Reviews

This is, quite simply, magnificent. The two leads ( plus two ) take us on a journey through love, loss; the beginning of the end and the end of the beginning. I sat through this, transfixed. And it delivered in every way imaginable; taking its time, no need to be hurrying yourself. Kudos to the director/ screenwriter. His adaptation of an earlier work was perfection itself, every word put on the page absolute genius. And the lighting and camera work was in a par with anything you'll see, and those final few seconds prior to end credits were a joy to behold. The power of love - I couldn't have said it better myself.

This could just as easily have been based on the Scruffy Murphy's pub sting in Dublin thirty years ago. The Irish national lottery had a rollover jackpot of 1.6 mill ( plus additional bonuses ). 20 or so people put their thinking caps on and realized that 900k worth of tickets would guarantee a jacket win, and and the considerable amount of bonus payments that went with it. As in this movie, hours were spent filling in every ticket, and sure enough, a handsome profit was made. It's a story that's still told to this day, and the Irish lottery responded to these events my adding an extra number to make sure it wouldn't happen again. Art imitating life :)

Timothy Spall was magnificent in this well-paced story that had the confidence in itself to take its time. Direction and writing was as good as you'll see, and the supporting cast of characters delivered. I was in tears, no harm in admitting it, as we saw humanity at its finest. Are you ready? A character was asked; a line delivered with love. And the placing of a framed photograph was just perfect, as was the uncovering of an old toy. Social media makes its appearance, but not in any way that's intrusive. I had no idea what to expect when watching this, but it was something so beautiful it could have been a picture painted by Turner.

A decent movie that has all the charm of a soft Irish day. The young lad steals the show, although he was ably supported by two future Oscar nominee's. Kerry is brilliant, no surprise there, and a decade or so on from the making of this movie she would appear opposite Colin Farrell in Banshees, and for my tuppence worth, she should have walked away with the Oscar. Having lived through the events that the movie is based on, the truth is stretched to some degree, but nothing that distracts from the story that unfolds. Jenny the donkey was probably still in acting school when the movie was made, which would explain her absence. All in all, not bad.

Liam Neeson and Sam Neill, two Irishmen born within forty miles of one another. It's not what you'd call Shakespeare, says Neill to Neeson, pointing at the script. Ah, sure, it isn't, replies Neeson - but we're getting paid an awful lot more than Shakespeare ever did.

The movie is an absurd CGI-fest, totally ludicrous, bordering on the ridiculous, and thoroughly enjoyable. It's not to be taken seriously; there isn't any messages contained within the telling of the story, but if you want the minutes to pass quickly and forget about the world as it currently is, this will do the trick. And popcorn. Loads and loads of popcorn.

Put Julianne Moore and John Turturro together and what do you get? If you get a bad movie you've either got a bad script or a bad director. But not here. They both shine in a story of middle-aged people s searching for love and new beginnings. Julianne is the essence of wtf comes next? John Turturro, having hung up his bowling balls, is on a similar - but entirely different path. And the fact that Julianne's character was once married to Negan couldn't have helped matters. This was a well-written script, showing us that there are no certainties in life - apart from death, taxes and a cat. And a trip to Vegas.

I read that this movie cost around 100k to make. I've seen movies that cost multiples of this ( and then some ) and they wouldn't come close to this absolute gem. Money helps to be sure, but this proves that with the right script in the right directorial hands, anything is possible.

Jimmy, are you going to kill yourself when it stops raining?

Yes.

I hope it doesn't stop raining.

That little piece of dialogue is an absolute cracker, and totally in keeping with the rest of the script. The cast were magnificent, and the scene with Mary was a joy to behold. Kudos to the lighting throughout, and the editing was as good as it gets. This is well worth a watch.

Scrolling through Amazon this evening, I came across this. And what a pleasant surprise it turned out to be. Clive Owen and Jaeden Martell were both magnificent as a flawed father and a courageous son, delivering a buddy movie that was well worth the ride. The direction, writing and supporting cast were also on the top of their game, in a story that slowly delivered, but not in a Hollywood kinda way. I was smiling at the end, hoping that in this simple enough, but profound tale, the two fictional leads would both find happiness beyond the confines of the scripts final page. Owen: this might have been your best performance to-date, and that's really something considering your magnificent body of work. Yeah. All good.

