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July is all about the Olympics with Peacock, but that’s just scratching the surface. With a major WWE event, fireworks, the Tour de France and movies galore, Peacock has never been a better value.

Great films coming to the service include “The Big Lebowski,” “The Fifth Element,” “Jaws,” The “Men In Black” trilogy, “Pitch Perfect,” “Titanic”, “Purple Rain,” and “Office Space.”

Sign Up $5.99+ / month peacocktv.com Use the code PEACZL3V0D1 to get a full year for just $30! What are the 5 Best Shows, Movies, and Specials Coming to Peacock in July 2024? Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony | July 26

The world’s best athletes go for gold in Paris and you can catch the best lineup of events on Peacock! It all starts with the breathtaking opening ceremony on July 26.

For the first time ever, the ceremony won’t be inside a stadium. The entire event will play out against the backdrop of the Seine river.

Welcome to The B-Side, from The Film Stage. Here we talk about movie directors! Not the movies that made them famous or kept them famous, but the ones that they made in between.

Today we’re honored to chat with iconic director John Sayles, whose essential crime epic Lone Star is now available from The Criterion Collection in both 4K Uhd + Blu-ray.

Our B-Sides today include Limbo, Amigo, and Go For Sisters. We also discuss Sayles’ parallel careers as a screenwriter and a novelist. He talks about the work he did on the Toshirô Mifune/Scott Glenn actioner The Challenge (director John Frankenheimer asking him to write new draft over a weekend before an impending strike); he discusses what he learned working for Roger Corman early in his career; which genre he’s still itching to direct; his love of the recent Godzilla Minus One; and the slew of scripts that never got made.

One of independent film’s key players, Ray Price, died July 16 at the age of 75 from heart failure after a long battle with cancer, his long-term partner Meg Madison confirmed.

Talking to Price about movies, past and present, was an exhilarating sport that could take a while. He knew his stuff — no one loved movies more — but more than anyone during the great indie decades of the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s, he was a respected innovator who thought outside the box. He began as an exhibitor in San Francisco and moved on to marketing, releasing, and distributing movies, leaning toward the outrageous in how he lured audiences to sample challenging fare.

“Ray, while being a defiantly singular individual, was also emblematic of a bygone age of independent film,” Magnolia Pictures co-ceo Eamonn Bowles wrote me in an email. “From theatre chain owner to distributor, exquisite marketer, and production exec, he...

Ray Price, a respected producer of indie filmmaking, died July 16 from heart failure after a long battle with cancer. The news was confirmed by his long-term partner Meg Madison. He was 75 years old.

Price launched his film career in 1972, managing the Berkeley storefront theater the Rialto, and went on to build with Allen Michaan Renaissance Theaters, an independent art film chain that became one of the largest (33 at its peak) in the Bay Area and was later sold to the Landmark Theatre circuit.

A tough negotiator and exacting exhibitor, under Price’s stewardship, Renaissance Theaters were renowned for redesigning marketing materials, from posters to press books — designs that fledgling distributors often adopted when the films hadn’t found success in other markets.

At a time when most top arthouse distributors focused on established auteurs from Europe and Asia, Renaissance Theaters exploded those norms by programming new American directors like Martin Scorsese and John Cassavetes.

Ray Price, an indie film producer and marketing veteran, died on July 16 of heart failure after battling cancer, his longterm partner Meg Madison confirmed. He was 75.

During his career in film, Price was president of Francis Ford Coppola’s production company American Zoetrope and First Look Pictures and a marketing and distribution exec for Landmark Theatres, Trimark Pictures and 2929 Entertainment. He also supported up-and-coming filmmakers like Tran Anh Hung (“The Scent of Green Papaya”), Gurinder Chadha (“Bhaji on The Beach”), Carl Franklin (“One False Move”), Allison Anders (“Gas Food Lodging”) and John Sayles (“The Secret of Roan Inish”).

“Ray, while being a defiantly singular individual, was also emblematic of a bygone age of independent film,” said Magnolia Pictures co-ceo Eamonn Bowles in a statement. “From theatre chain owner to distributor, exquisite marketer, and production exec, he always sought out novel ways of approaching things. He truly was a rebel...

Ray Price, the respected indie film innovator who served as president of American Zoetrope and First Look Pictures and as a marketing and distribution executive for companies including Landmark Theatres and Trimark Pictures, has died. He was 75.

