WCS #4: A Look Into Ireland (Then and Now) Through Cillian’s movies

World Cinema Series is a movie challenge hosted by Caroline of Beauty is a Sleeping Cat.

The idea is to watch as many movies by countries across the world, not only Hollywood (but I will also include one Hollywood movie that I found very interesting).

My first country was Sweden, my second was Japan and my third was England.

You can read more reviews in Carolines’s Page.

Fourth Country: Ireland

When it comes to Ireland, it’s quite impossible to choose a movie not by my number one favorite actor, Mr. Cillian Murphy…Sorry, I couldn’t help it.

Click this button to read more about Cillian Murphy

At first, I wanted to share about Sunburn, a movie by Cillian that I have seen but haven’t reviewed yet…but instead of re-watching Sunburn, I ended up doing a back to back movie viewing of his other movies, The Wind That Shakes The Barley and Perrier’s Bounty. Seeing the two movies one after another made me want to write this post. This will represent both my World Cinema Series and Monthly Murphy.

Last week, I was craving for any Cillian Murphy’s movie to watch. Cillian Murphy has turned into my second addiction. My first addiction is L’Arc~en~Ciel, it’s impossible to go through more than 2 months without seeing their Live DVD, and now it is also impossible to go through more than 2 months without seeing Cillian’s movie…yes, I am that kind of addicted person!! Last week I decided to rewatch The Wind That Shakes The Barley. I didn’t plan to watch 2 movies but for no reason at all I played Perrier’s Bounty after The Barley…and I saw how different Ireland then and now.

I know movies DO NOT represent the real country 100%, however they still show us a glimpse of what reality look like in that country…just a glimpse but enough to write this comparison.

In The Wind That Shakes The Barley, Cillian played as Damien O’Donovan, a young doctor who had a changed of heart when seeing how British Army treating his fellow Irishmen. He changed his destiny from being a doctor in England to be a member of IRA. Damien gave everything to free Ireland from Britain, which included killing a boy he knew so well because the boy had told their position to British army. But what he fought for soon turned to a condition where he had to be on the other side of his brother, Ireland was divided into two groups.

Full review of The Wind That Shakes The Barley can be found here

In Perrier’s Bounty, Cillian played as Michael McCrea, a man who had no clear job and debt that was almost overdue. He had to pay the debt in anyway possible and spent time with his father who believed that he was dying because an angel of death told him so.

Full review of Perrier’s Bounty can be found here

Damien and Michael

Through Damien and Michael’s characters, we can see that the young men of 1920 and 2010 are so different. Damien fought for his country, and I believe so did most of young men who lived at that time, while Michael only fought for his own safety, and I am sure that not all young men in Ireland are doing so. But…if Damien could see what Michael did, I bet Damien would feel sad that the country he had fought for is wasted to a man like Michael.

In The Barley, the Irish were shooting the Brits as a way to free their country so that the people can be freed of colonialism while in Perrier’s Bounty the Irish were shooting another Irish because of money, silly revenge and their own personal interest. Isn’t it Ironic?

In The Barley, the young people showed respect toward the elder but in Perrier’s respect had lost its meaning.

I know that Perrier’s Bounty DO NOT represent all around nowadays Ireland but it might represent a small group of Irish and if such small group exist, I feel sorry for the men who had given up their life for Ireland like the men in The Barley. The feeling is alike to what I feel when seeing corrupt politician and wasted young people in my country, have they no respect toward the heroes who had fought the Dutch?

Cillian and Padreic

Cinematically, The Barley, although only an Independent movie, is far more superior to Perrier’s Bounty. The Barley could win anyone’s heart in just one viewing, the story and the characters were flawless while Perrier’s is nothing but a fun gangster movie that has no originality. Although some of the actors are same but The barley made them performed their best act. The same actors are Cillian Murphy, Liam Cunningham and Padraic Delaney.

Between these two movies…watch the Wind That Shakes The Barley, it worth every second of your time. Watch Perrier’s only if you are a fan of Cillian or gangster movie 😉

My Introduction post and Movies I will watch and had watched can be found here.

*********************

Although this is my World Cinema Series post but it is also my Monthly Murphy post, therefore I have to share bits of news on this super gorgeous Irishman. There isn’t much news on Cillian lately.

First News:

Red Lights, his movie with DeNiro, Weaver and Olsen had been showed in Sundance Film Festival. The movie was dubbed into Spanish….gyaaaaa that is terrible, how could they Cillian without his sexy voice?
I am dying to see it but not sure when it will get here.

Second News:
Congratulation Mr. Murphy \(^^)/

Irish Times Theatre Awards has nominated for the best actor in theatrical performance for his play as Thomas Magill in Misterman. It was a one man show. I would love to see it. He was praise for his amazing performance, I made a special post (here) about it last year. I hope you win it Cillian 🙂

Misterman is nominated for these categories:

• Best Production
  Misterman Written and directed by Enda Walsh, produced by Landmark Productions and Galway Arts Festival
• Best Actor
  Cillian Murphy As Thomas Magill in Misterman , written and directed by Enda Walsh, produced by Landmark Productions and Galway Arts Festival
• Best Designer: Set
  Jamie Vartan For Misterman , written and directed by Enda Walsh, produced by Landmark and Galway Arts Festival