[Editor's note: If anyone says 2010 was a sh!% year for movies, please refer them to this post.]
Instead of the usual "best" or "worst" films of the year lists, I thought a good way to take a look at the highs and lows of the 2010 film year would be to compile almost every single review we published in 2010 and let readers meander through the wasteland as it were.
I'm really amazed at the range of films we managed to cover from around the globe this year. Quiet Earth has certainly come a long way over the years and it's really due to the talents and passion of our team of writers who literally travel a world of fests to bring news and reviews of new films.
I hope you're all taking notes. Many of these films were from fests and will probably be hitting VOD and Blu-ray sometime in the new year, so this is a good chance to get a start on your must-watch lists.
The...
Instead of the usual "best" or "worst" films of the year lists, I thought a good way to take a look at the highs and lows of the 2010 film year would be to compile almost every single review we published in 2010 and let readers meander through the wasteland as it were.
I'm really amazed at the range of films we managed to cover from around the globe this year. Quiet Earth has certainly come a long way over the years and it's really due to the talents and passion of our team of writers who literally travel a world of fests to bring news and reviews of new films.
I hope you're all taking notes. Many of these films were from fests and will probably be hitting VOD and Blu-ray sometime in the new year, so this is a good chance to get a start on your must-watch lists.
The...
- 12/31/2010
- QuietEarth.us
I've been waiting to see footage on this film for months now, as we've been sitting on a review from our own Alan MaxWell for some time now, and he calls this "a distinctive vision of the future". Well finally, co-director Richard West passed off the exclusive trailer to us this morning so we can share with you now what we've been looking forward too. Now, if I could only talk them into a screener.
Northern Ireland, the future: in a post apocalyptic landscape of decaying towns and primitive technology, two people set out on a journey. Ulster has become a depopulated, feudal and dangerous wilderness where people have forgotten the past and are confused about the ruins that surround them. They distract themselves with improvised ceremonies and games but feel threatened by a world they do not understand. What will await the travellers at the end of their journey?...
Northern Ireland, the future: in a post apocalyptic landscape of decaying towns and primitive technology, two people set out on a journey. Ulster has become a depopulated, feudal and dangerous wilderness where people have forgotten the past and are confused about the ruins that surround them. They distract themselves with improvised ceremonies and games but feel threatened by a world they do not understand. What will await the travellers at the end of their journey?...
- 2/2/2010
- QuietEarth.us
Year: 2009
Directors: Factotum (Stephen Hackett & Richard West)
Writers: Factotum
IMDb: link
Trailer: link
Review by: Alan Maxwell
Rating: 7 out of 10
The arts collective known as Factotum have long been an important part of Belfast's cultural landscape through their exhibitions, events and their own newspaper but Ditching marks their debut in the world of feature filmmaking. While the film never quite achieves the lofty heights it obviously has in mind, there is every reason to hope that this will not be their last celluloid endeavour.
Northern Ireland, the future. A major event, though we know not what nor when, has resulted in an almost total breakdown of society. The remaining survivors are left to scrape a daily existence from the land, wandering aimlessly through a desolate wasteland dotted with the occasional ruined building.
This is not some big-budget, post-nuclear Hollywood future where gangs do battle on souped-up machines with radioactive mutants.
Directors: Factotum (Stephen Hackett & Richard West)
Writers: Factotum
IMDb: link
Trailer: link
Review by: Alan Maxwell
Rating: 7 out of 10
The arts collective known as Factotum have long been an important part of Belfast's cultural landscape through their exhibitions, events and their own newspaper but Ditching marks their debut in the world of feature filmmaking. While the film never quite achieves the lofty heights it obviously has in mind, there is every reason to hope that this will not be their last celluloid endeavour.
Northern Ireland, the future. A major event, though we know not what nor when, has resulted in an almost total breakdown of society. The remaining survivors are left to scrape a daily existence from the land, wandering aimlessly through a desolate wasteland dotted with the occasional ruined building.
This is not some big-budget, post-nuclear Hollywood future where gangs do battle on souped-up machines with radioactive mutants.
- 2/2/2010
- QuietEarth.us
Year: 2009
Directors: John Carney
Writers: John Carney & Kieran Carney
IMDb: link
Trailer: link
Review by: Alan Maxwell
Rating: 8 out of 10
In a small Irish town that feels like some Pleasantville-inspired alternate reality where the 1950s have never ended, the happy Cassidy family return home from watching a meteor shower to discover a portly man (Simon Delaney) in an outrageous outfit lying in the front room of their house. His name is Zonad and he's from outer space.
Or at least that's his story. The audience are very quickly alerted to the fact that this man isn't all he seems but in keeping this secret hidden from the population of the town, writer-director partnership John and Kieran Carney wring plenty of laughs from the contrast between our cynical modern attitudes represented by Zonad and the idealised vision of happiness that forms the life of the rest of the cast.
Despite the...
