The Downton Abbey actor holds together Christopher Smith’s increasingly silly Essex haunted-house horror
“An empire of misogyny” is how former Irish president Mary McAleese described the Catholic church – and Christianity as a historical perpetrator of sexism and violence against women adds an interesting-ish layer or two to this otherwise run-of-the-mill but well-acted haunted-house horror. It’s set in the runup to the second world war and loosely inspired by Borley Rectory, the country manor once dubbed “the most haunted house in England”.
Downton Abbey’s Jessica Brown Findlay is terrific as Marianne, a vicar’s wife with a rebellious streak (her bohemian “loose woman” past becomes crucial later). Marianne has just moved into a crumbling pile in the Essex countryside with her wet blanket husband Linus (John Heffernan) and their young daughter Adelaide (Anya McKenna-Bruce). The local bishop Malachi (John Lynch), a man who wears the huge gold cross...
“An empire of misogyny” is how former Irish president Mary McAleese described the Catholic church – and Christianity as a historical perpetrator of sexism and violence against women adds an interesting-ish layer or two to this otherwise run-of-the-mill but well-acted haunted-house horror. It’s set in the runup to the second world war and loosely inspired by Borley Rectory, the country manor once dubbed “the most haunted house in England”.
Downton Abbey’s Jessica Brown Findlay is terrific as Marianne, a vicar’s wife with a rebellious streak (her bohemian “loose woman” past becomes crucial later). Marianne has just moved into a crumbling pile in the Essex countryside with her wet blanket husband Linus (John Heffernan) and their young daughter Adelaide (Anya McKenna-Bruce). The local bishop Malachi (John Lynch), a man who wears the huge gold cross...
- 3/24/2021
- by Cath Clarke
- The Guardian - Film News
Mary Byrne and Westlife will perform for the Queen at a concert to celebrate the four-day royal visit to Dublin next week. The event, which will be attended by the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, Irish President Mary McAleese and 2,000 guests, will be held on the final night of the trip - the first visit to Ireland by a British monarch for 100 years. The British Embassy will host the concert in Dublin city centre. It will also include performances from Riverdance and The Chieftains. "What an honour it is to be asked to sing in front of The Queen. I am so excited, and a little nervous to be honest," X Factor star Mary Byrne said. "This is a dream come true, to be able to perform for somebody I have respected and admired for so long. I am (more)...
- 5/12/2011
- by By Ryan Love
- Digital Spy
Harvey Fierstein is going to be the librettist for a Newsies musical. Alan Menkin is composing and Jack Feldman is providing the lyrics. Because newspapers are just as relevant today.
U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss has confirmed that the “All faggots must die” comment left on Joe.My.God Tuesday was left by someone in his office, but he’s been unable to determine the specific person. He’s turned the investigation over to the Senate Sergeant At Arms.
Lady Gaga’s meat dress from the MTV Video Music Awards is being turned into jerky so it can be preserved. In case she gets hungry later.
John Goodman has joined Kevin Smith’s horror-esque movie Red State. It’s inspired by Fred Phelps of Westboro Baptist Church.
It’s not just about the guys at Marvel. After The Avengers, the plan is to spin off Black Widow into her own standalone project starring Scarlett Johansson.
U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss has confirmed that the “All faggots must die” comment left on Joe.My.God Tuesday was left by someone in his office, but he’s been unable to determine the specific person. He’s turned the investigation over to the Senate Sergeant At Arms.
Lady Gaga’s meat dress from the MTV Video Music Awards is being turned into jerky so it can be preserved. In case she gets hungry later.
John Goodman has joined Kevin Smith’s horror-esque movie Red State. It’s inspired by Fred Phelps of Westboro Baptist Church.
It’s not just about the guys at Marvel. After The Avengers, the plan is to spin off Black Widow into her own standalone project starring Scarlett Johansson.
- 9/23/2010
- by Ed Kennedy
- The Backlot
Can you name them all?
October marks the 5th Anniversary of Glbt History Month, and Equality Forum has commemorative resources, including lists of the 155 Icons from 2006 to 2010 and a special edition 5th Anniversary poster. Outfest will honor out filmmaker Roland Emmerich with their Visionary Award at their annual Legacy Awards on Thursday, October 21. Afterward Roland will film the destruction of the theater for his next movie, Blowing Sh*t Up. Now it gives me great pleasure to introduce a new regular feature in the briefs. With all of the asshattery, jackassery, and batcrappery going on in the world, sometimes it's difficult to separate the ordinary crazy from the extraordinary crazy. That's where we come in, with our new feature "I heard a nutjob say it!™" For instance ... did you know that juice boxes and kettle chips are turning everyone gay? It's true! I heard a nutjob say it!™ Speaking of nutjobs,...
