irishsounds Reviews

The Man Who Shot the Great War (2014 TV Movie)

True story of a man who took unique photos of WW1

[9/10 · 4 February 2022]

This documentary production, made for the BBC, tells the story of George Hackney a Northern Ireland man who managed to take some very personal and unique photographs during the 1st world War.

The photos show give us a glimpse into the lives of those who served in a way not previously seen.

George did something very unique, when a comrade was killed he photographed the grave. When he eventually returned home, he made it his business to visit the families and present them with the photographs, thus giving them some closure on their loss.

The story is sensitively told, part acted, part real footage.

I found it a very moving presentation and can highly recommend it.

Vienna Blood (2019– )

10 Minutes in and I was hooked.

[9/10 · 4 December 2019]

Not for the unsophisticated block-buster fans or the action movie addicts. This superb, refreshingly different, historical who-done-it series takes a little bit of work to fully enjoy. It's not popcorn and candy cuisine, and it requires a degree of digesting.

It is quietly funny in places and very disturbing in others, the crumbling Empire and undertones of Nazism and not so much the gore are what I found to be the bits that left an aftertaste .

The main characters are very accessible. believable and quietly colourful. The casting, acting, directing, styling, cinematography, and for the most part the story lines were of a very high quality.

I am hooked, please sir can I have some more?

ADDENDUM: On reading some of the critical reviews, I felt I should add a further note to my very brief review in order to help place the series in a little sharper relief. One of the complaints I read was that the story lines were rather too simple, another complained that the series was slow moving.

The prime value for me in this excellent series is in enjoying the texture of the work. It is best not to view and to try to apprehend a grand master painting in the same way as one might set about enjoying a Mickey Mouse cartoon.

I loved the care taken with settings, camera angles, lighting, the colour balance etc. I loved the way both the visuals and story details were gradually unfolded and the characters allowed to evolve. My wish was rather to have some more time to explore the places, the times, and to get to know a little more of the intriguing characters.

Caveat emptor - If you want candy floss - look elsewhere.

Mystery Road (2013)

This movie managed to hook me in the first minutes.

[9/10 · 25 February 2015]

Why was I immediately sold on this movie? Within minutes I was hooked, and stayed with it 100% right through. That, in my case, is an immediate plus point for any movie.

So how did it get me? I guess because it struck me as believable - the characters, the places, the story. Having visited the edge of the Auz outback I fully related to the backgrounds and the characters. The texture and feel of the presentation struck me as the genuine article. I have said it before about top quality film directing - that the feel was more like a documentary with real people and not actors.

The acting was excellent but not of a fine silken quality or in any way slick. Rather the characters were raw and gritty, which could explain some review comments suggesting wooden or poor acting.

This movie felt like a fly on the wall view of the hard side of a tough life in the Australian outback, replete with huge social problems, racism, and defeated and depressed people tying to survive while drugs and crime were eating into the life of the area.

As depressing as was the setting, funny enough, I was not in the least depressed by the movie. There was a strong ethical line and I felt throughout that good would make it in the end.

This is a great movie without any big name actors, without fancy settings, without a great musical score, without great special effects, without bells or whistles of any description. It is totally minimalist art. It's greatness is in the excellent direction, the acting, the cinematography, and a decent enough plot.

Albert Nobbs (2011)

Superb film that has not get the recognition it deserves.

[9/10 · 11 January 2015]

Glenn Close's 2011 film adaptation of an 1918 book by Irish writer George Moore titled "The Singular Life of Albert Nobbs" has received mixed and sometimes unappreciative reviews. Some reviewers could perhaps be numbered among those who hold their own predefined expectations and tend to impose preconditions on movies. Ideas such as there should be certain types of story line, that there should be a build-up and climax, that there should be lots of action or exciting bits, lots of special effects or what ever. Reminds me of a 1970 song: Flowers are red young man, Green leaves are green, There's no need to see flowers any other way, Than the way they always have been seen. (forgive my rant) How then about a film that has few of these schoolboyish tags attached to it? How about a movie that, instead of candy and popcorn, has a thoughtful storyline which is illustrated with brilliant historic and social accuracy. A film that, like a really excellent meal, does not have to rely on lots of sauces, sprinkles, and fancy arrangements, but instead is built on first class ingredients, knowledgeable and careful preparation, balanced mixing and cooking, all of which result in a film with beautifully rich texture and characters that are not mere caricatures. A film that lingers many days after watching it.

