Belfast 2021

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

Its about the 1969 conflict in Ireland and how it disrupted one family's lives. Fortunately, playing at both Regals in my area. I went to the Green Hills location.
Kenneth Branagh has likely made the best film of his career and it has already won over a hundred awards. The movie is not fast paced but it still moves. The characters and acting couldn't possibly be better, especially Jude Hill, who plays the young boy, and Judy Dench who plays his Grandmother. but everyone in this movie does a near perfect job. I'm not going to post much more here except just go see it or watch it via streaming. They charge $20 streaming, and the matinee at Regal was $12.00. It looks like it may sweep the Oscars too. Jude Hill and
Caitriona Balfe who plays his mother are both very Oscar wotthy as are many.of the technical aspects. It was shot digitally in B&W. It looks pretty good but would have looked a lot better if it had been shot on Eastman 5222, which is still being made.
My one complaint is there were a couple of lines that had an extreme Irish accent to them that were difficult to understand. Other than that it's a great story, and as perfect a movie as one can make.

[Leo Enticknap]

The Northern Irish accent in particular can be a challenge for those who aren't use to hearing it (think Ian Paisley). My favorite Belfast-related movie is Odd Man Out (shot mainly on 1231), which, while remarkable in many ways, has one major weakness in the form of all except one principal and one supporting cast member sporting cut glass, BBC English accents. The only ones in it who were actually Irish (Kathleen Ryan and Denis O'Dea) had a softer, Southern Irish accent, which would instantly have identified them as being from out of town in Belfast itself. Still, if you liked Belfast, this one is worth a try: for one thing, it was quite unusual for a British A-picture from that period to have that much location shooting, especially when the location wasn't perceived to be in any way glamorous.

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

It got 6 Nominations in today's announcement....

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

Here's a list., its actually 7!

Best Picture

Best Actress

Best Supporting Actress

Best Supporting Actor

Best Director

Best Original Screenplay

Best Sound

And an article...

[Jim Cassedy]

I ran BELFAST at a premiere event last August. Kenneth Branagh & some of other cast
members were there to do a live intro and some after-film Q&A Below is a quick picture
I grabbed from the booth during the Q & A.
KennethBranaugh_S.jpg

On a strictly personal note, if you see the movie, there's a young boy, with close cropped
hair and wearing a polo shirt who appears in the opening scenes right at the start of the
movie. I swear, I looked exactly like that kid when I was 7 or 8 years old. I couldn't
believe it when I first saw it. It was like looking at an old photograph of myself at that age.

[Allan Young]

The Northern Irish accent in particular can be a challenge for those who aren't use to hearing it

I once met a drunken chap from Northern Ireland in a Glasgow bar. I asked him his name three times and still had no idea what it was. I figured asking for a fourth time would be a bit rude.