This was unexpected. And fun. Speaking on an Irish talk show this evening, Bob Odenkirk said there was a sequel in the works, so this movie clearly did well. Coming in at 90 minutes, it told its tale and didn't overstay its welcome. Popcorn violence aplenty, I wouldn't be surprised to hear that Tarantino loved this. And fans of Back to the Future will soon have a smile on their faces. 10 minutes in, all memories of Saul Goodman were erased, such is the talent of Odenkirk. The good guy(s) were excellent, but the baddies gave them a run for their money in the acting stakes, in a glorious piece of escapism. And nursing homes just ain't what they used to be, as any fan of Breaking Bad can testify to.

A lovely movie, that doesn't shirk from the reality of dying; and it's all the stronger for that. For me, it's about two journeys of the human spirit, both physical and beyond. And although the priest is Roman Catholic, it's a story that includes - and goes beyond that. Muslim, Jew, and so it goes, goodness exists in all of us. The acting was magnificent, and the two leads played off each other with a professional ease that was a joy to behold. No spoilers. Just watch it and take from it what you will. This isn't a 'message' movie, just a journey that's well worth partaking in, and to cast and crew: well done.

Now, this is what you call cinema. A gorgeous, leisurely stroll though once upon a time made real, Swinton and Elba are on the top of their game, and the director isn't bad either. Costume designers the world over - you're often overlooked, but how you delivered, and all credit to you. There wasn't a single actor who hit a wrong note, and so kudos to the casting directors also. And I'm not sure if Elba's soccer skills were natural or the result of CGI, but either/ or, there must be an English cap soon. And Tilda's accent and delivery was a joy to behold - that young wan has potential. I liked this. I'm still smiling. All good.

This was absolutely brilliant. The enthusiasm, love and a shared joy of cinema is only the start of it. What price a box of biscuits? What price daring to dream the impossible dream? Humanity: this lot is a credit to you. There may not be an Oscar for the winning .. although I wouldn't put it past them, but the sheer joy of fellowship and friendship is there for all to see. The landscape is quite familiar to me ... Bradford/ Dublin, the same, not a bit of difference. And seeing a man wanting to recreate the opening scene of Oklahoma, even though he can't ride a horse or sing, was a joy to behold. And he done none of those things, but it worked magnificently. A beautiful morning indeed.

Enchanted was a classic, and it would be bordering on the impossible to create a sequel that came even close to the original. But this was a disappointment. If the movie was a stand-alone project, with nothing previous to reference, it would be, at best, a Hallmark Sunday special - sweet, but nothing to write home about. But it labors under the curse of what went before, and it's at least 30 minutes too long. Enniskerry in County Wicklow looks magnificent, and during their downtime, the stars were out and about posting photos of the local scenery on Instagram and what have you. And there are enough stories coming out from the set, testifying to how the 100% sound ( nice ) Amy and Patrick were. It's no Braveheart ( another Irish movie - seriously, you couldn't make it up ), but it's grand for what it is.

I've just watched this on YouTube. Speechless, or as speechless as an Irishman can be. I've seen this play performed several times, and by actors who are at the top of their trade - and the productions were bordering on the near-flawless. But this? Sam, they understand your play, they really do. They did you proud.

This is not a story written in BOLD CAPS. It's a beautifully crafted tale of relationships, and the complications that inevitably arise. The cast? Where to start/ where to finish? They were magnificent; beautifully directed from beginning to end.

The tragic story of Diana has been portrayed so many times on screen, that I came to this with no great expectations. But Kristen Stewart? Magnificent. Her portrayal of a fragile young woman, and the 'Firm' who didn't know how to take care of her, was sublime. Kudos to the great direction and cinematography - and the musical score was excellent also. And the supporting cast did what needed - excellent themselves, but leaving the entire show to KS. Definitely worth a look.

To read some of the reviews, you'd think this was rubbish. But no. It's intelligent, well directed; and a superb cast does it justice. But seriously - telling men that they can't sleep in the same room as women because they do something akin to snoring? Ah, c'mon guys. That has to be fiction :)

Magnificent. Humanity, both good and bad, on full display here. And cowardice. And courage. Kudos to the superb cast, and to a director who didn't have to take the viewer by the hand. 'Nough said. This one will stay with me from now until forever.

This underrated gem of work could have been written by Samuel Beckett. In a tale that juxtaposes both the tragic and the comedic, we see an assortment of characters living lives of quiet desperation. When 'Godot' was performed in San Quentin, then entire prison sat transfixed, because they understood the true meaning of desperation and hopelessness, and I'm guessing that there are many people who'll watch this with a knowing smile - or tear. Sheridan Smith - what's to say? Magnificent. Magnificent. Magnificent. And the rest of the cast weren't that far behind. Superb.