by Padraic Coffey We may be less than a fortnight into the new year, but you will be hard pressed to find a more cliché-ridden film come the close of 2013 than Ruben Fleischer’s Gangster Squad. This briskly-paced, visually-kinetic picture leaves no cinematic trope untouched in its depiction of cops and criminals in post-World War … Continue reading »
by Padraic Coffey There’s a lot to be said for choosing the right name. Quentin Tarantino is a case in point. Reservoir Dogs, his debut, could not have been lumbered with a more clumsily opaque title (its alleged origin is Tarantino’s inability to pronounce French wartime drama Au Revoir Les Enfants while a video store … Continue reading »
By Cora Quigley Well, here it is; where it all began. Peter Jackson’s long awaited adaptation of the origins of that ring and the blundering hobbit that found it is finally here. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, is the first in a trilogy based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s 1937 fantasy classic. It tells the tale of … Continue reading »
by Padraic Coffey One cannot help but feel protective towards the Irish film industry. Given the paltry amount of money allocated to the Arts – we are a nation of less than five million taxpayers, after all – it is all the more challenging for Irish filmmakers to match the best efforts of our European … Continue reading »
by Padraic Coffey Those familiar with Michael Haneke’s output may interpret the 12A certificate of his latest film Amour as a sign that the Austrian auteur behind such intense works as Benny’s Video, Funny Games and The Piano Teacher is mellowing in old age, having turned 70 this year. They would be wrong to do … Continue reading »