Tag: Irish movie

‘Wild Mountain Thyme’: This beautiful-looking rom-com doesn’t pass the smell test

Jeff Mitchell

“Wild Mountain Thyme” – This tale of two families – the Reillys and the Muldoons – might be the most Irish film released in 2020 or any year in recent memory.  Gorgeous, sweeping shots of Kelly green prairies and rolling hills, crystal blue streams, winding country roads, a wandering sheep herd, and a horse or two grace the screen with proud bravado.  Accompanied by a lovely score – heavily influenced by the nation’s traditional music (the The Chieftains, perhaps?) – this welcoming Emerald Isle setting needs a few random shots…

Movie of the Week: ‘Once’

Jeff Mitchell

AHFW’s Movie of the Week is a beloved Irish flick that we’ve seen several times!  “Once” (2007), starring Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, is an 86-minute arthouse musical that you might watch twice in one night. “Once” (2007) –  Writer/director John Carney shoots his no-frills musical in dimly-lit rooms and on bustling Dublin sidewalks, while the audience follows a friendship and possible romance between Guy (Glen Hansard) and Girl (Marketa Irglova).  Guy suffers from a broken heart, and he can be often found crying out his songs on Grafton Street…

Celebrate Brendan Gleeson’s birthday with one of his best performances in ‘Calvary’

Jeff Mitchell

Brendan Gleeson turns 63 on March 29, and why not celebrate his birthday with one of his best performances!   In “Calvary” (2014), Gleeson plays a good and decent priest, who unfortunately is living under extreme duress in small seaside Irish community.   Although scenic beauty surrounds him at every winding, country road turn, almost all of the townspeople constantly spew hostility in his direction. The biggest danger, however, comes from a man who enters his confessional box and threatens to kill him in one week’s time.   Writer/director John Michael…