Pretty Deadly Films
ByFilm In Dublin Team
Film In Dublin's Best Films of the 2010s
It can be hard to evaluate the best films of the 2010s, when every damn year of the decade, especially from 2015 onward, have felt like ten years unto themselves. But movies, as ever, offer respite from that chaos. It's been a decade that has offered impressive new voices in film and given different voices bigger platforms. Names like Jordan Peele, Ava DuVerney, Ryan Coogler and more have opened up important ideas to wider audiences, while also delivering top class entertainment. Long-term talents, from Scorsese and Soderbergh to Bong Joon-ho, Todd Haynes and Katheryn Bigelow, have changed with the times and done great work, even when it hasn't been their defining masterpieces, these greats have produced films that audiences have latched onto and continue to engage with in interesting ways, our often noxious online discourse still providing the opportunity to grow cultural conversation. Still, that noxious shite can make even the most ardent film lover never want to talk about cinema again, and the last ten years have seen too many unwinnable bullshit battles waged by people determined to keep their beloved franchises for themselves only, or draft movies, sometimes at random, into the unending culture wars.
Netflix have changed the game completely for film distribution and audience engagement in ways we still haven't fully processed since 2010, for better and worse, what even counts as a "film" and how we see them have been altered forever. After a relatively wobbly start to the 21st century that now seems impossible, Disney have become a monster in the 2010s, consuming one of the great film studios in the last year in Fox, reshaping history as they see fit, flooding and fixing the market, threatening all the positives in the paragraphs above. 80% of the box office is simply too much for one studio to hold, and cinema as an art form is at risk if the 2020's continue to allow expression to be supressed in the name of expansion.
You can see some of what's at stake in some of the great Irish films that have come out this decade, both on screen and off. Wonderful work has been done with local cinema thanks to collaboration with fellow European studios, and great films that in decades past only Irish eyes would have been watching have warmly received worldwide. Check out our Best Irish Films of the Decade list, coming soon, for some of the best of our country's cinema. More of that in the times ahead of us please, especially for this website's sake. There are always challenges, but without the vibrant cinema scene that has continued to grow in this country, Film In Dublin would never have started. With that in mind, it's a good time to delve into some of our writer's personal favourites of the decade, our Best Movies of the 2010s.
12 Years A Slave, 2010, 2010s, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, A Ghost Story, A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night, A Separation, Belle, BlackKklansman, Breathe, Burning, Burnt, Cabin in the Woods, Call Me By Your Name, Carol, First Reformed, Get Out, God's Own Country, Green Room, Hereditary, I Am Not Your Negro, Interstellar, Lady Bird, Lists, Looper, Love and Friendship, Mad Max: Fury Road, Midsommar, Moonlight, Nocturnal Animals, Phantom Thread, Shin Godzilla, Sicario, Song of the Sea, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, The Babadook, The Guest, The Irishman, The Martian, The Master, The Social Network, The Witch, Toy Story 3, Train To Busan, Under the Skin, Whip It, Whiplash, You Were Never Really Here
ByLuke Dunne
Film Festivals,Reviews
Trapped is a must-watch for Irish viewers
Director: Dawn Porter Running Time: 81 minutes
The theme of the 2017 Dublin Feminist Film Festival is 'FeministFutures', films that ask questions about future generations of women, not just related to science and technology, but also on the challenges facing women moving forward and subjects worth considering as things change for women in Ireland and elsewhere. The 2016 documentary Trapped makes for an excellent choice for an opener to the festival in this regard, depicting an urgent reality for women in the United States that has only continued in importance in the face of the considerable political changes in that country since the film's release. For viewers in Ireland, the film makes for vital viewing as well, delivering the important message that no matter what happens next year with regards to repealing the 8th Amendment, the job of fighting for reproductive rights for women won't be finished. Those who look to control and restrict the bodily rights of women will not go away.
2016, 2017, Directed by women, Documentary, Dublin Feminist Film Festival, Trapped
Michaël Dudok de Wit announced as special guest of Dublin Animation Film Festival
Dublin Animation Film Festival is delighted to announce that Academy Award winner Michaël Dudok de Wit will take part in a Q & A at the Pavilion Theatre, Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin on the 21st October 2017 after the screening of his animated feature The Red Turtle.