Price died Sunday at Whittier Hospital Medical Center from heart failure after a long battle with cancer, his longtime partner, Meg Madison, said.

Throughout his career, Price displayed an encyclopedic knowledge of film, mentored generations of executives and leaned toward the outrageous in the ways he lured audiences to sample challenging movies.

Along the way, he championed filmmakers including Carl Franklin (1992’s One False Move), Allison Anders (1992’s Gas Food Lodging), Tran Anh Hung (1993’s The Scent of Green Papaya), Gurinder Chadha (1993’s Bhaji on the Beach) and John Sayles (1994’s The Secret of Roan Inish).

“Ray, while being a defiantly singular individual, was also emblematic of a bygone age of independent film,...

Cinematography retrospectives are the way to go—more than a thorough display of talent, it exposes the vast expanse a Dp will travel, like an education in form and business all the same. Accordingly I’m happy to see the Criterion Channel give a 25-film tribute to James Wong Howe, whose career spanned silent cinema to the ’70s, populated with work by Howard Hawks, Michael Curtz, Samuel Fuller, Alexander Mackendrick, Sydney Pollack, John Frankenheimer, and Raoul Walsh.

Further retrospectives are granted to Romy Schneider (recent repertory sensation La piscine among them), Carlos Saura (finally a chance to see Peppermint frappe!), the British New Wave, and groundbreaking distributor Cinema 5, who brought to U.S. shores everything from The Man Who Fell to Earth and Putney Swope to Pumping Iron and Scenes from a Marriage.

September also yields streaming premieres for the recently restored Bronco Bullfrog, Ang Lee’s Pushing Hands,...

“The Wheel of Time” costume designer Isis Mussenden grew up in Hollywood, although not inside the industry itself. “Insecure” costume designer Shiona Turini started her career in editorial at brands like Cosmopolitan and Teen Vogue before becoming a top stylist. “The Great” Season 2 costumer Sharon Long had her first on-set experience happen on “The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lever,” while “Cowboy Bebop” costume designer Jane Holland scored her big break on the set of Jane Campion’s “The Piano.” “Foundation” costume designer Eimer Ní Mhaoldomhnaigh studied fashion in her home country of Ireland before landing her first major gig as the costume assistant on “The Secret of Roan Inish.”

The paths these five women took to become top costume designers in the industry are all different, but their skills as artisans and appreciation for the importance of the work of their peers is in lockstep. That unity shines...

Like a fairy trapped in a cage, there’s a different movie trapped inside “Artemis Fowl,” struggling to break free of the more conventional trappings of the big, kids-oriented fantasy adventure story that premieres on June 12 on Disney+.

And by the way, there’s a real fairy trapped in a cage in “Artemis Fowl,” along with a whole lot of dwarves, goblins, elves, trolls, the occasional centaur and enough other magical creatures to make a lot of “Harry Potter” fans happy, along with scattered aficionados of, say, “The Chronicles of Narnia” and “His Dark Materials” and even “Star Wars.”

But while an energetic kids’ fantasy with cool creatures fighting each other is probably a reasonable win for Disney’s new premium service in these days before most theaters reopen, it’s hard to watch it as an adult and not wish for something that produced a little more magic of its own.

Memorial service set for June 30 in Beverly Hills.

Friends and family will convence on June 30 in Los Angeles to celebrate the life of indie film pioneer, producer and sales agent Robbie Little

The event follows a gathering that took place in Cannes last month following Little’s sudden death en route to the festival and market.

The invitation to the June 30 celebration bears the legend ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ – the famous anthem of Liverpool Football Club, whom the Liverpool-born independent film champion, Afm co-founder, and co-founder of The Little Film Company had supported his entire life.

The service will...

Robbie Little, a familiar and well-loved figure at film markets who founded the Little Film Company with his wife Ellen, died en route to Cannes this May.

Robbie Little

Robbie Little’s Celebration of Life

will be held Saturday, June 30 at 2:30pm

at Ahrya Fine Arts Laemmle Theater

8556 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211

Robbie and his wife Ellen worked on financing, producing and distributing more than 300 films, including Waking Ned Devine, The Secret of Roan Inish, Mrs. Dalloway and Before Night Falls.