Directors: John Carney
Writers: John Carney & Kieran Carney
IMDb: link
Trailer: link
Review by: Alan Maxwell
Rating: 8 out of 10
In a small Irish town that feels like some Pleasantville-inspired alternate reality where the 1950s have never ended, the happy Cassidy family return home from watching a meteor shower to discover a portly man (Simon Delaney) in an outrageous outfit lying in the front room of their house. His name is Zonad and he's from outer space.
Or at least that's his story. The audience are very quickly alerted to the fact that this man isn't all he seems but in keeping this secret hidden from the population of the town, writer-director partnership John and Kieran Carney wring plenty of laughs from the contrast between our cynical modern attitudes represented by Zonad and the idealised vision of happiness that forms the life of the rest of the cast.
Despite the...
- 2/1/2010
- QuietEarth.us
We've been sitting on a review of this Irish film for months now, and no matter how I pestered the production company, they wouldn't release anything on it, that is, till now. Our own Alan Maxwell calls this "an absolute joy from start to finish".
From beyond the very limits of our imagination comes a stranger. Who is he? What is he? And why is he so thirsty? These are the very questions asked by the inhabitants of Ballymoran, a sleepy village nestled deep in the Gilhooly mountains when they discover a “visitor” in their midst.
Teaser after the break.
Embedded video stripped, see full HTML version.
From beyond the very limits of our imagination comes a stranger. Who is he? What is he? And why is he so thirsty? These are the very questions asked by the inhabitants of Ballymoran, a sleepy village nestled deep in the Gilhooly mountains when they discover a “visitor” in their midst.
Teaser after the break.
Embedded video stripped, see full HTML version.
- 2/1/2010
- QuietEarth.us
Finally! After months of hounding the production company they finally released a trailer for Pa drama One Hundred Mornings today. This is one we've been waiting on forever, since our own Alan Maxwell (review) absolutely loved the film.
Synopsis:
Two couples hide out in a remote holiday home, trying to escape the consequences of a breakdown of society. Their relationships deteriorate as supplies grow scarce and they face increasing threats from hungry outsiders. In order to increase their chances of survival, they each have to make choices they never imagined would confront them.
This is powerful, well written stuff. Can't wait.
Trailer after the break.
Embedded video stripped, see full HTML version.
Synopsis:
Two couples hide out in a remote holiday home, trying to escape the consequences of a breakdown of society. Their relationships deteriorate as supplies grow scarce and they face increasing threats from hungry outsiders. In order to increase their chances of survival, they each have to make choices they never imagined would confront them.
This is powerful, well written stuff. Can't wait.
Trailer after the break.
Embedded video stripped, see full HTML version.
- 1/21/2010
- QuietEarth.us
We first reported on this in June and have been closely following it since. Our own Ireland/Scotland floating correspondent Alan Maxwell saw the film and loved it so much, he gave it a whopping rating of 9 out of 10 calling it "uncomfortably realistic vision of the breakdown of society". While we're still waiting on a trailer, we now have the first stills for you, so enjoy!
Two couples hide out in a remote holiday home, trying to escape the consequences of a breakdown of society. Their relationships deteriorate as supplies grow scarce and they face increasing threats from hungry outsiders. In order to increase their chances of survival, they each have to make choices they never imagined would confront them.
Stills after the break.
Head to Quiet Earth to see the stills.
Two couples hide out in a remote holiday home, trying to escape the consequences of a breakdown of society. Their relationships deteriorate as supplies grow scarce and they face increasing threats from hungry outsiders. In order to increase their chances of survival, they each have to make choices they never imagined would confront them.
Stills after the break.
Head to Quiet Earth to see the stills.
- 12/21/2009
- QuietEarth.us
What's that? You can't wait to hear about the Irish post apocalyptic film One Hundred Mornings? Well you don't have to because we already have a review of it right here! Our own Alan Maxwell called it an "uncomfortably realistic vision of the breakdown of society." Yeah, it's good.
So continuing, part of the Slamdance lineup has been announced and it's got quite a few films we've featured.
Want something horrible in the forest? How about YellowBrickRoad?
Or maybe some William Burroughs? How about William S Burroughs: A Man Within?
Yup, the lineup for one of my favorite festivals is looking mighty fine as usual, and we'll be bringing you more shortly.
Partial lineup after the break!
Narrative Competition
Cummings Farm (Andrew Drazek) Comedy about three couples who try group sex at a lakeside strawberry farm, naively hoping it will lead to enlightenment; with Laura Silverman.
Drones (Amber Benson...
So continuing, part of the Slamdance lineup has been announced and it's got quite a few films we've featured.
Want something horrible in the forest? How about YellowBrickRoad?
Or maybe some William Burroughs? How about William S Burroughs: A Man Within?
Yup, the lineup for one of my favorite festivals is looking mighty fine as usual, and we'll be bringing you more shortly.
Partial lineup after the break!
Narrative Competition
Cummings Farm (Andrew Drazek) Comedy about three couples who try group sex at a lakeside strawberry farm, naively hoping it will lead to enlightenment; with Laura Silverman.