October marks the 5th Anniversary of Glbt History Month, and Equality Forum has commemorative resources, including lists of the 155 Icons from 2006 to 2010 and a special edition 5th Anniversary poster. Outfest will honor out filmmaker Roland Emmerich with their Visionary Award at their annual Legacy Awards on Thursday, October 21. Afterward Roland will film the destruction of the theater for his next movie, Blowing Sh*t Up. Now it gives me great pleasure to introduce a new regular feature in the briefs. With all of the asshattery, jackassery, and batcrappery going on in the world, sometimes it's difficult to separate the ordinary crazy from the extraordinary crazy. That's where we come in, with our new feature "I heard a nutjob say it!™" For instance ... did you know that juice boxes and kettle chips are turning everyone gay? It's true! I heard a nutjob say it!™ Speaking of nutjobs,...
- 9/22/2010
- by snicks
- The Backlot
Daniel Libeskind's new theater is a stage within a stage within a stage. With Ireland's economy in tatters, it's a reaffirmation that even when times are tough, the show must go on.
The opening this week of Daniel Libeskind's new Grand Canal Theatre, a razzle dazzle production in its own right, threatened to upstage the gentle ballet on the building's main stage. With its dramatic, four story glass facade, sharply angled roof line, and turbulent diagonal lines, the debut of Libeskind's latest creation was a major cultural happening for Dublin, a city that's been battered by the economy, and desperately needs something to cheer about.And cheer they did. Ireland's president, Mary McAleese, turned out for the Russian State Ballet's performance of "Swan Lake," along with Irish actor Brendon Gleeson (Hogwart's professor "Mad Eye Moody" in the Harry Potter films) actress Rebecca Miller, and various other luminaries from sports,...
The opening this week of Daniel Libeskind's new Grand Canal Theatre, a razzle dazzle production in its own right, threatened to upstage the gentle ballet on the building's main stage. With its dramatic, four story glass facade, sharply angled roof line, and turbulent diagonal lines, the debut of Libeskind's latest creation was a major cultural happening for Dublin, a city that's been battered by the economy, and desperately needs something to cheer about.And cheer they did. Ireland's president, Mary McAleese, turned out for the Russian State Ballet's performance of "Swan Lake," along with Irish actor Brendon Gleeson (Hogwart's professor "Mad Eye Moody" in the Harry Potter films) actress Rebecca Miller, and various other luminaries from sports,...
- 3/26/2010
- by Linda Tischler
- Fast Company
Britain's Queen Elizabeth has been urged to visit Ireland in 2010. Irish president Mary McAleese has spoken out about her hopes the 83-year-old monarch will make a landmark visit to the country and its capital city Dublin, now relations between the two countries have calmed down. Speaking on the 'Late Late Show', she said: "I'd like to think it could happen. I've long since been on the record as saying I think it could be one of the greatest symbols of where we have moved to as a country if we had that great reconciliation with our neighbour. "We have seen a huge change in the relationship. It's probably the best it's ever been historically. It's friendly, it's fraternal, it's...
- 12/29/2009
- Monsters and Critics
This Halloween marks the 50th anniversary of the launch of Utv. The station began broadcasting at 4.45pm on 31 October 1959 and was introduced to the Northern Ireland viewing public by Sir Laurence Olivier saying: "It is my privilege, my rare privilege; in fact it is my unique privilege to be the first person to appear before you on Ulster Television." In a series of six half hour programmes personalities who have appeared on Utv over the past 50 years will look back at the events and experiences that helped to shape their careers with Utv and beyond. In addition audiences will hear from two prominent viewers and occasional participants in Utv programmes, Rev Dr. Ian Paisley and President Mary McAleese.
- 10/27/2009
- IFTN
Britain's Queen Elizabeth met with Irish President Mary McAleese yesterday (07.05.09). The 83-year-old monarch joined the head of state to celebrate 30 years of cross-border cooperation and peace-building in Northern Ireland. The two women spent 20 minutes talking in private at Hillsborough Castle in County Down before attending a benefit for the Co-operation Ireland charity, of which they are both patrons. But despite the friendly meeting, the queen seems no closer to making a royal visit to Ireland's capital Dublin. Co-operation Ireland chairman Christopher Morant thanked the queen for attending the charity event and expressed his hope that she might one day travel to Dublin. He said: "Co-operation Ireland hope that when the time is right we will have the...
- 5/8/2009
- Monsters and Critics
Irish playwright Hugh Leonard has died, aged 82.
Leonard had been receiving hospital treatment for some time and died in Dublin, Ireland on Thursday.
He was born John Keyes Byrne but took on his pen name in the 1950s to hide his double life as an aspiring, outspoken writer from his Irish civil service employers.
