...Belfast and Berlin

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Love/Hate - TELEVISION REVIEW

Ireland’s national broadcaster RTÉ does not have a long, glittery history of producing great drama. Love/Hate is a huge exception. Focusing on Dublin’s notorious gangland, it is a cutting edge gritty show which shows the volatility of the drug market in Ireland’s capital city.

There have been three short seasons already aired in Ireland, sixteen episodes in total. Currently a fourth season is in production and is scheduled to air next winter. It is hotly anticipated and it is likely that the show will continue to be screened in other countries.

Love/Hate features standout performances from Aiden Gillen, Robert Sheehan and Tom Vaughan-Lawlor. Gillen, known for excellent performances in Queer As Folk and The Wire, plays livewire drug-boss John Boy who runs rule over a dangerous and trigger happy gang. Robert Sheehan is outstanding in the role of Darren, a sensitive soul whose morals become undeniably compromised through a series of dramatic twists and turns. Lawlor delivers a huge black comedic performance as Nidge, a ruthless enforcer who will do whatever it takes to achieve his goals.

The whole cast are to be commended although it must be stated many are far too attractive to truly fill the role of participants in Dublin’s rough drug trade. Aside from that, Love/Hate is extremely realistic and honest in its depiction of the brutality of this dangerous industry. It also acts as a social commentary by showing how the drug trade is one of few booming sectors in post-Celtic Tiger Ireland.

RTÉ received intense criticism for excessive violence throughout the show’s run, especially a graphic rape scene. The show floats between aggression and viciousness to dark humour with ease as the camaraderie between the characters is played out. The third season finished in superb dramatic style but it remains to be seen how much longer it can go on.

[belfastandberlin]

Johnny Marr @ The Limelight, Belfast 26/03/13 - GIG REVIEW

Johnny Marr is a massive name in the music world so naturally a huge draw for a small venue like The Limelight. The former Smiths guitarist looked as energised as ever stepping out on his first full solo tour if you discount his collaborations with the Healers a decade ago.

His album The Messenger is a strong effort and the majority of the songs come off very well alive. The First Thing Right, the title track, European Me and New Town Velocity sound as vibrant as anything he has done in the years since the dissolution of the Smiths. Songs like I Want The Heartbeat and Upstarts are lightweight numbers but are drowned out by keeping company with earlier adored cult classics.

The loudest roars of the evening are reserved for tracks from his peerless years with the so-called Manchester miserablists. His guitar parts on Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before, London and Bigmouth Strikes Again launched the crowd into collective looks of wonder and exhilaration. In fact, his musical proficiency is so composed that one does not even miss Morrissey on the vocals

Marr fails to disappoint in any way, filling the stage whilst dressed immaculately and as ever sporting a superb haircut. Tracks written with New Order’s Barney Sumner from the Electronic side-project sound just as good as anything he has ever recorded. Forbidden City and Getting Away With It sound excellent although their reception is slightly muted.

The encore is magical featuring a rousing rendition of I Fought The Law, popularised by The Clash and the Smiths duo of How Soon Is Now and There Is A Light That Never Goes Out. Despite this blast from the past, Marr appears a fresh figure and the night does not draw too heavily on sentimentality and nostalgia. The opportunity to see one of the world’s best guitarists in such a small venue is one savoured by all in attendance.

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Hi there! Wondering if perhaps you'd like us to feature your blog as one of our posts? We also promote on our facebook and twitter pages - No problem if not, but we'd love to promote your blog! Scrawling Art

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.....Belfast and Berlin

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Phantom by Jo Nesbo - BOOK REVIEW

Phantom is the latest and perhaps last book in Norwegian author Jo Nesbo’s Harry Hole series following the maverick policeman as he strives to solve the insolvable.

The plot surrounds a mysterious drug baron who is plying Oslo with violin, a far superior product to the weak heroin available on the streets. Several stories interweave together and lead up to a brutal conclusion.

Harry’s ex-girlfriend Rakel enlists his help to clear her son Oleg of the murder of his best friend Gusto. Hole returns from his self-imposed exile in Hong Kong and investigates the case to the best of his capability.