Drones (Amber Benson...
- 12/10/2009
- QuietEarth.us
Year: 2009
Directors: Conor McMahon
Writers: Conor McMahon
IMDb: N/A
Trailer: N/A
Review by: Alan Maxwell
Rating: 4 out of 10
When Conor McMahon's feature debut Dead Meat came chomping its way into the hearts of horror fans back in 2004, it was a breath of fresh air. For one thing, Ireland's film history was not exactly blessed with a huge number of zombie films. On top of that, McMahon's blend of humour and horror endeared it to many - clearly inspired by the greats of the genre, it was funny without spoofing, violent without being unpleasant. Perhaps most importantly it arrived just a year or two before the zombie revival began to run out of steam.
It's disappointing then that after the long wait for his follow-up he has chosen to give in to one of horror's more recent crazes and enter into the already tired torture genre. McMahon clearly...
Directors: Conor McMahon
Writers: Conor McMahon
IMDb: N/A
Trailer: N/A
Review by: Alan Maxwell
Rating: 4 out of 10
When Conor McMahon's feature debut Dead Meat came chomping its way into the hearts of horror fans back in 2004, it was a breath of fresh air. For one thing, Ireland's film history was not exactly blessed with a huge number of zombie films. On top of that, McMahon's blend of humour and horror endeared it to many - clearly inspired by the greats of the genre, it was funny without spoofing, violent without being unpleasant. Perhaps most importantly it arrived just a year or two before the zombie revival began to run out of steam.
It's disappointing then that after the long wait for his follow-up he has chosen to give in to one of horror's more recent crazes and enter into the already tired torture genre. McMahon clearly...
- 8/23/2009
- QuietEarth.us
Year: 2009
Directors: Brendan Muldowney
Writers: Brendan Muldowney
IMDb: link
Gallery: link
Trailer: N/A
Review by: Alan Maxwell
Rating: 5 out of 10
When photographer Paul Graynor (Darren Healy) is horrifically assaulted one night not far from his own home, he retreats into isolation and watches his life slowly destroyed by the fear that eats away at him. While he ponders not only the acts of his attackers but also the state of society itself his feat gradually mutates into anger and a gritty a determination to clean up the streets is born.
If you've never seen Taxi Driver, or indeed are totally unfamiliar with the concept of a revenge movie, this might just seem new to you. For the rest of us however, Brendan Muldowney's Irish thriller offers a satisfactory diversion for an hour and a half, but little more.
When Shane Meadows made Dead Man's Shoes, there was something...
Directors: Brendan Muldowney
Writers: Brendan Muldowney
IMDb: link
Gallery: link
Trailer: N/A
Review by: Alan Maxwell
Rating: 5 out of 10
When photographer Paul Graynor (Darren Healy) is horrifically assaulted one night not far from his own home, he retreats into isolation and watches his life slowly destroyed by the fear that eats away at him. While he ponders not only the acts of his attackers but also the state of society itself his feat gradually mutates into anger and a gritty a determination to clean up the streets is born.
If you've never seen Taxi Driver, or indeed are totally unfamiliar with the concept of a revenge movie, this might just seem new to you. For the rest of us however, Brendan Muldowney's Irish thriller offers a satisfactory diversion for an hour and a half, but little more.
When Shane Meadows made Dead Man's Shoes, there was something...
- 8/5/2009
- QuietEarth.us
Year: 2009
Directors: Conor Horgan
Writers: Conor Horgan
IMDb: link
Trailer: N/A
Review by: Alan Maxwell
Rating: 9 out of 10
At a recent screening of Richard Jobson's recession-tinged Scottish chase thriller New Town Killers, the director had to point out that since people all over the world losing their livelihoods was a bad thing, there was nothing "lucky" about the seemingly providential timing of the film's release. One suspects that if Irishman Conor Horgan's new feature gets a wide release he may have to make a similar statement as, with the recession in full swing and now accompanied by a global flu pandemic, he delivers us an uncomfortably realistic vision of the breakdown of society.
The worst seems to have already happened when the film opens. We don't know when (though it has obviously happened recently) or how but there is no doubt that this is not a pleasant future.
Directors: Conor Horgan
Writers: Conor Horgan
IMDb: link
Trailer: N/A
Review by: Alan Maxwell
Rating: 9 out of 10
At a recent screening of Richard Jobson's recession-tinged Scottish chase thriller New Town Killers, the director had to point out that since people all over the world losing their livelihoods was a bad thing, there was nothing "lucky" about the seemingly providential timing of the film's release. One suspects that if Irishman Conor Horgan's new feature gets a wide release he may have to make a similar statement as, with the recession in full swing and now accompanied by a global flu pandemic, he delivers us an uncomfortably realistic vision of the breakdown of society.
The worst seems to have already happened when the film opens. We don't know when (though it has obviously happened recently) or how but there is no doubt that this is not a pleasant future.
- 7/31/2009
- QuietEarth.us
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