Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day Indoors Does bad weather or a fear of crowds have you staying in this St. Patrick’s Day? No time to go and shoo the snakes away from the towns-folks as ole St. Pat did himself? Here is a list of movies with an Irish angle for you to cuddle up under your Irish cable knit wool blanket, with a pint of Guinness in your hands to enjoy… The Commitments (1991) The most raucous ‘I’m Irish and I’m Proud Damn It’ movie you can find –along with a great sing-along soundtrack to go with it. Based on a novel by Roddy Doyle. Lead character Jimmy Rabbit, Sr., played by Colm Meany, goes onto to star in two more books and movies: The Snapper (1993 TV) and The Van (1996). U2 Concerts If you enjoy the sing along, but prefer something with more of an edge like “Sunday Bloody Sunday” Try one of the myriad of U2 live concert videos… from the 80’s classic Rattle and Hum (1983) to the Elevation Tour: Live from Boston (2001) and many choice in between, see Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. show you that the Irish know how to rock.
Angela’s Ashes (1999) If you are more of a Lifetime gal than and VH1-er, Oscar nominated Angela’s Ashes is a touching true tale from autobiographical author Frank McCourt about growing up in poverty in Dublin. The film is directed by Alan Parker and stars Emily Watson, Robert Carlyle along with three different boys as Frank growing in the years before he came to America. This film was nominated for an Oscar The Dead (1987) Director John Huston’s last film based on a novel from perhaps the famous of Irish writers, James Joyce, the story is considered by many to be a love letter from Joyce to the his homeland. The turn-of-the-century piece centers around Christmas dinner at the home of two spinster musicians with their niece complete with a climatic epiphany by these stuck-in-their ways ladies. The all Irish cast includes Huston’s daughter Angelica Huston. In The Name of the Father (1993) This Jim Sheridan film centers on a falsely accused Irish man in connection to an IRA bombing and his son’s fourteen year struggle to clear his father’s name. This tale is based on a true story. Notable actors include Emma Thompson and Daniel Day Lewis. Michael Collins (1996) Based in Ireland 1916, Michael Collins is the tumultuous tale of a man fighting for Irish freedom, a story rift with controversy surrounding both his life and death. Written and directed by Neil Jordan and starring Julia Roberts, Liam Neeson, Aidan Quinn, and Alan Rickman. Far and Away (1992) a tale of an emigrating Irish couple posing as siblings played by then Hollyood super-couple Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. Other notable film selections:
Odd Man Out (1947)
The Quiet Man (1952)
Barry Lyndon (1975) A Stanley Kubrick film
My Left Foot (1989)
The Field (1990)
The Snapper (1993)
Some Mother’s Son (1996)
The Boxer (1997)
The Butcher Boy (1997)
There are of course countless other notable films by Irish directors, starring Irish actors and based on tales of Ireland and its descendants. What are some of your favorites? Email editor@yuddy.com to share some your favorites that weren’t included here.
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
| Yuddy top 10 |
 |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
|
Yuddy USA 
Yuddy UK 