Little executive produced Tsotsi, which won the 2006 Best Foreign Language Film Oscar for South Africa.

He was the co-president of The Little Film Company, an worldwide film sales and marketing company that he founded with his wife of 44 years, Ellen. Little also executive-produced and sold the Leo Tolstoy drama The Last Station, The Eye of the Storm starring Charlotte Ramping and Geoffrey Rush, Scott Glenn vehicle The...

Beloved producer and sales agent died last week.

Friends and colleagues will gather on Sunday (13) in Cannes to celebrate the life of Robbie Little, the independent film industry stalwart who died last week en route to the market.

The event is scheduled to take place at The Members Club at Plage 45 from 6.30-9pm. Producer Debbie Gray and fellow organisers of the evening said those who knew Little are welcome to attend.

Little, the British producer and sales agent, died unexpectedly in London as he was preparing to travel to Cannes. He is survived by his wife and The Little Film Company co-president Ellen Little.

Robbie Little, a familiar and well-loved figure at film markets who founded the Little Film Company with his wife Ellen, has died.

“Thank you, Sydney, for this loving tribute. You know, I remembered at some point that Robbie had called me around 1 am my time to say that he was up and getting ready to leave (and he sounded fine). So I realized he must have been awake and not asleep when he died so I e-mailed the police officer who found him and he confirmed to me that Robbie was on the floor and not in bed. It must have happened very fast because he didn’t have time to call for help. Love, Ellen”

Ellen Little became concerned when she had not heard from him four hours after he was to arrive in Cannes and called the hotel where he was staying in London. When they said he had checked out,...

Robbie Little, a British producer and familiar figure at film markets who founded the Little Film Company with his wife Ellen, has died.

Little had been traveling to the Cannes Film Festival from London when he died unexpectedly, according to Screen International.

He was working on the drama “Mrs Lowry & Son” with Timothy Spall and Vanessa Redgrave, as well as on “The More You Ignore Me.”

Little, together with his wife, has worked on financing, producing and distributing more than 300 films, including “Waking Ned Devine,” “The Secret of Roan Inish,” “Mrs. Dalloway” and “Before Night Falls.”

After moving from Italy to Los Angeles, he founded Overseas Film Group, and later First Look Media. As a founding member of the Independent Film and Television Alliance, he was active at the American Film Market since its beginning in the 1980s.

Together with his wife, Little was also a founding member of The Archive Council,...

Fixture of independent film world had been planning to attend Cannes with Mrs Lowry & Son.

Robbie Little, the British producer, co-president of The Little Film Company and stalwart of the independent world, has died unexpectedly in London en route to Cannes.

Little, who served alongside his wife Ellen, was a widely admired, deeply experienced and beloved figure in the film industry. At the time of his death he was working with producer Debbie Gray on the Timothy Spall and Vanessa Redgrave drama Mrs Lowry & Son and The More You Ignore Me, and was planning to continue talks with international buyers on the Croisette.

While the holidays unfolded, we lost two of the greatest photographers to ever work in cinema, and it's only when you look back at the filmography they leave behind and the legacy they passed on to all the cameramen who worked under them and then went on to shoot films of their own that you understand the magnitude of what we've lost. There was a point in my own film education when I stopped going from actor to actor or from director to director in the way I was watching movies and spent a summer going from cinematographer to cinematographer, and doing that proved to be an education in the tricky definition of what we call "authorial voice" in film. I think it is only in collaboration that magic happens, and one of the people who has to be absolutely killing it for that to work is the cinematographer. The...

Highly respected producer worked on Joanna Hogg’s Archipelago and Sally El Hosaini’s My Brother the Devil.

British producer Gayle Griffiths has died following a battle with cancer. She was 49.

Griffiths, who died on Friday (Oct 23) in London, was perhaps best known for producing Joanna Hogg films Archipelago (2010) and Exhibition (2013), which both starred Tom Hiddleston, as well as urban drama My Brother The Devil (2012).

Sally El Hosani, director of My Brother The Devil, wrote on Facebook: “I can honestly say that the film wouldn’t have been what it was without her input and wisdom. She had real vision and believed in the film when many others in the industry didn’t. She was a fighter with a truly generous heart and empathy for the underdog.

“She was never one to make a fuss about her health and all through the filming of My Brother The Devil nobody would have guessed she was also having cancer...

