Films you've seen recently and would recommend WITH reservations

[catalog]

I read about half that article before I got bored. Sounds like the writer of the article is bitter. I don't remember the cracked mirror from ulysses. I think we need to get the views of the Irish diseensus @droid and @shiels maybe they can enlighten us

 

[droid]

Yeah, its pretty shit and borderline offensive. Slightly redeemed by a good cast and some nice lines.

 

[catalog]

Well there we go. I did think some actual Irish people might find it offensive cos of what it is sort of sending up. Low hanging fruit I guess. But I am tempted to get one of mcdonaghs plays.

 

[catalog]

I'm asking my Irish friend he is from donegal

 

[william kent]

Dunno what the editor was thinking sticking a thumbnail like this on an article like that.

 

[catalog]

He's taking the piss of mcdonaghs taking the piss. But it's a bit clumsy yes.

Have you read the article version what do you think?

 

[william kent]

I've read the article, but I haven't seen the film.

 

[droid]

The clumsy metaphorical stuff is shit, but, whatever. Its his exploitation of Hiberno-English thats really annoying. Its generally not something that outsiders notice, and there's a few very popular Irish authors that are famous for a very cynical deployment of Irish phrasing. And youd just be pushing the language a bit into that area now, and then youd be after seeing a bit of money come in from the yanks and the brits, and before you know it, you do be falling over yourself and all the way down into the oul cliche and stereotype.

 

[catalog]

Did you remember the mirror cracked in ulysses? I think he's reaching a bit there myself. It's a trope but not necessarily an Irish tripe.

 

[catalog]

One thing I did think was wrong was that in my 2 trips to Ireland I never heard anyone say feck, that's a Myth. They all say fuck like normal people but it's must a bit more heavy leaning on the initial breath

 

[catalog]

What's the hiverno English stuff? Is that the "will I" and "will you" bits, or ending with "so"?

 

[catalog]

I should just read the article I'm drunk now though, it's too complicated. I'll read it tho and come back tomorrow with a more considered opinion.

I think thd film was rude first in a while that took me.

 

[catalog]

My Irish friend says:

Em a bit Beckett

But spot on as far the tropes go

Martin mc Donagh is a better play
write imo

His parents are Irish and he's got a
strange fetish for west of Ireland

Im convinced he named the pub John
Joe's after kilcar

They did a reccy there

But i did like it

Wasn't sure if he was taking the piss a
bit though

But the characters and the brutality
was on point

 

[padraig (u.s.)]

I also recently saw Banshees, or tbf I gave up halfway thru bc I thought it was boring and unfunny. Probably the last I'll spend time on a McDonagh project. I said the same thing after Three Billboards - possibly the most clueless European take on America I've ever seen, which as you all would say, is going some - but this one has good press, Brendan Gleeson is always great, I like very dark comedies, etc.

But yeah, unwatchable. The cast are doing their best but the jokes are flat, the metaphors are as subtle as a hammer to the face, and even as a foreigner you get the strong feeling that his view of Ireland, especially old-timey tiny village Ireland, is about as realistic as his take on middle America. Also, both his dialogue and overall story stricture are extremely stagey, a la Mamet but worse, in a way that doesn't translate well to the screen.

 

[padraig (u.s.)]

Haven't watched In Bruges in awhile from memory I suspect it holds up

 

[catalog]

I also thought 3 billboards was rubbish and in bruges not as good 2nd time, (which could happen with this one as well).

I thought this was really good though, I enjoyed it all, start to finish.

 

[padraig (u.s.)]

Surely even stereotypical tiny village Ireland has been done better by numerous filmmakers. Waking Ned Devine immediately comes to mind or possibly even some of the Doyle Barrytown films if you take them as an urban village of sorts. I'd be interested to hear the thoughts of our resident Irish folks (droid, shiels, and iirc @Sectionfive ?)

 

[droid]

What's the hiverno English stuff? Is that the "will I" and "will you" bits, or ending with "so"?

Its complicated, but basically its the influence the Irish language had on the grammar, syntax and pronunciation of English as spoken in Ireland.

 

[padraig (u.s.)]

Actually if anyone wants a totally unreserved recommendation for a dark Irish dramedy written by a McDonagh and starring Brendan Gleeson, go watch Calvary, by Martin's older brother John (who seems, on evidence, the superior McDonagh). I haven't seen their earlier film together, The Guard, but that's also supposed to be quite good.

 

[Corpsey]

I did love Calvary (and really liked The Guard) but now I'm worried it might be a load of stereotypical tosh. I'll watch Brendan Gleeson in anything, though.