see from a acting debutant but also one that is up there with the best seen in cinemas this year. Her powerful and goose bump inducing voice is also worth mentioning as her singing simply fills up the theater and is a chief reason why this feature simply has to experienced on the the big screen.
And finally, with two incredible performances (as well as a host of strong supporting ones) and a catalogue of superb songs performed throughout (written by Copper and Lady Gaga), A Star is Born may just be the first film I've seen this year that will feature strongly come awards season, if not in the acting and directing categories then most definitely for it's incredible soundtrack.
Overall, this modernised remake of a traditional tale delivers on every level as is well worthy of the high praise that all concerned have been receiving and comes highly recommended!
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Sensational Spooky Screenings at Omniplex This October

Who you gonna call? #BringItBack!

Omniplex Cinemas have just announced their October season of #BringItBack classic movies with some absolute favourites returning in all their glory to the big screen.

Kicking off on Friday 12th of October, let's do the time warp again! The Rocky Horror Picture Show is back to the big screen after 42 years! A newly engaged couple have a breakdown in an isolated area and must pay a call to the bizarre residence of Dr. Frank-N-Furter. See the all-singing, all-dancing October classic in all its cinema glory for one week only.

Next up from the 26th of October poses one of life’s biggest questions – Who you gonna call? 34 years later and we’re bringing the dream team of Harold Ramis, Dan Aykroyd and Bill Murray back on the big screen for one week only. See the team of scientists save New York from complete destruction once more and it’s even showing during mid-term break so why not take the kids for some movie education!

#BringItBack, the 2018 series, will see some of the world’s most loved movies returning to Omniplex, enhanced by the best in modern day cinema experiences - quality projection, state of the art sound technology and of course, the comfiest seats.

Omniplex Cinemas will be rolling out #BringItBack every second week until the end of the year.  Tickets are just €8 with online booking recommended at www.omniplex.ie.

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

There are two new releases on show this week at Tralee Omniplex. A rerun of an incredible Oscar winning epic as part of Omniplex movies Bring it Back series and a farcical comedy starring Kevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish.
Plenty of choice on offer at Omniplex Tralee then with the added bonus of all shows today just €6 as part of Omniplex Cinema's Tuesday Treat!

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
This is the last week of that you can catch the magnificent Lord of The Rings movies on the big screen with multi Oscar winning The Return of the King screened until Friday and worth catching again before it ends it's run at Tralee Omniplex.

Night School
Despite a strong comedic cast and a director with form this comedy feature has been slated by critics but has been packing them in at the US Box Office. May just be one for fans of the marmite like Kevin Hart!

This weeks top movies on the telly

Edward Scissorhands - (Film Four Monday 1st October 18:55)
The first collaboration between Johnny Depp and Tim Burton, this 1990 feature is a potent mix of modern fairytale with gothic undertones. This feature has aged remarkably well and was a clear sign of a partnership that served both actor and director very well creatively in the coming years!

The Abyss - (Film Four Thursday  3rd October 18:00)
Another film that the years have been kind to, as James Cameron's feature incredible special effects tends to overshadow the fact that this movie is also a gripping  thriller in it's own right and well worth revisiting.

Deadpool - (Channel Four Saturday 6th September 21:00)
The network TV premiere of Ryan Reynolds foul mouthed hero hits our small screens this week as the fourth wall is constantly broken to great effect. Loud, brash and vulgar at times this may not suit everyone but is a fun filled superhero film that doesn't take itself too seriously and must be applauded for that.