Song for a Raggy Boy on RTE!!!

Tiriel

what is going on!! that's pretty quick!! Great film, make sure u see it if u haven't already.. think it's on next Wed.

Basq

Yeah, it is pretty quick but you have to remember, it's an Irish film.

'Spin The Bottle' was on last week on Network 2 - that was only in cinemas last Christmas!

Can't see them putting on 'Intermission' anytime soon though!

As for 'Song For a Raggy Boy' - it was a fairly... OK film! It wasn't bad - but some of the acting was pretty dire (especially on Aidan Quinn's part)!

Also, did anyone else think it was full of cliches?!..

This is a movie of the Idealistic-teacher-against-the-system variety where, even if it's based on a true story, everything about it is so manipulative and derivative you soon stop believing it. The teacher seems angelic in his goodness and the head-priest is a psychopathic monster. The kids all start out as illiterate hooligans, but at the end of the semester, thanks to the guidance and inspiration of their saintly teacher, they're quoting William Butler Yeats! To each other!!!! This is the kind of movie where when a child is killed (no prizes for guessing it will be the most promising student) the teacher is shown staring sadly out the window while over the violins on the soundtrack you can hear the voice of the dead boy saying "D'ya think I'll eva' fall in love, sir?" . And just when you think you've seen every cliché in existence, here comes the scene were all the kids start carrying the teacher on their shoulders in celebration.

But it is by no real means, a bad film. Just a cliche-ridden film..

If you haven't seen it, do watch it!

Tiriel

I don't believe you didn't like Aidan Quinn in that!! I thought he was brilliant

Basq

Cork_girl wrote:

I don't believe you didn't like Aidan Quinn in that!! I thought he was brilliant

I may have been a bit harsh to call his acting in it dire..

I do think Aidan Quinn is a great actor.. (can't beat his performance as Harry Boland in 'Michael Collins')

I just think some of his moments in SFARB seemed a bit over-acted.

Tiriel

could you think of someone else that could do as good a job as he did?

Basq

Cork_girl wrote:

could you think of someone else that could do as good a job as he did?

I hate that question...

I remember mentioning before on the Movie Board that i didn't think Garth Jennings was a good pick as director for the new film of 'The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy' as he was a relatively first time director. He had previously only made music videos (with Nick Goldsmith under the alias "Hammer & Tongs") so i thought it was a bad idea to have him take on such a huge project for a film first. Some guy then asked me 'who else could do a good job at directing it then?' to which i replied Alex Proyas (of 'I Robot' and 'Dark City') and the response i got back was 'it would be the most loveless creation ever' - such a worthless reply!

So anyways (apologies for going slightly off-topic there), i'm refraining to answer that question cos nothing good ever comes of answering that question!

Tiriel

ahhh!!! ok so I'll let u off this time!
I did think he was good though, cliches are not the fault of the actor..
I dunno.. I thought he was really natural in the role and seemed comfortable

I wasn't expecting much of the film when I went to see it in the cinema.. and came out pleasantly surprised. Considering the subject-matter I think they did quite well.

Basq

I'm not saying the cliches are Aiden Quinn's fault at all.. but it could have done without the squishy shoulder carrying scene at the end.. just reminded me too much of the 'Captain, My Captain' scene at the end of 'Dead Poet's Society' (now, THAT'S a film!)

But like i said, SFARG is not a bad film! Better than 'The Magdelene Sisters' anyways - which i'm sorry to say just stunk!

Tiriel

I can't resist.. what is wrong with it?! Well besides the fact that it is a depressing subject.. it was going to be a tough one to do.. but it gave the story life with the characters imo

basquille wrote:

'The Magdelene Sisters' anyways - which i'm sorry to say just stunk!

Basq

Cork_girl wrote:

I can't resist.. what is wrong with it?! Well besides the fact that it is a depressing subject.. it was going to be a tough one to do.. but it gave the story life with the characters imo

The acting was mostly great... direction and writing from Peter Mullan was brillant (whose previous film 'Orphans' (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119842/) i really enjoyed and recommend to everyone!).

But a few things really let me down:

It got really really boring, in my opinion! I know the film was supposed to be tough and painful to sit through giving the shocking subject matter it depicts but i just felt myself nodding off.

