Monthly Archives: February 2011

Review - Never Let Me Go

  By Andy Gaffney | February 25, 2011 - 1:48 pm | Featured Post, The Culch
2 Comments

Hi. Living such a busy life of interviewing celebs over tea; self love followed by crying; and thoughts about ending it all just to put an end to this mess I call loneliness, I sometimes miss a film screening that I was meant to be at. Sadly this happened for ‘Never Let Me Go’ and at times like this , I like to call up a man who sits behind the ‘I Heart Tea’ camera and can tell me at a moment’s notice who was the head of the second unit of ‘Uncle Buck’. May I introduce you to, Mr. Neil Fanning. - Andy Gaffney. Andy couldn’t resist making part of this post about himself even though he didn’t attend the screening. Thanks for stepping up, Neil. Make him welcome lads. - Sinéad Never Let Me Go Based on the praised Kazuo Ishiguro novel, and set in an alternative-universe England … There’s more →

On the Scratcher

  By Anto | February 22, 2011 - 3:14 pm | The Culch, Theatre
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I’m not a big theatre goer but there are certain pieces that really grab my attention. Devious Theatre‘s Scratcher was one such production and I was lucky enough to get a ticket for the sold out Dublin show last Thursday. Scratcher gives a perspective on something that all of us fear - the dole queue. It’s a stark reality for the 400,000 unemployed people in Ireland at the moment. Disaffection is rampant as is frustration and Scratcher deals with characters who decide to take a stand. There’s the arts student who just can’t make a living, the builder who does a few nixers on the side, the lad who can’t wait to get back to bed, the professional whose pride is severely dented by the position she’s found herself in. So what are they to do? Take a stand? Stop getting pissed on and get pissed off? They’ve yet to … There’s more →

Pretentious? Moi?

  By Lisa McInerney | February 22, 2011 - 2:44 pm | Movies & TV, The Culch
7 Comments

There was great rejoicing in my house recently when, on a few days off from work, I decreed that we would watch lots of movies. Possibly Himself thought that this would be his great opportunity to catch up on the latest big-name blockbusters; I didn’t think to ask. Then again, neither did he. Perhaps he didn’t qualify my definition of “movie” because he already knows what an off-centre thinker I am when it comes to visual entertainment. Either or, our recent popcorn session was spent over Black Swan, Winter’s Bone, and the like, films you need a coffee and a pompous chat after. Oh, and Afterschool. I’d been desperate to watch Afterschool for quite some time. We had a very loud sort of pompous chat after, because Himself took an immediate dislike to it. He found it disjointed, overblown, too stylised, and ultimately unfulfilling. Pretentious, I think was a term … There’s more →

Movie Review - True Grit

  By dinglesurf | February 17, 2011 - 8:19 am | Featured Post, Movies & TV
2 Comments
TRUE GRIT

Over the past decade the Coen brothers have been following a peculiar releasing pattern. For every No Country For Old Men there’s been a Burn After Reading. For every O Brother, Where Art Thou? there’s an Intolerable Cruelty. So now that they turn their bespectacled eyes to one of film’s oldest genres, The Western, have they delivered yet another exquisite masterpiece or a kooky offbeat comedy? Well I’m pleased to report that it is the former. True Grit follows young 14 year old Mattie Ross (played by newcomer Hailee Stienfield) as she hires a disreputable US Marshall, Ruben ‘Rooster’ Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to avenge her father’s death. Together with a Texas Ranger (Matt Damon) the curious posse head out into Cherokee country to track down the murderer (Josh Brolin). It’s a time-honoured horse opera story that delivers very little in the way of twists or surprises. But True Grit isn’t … There’s more →

Sweary’s Jaw: Unbeliebable.

  By Lisa McInerney | February 16, 2011 - 11:15 pm | Celebs, Gossip, Kids, Sweary's Jaw
4 Comments

I don’t remember where I was when Robbie Williams left Take That. Taking into account that I’m from Galway, I was probably stoned in a ditch somewhere. I do remember, though, that they had to open phone helplines in the UK, so distraught were TT fans. There was mass weeping and wringing of hands. There were snotty sleeves from Cornwall to Inverness. There was live footage on reputable news shows of howling teenage girls hanging onto one another for dear life, gurning through puffered-closed eyes at the cameras. It was bloody horrible. I didn’t understand it then, and even with the benefit of hindsight, I don’t understand it now. You’d swear Paul Ince was after leaving Man Utd or something. I’m reminded of such hormonal tsunamis as the Robbie Williams Meltdown whenever I see a Bieber-bot on Twitter. I shouldn’t really call them Bieber-bots, because they’re not really bots, and … There’s more →

The KILLS - Blood Pressures

  By seanear1ey | February 15, 2011 - 4:51 pm | Music, The Culch
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So, the White Stripes are no more but fear not! Hot on the heels of rock and roll twosomes are the fantastic Jamie Hince and Alison Mosshart better known as the Kills. Yes it seems Mosshart has taken time out of her leading lady duties with the Dead Weather to return to her primary rock outfit. Spanning the Atlantic ocean, American VV (Mosshart), and Brit, Hotel (Hince), return with their fourth studio album Blood Pressures due April 4th. Expect plenty of processed beats mixed with screaming guitar and sultry vocals from a band that constantly ooze sex appeal. In a dirty rock and roll kind of way. What do you need to know about the album? Well see below for all your answers…

Competition CLOSED: Gnomeo and Juliet

  By Sinead Keogh | February 15, 2011 - 9:24 am | Comedy, Competitions, Gadgets, Random Whimsy, wantsies
53 Comments