Before he received acclaim as a writer/director of such films as Brother from Another Planet (’84), Matewan (’87), and The Secret of Roan Inish (’94), John Sayles made a splash on the horror scene as the writer of fun, clever satires such as Piranha (’78) and The Howling (’81). However, he did another that doesn’t get nearly as much love, and that’s his ode to an overgrown reptile, Lewis Teague’s Alligator (’80). Which is a shame, as it is just as much of a blast as the other two.

Alligator was released in July to solid reviews, and tripled its budget in returns, bringing in $6.5 million U.S. Not too bad for an independent (Group 1 International Distribution Organisation Ltd., the fine folks behind Ufo’s Are Real), and a good indicator that horror fans are always up for a smart romp. Alligator glides through that sweet swamp filled with fear and good humor.

At a loss for what to watch this week? From new DVDs and Blu-rays, to what's streaming on Netflix, we've got you covered.

TV Worth Watching

"7 Days in Hell" (Saturday on HBO at 10 p.m.)

Bless whoever came up with this random 45-minute mockumentary about an epic seven-day tennis match. Andy Samberg -- looking more "Joe Dirt" David Spade than Andre Agassi -- and Kit Harington (Jon Snow + comedy = win) are the players, with real tennis stars like Serena Williams and John McEnroe giving commentary.

"The Spoils Before Dying" (Wednesday on IFC at 9 p.m.)

Are you ready for this three-night television event? Not possible! But it's coming anyway. "The Spoils Before Dying" is the comedy follow-up to "The Spoils of Babylon" miniseries. This spoof once again stars Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig, Haley Joel Osment, Val Kilmer, Michael Sheen, Maya Rudolph and more, this time following a 1950s jazz pianist...

It’s almost July and that means Netflix is about to give their content a refresh. Some of the notable titles leaving include: Super Troopers, Descent, and The Muppets take Manhattan. So if you haven’t seen some of these titles, plan your nights accordingly. We of course can look forward more than a few new titles including the premiere of Bojack Horseman’s second season (voiced by Will Arnett) and one of my favorite movies Alive, pictured above.

We also get the return of Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp; the eight-episode series is a prequel to Wain’s 2001 film Wet Hot American Summer. The series will launch July 31.

Available July 1

Alive (1993)

An Honest Liar (2014)

Bad Hair Day (2015)

Bionicle: The Legend Reborn (2009)

Bulworth (1998)

Dave Attell: Road Work (2014)

Death in Paradise: Season Three (2014)

Grandma’s Boy (2006)

Hostage (2005)

Invizimals: The Alliance Files (2014)

La Reina del Sur (2011)

Octonauts:...

Read More: 9 Indie Tearjerkers Now Streaming on Netflix With summer heating up and humidity on the rise, Netflix is offering a handful of new titles to keep indoor streaming as relaxed and enjoyable as ever. This July, new titles featuring A-list stars like Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper and Angelina Jolie are making their way onto the streaming platform, as are some new cult classics and genre favorites. Check out all of the July additions to Netflix below, plus Indiewire's picks on what to stream. Available 7/1 "Alive" (1993) "Bulworth" (1998) "Grandma's Boy" (2006) "Hostage" (2005) "Piglet's Big Movie" (2003) "Saw V" (2008) "Set Fire to the Stars" (2014) "Shooting Fish" (1997) "The Secret of Roan Inish" (1994) "Underworld: Evolution" (2006) Available 7/4 "Faults" (2014) Available 7/9 "Serena" (2015) Available 7/14 "Goodbye to All That"...

If you want to see the new horror film, "Creep," about a videographer who answers an ad on Craigslist and soon finds the assignment is not what it seems, it's available only on Netflix. Writer-director Mark Duplass stars in the film, which is available to stream on July 14.

Also new on Netflix in July: The latest Chris Tucker comedy special, the critically panned Jennifer Lawrence period film "Serena," Spike Lee's "Da Sweet Blood of Jesus," and the thriller "The Guest" (starring "Downton Abbey's" Dan Stevens).

You can also catch up with the final seasons of "Glee" and "White Collar."

Below is a full rundown of what's new on Netflix in July 2015, provided by Netflix. As always, all titles and dates are subject to change. We've also got you covered in terms of what's leaving Netflix in July 2015.

