Monthly Archives: December 2009

Ed Byrne - Different Class

  By Peter | December 30, 2009 - 7:39 pm | Comedy, The Culch
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I have to admit I am a huge comedy fan. That aside, I got mixed responses to the mention Ed Byrnes new DVD [that I bought in HMV for 10.99] which I found a little surprising…. If you are the type that when Billy Connolly walks out on stage and says hello and you immediately laugh… then you haven’t a comic bone in your body you are merely a comic sheep. If however you like Bill Hicks and Dylan Moran then we may be heading on the right tracks….;) This is Ed Byrnes second DVD. And I love it. Whats better is that its €10.99 and if you have the time the extras [unusually well worth the mention] include a very worthwhile comedy buffs comentary chat alongside Jimmy Carr where they refer to the show now and again - but more they give a better insight into the joke and the … There’s more →

Top 5 television programmes of 2009

  By bngr | December 30, 2009 - 4:02 am | The Culch
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This is my top 5 list. A little unorthodox perhaps but it’s what works for me. Let me know what you think of these 5 and what your own top 5 would be. In no particular order: Lark Rise to CandlefordLark Rise to Candleford is a quality period drama series in its second year in 2009. A third series is due to start on 10 January. Anything set in the past is always a winner for me, and with great stories and great characters, what more do you want. Gossip GirlYou can have your Wires, Sopranos and your Madmens; Gossip Girl is the one for me. It may be teen drama but it’s the very best teen drama. I haven’t tired of it a bit in the last three seasons, which is more than I can say for anything else coming from the US.

Culchie Christmas Catch-Up

  By Lottie | December 29, 2009 - 7:25 pm | Catch-Up, The Culch
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Ladies and gentlemen the Christmas season is almost at an end and while we’ve been very busy entertaining ourselves in order to keep you entertained in the past months we’re taking a little relaxation time. Things might be a little quiet around here for the next week what with all those TV movie repeats, turkey sandwiches and family quarrels but we will be back in fighting form in the New Year. Movies Think you know your movies? Try our Movie nerd test. Niamh reviews one of my most anticipated movies of the year, Nine. The best Christmas movies ever, in short. If nothing else, we are succinct. The Golden Globe nominations are announced. And the Critics Choice Awards. Niall’s Advent Movie Countdown continues: #12, #11, #10, #9, #8, #7, #6, #5, #4, #3 Got that Friday feeling this week? Short movies are so in right now.

Giggles and Thrills at the Circus

  By Amy | December 29, 2009 - 11:07 am | Events, The Culch
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Anyone looking for some post Christmas cheer? Head along to Fossetts Annual Christmas Circus held at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham. This is my second circus of the year (previous was another well known Irish Circus) and hands down this Human Only Circus is by far better value for money (and no animal activists on the way in!) I brought along the best critics, a 9 and 7 year old who screamed, laughed, clapped and tried to figure out the magic tricks for the two hour show!

Chillax - A Glorious Dawn

  By Will | December 28, 2009 - 12:25 am | Music, The Internet, TV
1 Comment

Its the Christmas doldrums and many of you will want to keep your brain in neutral for a little longer, so how about a little chill-out music that might teach you something. For example, here is “A Glorious Dawn”, a tune and video in which Carl Sagan and his cosmologist companion Stephen Hawking sing. Almost all samples and footage taken from Carl Sagan’s “Cosmos” and Stephen Hawking’s “Universe” series. John Boswell turns the television shows in to an anthem for science. An interview with John Boswell follows after the jump.

Christmas Countdown: Top 25 Movies of 2009 – No.1

  By Niall | December 25, 2009 - 12:00 pm | Movies & TV, The Culch
2 Comments

And so the end is here and I unveil my final movie. Imagine that sentence with Sinatra singing and you’ll get what I was aiming at. 25 days of counting down the top movies of 2009 has led us somewhat circuitously to this day. Only one remains, the final one, the best movie of 2009. Many favourites have fallen by the way side and if any of you have been trying to guess what it could be, waiting with baited breath well then the good news is the wait is over. The best movie of 2009 is…

Competition: RectoVerso #3 Winner

  By Sinead Keogh | December 25, 2009 - 1:32 am | The Culch
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Thanks a million to everyone for all your entries to the competition to win: Donal Skeehan’s “Good Mood Food”; Beaut.ie’s “Guide to Gorgeous”; and Dara O Briain’s “Tickling the English”. With some help from our lovely followers on twitter, we have a winner… So congratulations Louise, we’ll be in touch for your postal address to send along your prize. Thanks again to everyone who entered, and a very merry Christmas to all.

