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Setanta747
Reviews
Leprechaun: Origins (2014)
Hollywood versus Reality. As usual.
The girls are pretty. In fact, all four of the main stars could probably be described as attractive. The 'Irish' seem to be, without exception, unattractive or plain. The locals are dressed oddly and they seem to be modelled after another stereoytpe: the US redneck.
The couple of 'Irish' accents I heard were all over the place. The father's accent wasn't too over-done though, so it was a nice attempt. The son, on the other hand, presumably grew up somewhere in Northern Ireland. Or maybe the father grew up in the Republic of Ireland... it never states in the film which country in Ireland the story takes place.
The son was, I think, played by a Canadian actor. His accent wavered oddly between a weird attempt at a Northern Irish accent, and some generic 'top of the mornin to ya' stereotype.
The father is played by a southern English actor. Why didn't they employ actual Irish actors? I feel sure they wouldn't cost any more than English and Canadian actors! Hamish - I'm not sure how popular a name that is in Ireland. It's typically the Scottish Gaelicisation of James, which is the Latin for Jacob. In Irish Gaelic, there is already a Gaelicisation of James: Séamas.
Canadian actress Mary Black's accent seemed, to me, to at least be convincing.
Special effects are hit and miss.
The countryside looked nothing like Ireland, though some shots were nicely filmed. Buildings looked like the typical countryside constructions in North America, rather than countryside buildings in Ireland.
At one point, the father makes the incredible claim that some location in Ireland was the "cradle of Celtic civilisation", or something... suggesting that Ireland was the origin of Celtic culture. In fact the Irish never referred to themselves as Celts, and they were merely Celtic-speaking, not Celts proper. Celtic culture has long been established as originating with the Keltoi in central or eastern Europe. It wasn't until the Anglo-Irish Gaelic revival of the late 1800s that suddenly the Irish were being labelled as "Celts".
The camera relied a little too much on soft- or out-of-focus shots, which became annoying to watch.
The acting was pretty good for the type of film it is.
The creature concept was interesting enough. At least it didn't pander to stereotypical "faith and begorrah" crap, or feaure some kind of cheeky imp with red hair bedecked in shiny green garb and some kind of US Pilgrim tall hat with buckle. Instead, it was more like a kind of evil grotesque imp with a jewellery fetish.
Apparently there are previous films in this series. I've never watched any of them, because the ignorance and pandering to stereotypes in these kinds of films drive me up the wall.
I gave this film three stars because there was nothing unique about the experience. I would have given it less, only I was reasonably pleasantly surprised that there was less pandering to stereotypes than I had expected.
Patriots (1996)
Not even close to reality in Belfast
I only watched the first half hour of this. I just couldn't go on watching such a train wreck.
Firstly, I'm extremely sceptical that this is a true story, or even based on a true story. I'm no fan of the IRA, Provisional or otherwise, but their dialogue and actions are far from any reality in Belfast. The IRA were ruthless terrorists and murderers, but they were as professional as such an organisation can be. This movie depicts them like characters from the USA Wild West era.
All the characters who were supposed to be from Belfast had fake Republic of Ireland or fake stereotyped 'Oirish' accents. Not one of them had a Belfast accent, or even anything close to a Northern Irish accent.
The acting was shoddy, though I think that was due more to poor directing, terrible script and the struggles the actors had with trying to get the WRONG accent and turn-of-phrases right.
Apart from one scene in the first half hour which panned across the Belfast skyline, none of the rest of it appeared to be actually filmed in Belfast.
I would suggest that anyone interested in the Troubles avoid this movie but then again, few films about the Troubles rise above the level of mediocre.
In fact, avoid this film whether you are interested in the subject matter or not!
The Trench (1999)
Historically accurate?
I watched this film just now, and was very surprised not to hear one single Irish accent. All the accents I heard were English bar one Scot. And yet the Battle is known for the senseless sacrifice of such a great number of Irishmen - from the 36th (Ulster) Division and the 16th (Irish) Division.
The Ulster Division, made from the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, Royal Ulster Rifles and Royal Irish Fusiliers, as I understand it, "suffered some five and a half thousand casualties - out of a total divisional complement of ten or eleven thousand men. (In writing of "casualties" it is a generally accepted assumption that one out of every three was killed or died of wounds later)."
So, although I missed some of the film due to a rush to the hospital before it started, I was very surprised not to have heard any Irish accents from the point I started watching it. As a film it seemed average.
American Beauty (1999)
All grown men everywhere.
I had avoided listening to anything about this film for ages, thinking it was a teen-movie. Well, I'm glad it was recommended to me, and glad I avoided hearing about it. It was such a pleasant surprise. They don't make them like this anymore! I fatal honesty exudes from each scene, and the performances are excellent. The scary thing about the film is how much we (grown men) can identify with Spacey's character. It is definitely a commentary on modern society, and doesn't just apply to America. Its suburbia everywhere. The real sex-symbol of this film is Bening ... or am I just getting old?!?
Alien (1979)
A new approach.
OK, so sound doesn't travel well in a vacuum, yet we still hear the sound of the ship's engines in space. But what the hey! Ridley Scott had realism in his mind when he made this classic - 99% of the gadgets in the film actually worked. The cast is second to none, and proved that using a mix of British and American actors was the way to go. His almost fly-on-the-wall approach paid off so well in setting up the characters. Suspicion and suspense were the keys; the mystery of the alien; the quirkiness of Ian Holm's acting. I first watched this film at the tender age of 10, on a friend's aunt's pirate video (she was one of the first people in our area to have a VCR!), around 1980. And it scared the hell out of me! Again, this film is superior to its great sequels. But it shouldn't really be compared, having a style all its own. Compared to more recent horror films, it may not have the same impact. If you haven't seen this film, rent it, turn the lights off, start the film, and feel the tension.
Star Wars (1977)
Stands the test of time?
I saw this film in the cinema when it was first released. It was one of the first few films I had ever seen in that environment. I was the right age, and it sparked off an interest in all things sci-fi. I had been a fan of TV series rival Star Trek. Ironic that a film which didn't over-indulge in scientific terms (a parsec is a measurement of distance, not of time!) sparked the true beginning of my interest in technology. This film is superior to the others in the sequel due to its freshness. An epic tale of morality and struggle against oppression set against a seamless background of space and unfamiliar technologies and alien beings. A film which transcends technophobia. A fantasy-adventure movie of which Gene Roddenberry might have been proud. While it is said that Harrison Ford hated the series, no one could have played the part of Han Solo better. No outstanding acting performances, but the sum of its parts add up to an all-time classic, enjoyed by young and old. If you haven't seen this film, you can NOT go wrong with it.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
Is Mac crazy?
Jack Nicholson obviously excels in portraying madness, and was aptly cast in this role. Kirk Douglas had played this character on stage for years and, although upset, agreed when his son Michael cast Nicholson in the movie. I actually think Kirk would have turned in a great performance too, perhaps not as good as Jacks'. The film itself (although I haven't seen it for ages) outlines the struggle for freedom against the oppression of those in power. You have to admire Mac's stubbornness in upholding his belief in right and wrong. Surely it is Mac that is more suited as a therapist, and Nurse Ratchet that is in need. I intend to read the book at some stage. Is Mac mad? That's up to you to figure out...
8/10