Available July 1

"Alive" (1993)

"An Honest Liar" (2014)

"Bad Hair Day" (2015)

"Bionicle: The Legend Reborn...

Do you know who your friends are? Sure, you may associate with various other humans in your day-to-day existence – a mother here, an over-friendly co-worker there – but do you really know them? Are you 100% sure that Lawrence from the office isn’t really a harp seal in disguise? I ask this because the Selkie menace is at an all-time high. The last big Selkie resurgence was in 2010, when the Colin Farrell flick Ondine made brief mention of them. Before that was 1994, and The Secret of Roan Inish, also with Selkies. Oh, and for the uninitiated: Selkie (sel-kie) n. A creature or spirit in Scottish and Irish folklore that has the form of a seal but can also assume human form. (Thanks, free internet dictionary.) In greater detail, they’re seals that, when underwater, look and act totally like seals. But they also have the ability to strip all that sealskin off their bodies and blend in with...

While you dine on your corned beef and cabbage this lovely St. Patrick's Day, you may want to watch one of GossipCenter's favorite Irish films in honor of the Shamrock-laden holiday.

Whether it's hunky brothers in Boston you're after in "Boondock Saints" or Daniel Day-Lewis' captivating portrayal of Christy Brown in "My Left Foot," we're sure you will not be left disappointed after watching one our seven recommendations below! Happy St. Patty's Day!

"My Left Foot" (1989)

Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Brenda Fricker and Alison Whelan, this bio-pic follows the story of Christy Brown who learns to adapt with his cerebral palsy by painting and writing with his only controllable limb, his left foot.

"Waking Ned Devine" 1998

Written and directed by Kirk Jones, the hilarious comedy is about Irish townsfolk attempting to claim money from the lottery after the winner unfortunately dies from shock. The cast includes Ian Bannen, David Kelly and Fionnula Flanagan.

Tim here with some great news for everyone who loved the 2009 Best Animated Feature Oscar nominne The Secret of Kells (which should, really, be everyone). Gkids, the indie that Kells first put on the map, has announced that they'll be distributing diretor Tomm Moore's second feature, Song of the Sea, though they've rather cagily failed to announce a date just yet (the film is still in production). Based on the distributor's past history, I'd expect an Oscar-qualifying run in the fall, followed by a full release sometime in the spring of 2015, which isn't terribly comforting to those of us who want to see it, like, now. Just based on the images available on Moore's blog for the movie, it looks like the animators at Cartoon Saloon have taken the illuminated manuscript aesthetic gone to even richer, more tactile places.

 

Like The Secret of Kells, the new movie tells a...

As soon as I heard about the Austin Film Society's special screening of Matewan with director John Sayles in attendance, I purchased my ticket. I've made it a point to see as many Sayles movies as I can, since seeing my first (The Secret of Roan Inish) as a teenager.  Unfortunately, the quality of the Matewan DVD I rented a few years back was so awful that I couldn't watch more than 5 minutes of it -- the sound was terrible.  I couldn't pass up an opportunity to see the 35mm print at the Marchesa.

I spied the director's tall form in the Marchesa lobby, among the booths at the Blue Genie bazaar, before we were seated.  After being introduced to the audience, Sayles explained to us the correct pronunciation for the town in the title: Mayte-one, not Matt-uh-won (which is how I'd been saying it, oops).  He then told us...

Blu-ray & DVD Release Date: March 27, 2012

Price: DVD $26.98, Blu-ray $29.99

Studio: Anchor Bay

The man hard at work in Corman's World.

The 2011 documentary film Corman’s World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel presents a truly star-studded tribute to Roger Corman, Hollywood’s most prolific writer-director-producer and seminal influencing force in modern moviemaking over the past 60 years.

One of the most influential and prolific Hollywood filmmakers in the history of the medium (he’s made more than 300 films!), Corman’s imprint on American cinema not only spans over six decades, but has resulted in creating an indelible cinematic body of work (from 1962’s I Hate Your Guts! to 2010’s Sharktopus) as well as a legacy of training the next generation of actors, writer, directors and producers – many of whom have created cinema masterpieces of their own.

Directed by Alex Stapleton, Corman’s World‘s interview roster boasts such Hollywood icons and cinematic luminaries...