***COMPETITION CLOSED - Congratulations to Peter, Kerrie, Barbara, Cian, Karen, Val, Leann, ilovelife, Gerry Brett, Edward Curtin, Josephine M and Danny*** “Two households, both alike in gnomery, in fair veranda where we lay our scene, from ancient grudge break new pottery…” [I just made that up, but I really HOPE that's how this thing plays out]. I’ll be honest, I haven’t seen it yet, but it seems all kinds of charming. Garden gnomes taking on the tale of Romeo and Juliet, ‘ol Shakey’s finest, what’s not to love? Well, I am a tad worried that it will all end in gnomey bloodshed and garden ornaments topping themselves with the garden shears if it’s a reboot in the true sense of the word, but the lovely Red Lemonade’s review, if you haven’t read it yet, suggests that Gnomeo and Juliet is a fine and fun way to pass an hour or … There’s more →

Blog Awards 2011

  By Sinead Keogh | February 14, 2011 - 9:55 am | Events, Random Whimsy, The Culch, wantsies
6 Comments

We’re delighted to be nominated in the Pop Culture category in the Irish Blog Awards 2011. If you haven’t heard about the awards you can check out the other nominees and other categories here. The big event is happening in the Europa Hotel, Belfast on March 19th and we’re looking forward seeing everyone there. We were absolutely stunned and delighted to win the category last year so thanks a million for giving us a chance to defend our Pop Culture crown. We made a little video in the wee hours to show our appreciation…

‘CONNECTED’ at Project Arts Centre

  By Niamh | February 9, 2011 - 11:45 pm | The Culch, Theatre
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‘CONNECTED’ opened last night in Dublin’s Project Arts Centre. I had heard it was funny and that it had been nominated for Bewley’s Little Gem Award at Absolut Fringe last year…but beyond that I knew very little. Karl Quinn and Will Irvine play two best friends, Daz and Simon, who have grown up together and now work alongside each other. Having spent far too much time together, they delve into an online world where they don’t have to really connect but can talk about things like fishing and sex discos to pass the working day. The audience join them in Desert Blast, Extreme Fishing (yes, really!) and most importantly Second Life where they get to be who they want to be…Daz strangely choosing to be a busty lady called Lala. My favourite line of the night - “at least my head doesn’t look like a ping pong ball with a … There’s more →

The Strokes - New song available for FREE!

  By dinglesurf | February 9, 2011 - 10:17 pm | Music
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The Strokes are set to release the first single from their highly anticipated fourth album today - and they are giving it away for FREE! But only for the next 48hrs as a download from their website, so you better act fast. The new single entitled Under Cover Of Darkness has been heralded as a “return to form” by Rolling Stone Magazine and is sure to have music journos wetting their lips in anticipation for the forthcoming album. But enough of me prattling on, go and check it out for yourself by clicking here.

New Music: The Suicide of Western Culture

  By Éilish Burke | February 8, 2011 - 7:29 pm | Music
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Proving that it’s not just the Nordics of our Euro brethren that can release electronica ready to crawl into your earhole and linger there, is the duo from Spain known as Suicide of Western Culture. Although recorded over a year ago now, their eponymous debut album is beginning to take flight with high praise in Spain and a slot at what is shaping up to be one of the best festivals this year, Primavera Sound. All in all it looks like 2011 is going to be the breakthrough year for the pair with a penchant for Daft-Punkish facial anonymity. And it’s no wonder with tracks as lovely (and punchy) as This is The Last Time I Shake Your Hand: Taking their DIY ethos seriously and inspired by bands like Godspeed You Black Emperor the album was created in a London youth hostel using a super limited roster of equipment including … There’s more →

Comedy: Abie Philbin Bowman for the Roisin Dubh this weekend

  By Allan | February 8, 2011 - 4:18 pm | Comedy, Events
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Abie Philbin Bowman presents two of his shows this weekend in the Roisin Dubh in Galway. On Friday February 11 at 8.30, Abie will perform Sex Lies & the KKK, and on Saturday February 12 at 8.30, Eco Friendly Jihad. “Way beyond superficial satire… Absorbing, intricately woven, challenging and highly entertaining.” – Malcolm Hay, TimeOut Tickets are available from the Róisín Dubh and www.roisindubh.net and cost €14 (€10 members).

Review - Chalet Girl

  By dinglesurf | February 8, 2011 - 12:46 pm | Movies & TV
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ffix+chalet+girl+05

Let’s get this straight. I don’t watch T4. I don’t have Twilight posters splashed all over my room. And I don’t navigate my iPod to my latest Lady GaGa playlist every time I turn it on. And therefore I am probably not within the target demographic for first time director Phil Traill’s Chalet Girl. But I do (don’t tell the lads down the pub this) enjoy a good rom-com, and one that is set upon the backdrop of extreme sports and has comedy legends, Bill Nighy and Bailey in the cast, I am willing to give a go… Chalet Girl sees feisty skateboard prodigy Kim Matthews (played with admirable spirit by Felicity Jones) propelled into the upper-class world of a glitzy Alpine ski resort when she is forced to become the breadwinner for her family after the untimely death of her mother. In the space of one winter season she … There’s more →

Review - As If I Am Not There

  By dinglesurf | February 8, 2011 - 9:10 am | Movies & TV
1 Comment
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Think of great prisoner of war films and you may think of Bridge On The River Kwai or Schindler’s List, to name just a couple. True masterpieces of their genres but too often focusing on the male perspective of these awful atrocities. So what makes As If I Am Not There so unique is that this time, the focus is on the women. The story follows Samira (Natasa Petrovic) who soon after taking her first teaching job in a rural village finds herself in the middle of the burgeoning Bosnian war. Enslaved into a concentration camp with only women and children (all the men being executed) by the Serbians, Samira is forced into a life of sexual servitude and humiliation. Soon she realises that her looks are her only chance of survival, but at what price to herself?