2016, 2017, Academy Awards, animated film, Animated Films, Anime, Directors, Dublin Animation Film Festival, Dublin Animation Film Festival 2017, Dun Laoghaire, France, Interviews, Japan, Masterclass, Michaël Dudok de Wit, October, Pavilion Theatre, Q&A, Studio Ghibli, The Red Turtle
You must take your kids to see these movies at the Light House
This past weekend saw the Light House Cinema kick off their third edition of the popular film season, 'Films You'd Love Your Kids To See', with the first of three showings of ET: The Extra Terrestrial. Now in it's third year, the lengthily titled season is a selection of favourites from the past that are perfectly suited to being shown to and loved by a whole new generation of film fans. From beloved standards like The Goonies and the Back to the Future trilogy, to all-time classics like The Wizard of Oz to 90's Kids picks like Aladdin and Jurassic Park, there's a wide selection of films showing all summer long that are bound to delight kids and adults alike and get the nostalgia flowing again. You can find the Light House's full selection of films here, but Film In Dublin has picked out some of the must-sees for your calendar over the next few months.
2016, 2017, Addams Family Values, Aladdin, Back to the Future, Batman Forever, Cinema Book Club, Disney, ET: The Extra Terrestrial, Films You'd Love Your Kids To See, Jurassic Park, Kids Movie, Light House Cinema, Mary Poppins, Matilda, My Girl, Smithfield, Summer, The Addams Family, The Goonies, The Princess Bride, The Wizard of Oz
ByNéil Rogers
Features,Reviews
Films You May Have Missed in 2016
2016 was a weird year for cinema goers. With action-packed blockbusters crashing at the box office and long-awaited sequels falling seriously flat with both critics and fans alike, it seemed as if the smaller, more indie and low-key pieces of cinema would finally get the public acknowledgement they deserved. This did, for the most part, come true with critical darlings such as Hunt for the Wilderpeople, The Witch, Manchester by the Sea and Hell or High Water becoming commercial hits as well as serious award contenders. Although positive steps have been made, there seemed to be an uncontrollable level of noise in 2016 (whether it be as a result of buzz or critical backlash!), which resulted in other genuinely brilliant movies going unheard. As such, we here at Film In Dublin have decided to fly the flag and lend a voice to those brilliant films that you may have missed in 2016.
2016, Don't Think Twice, Everybody Wants Some!!, High Rise, Midnight Special, Tale of Tales, The Invitation, Tickled, Weiner
Film In Dublin's Top 10 Films Of 2016
The urge is understandable to avoid a retrospective of the year 2016. Not since Lot's wife decided to take a cheeky glance back at Sodom has looking back at something been more likely to produce misery and misfortune the way this year has, but that only makes it all the more important to go back over the few bright spots, particularly for movie lovers. 2016 was undoubtedly a great year for Irish cinema, with 9 Oscar nominations and two wins, Irish films showing prominently in festivals around the globe, major stars and filmmakers coming to film on the island and some eye-catching box office success. Of course, 2016 is a year that will always stand out to the writers at Film In Dublin, as this was the year that the site launched and since mid-July we've worked hard to show you the positives and the pitfalls of navigating through the fair city of cinema.
With the year almost over, our writers have compiled a list of some of this year's cinematic highlights. Balloting every member for their own top picks of the year, a consensus was more or less reached on ten outstanding films, cinema that provided a welcome distraction from the horrors of the last twelve months, helped sharpen our focus from the lessons to be learned from the year, or both. We're sure to have left out some of your favourites; in keeping the list to the very best of the best we've had to omit some of our own best loved choices so we're more than open to suggestions on what else could have been considered. Here though, are Film In Dublin's picks for the top 10 films of 2016.Read more…
2016, Aaron Taylor Johnson, Alia Shawkat, Amy Adams, Anton Yelchin, Antonio Bolívar Salvador, Anya Taylor-Joy, Arrival, Ben Foster, Best of 2016, Channing Tatum, Chris Pine, Ciro Guerra, Dennis Villeneuve, embrace of the serpent, George Clooney, Gil Birmingham, Green Room, Hail Caesar!, Hell or High Water, Hunt for the Wilder People, Imogen Poots, Irish Film, Jack Reynor, Jake Gyllenhall, Jeff Bridges, Jeremy Saulnier, John Carney, Josh Brolin, Julian Dennison, Lists, Michael Shannon, Nilbio Torres, Nocturnal Animals, Patrick Stewart, Ralph Fiennes, Rema Te Wiata, Robert Eggers, Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Sam Neill, Scarlett Johansson, Sing Street, Taika Waititi, The Nice Guys, The Witch, Tom Ford
ByKelan O'Reilly
Passengers Is A Profoundly Uncomfortable Experience
Directed by: Morten Tyldum Starring: Chris Pratt, Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Sheen Running Time: 116 mins
Passengers is not the nice romantic sci-fi film you've been led to believe. What's disconcerting is that it thinks it is. Thanks to a horribly misguided plot development in the first act of the movie Passengers is a film so far from what it wants to be that it's staggering to imagine how anyone involved thought it was a good idea. Not only is this plot development completely unnecessary, it unintentionally transforms the whole thing into a profoundly uncomfortable experience.