Like any Nesbo book, there are plenty of twists throughout and the standard of the storytelling is as high as ever. Whether or not Nesbo will persevere with the series remains to be seen but after bridging out into writing separate novels, it would not be surprising if we have already seen the end of Harry Hole.

[belfastandberlin]

Just Saying Dundalk

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Protect Berlin's East Side Gallery

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Wreck It Ralph - FILM REVIEW

Wreck It Ralph is an enjoyable animated feature from Walt Disney Animation Studios. Created with 3D technology, it does not rank as highly as Pixar’s Toy Story series but is nonetheless a decent little movie.

Fans of 1990s computer games will find the appearance of some of their beloved characters exciting. It draws heavily on nostalgia of old-school arcade games but there is enough of a modern feel about it to entertain the current generation of kids.

The plot surrounds a lovable arcade game villain who grows tired of his mundane routine and decides to enter himself in other games with alarming consequences for the status quo.

Wreck It Ralph has enough humour to please anyone and is certainly aesthetically pleasing, packing enough of a punch to entertain for over an hour and half. 

[belfastandberlin]

Wreck It Ralph - Trailer - 2012

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Amour - FILM REVIEW

Few foreign language films make much of an impact of the Oscars, so what makes Amour so different? Undoubtedly it is a touching film but like so many of its fellow nominees this year, it lacks in entertainment and suspense.

In fact, it is an extremely depressing film but it effortlessly manages to capture the mood it aims for perfectly. But where exactly does that leave its audience?

Amour follows an elderly couple, as wife Anne suffers a debilitating stroke while her passionate and caring husband Georges does his best to keep everything together.

There are two remarkable performances throughout. Both Emmanuelle Riva and Jean-Louis Trintignant are sensational from start to finish. Amour touches upon sensitive issues such as illness and euthanasia in a way which most film-makers are afraid to.

Director Michael Haneke has clearly put the subject matter ahead of trying to please audiences with unrealistic sentimentality. Amour will sadden viewers but with such sensitive themes, there is little else it can be expected to do.

[belfastandberlin]

Amour - Trailer - 2012

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Silver Linings Playbook - FILM REVIEW

Silver Linings Playbook is a romantic comedy by director David O Russell, who brought us The Fighter three years ago. As far as rom-coms go, it is definitely one of the better ones.

In fact, it’s a pretty decent film all round. It may not be entirely dramatic but it is one of the more entertaining and enjoyable movies nominated for this year’s Academy Awards. Its strengths lie in the quality of the screenplay and the talented cast.

Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, who play Pat and Tiffany, carry the script and have enough chemistry to make a fairly basic story that much more appealing. Robert De Niro puts in another glorious shift as Pat Senior, reiterating the claim that his days of being a top actor have not passed.

The plot focuses on Pat who suffers from bipolar disorder and upon being released from a mental health facility, is determined to win back his wife who had cheated on him. Tiffany is a young widow with her own problems but they form an unlikely pairing which gives the film its sparkle.

This film is one of those unlikely success stories which happen from time to time. It may not change the world but never endeavours or promises to. The way in which mental health, depression and marital strife is handled is to be commended. Sometimes a feel good film does enough if it ticks all the boxes which it is designed to. This one certainly does.

[belfastandberlin]

Silver Linings Playbook - Trailer - 2012

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Mitte, Berlin

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Beasts Of The Southern Wild - FILM REVIEW

Where to start with Beasts Of The Southern Wild? Apart from being uncontrollably snooze-inducing, there is little to draw from the experience of sitting through an hour and half of it.

The Oscars consistently throws up these baffling movies and showers them with nominations. Beasts Of The Southern Wild deals with a rural community living in an area called the Bathtub which is cut off from the world by a levee.

As a storm approaches, we see the relationship between a young girl Hush Puppy and her ill father Wink. Quvenzhané Wallis puts in a stunning performance, perhaps the only redeeming thing about this entire production. At just nine years old, she is the youngest person to ever be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress.

However, there is little to savour from this film. The references to Aurochs and the melting of the icecaps fail to inspire this film into life and their meaning is lost along the way.

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Beasts Of The Southern Wild - Trailer - 2012

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County Down and County Louth, Ireland