Portraiture, so to speak, is in my opinion, the core strength of the film, and that to a high degree, begins with the highly creative adaptation of the original text. This adaptation adds depth and colour to the characters to a level not found in the original. Not only are the characters very well defined, the backgrounds and settings are exquisitely detailed and accurately painted.

Glenn Close gives her character Albert a wonderful depth and texture. Her acting is superb and convincing to the point where, initially not knowing much about the story or the film, I was completely taken in by her Albert and did not recognise him/her as Glenn Close. Janet McTerr plays a blinder as Mr. Page giving us a portrayal which is both deep, convincing and compassionate. By highlighting these two ladies, I, in no way, wish to take from the many other parts played to a level where the observer can feel like they are watching a historical documentary and not fiction. The Irish accents are superbly handled, the acting is restrained and never overplayed, a really great job by the players.

I believe that this film has been, to a great extent, overlooked by the critics and the general public. My hope is that it's image will mature with the public similar to the way that "2001 A Space Odyssey", which initially was beyond the limited scope of many critics and reviewers, and because of that, took some time to be fully appreciated, finally got the recognition it deserved.

Mapp & Lucia (2014)

On measuring enjoyment I gave this BBC series 3 out of 10

[3/10 · 1 January 2015]

It is perhaps a bit unfair to make direct comparisons between productions, but that is in fact what we tend do and what most experts do when reviewing food, music, and also films.

I found this BBC production of Mapp and Lucia somewhat lacking especially when measured on my simple enjoyment scales. I am not the only one with that opinion.

The BBC production has many very fine features. It is shot in HD with excellent camera work. It is quite lavish and sports excellent settings and attention to detail. The cast are a most capable bunch. So what can I blame for the lack of enjoyment when compared to the Channel 4 1980ies production? The fault may probably lie with the adaptation and the direction.

There was more of a darker underside to the BBC adaptation, with a lot less of the lightness and comedy found in the Channel 4 production. The gossip and carry-on was portrayed as much more acidic, mean and destructive. The overall effect left a slightly bitter aftertaste, which for a comedy is not great in my book.

I have watched the Channel 4 production at least four times over the years, and enjoyed it each and every time.

I do not think that I will be able to say the same for this current BBC production.

Two & Two (2011)

Set in Iran this short film is a chilling and powerful allegory

[9/10 · 21 March 2014]

This short film, so simple in its construct and content, pulls a very powerful punch. I personally found it chilling, and it deeply affected me for some time after.

The story-line and the drab classroom setting connect so effectively with the blind, rigid fundamentalism and totalitarianism that so much of our world is plagued with. It brings into sharp relief the dilemmas faced by those in similar positions, and it made me question just how would I react in a similar situation.

Simple as is the setting, the story line, the techniques etc., the impact and effect far outweigh the perceived simplicity. Haunting, and morally jolting are, I think, apt terms to use in respect of this movie.

I would highly recommend this movie, and especially to parents and to teachers of ethics and religion.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

I found it a big let-down compared to the Lord of the Rings trilogy

[3/10 · 10 June 2013]

Let me open by saying that I totally enjoyed the Lord of the Rings trilogy and watched all three parts a total of four times to date. I savoured the texture and sheer quality of almost every aspect of these works. Above all the design, the direction, the musical scores, the acting, and the editing were superb. I was therefore really looking forward to seeing the Hobbit.

It would appear that my experience of the Hobbit goes against the tide of general opinion. Truth is, I simply did not enjoy The Hobbit, not in the least.

For me it was a resounding let-down! The Hobbit had me bored stiff within 45 minutes, and I left after one hour, I just could not take any more of it. Maybe I was in a funny mood or having a bad hair day, I was just bored by it. At some later stage, in a few month time perhaps, I will try and watch it again. If my experience is very different, I will write another review, and apologise to Peter Jackson, and the many fans of The Hobbit.

The general feel that came over to me from the film was one of; "the return of .... part 18", a dim after-image, an echo of an original and fine musical score, and, to my perception, a pantomime approach when compared with Lord of the Rings.

