conndar

This is probably one of the funniest series ever to come out of RTE.

It has the awkwardness of The Office (before The Office was made) and a similar production style.

It follows two convicts on their release from prison. One an inner city ne'erdowell wannabe rapper called Ratser, the other a once prominent gynaecologist called Jeremy Fitzgerald.

Michael McElhatton and Brendan Coyle give stellar performances with characterizations that are exaggerated enough to be funny yet remain familiar enough as to be people that we might actually know and with whom we can actually relate.

From Ratser's disillusionment with a lack of Celtic Tiger in his personal economy and smug Jeremy's fall from grace and social standing it provides us with clever, well acted humour that executes the mock docu-drama style perfectly in showing the posh side and not so posh side of Dubliners.

Deirdre O'Kane also chimes in with an excellent performance as Jeremy's long suffering wife who happens to like a glass or three of prosecco.

It is funny. Go watch.

One of my favourite movies since I was a child, it still amazes me that this movie hasnt been remade, although to do so, would probably do it a disservice. A true classic that any movie buff or anyone trying to find a hidden gem should check out. As the synopsis suggests the story is about a young RAF pilot who narrowly avoids death when his plane comes down. As it turns out, he was supposed to die. Naturally enough an angel comes looking for him. He is the only one who can see him though. And each time the French Dandy appears real time, stops as do our pilots friends. A trial must follow in heaven for our hero's life which happens to coincide with an operation to save his life due to injuries sustained in his crashing to earth. Is the angel real or all in his head? Will he survive the operation, or more importantly can he survive the skilled prosecutor and prejudiced jury? An excellently acted and warm, imaginative piece that is well directed and has some really classic and iconic scenes (keep an eye out for the stairway to heaven). If you have 105 minutes to spare i strongly suggest taking this one in, if for nothing else than to have it in you repertoire of movies seen. Well worth it.

Some call it fun, I call it nonsense. That's what this is, nonsense. There's a major issue with the finished product here. Well there are several, but let's start with the problem with the concept. This movie is clichéd bullcrap. It's the kind of stuff that was dished out by that purveyor of delightful trash in the 80s Cannon only not as good and not as pure. I say unpure because the clichés in this movie seem like they are aimed at children. The highs and lows about a boy overcoming adversity to cheesy music is up there with Karate kid and Masters of the Universe..and maybe even Russkies (remember that one?). How many times can Samuel L Jaclson actually thank that brave fearless boy before all of the cheesey grins make us start to cheer for the baddies. That's if the baddies themselves didn't seem like they feell straight out of a 'Henchmen book for Dummies' which makes them just as annoying. Anyway, thats the problem. This movie seems to be geared towards kids (half of what is passed as fact here is out-loud laughable). But clearly from the horrific violence and language simply isn't intended for a minor audience. The rating is 13 pg...but honestly, the rhetoric of a boys right of passage story seems meant for younger kids its that cringe worthy. The kind of people would think this is fun are people I would imagine who genuinely have the mind of a child (not a childish sense of humour and not some sort of nostalgic love of bad 80s movies). Its not a throwback to any genre or era. Its not Delta force or American Ninja. It has no depth. This can be made up with action, but when the cheesey cringey subplot kicks you in your sense of urgh every few minutes it just makes this movie fail on too many levels. Its a confused piece of badly written nonsense.. It not a nod to old fune movies, its just a confused, uncomfortable pile of bs. Which is a pity considering the mighty fine cast at hand. I've spent too much time writing this as it is...can't believe I stayed up to watch to this trite. Avoid.