Release Date: Nov. 8, 2011

Price: DVD $29.95

Studio: Kino Lorber

David Lynch is one of ten filmmakers included in the documentary Great Directors.

Ten of the world’s top filmmakers discuss their craft in first-time director Angela Ismailos’ 2009 documentary film Great Directors.

The lineup is an impressive one: Bernardo Bertolucci (Last Tango in Paris), David Lynch (Blue Velvet), Stephen Frears (Tamara Drewe), Agnes Varda (Vagabond), Ken Loach (Kes), Liliana Cavani (The Night Porter), Todd Haynes (Poison), Catherine Breillat (Bluebeard), Richard Linklater (Dazed and Confused) and John Sayles (The Secret of Roan Inish).

They all open up about their careers with candor and humor. They speak about everything from their personal artistic evolutions to the roles that politics and history play in their movies. Most satisfyingly, they all honor their influences, from Todd Haynes on Fassbinder (I Only Want You to Love Me) to Breillat on Ingmar Bergman (Face to Face) to Lynch...

Scene from Amigo. Photo by Mary Cybulski, Courtesy Variance Films/Anarchists' Convention The iconic John Sayles is a director known for his iconoclasm. His 17 feature films are tough to categorize, with subjects ranging from a sleepy Irish fishing village (The Secret of Roan Inish) to the 1919 Chicago White Sox scandal (Eight Men Out) to a Texas border town (Lone Star) to the Louisiana bayou (Passion Fish); what they have in common are complex characters in situations where the right thing to do is not always cut-and-dried. In his latest film, Amigo, Sayles traveled to the Philippines, where he cast local actors (Filipino star Joel Torre among them) alongside Americans (Chris Cooper, Garret Dillahunt, DJ Qualls) to portray two of the many sides of the Philippine-American War. What war, you say? That was exactly Sayles' reaction when he first learned about this not-in-history books conflict, which lasted 2 to 14 years, depending ...

There aren't many directors like John Sayles. The man may have begun his career working for Roger Corman, and he has made a living doing studio rewrite gigs (many uncredited) over the years. But he has also carved out a unique career as a director of films that aren't quite like those made by anyone else. He had a great run of films from the mid-'80s to the late '90s (Matewan, Eight Men Out, City of Hope, Passion Fish, The Secret of Roan Inish, Lone Star and Men With Guns) and has made several films with the great actor Chris Cooper. Their latest is Amigo, set during the Philippine-American war. The film premiered to mixed reception at Tiff last year, and now you can see the latest trailer below. Sadly, this trailer is pretty terrilbe -- the voiceover is awful, and the way the footage is cut underscores...

We start the Top 7. You finish the Top 10.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, starring Johnny Depp, brings mermaids back to the big screen. If you get the urge to see mermaids (or other similar sea women) at home, try out some of these titles. It’s The Scorecard Review’s Top 7 Mermaid Movies.

Read Jeff Bayer’s full “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” scorecard review

Read Aaron Ruffcorn’s Top 7 “Pirates of the Caribbean” Characters

7. Night Tide (1961)

Recap: Sailor Johnny Drake (Dennis Hopper) meets a beautiful woman named Mora (Linda Lawson) while on shore leave in Santa Monica. He pursues her and things seem to be going well, until she reveals that she not only plays a mermaid on the Amusement Pier, but also believes she’s really a “sea person.” Then Johnny learns two of her past boyfriends died mysteriously and wonders if he’s in trouble.

As Dustin will attest, after going on a Michael Fassbender Bender a few weeks ago, I started a list called "The Best Irish Films." Then I scrapped that list because I somehow felt obliged to watch all the Irish films before being qualified to talk about "The Best". But you can't watch all the Irish films, folks and when you try, as I did, you end up watching a lot of films on terrorism. And then everything gets a little bleak. And then you have to wash your soul in whiskey and start again. I didn't make it, friends. I didn't watch them all. So I'm renaming this list "My Favorite Irish Films" and, to add insult to injury, I'm going to use a fairly loose definition of "Irish" (Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Irishmen Abroad!)

Also, lucky for me, a lovely and comprehensive article about Irish biopics was already...

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

We love this holiday — afterall, we’re green every day of the year! But today, Disc Dish is going Irish with five great movie picks from our friend and fellow movie lover Irish-American Janine McGoldrick.