The pace was intolerably slow, many of the characters were no more than plastic Muppets. So I quickly became frustrated but decided to wait and see if it picked up a bit, how often I have done that at a movie, and how often my first instinct proved right.

Sad to say, it just dragged on and on at the same – lame pace, with hardly a sparkle of craftsmanship, the enthusiasm, the inventiveness, the visual beauty, and sheer genius that were so present in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

All I can say to The Hobbit is, that from my experience, Peter Jackson seems to have dropped the ball on this one.

Borgen (2010–2022)

Well sketched characters, excellent direction, topping pace.

[10/10 · 11 February 2012]

I am not one to watch lengthy part series - not at all!! This one just grabbed me and held me tight. The Danes and Sweedish do quality TV, especially in casting and character direction. Compared to many US productions, where characters are often like cardboard cut-outs, this series gave us believable real live human people. Brilliant photography and beautiful direction.

The story too was very well crafted, looking deep into human behaviour, morals and ethics in power, and the consequences of actions taken.

It is a series I will watch again in the future, if just to enjoy the rich texture.

I highly commend the production team and recommend this excellent series.

Melancholia (2011)

Fantastic imagery - triggered too much anxiety in me

[3/10 · 30 January 2012]

All marks are for the images - especially at the beginning. The story line however and I guess the quite excellent direction, built up a level of great unease in me to a point I had to leave.

So I guess I am not qualified to do a full review, as I only saw a fraction of the film.

In a way I am sorry to rate this film so low, because there are some excellent elements to it. Not least of these are the cinematography, the imagery, and the director's ability to build, at least in me, a very high level of anxiety, dread, and depression. This movie triggered something from my deepest nightmares - something no horror movie I have watched ever was able to do.

The result of this quality craftsmanship however, was to send me running, a result which I am sure the director would not have wished.

A well crafted movie, which IMHO, would be best avoided by some people like me - but not because of any actor, director, or editor failings - simply because it produces some VERY unpleasant negative feelings.

Tulpan (2008)

Captivating glimpse of a dying lifestyle

[10/10 · 22 October 2010]

I was charmed, amused, and fascinated by this superb film. It manages to be so natural that it is hard to believe that the characters are in fact actors.

The plot is unimportant, but the fly-on-the-wall look into the lives of a rare and wonderful people, in a rare and wonderful place - is priceless.

This type of docu-drama would be highly beneficial as a teaching tool to history departments everywhere.

I highly recommended this film, but certainly not for those whose appetite is limited to the usual dose of Hollywood mind candy; action, special effects, violence, sex, and schmaltz.

There is a haunting and charming quality in this film that held me every minute right to the end. It is up there in my top 50 movies of all time along with Babette's Feast.

The Hidden Blade (2004)

A very thoughtful, candid, and artistic historical glimpse into Japanese life

[10/10 · 6 January 2008]

This is a very enchanting and sensitive drama, beautifully filmed, which gives us westerners a very different peek into Japanese life in the late 1800's. The plot is well outlined by others on this site, so no need for me to go into it, other than to say that it takes a very different angle of view to every other Japanese historical film that I have seen to date. The characters are very like some of my friends and neighbours - totally real, and very believable. Many historical Japanese films have the characters shouting harshly at one another throughout the movie. This one is very different. These Japanese actually speak like real people!!!! The swordplay is real and not the stuff of Jeddi Knights! The film has that genuine "handmade" stamp and a "homemade" and wholesome flavour - and not that of some franchise.

This movie is a keeper, one to be enjoyed many times over and its subtleties savoured again and again. Very fine acting, excellent direction and beautiful cinematography - watch it for just the craftsmanship if for nothing else! I highly recommend this film.

The Clearing (2004)

A Complete Waste of Time

[1/10 · 21 August 2007]

What a terrible load of rubbish. A waste of good actors. A waste of a film crew. A waste of film!!! A waste of time for anyone watching it. It is just such a heap of garbage!!!!

The movie grabs you in the first few minutes with what promises to be a thriller. From there on it goes steadily downhill with a very weak storyline, some lousy directing, and a mawkish puerile ending.

All I can say to anyone with this movie on DVD is bin it or burn it quickly. Don't insult anyone by giving to them.

I would sue the makers for mental torture and stress if I had the means.

Avoid this movie at all costs.