Christmas Countdown: Top 25 Movies of 2009 – No.2

  By Niall | December 24, 2009 - 12:00 pm | Movies & TV, The Culch
3 Comments

Okay technically today’s choice is a 2008 movie but for the sake of clarity it meets the criteria having being released in January 2009 in Ireland. A great heart-warming master-class in cinema it deservedly walked away with many of the top honours in last years awards season. The second best movie of 2009 is…

Ad of the Decade - Hovis

  By bngr | December 24, 2009 - 3:38 am | The Culch
1 Comment

Last Sunday ITV showed a programme counting down the top 20 advertisements of the decade and the new Hovis ad came out on top. Some people would have picked other ads but to me this is the best ad of all time; and if you haven’t seen it yet - because it’s mostly shown in the UK - you’re in for a treat. The story is of a boy running home from the shop with his loaf of Hovis, but in this ad he passes through 122 years of British history which is how long Hovis have been in business: How many of the iconic periods of history displayed in the ad can you name? Watch out for the progression of the boy’s clothes and hair through each decade, as well as the changes in style of the music. If you want to see more, here’s the making of and … There’s more →

Christmas Countdown: Top 25 Movies of 2009 – No.3

  By Niall | December 23, 2009 - 12:48 pm | Movies & TV, The Culch
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I’m a sci-fi nut, love it to bits, and yet in my list of top films ever sci-fi fares poorly. Whether I’m just too picky or whether there are genuinely few epic sci-fi movies I don’t know. What I do know is that 2009 was a great year for sci-fi and today’s choice reflects just that. Worthy of mention with the likes of Silent Running, Blade Runner, Solaris and 2001: A Space Odyssey today’s choice reflects the ability of movies to make you think and wonder about ideas bigger than yourself. The third best movie released in Ireland in 2009 is…

Placebo Gig Review and Interview with Steve Forrest

  By Darren Byrne | December 23, 2009 - 9:10 am | Music, The Culch
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Earlier this year, a fresh looking, fresh sounding Placebo returned to the charts with their first album since 2006′s Meds. Battle For the Sun was critically well received and a hit with fans, while also drawing in new listeners. One of the reasons Placebo may have a fresh sound is the introduction of their newest member, Steve Forrest. Last week before the final gig of their current tour, I spoke to Steve and asked him how he felt about joining an established band who had been playing together for over 15 years. The pressure to sort of perform like a 15 year professionally veteran is so intense that you don’t have time to make mistakes. It’s heads down and get focussed, because I haven’t been performing professionally for 15 years. I got everything in the world to lose.

Broken Spine #21 - Christmas Reading

  By Ronan | December 22, 2009 - 6:21 pm | Books, The Culch
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Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without book vouchers! But if you plan on buying a book this week to read while you’re waiting for the turkey and spouts to cook on December 25th, Broken Spine is here to help you get in the festive mood. At least between the sheets… Of paper that is. Recommended Reading #20 - Terry Pratchett, Charles Dickens, Neil Gaiman, Doctor Seuss First up is Terry Pratchett’s excellent Hogfather. The title character is the fantasy land Discworld’s take on Santa Claus, and visits children to deliver presents on December 32nd. Yes, it’s a fantasy novel, so suspend belief! You don’t have to have read Pratchett’s other Discworld novels to enjoy this one, as shown by the fact Sky One created a TV movie version which is suitable for everyone, fans and non-fans alike. It’s like a beautiful alternative Christmas fable. Definitely for fans of Tim Burton’s Nightmare … There’s more →

Christmas Countdown: Top 25 Movies of 2009 – No.4

  By Niall | December 22, 2009 - 3:36 pm | Movies & TV, The Culch
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It pains me greatly to put today’s choice at four instead of one. As soon as I saw it I felt about 10 again and realised why I love cinema so much. It brought me back to when I saw Jurassic Park, Star wars, and Raiders of the Lost Ark for the first time and evoked childhood memories the likes of which few movies can. For almost 2 hours I sat enthralled, moth agape and starred in wonder at the majesty that unfolded onscreen. It was only in hindsight that I looked at this movie critically and saw it’s flaws, but then I went back and saw it again, and again, and again, and each time I forgot the flaws and loved that I had chosen to spend my time watching this particular movie. Logic tells me it shouldn’t be one and like for one of the protagonists logic almost … There’s more →