So, pour yourself a pint of Guinness and pick one of the films below to watch this St. Paddy’s Day.

Take it away, Janine…

5. Man of Aran (1934)

Man of Aran, 1934

At the suggestion of my brother, my family sat down for a viewing of Man of Aran before our first trip to Ireland. A documentary-style fiction from groundbreaking American filmmaker Robert Flaherty (Nanook of the North), the film depicts the simple-yet-grueling life on the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland in the early 20th century. You won’t find the typical rolling green pastures filled with fluffy white sheep in this movie. The land is harsh and barren,...

Irish actor Mick Lally has died at the age of 64.

The popular star, born Michael Lally, passed away last Tuesday in Dublin after suffering from a brief illness.

Lally co-founded Galway's Druid Theater troupe with actress Marie Mullen and Garry Hynes in 1975 and he went on to find fame on hit Irish TV soap Glenroe, on which he portrayed farmer Miley Bryne.

He also appeared in films such as 1994 fantasy The Secret of Roan Inish and voiced the character of Aiden in the Oscar-nominated animated movie The Secret of Kells last year.

Lally is survived by his wife Peige and three children.

Let me throw up a tantalizing offer for you, like an all-you-can-eat buffet featuring King Crab Legs at a seaside resort!!! Neil Jordan made a relatively unheard-of little film with money from the Irish Film Board, a PG-13 film mind you, starring Colin Farrell as a fisherman who discovers a mysterious woman in his net who may or may not be a mermaid. Digest a bit, maybe walk around on the shore before you make your decision.

Sounds promising, no? Yet when you come through the doors, you're face to face with a bloated, soggy-fried lumps of still-partially frozen clams version of a fairy tale that leaves you nauseous. Ondine is Jordan's inside out version of the legend of the selkie. Except it gets parboiled and leeched of all color through a filter of misbegotten Irish woe. The strangest part is the acting's better than fine, albeit peppered with a bevy of confounding accents,...

By Scott Weinberg (reprint from 4/22/10 -- Tribeca Film Festival)

Take a dash of Splash, a generous pinch of The Secret of Roan Inish, and a healthy portion of low-key and very effective Irish charm, and the result is Ondine, a sweet and frankly lovely little film from Neil Jordan. Best known for movies like Mona Lisa, The Crying Game, Interview with the Vampire, Michael Collins, and The Brave One, Jordan approaches his latest project as if it's a modern-day fairy tale -- while probably hoping that his audience is not too cynical to play along.

Colin Farrell stars (and excels) as a fisherman with a handicapped daughter, a dumpy trawler, and a history of alcoholism. But things take a turn for the weird once the lovely Ondine (Alicja Bachleda) pops up in one of Syracuse's fishing nets. At first he believes the stunning woman to be a figment of his imagination,...

Take a dash of Splash, a generous pinch of The Secret of Roan Inish, and a healthy portion of low-key and very effective Irish charm, and the result is Ondine, a sweet and frankly lovely little film from Neil Jordan. Best known for movies like Mona Lisa, The Crying Game, Interview with the Vampire, Michael Collins, and The Brave One, Jordan approaches his latest project as if it's a modern-day fairy tale -- while probably hoping that his audience is not too cynical to play along.

Colin Farrell stars (and excels) as a fisherman with a handicapped daughter, a dumpy trawler, and a history of alcoholism. But things take a turn for the weird once the lovely Ondine (Alicja Bachleda) pops up in one of Syracuse's fishing nets. At first he believes the stunning woman to be a figment of his imagination, but reality kicks in once his adorable but...

Irish films generally fall into a few limited categories. There's the dark and dour movies that explore their troubled history with the Ira (Bloody Sunday), films that focus on abuses at the hands of misguided and violent authority figures (The Magdalene Sisters), movies where people sing bad songs poorly (Once), and then there's the whimsical fantasies about seal people attempting to enslave humanity (The Secret of Roan Inish). That's it really. But now a fifth category can be added to the official Irish film canon... zany comedy! Zonad is about the people of a small town in Ireland that witness a comet streak across the sky and the arrival of a strange visitor. Zonad is his name, and dressing like a sausage is his game. Not really, but his outfit is pretty damn tight. He claims to be from outer space, and his interactions and relationships with the townsfolk form the basis of this new fish out...