Fair warning to all here, it's going to be kind of impossible to discuss the film's issues without stating what this plot development entails, so rather than continuing to talk in circles, let it be known there are spoilers ahead!
2016, Action, Chris Pratt, Drama, Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Sheen, Morten Tyldum, Passengers, Romance, Sci Fi, Science Fiction
Rogue One Finds The Wars In Star Wars
Director: Gareth Edwards Starring: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Mads Mikkelsen, Forest Whitaker, Riz Ahmed, Donnie Yen, Jiang Wen, Alan Tudyk Running Time: 133 minutes
The ambition to have a Star Wars movie come out every single year may end up hitting a point of diminishing returns, but for now the annual return to a galaxy far, far away is still fresh enough to be music to the ears of fans and lining to the pockets of Disney. No one knows quite like they do how to appeal to a wide range of demographics; though The Force Awakens definitely owed a lot of its success to the memories it stirred in fans who had been left in the cold by the prequels, it aimed and succeeded at continuing the series tradition of kid appeal, something that goes right back to George Lucas' attempts to recreate his own childhood joy watching pulp sci-fi serials. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is unlikely to sell as many toys as last year's film, but it should provide older fans that have grown up with Star Wars with they've always wanted: more of the actual wars.
2016, Action Movies, Alan Tudyk, Diego Luna, Disney, Donnie Yen, Felicity Jones, Forest Whitaker, Gareth Edwards, Jiang Wen, Mads Mikkelsen, Riz Ahmed, Rogue One, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Sci Fi, The Force Awakens, War, war film
Your Name Is Beautiful And Complex Animation
Director: Makoto Shinkai Starring: Ryunosuke Kamiki, Mone Kamishiraishi Running Time: 107 minutes
After a year with two Disney films and a Pixar sequel, it's going to be difficult for other animated features to distinguish themselves either in the hearts of the viewing public or in the ballots of voters during the busy awards season. Your Name, an anime film by Makoto Shinkai, does not boast the wide audience of Zootropolis or Moana or even the street-cred of Laika's Kubo and the Two Strings. What it does have though is emotion in abundance, more than enough to connect with viewers. The film received a tiny release here in Ireland, with a small handful of screenings. Worth noting though, is that were Your Name was shown, more screenings were added by demand. Those that saw it were talking about it, recommending it. And so they should. Beautiful in both story and animation, Your Name is one of the year's hidden gems, a mind (and body) bending romance that's deeply rewarding.
2016, animated film, Anime, CoMix Wave Films, Funimation, Hayao Miyazaki, Japan, Kimi no Na wa, Makoto Shinkai, Mone Kamishiraishi, Paprika, Perfect Blue, Ryunosuke Kamiki, Satoshi Kon, Studio Ghibli, Toho, Tokyo, Your Name
The Birth Of A Nation Shows A Disappointing Lack Of Depth
Director: Nate Parker Starring: Nate Parker, Armie Hammer, Aja Naomi King, Jackie Earle Haley, Penelope Ann Miller, Gabrielle Union Running Time: 120 mins
There's a very interesting film to be made about the story of Nat Turner, the literate slave who lead a violent rebellion in the Deep South in 1831, killing over 60 people. This is not that film.
The Birth Of A Nation is never anything more than an okay movie aspiring to greatness. It is uneven in tone and pacing, overly simplistic in its point of view, and fairly ham-fisted in parts. There are moments that really hit home, but while the film is dealing with incredibly shocking and inherently powerful subject matter, it is never truly as powerful as it wants to be.
2016, Aja Naomi King, Armie Hammer, Biography, Birth Of A Nation, Drama, Gabrielle Union, Jackie Earle Haley, Nate Parker, Penelope Ann Miller, True Story
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