He was famed for his father-and-son drama Da, which won a Tony Award for its run on Broadway in 1978. It was later made into a Martin Sheen-starring film in 1982.
Leonard also held a longstanding monthly column in the Irish Sunday Independent newspaper.
Irish President Mary McAleese paid tribute to the writer: "Hugh will be greatly missed by all who had the pleasure of his company and counsel throughout the years.
"(He) infused his work with a unique wit, all the while demonstrating a great intuition, perceptiveness and forgiveness of human nature."
Leonard is survived by his second wife, Kathy, and daughter, Danielle.
Leonard had been receiving hospital treatment for some time and died in Dublin, Ireland on Thursday.
He was born John Keyes Byrne but took on his pen name in the 1950s to hide his double life as an aspiring, outspoken writer from his Irish civil service employers.
He was famed for his father-and-son drama Da, which won a Tony Award for its run on Broadway in 1978. It was later made into a Martin Sheen-starring film in 1982.
Leonard also held a longstanding monthly column in the Irish Sunday Independent newspaper.
Irish President Mary McAleese paid tribute to the writer: "Hugh will be greatly missed by all who had the pleasure of his company and counsel throughout the years.
"(He) infused his work with a unique wit, all the while demonstrating a great intuition, perceptiveness and forgiveness of human nature."
Leonard is survived by his second wife, Kathy, and daughter, Danielle.
- 2/13/2009
- WENN
With the 6th Annual Irish Film and Television Awards taking place this Saturday 14th of February, Irish and international guests gather in Dublin to honour Ireland's creative excellence and to celebrate the continued success of the film and television industry here at home. Among the Irish Nominees attending are Brendan Gleeson, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Michael Fassbender, Liam Cunningham, Aidan Gillen, Orla Brady, Eileen Walsh, Amy Huberman, Charlene McKenna, Deirdre O'Kane, Ger Ryan, Gerard McSorley, John Kavanagh, Maria Doyle Kennedy, David Herlihy, Hilda Fay and Lesley Conroy. Four of Ireland's rising starlets Saorise Ronan, Sarah Bolger, Jenn Murray and Kelly O'Neill will also attend the 2009 Awards, having received prestigious nominations in the acting categories. Others including Aidan Quinn, John Moore, Neil Jordan, Jim Sheridan, Eric Mabius, Fionnula Flanagan, Flora Montgomery, Jenny McAlpine, Steve McQueen and Katie McGrath amongst others. With 900 guests attending the Gala Ifta ceremony, the President of Ireland Mary McAleese...
- 2/12/2009
- IFTN
Veteran Irish documentary filmmaker and archivist George Morrison is be honoured with the Industry Lifetime Contribution Award at this weekend's IFTAs. The Academy has announced the Feature Documentary category is to be named in his honour. President Mary McAleese will present the award to Morrison, one of Ireland's most ground-breaking and influential filmmakers of the 20th century, and will lead the tributes on Saturday night along with Irish directors Neil Jordan, Jim Sheridan and Senator David Norris. Morrison is best known for his work during the 50's and 60's, his most memorable works being the ground-breaking documentaries 'Mise Eire' and 'Saoirse?' which told the story of the Easter Rising and Ireland's War of Independence.
- 2/12/2009
- IFTN
Irish President Mary McAleese hailed the long association between Ireland and Hollywood while highlighting the latest round of financial boosts for filming in Ireland during a state visit to Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank on Monday night.
McAleese included her Hollywood visit as part of a larger California tour to boost Ireland's profile on the West Coast. The event at Warner Bros. was organized by the Irish Film Board and Enterprise Ireland. McAleese quipped that so popular have Hollywood films been in Ireland for so long that she suspected her children would prefer her to be president of Warner Bros. rather than president of Ireland.
Jonathan Loughran of the Irish Film Board's Los Angeles office noted that the presidential visit came at an important and exciting time for the Irish film industry.
"Our indigenous film sector is booming with 25 feature films funded this year alone by the Ifb and on the incoming production side,...
McAleese included her Hollywood visit as part of a larger California tour to boost Ireland's profile on the West Coast. The event at Warner Bros. was organized by the Irish Film Board and Enterprise Ireland. McAleese quipped that so popular have Hollywood films been in Ireland for so long that she suspected her children would prefer her to be president of Warner Bros. rather than president of Ireland.
Jonathan Loughran of the Irish Film Board's Los Angeles office noted that the presidential visit came at an important and exciting time for the Irish film industry.
"Our indigenous film sector is booming with 25 feature films funded this year alone by the Ifb and on the incoming production side,...
- 12/16/2008
- by By Steve Brennan
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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