It may have been the fact that i saw the BBC / RTE produced TV drama 'Sinners' (actually directed by Aisling Walsh, same director as 'Song For A Raggy Boy) a day or two before i saw 'The Magdelene Sisters'. They were practically the same film, though 'The Magdelene Sisters' was definantly the better of the two!

Don't know about anyone else but i found it misleading to be presented with biographical "data" on four of the women near the end of the film. Only then to read in the credits that all the characters were completely fictitious!

Also, the film just seemed out to shock. The story seemed to be nothing more than one sadistic act after another. OK, this may be a bit of a moot point as this was probably Mullan's objective for the film.

But as with i'd like to point out while i wasn't too impressed with the film. I will agree that it is a powerful film that should be seen!

Tiriel

yeah you're right. it was hard enough to sit through it and I did find that they let on that the characters were non-fictional until the end

anyway, back to topic.. I'm amazed (even though I agree it is an Irish film after all..) that they are showing it so quickly.

Basq

I do think it was Peter Mullan's objective to make 'The Magdalene Sisters' painful and uncomfortable to sit through... just like Mel Gibson made the crucifixtion in 'The Passion Of Christ' very hard to sit through too!

PS - That avatar of yours is changing fairly rapidly i've been noticing!

I recommend the cookie monster one that you had a few minutes ago... was quite cool! My favourite character in 'Sesame Street' too!

Tiriel

yeah I was gonna go with that.. but it's a bit blue!!! hehe
doin a bit of updating!

I haven't seen the Passion of Christ yet.. never in the mood when I'm gettin a dvd.. but must get it sometime! It's odd.. cos what kind of mood I expect to be in to watch it I'm not sure! Maybe I only rent dvd's when I'm in the mood to watch something funny and simple.. and go to the cinema if it's something serious.. hmmm...

Basq

Yeah, i tend to only go to films in the cinema that you NEED to see in the cinema - like sci-fi's / action / horror, where i save most dramas / comedies for DVD. Not that they're specifically bound to that category. Like there's a lot of dramas / comedies i've enjoyed in the cinemas more than if i rented them on DVD.

Examples of 'go to cinema' films: Lord Of The Rings, Spiderman 2, Saw, The Ring..
Examples of 'rent the DVD' films: School Of Rock, Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (best film of the year!), Cold Mountain (too long and drawn out to enjoy in the cinema)

Yeah, i've had the same avatar and sig since i joined Boards - must change 'em!

Tiriel

ah don't change em!! no need!!

Oh.. the ring.. that film really gave me the creeps!! it was one I wished I had waited for on dvd so I could hide!! Yeah I do think certain films just have to be experienced on the big screen.. and I suppose that SFARB isn't one of them.. tv is fine..

The Matrix is another one that had to be seen in cinema..

Basq

Cork_girl wrote:

The Matrix is another one that had to be seen in cinema..

Yeah, definantly! Shame 'bout those terrible sequels! (shudders)

Yeah, not many films i've really jumped at.. But the ones i have i all saw on the big screen like 'The Ring' (where we get the revelation of Katie's (the girl who died at the start) greyed freaky face when the closet door is opened) - you should watch the trailer to 'The Ring 2' (looks good!) - though if you are squeamish, maybe not this time of night! Also jumped in 'The Others' where Nicole Kidman is listening at the door to the piano playing and the door is slammed suddenly. Also in 'Saw' where Adam is going around his apartment flashing his camera and won't spoil it!

Tiriel

definitely won't be watching the trailer!!! not even sure if I'd be able in the morning!!!

wish it was possible to watch the Alien quadrilogy in the cinema now.. would be class..

yeah have to agree on The Matrix sequel trash.. why oh why

Basq

Cork_girl wrote:

wish it was possible to watch the Alien quadrilogy in the cinema now.. would be class..

Yeah, got them all on DVD! Brillant!!

Think i'm one of the only people who thinks David Fincher's 'Alien3' was a great sequel and seriously under-rated?

Though 'Alien: Resurrection' was pretty crap!

Tiriel

yeah have the box set.. it's great..
Maybe the disappointment of Resurrection makes Alien 3 look better??

but have to say.. I do like the underwater sequence in Resurrection..

Cabaal

Does this mean RTE have spent all our TV license money on buying this so early?

I got myself Alien quadrilogy this weekend, I've only ever seen Directors Cut of Aliens so I'm looking farward to watching it, I hear Alien 3 Directors Cut if actually good. But I don't think anything could make Resurrection decent unless they drop that alien/human thing