Basic Plot: Dramady about an angel sent to help a troubled preacher. His presence, however, seems to cause more problems than it solves.

Outburst: Nothing like a feel good Christmas movie to get you into the holiday spirit.

(2 of 3 stars) — This is not a family movie so much as a story for ladies who watch romances.

Wikipedia: The Preacher’s Wife

Basic Plot:  The inner workings and actions of a truly dysfunctional family in South Boston.

Outburst:  This movie made me think there must be a better way to structure families in general.  The traditional nuclear family with two parents and a horde of kids only works for the Brady Bunch (and see how they really turned out offscreen).   It just seems to crack under stress when you add in outside influences, illness, disaster, financial difficulties, volatile tempers, or alcohol abuse, let alone any combination of those things.

 — A good film, it might make you cry.

http://blackirishmovie.com/

Basic Plot:  Based on a hit Broadway musical, the story of Sweeney Todd, a murderous barber, and his devious accomplice Ms. Lovett, a seller of suspicious meat-pies.

Outburst:  Everything we love about Tim Burton wrapped into a wickedly sinister horror film. It’s always fun to see a film for the first time and know it to be an instant cult classic.

/CULT DVD — Unless you are adamantely opposed to horror films or musicals (in which case you win a pass) you must see this film. Go ask your cult-film-loving friends to borrow a copy of their DVD.

Official Website: Sweeney Todd, The Movie

Wikipedia: Sweeney Todd, original musical
Wikipedia: the character of Sweeney Todd, who originally appeared as the main protagonist in a penny dreadful serial titled The String of Pearls.

Basic Plot:  A young African mother discovers she is HIV positive.

Outburst:  This is a powerful, simple tale. It will not leave you puzzled or guessing at motivations; it may make you cry. The landscapes and visual imagery are stunning.

(2 of 3 stars) — The movie as a whole is worth two stars.  The artistry of the filmmaking, however, is exemplary.  If you are drawn to visual masterpieces this is a must-see.

Yesterday the movie

Basic Plot:  Three Irish Catholic brothers deal with love, values, and their relationships with women.

Outburst:  I really just couldn’t get into this movie, partly because of the grainy film (it was a very low-budget affair) and partly because of the intermixed story lines.  Three separate stories is just one too many.

(1 of 3 stars) — Not bad, but not exceptional.

Wikipedia: The Brothers McMullen

Basic Plot:  The biographical tale of Dublin criminal Martin Cahill. Based on a book of the same name.

Outburst:  The director did a masterful job here, cutting slickly through Cahill’s life to all its highlights. I saw the black-and-white version, which still baffles me as to why they’d release this when the movie was shot in color.   Some of the accents do make the speech unintelligible, but the gist of the actions comes through loud and clear.  The movie defines the very genre of anti-hero thriller, where the audience silently applauds the antics of a lovable Robin-hood style crook.

 (2 of 3 stars) — An entertaining romp of a movie, especially for a biography.  If you like to watch criminal capers and wacky bank  heists, this is the film to see.

Sony Pictures Official Website: The General
Wikipedia: The General
John Boorman–The Lybarger Links Interview

Basic Plot:   The life of a poor airport janitor becomes deeply mixed with the neighborhood children’s when they mistake him for a pilot.  From the Kingdom of Jordan.

Outburst:  This is a simple and touching tale, about hope in the face of all that is hopeless.  It faithfully keeps to the wonder and mystery present in everyday life without resorting to the fantastical.

 (3 of 3 stars) – I highly recommend seeing this.

Official Website for Captain Abu Raed

Basic Plot: It’s a retelling of the San Patricios story, about a group of Irish immigrants who deserted to Mexico during the Mexican-American War, after encountering prejudice in the U.S. Army.

Outburst: Purists will detest this movie as it is historically very inaccurate. You can’t call it “based on true events” so much as “inspired by true events”. The acting won’t leave you breathless and the budget-less fight scenes may leave you bored. Despite this and overall bad ratings, I still feel this is an important movie to watch. It touches on themes that are relevant to America today, such as how we deal with immigrants, minority groups, religious affiliations, and war between culturally different societies.

 (2 of 3 stars) – Those interested in political policies, minority groups, immigration or social activism should see it.

Basic Plot:A grieving mother switches homes with a woman in Ireland whose husband is unfaithful.  Based upon a novel written by Maeve Binchy.

Outburst:  Wherever else it has played, it now lives on the Lifetime Movie Network, if that gives you any hint.  Two women lose, two women gain, and there’s a fuzzy feeling somewhere at the end.  So grab a bucket of popcorn, a box of tissue, and a handful of chocolate bars. 

/ (1 of 3 stars) – The line about needing a box of tissues is an exaggeration, you only need one tissue.  This movie will make you cry only if you are fresh in heartbreak.

Maeve Binchy’s Website

Basic Plot: Your basic “whole mess of people thrown together in a movie” plot, with one couple as the significant center of the film.

Outburst: Take Pulp Fiction, strip it of the awesome soundtrack and magical shots, then replace all the characters with every Irish actor known to American audiences.  Give them shitty retail jobs and even worse relationships with each other.  The movie was billed as a dark comedy, but it’s more accurately a cynical drama with a few humorous quirks.  You’ll have to strain at first to understand the thick Irish accents unless, of course, you are from Ireland.  It’s a great watch if you like gritty realism.

(2 of 3 stars) —  This movie probably won’t change your life, but it might make you feel a touch better about it… unless you are a little too much like these fuckups.

Wikipedia: Intermission