Lead vs. Supporting Conundrums: 2022 Edition

February 27, 2023

jmunney Cinema, Oscars , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

A Lead Actor and a Supporting Actor? Or 2 Lead Actors (CREDIT: Jonathan Hession/Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.)

Every awards season, there’s a bit of discussion revolving around certain movie performances that straddle the line between Lead and Supporting roles. Sometimes, actors are blatantly submitted in the wrong category, perhaps to avoid competition with a co-star, or because of perceived lack of competition with other movies. And other times, it’s not always easy to say for certain which category is the right one. So I’m here to offer my assessment! It’s a little late this year, seeing as the Oscar nominations have already been announced, but I still felt like chiming in.

(Feel free to chime in with your own takes on this topic if you have any.)

More

Entertainment To-Do List: Week of 10/21/22

October 21, 2022

jmunney Cinema, Entertainment To-Do List, Music, Television , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Shermy Sherm (CREDIT: IFC/Screenshot)

Every week, I list all the upcoming (or recently released) movies, TV shows, albums, podcasts, etc. that I believe are worth checking out.

Movies
–The Banshees of Inisherin (Theaters)
–Black Adam (Theaters)
–Ticket to Paradise (Theaters)

TV
–Doctor Who: “The Power of the Doctor” (October 23 on BBC America) – The end for Dr. Jodie Whittaker.
–Sherman’s Showcase Season 2 Premiere (October 26 on IFC)
–Tales of the Jedi Season 1 (October 26 on Disney+) – Star Wars Anthology

Music
-Arctic Monkeys, The Car
-Carly Rae Jepsen, The Loneliest Time
-Taylor Swift, Midnights
-Tegan and Sara, Crybaby

Martin McDonagh Reunites with Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson for ‘The Banshees of Inisherin,’ and Their Friendship Was Never the Same

October 18, 2022

jmunney Cinema, Movie Reviews , , , , , 2 Comments

Listen to those banshees wail! (CREDIT: Jonathan Hession/Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.)

Starring: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon, Barry Keoghan

Director: Martin McDonagh

Running Time: 114 Minutes

Rating: R for Irish-Accented Profanity, Inexplicable Violence, and a Bit of Nudity

Release Date: October 21, 2022 (Theaters)

What’s It About?: In a remote corner on the coast of Ireland, Colm Doherty (Brendan Gleeson) suddenly decides that he no longer wants to be friends with Pádraic Súilleabháin (Colin Farrell). This is happening against the backdrop of the Irish Civil War of 1922-23, but it kind of feels like it could be in a present-day village that is so cut off from the rest of civilization that it never assimilated any of the new technology of the past 100 years. Meanwhile, Pádraic’s sister Siobhán (Kerry Condon) is all ready to finally leave the island, and she’s encouraging her brother to do the same. There are several other residents that we encounter, most of them men who rarely do anything besides hang out at the tavern. Then there’s Dominic (Barry Keoghan), the youngest, simplest, and most sensitive of all the main characters that we meet. But his prospects don’t look great, because Inisherin is no country for Dominics.

What Made an Impression?: I initially found The Banshees of Inisherin to be generally entertaining, but also profoundly inscrutable. Pretty much all of Colm’s behavior is nonsensical, but he’s so sure of himself that it makes you wonder, “Am I missing something here?” Eventually, though, it all clicked into place when I realized that Colm must be suffering from clinical depression. It wasn’t obvious at first because I’ve never experienced it myself directly, though I have encountered enough portrayals of mental illnesses to realize that it’s less about constant sadness and more about inexplicably destructive decision-making. Writer-director Martin McDonagh presents us with plenty of outrageous developments, but he employs a light touch that allows us to be drawn in at our own speed.

McDonagh’s previous collaboration with both Farrell and Gleeson was 2008’s In Bruges, a quirky black comedy thriller that is absolutely beloved by a not-insignificant segment of film buffs. I liked that one well enough but never felt like I was fully on its wavelength. I have similar feelings about Inisherin, but I’m a little closer to the inner circle this time. It’s not fully my vibe, but I think I get it. If this is your vibe, though, get ready for a hell of time.

The Banshees of Inisherin is Recommended If You Like: Hibernophilia

Grade: 4 out of 5 Friendships