Top 10 Irish films of the decade

DARA MCBRIDE,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Thursday, December 17, 2009, 7:41 AM

Updated Friday, December 18, 2009, 1:38 PM

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Michael Fassbender as Bobby Sands in "Hunger"

Photo by Steffan Hill/Christopher Hill Ph

10. Capitalism: A Love Story (2009)

Sometimes capitalism is evil. That’s the conclusion that Irish American documentary filmmaker Michael Moore comes to in his last film Capitalism: A Love Story. But how evil exactly? Well, Moore suggests, you could start by asking the hardworking American people who are being pushed out of their homes in record numbers as a direct result of corporate greed.

Moore knows that for some to speak against capitalism means you’re speaking against America. But his view is that capitalism now is against America. Capitalism, he says, is now against the things that we all say we believe in: democracy, freedom of choice, fairness – it’s not about any of those things now. It’s about protecting the wealthy and legalizing greed. You can love or hate him, but he’s not to be ignored.

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Magdalen | Dec 28, 2009, 01:31 PM EST

Top 10 IRISH movies of the decade: 1. Once 2. The Magdalene Sisters 3. Bloody Sunday 4. Hunger 5. The Wind That Shakes the Barley 6. Veronica Guerin 7. In Bruges 8. In America 9. Omagh 10. Rory O’Shea Was Here

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DrTrelawney | Dec 25, 2009, 03:07 PM EST

Sorry, is this a joke? In what possible sense can The Departed, Capitalism: A Love Story and -- most absurdly -- Atonement be regarded as Irish films. Atonemment does not feature "an Irish star"; it features a supporting performance from an Irish actor. Michael Moore is not Irish; he's American. By these standards, virtually every film ever made in America or Britain is Irish. It really is pathetic. And it's not as if there weren't genuine Irish films out there worthy of recognition. What about Bloody Sunday, Intermission, Garage, Pavee Lackeen and -- after Hunger, surely the best Irish film of the decade -- the masterpiece that is Adam & Paul? I can't believe that this website whinges about the British appropriating Irish talent then tries to claim Atonement as an Irish film. As I say, pathetic.

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seamusroche | Dec 19, 2009, 03:31 PM EST

What a shame - It appears you have to cow-tow to the extreme LEFT by noninating Michael Moore's Capitalism, which is about as anticapitalistic as it could be.

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olovely | Dec 19, 2009, 12:49 PM EST

I think Hunger may be one of the most powerful film's I've ever seen, period. The Wind That Shakes The Barley was also unforgettable.

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rhondoodle | Dec 19, 2009, 09:54 AM EST

I loved the three that I saw - The Departed, Gone Baby Gone, and Hotel Rwanda. Now, I especially want to check out Hunger, Once, and the Wind That Shakes The Barley. I've heard of them, but haven't seen them yet. Dennis LeHane just wrote a book called The Given Day. I would recommend that people check it out. I'd love to see that as a movie, too.

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olovely | Dec 18, 2009, 12:55 PM EST

Didya read the part right at the top where he said the following 10 movies feature an Irish director, theme or star? Hotel Rwanda was directed by Terry George, who knows all about Ireland and Bloody Sunday, trust me. Michael Moore is Irish American and his views have been shaped by his upbringing.

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jamthecat | Dec 18, 2009, 12:06 PM EST

I thought these would be films actually made in Ireland. It's rather disappointing to find you cast such a broad net that all a film needs to be considered Irish is someone Irish participating in it. "Atonement" an Irish film? Seriously? Just because it has an Irish girl playing an English girl in half of it? "Hotel Rwanda?" "Capitalism, a Love Story?" And yet not "Bloody Sunday." Insipid.

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