The Kilkenny Observer Friday 27 August 2021
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TV & Streaming
Convincing telling of Kerry Babies saga FOR those with Apple+ TV, can I recommend Out Of Innocence (2019), written and directed by Briton Danny Hiller, writes Paul Hopkins. It is based directly on The Kerry Babies affair, and subsequent Tribunal. It is so well told, written and directed, with consummate acting from a stellar cast. Fiona Shaw gives the performance of a lifetime as Catherine Flynn (Joanne Hayes’s mother), dramatic in its understatement, while newcomer Fionuala Flaherty delivers a convincing portrayal as Sarah Flynn (Joanne Hayes). It’s a compelling piece of work, not only for it cinematic prowess but because it is a chilling reminder of the way we were back in the early Eighties, not that long ago in the scheme of things. The past was another country. Socially regressed, sexually naive and ashamed, and paternalistic in many pockets of this land. Misogynistic and church-ridden, restrictive of women and ignorant of any sense of their fundamental human rights. A country and a people largely without any sense of common decency. The patriarchal nature of the judiciary was matched only by the politicians upholding of an outmoded Constitution. In fairness, not all otherwise there would have been no tribunal. Most of all, the story is told (certain creative license allowing) as close to the truth as I recall the case. Again, underplayed if anything. And it correctly spotlights the disgraceful ineptitude and total lack of forensic application of the Gardai investigating the death of two new-born infants which saw them put Joanne Hayes and her family through a rough and ready ring of unsafe Garda
Oh, you thought you liked Mark Duplass? Because he was the love interest in all those indie romcoms, played that doctor in The Mindy Project, and is easily the best character in The Morning Show? Think again! In Creep, a found-footage film that foregoes pageantry for a stark sense of panic, Duplass plays a strange loner named Josef that freelance documentary maker Aaron, played by writer-director Patrick Brice, can’t quite pin down. Duplex’ performance is intoxicating, and Brice imagines a universe so compelling.
Directed by creature connoisseur Guillermo del Toro, Crimson Peak is a dark gothic fantasy you’ll want to fall into headfirst. Mia Wasikowska leads as a 19th-century American heiress, whisked away to England by her handsome new husband, played by Tom Hiddleston. Once the young bride arrives at her groom’s family mansion, however, visions of ghosts begin to plague her. That her sister-in-law, played by Jessica Chastain, treats her with mysterious disdain isn’t helping. An epic mystery with more exquisite scenes than you can count, this spectacular ghost story gives longtime del Toro fans the horror flick they’ve always wanted from the iconic director.
practices, sloppy police work, and gut-wrenching emotional bullying. Joannes Hayes’s and her family’s only crime was to be simple farm folk, not imbued
with very much education nor emotional intelligence, and to be scared and, perhaps, a little thoughtless, if not clumsy. But back then, such elements as these were still seen too
often by Church and State as crimes of a sort. The wee blessed donkey ... but we’ve come a good ways since... though there is more to be done....
Reset Lord of Ring for Amazon IT’S been 18 long years since Peter Jackson wrapped his beloved Lord of the Rings trilogy (and seven relief-filled years since he put his other trilogy to sleep). Now, after a prolonged period of Hobbitlessness, fans will finally return to Middleearth courtesy of Amazon Prime, whose own Dark Lord has emerged with a benevolent gift for us mortals in the form of a LOTR series based on JRR Tolkien’s extended mythology. The show remains shrouded in mystery, with media reports generally focused on the Smaug-sized price tag ($250
5
shock horror on Netflix
million for the rights, $465+ million for production). But with filming wrapped and a release date set for 2022. For those who don’t know their Silmarillions from their Sarumans, Amazon’s series will take place about thousands of years prior to Frodo and the Fellowship’s quest to destroy the One Ring — and thus the reign of warmongering Sauron — in the Lord of the Rings series. The era is referred to as the Second Age of Middle-earth. The series, which began development in 2017, will
reportedly draw heavily from The Silmarillion, Tolkien’s posthumously published Middle-earth Bible that spans the entire history of the land he created, as well as Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middleearth. According to an official plot synopsis first carried by TheOneRing.Net and later confirmed by Amazon, the series ‘will take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin.’ It teases an appearance by ‘the greatest villain that ever flowed from
Tolkien’s pen,’ plus characters both ‘familiar and new.’ Additionally, the synopsis mentions locations such as the Elven capital of Lindo, the island kingdom of Númenor and the Misty Mountains of Led Zeppelin’s discography. Whether the series plans to Tree of Life its way through the history of Middle-earth before focusing on the Second Age remains to be seen, though rumour has it that director J.A. Bayona (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) will be introducing the Second Age as a whole in the first two episodes.
Writer-director Remi Weekes’ His House is easily my favourite scary Netflix release of 2020. Wunmi Mosaku and Sope Dirisu star as refugees from South Sudan seeking asylum in Britain who are assigned to live in an eerie neighbourhood where they aren’t welcome. Spectacularly frightening and ruthlessly critical of its subject matter, His House delivers everything it must — and then some.
Remarkably bad for a movie directed by Martin Scorsese but pretty good otherwise, Shutter Island follows US Marshall Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) on his investigation into an institution for the criminally insane. A twist ending and tons of jump scares make this is a one-of-akind experience you’ll feel very strongly about.
From cellos and foreplay to hallucinations and hiking, The Perfection does absolutely whatever it wants. Featuring Allison Williams in her best role since Get Out and Dear White People’s Logan Browning in her best part ever, this vibrant genre blend will get a reaction out of you. Not necessarily a good reaction, but a reaction nonetheless. It’s body horror meets psychological thriller meets occult drama meets classical music. With bugs. And vomit. I, for one, loved it!
