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Robert Wynne-Simmons’s The Outcasts is a haunting and ultimately melancholy study of social ostracization and rebellion that takes place in rural Ireland sometime before the potato famine of 1845. The film felicitously combines an almost documentarian concern for the folkways of the peasants who till the muddy earth and the delicately wrought magical elements found in an Irish folk tale.

Pensive and taciturn Maura O’Donnell (Mary Ryan) is lame in one leg, and thus the target of bullying from the village children. Her two sisters have little interest in coming to her defense. Breda (Brenda Scallon) is a widow mostly preoccupied by taking care of their wayward father, Hugh (Dan Foley), while Janey (Bairbre Ní Chaoimh) has found herself in a family way thanks to local boy Eamon (Máirtín Jaimsie), who’s more interested in taking over the O’Donnell farm than starting a family.

Village relations seem timeless somehow,...

Animators have always pushed the boundaries of their medium. Theyve stretched forms and molded shapes to create spectacular displays of narrative artistry. Sometimes, the results revolve around a realistic recreation of the world around us. Other animated films take a different route, choosing to portray whimsical worlds of magic. Alternatively, animators can straddle the fine line between these two extremes. Some of the most famous examples of magical realism hail from the Japanese icon Studio Ghibli.

While some of Ghibli's older films such as Castle in the Sky and Kikis Delivery Service revolve around European realities, many of the studios most famous works focus on Japanese history and culture. Notably, both of its Academy Award winners, Spirited Away and The Boy and the Heron, are perfect examples of uniquely Japanese exercises in liminal realities. Although Western animators are more hesitant to take such bold approaches to narrative and stylistic artistry,...

While you dine on your corned beef and cabbage this lovely St. Patrick's Day, you may want to watch one of GossipCenter's favorite Irish films in honor of the Shamrock-laden holiday.

Whether it's hunky brothers in Boston you're after in "Boondock Saints" or Daniel Day-Lewis' captivating portrayal of Christy Brown in "My Left Foot," we're sure you will not be left disappointed after watching one our seven recommendations below! Happy St. Patty's Day!

"My Left Foot" (1989)

Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Brenda Fricker and Alison Whelan, this bio-pic follows the story of Christy Brown who learns to adapt with his cerebral palsy by painting and writing with his only controllable limb, his left foot.

"Waking Ned Devine" 1998

Written and directed by Kirk Jones, the hilarious comedy is about Irish townsfolk attempting to claim money from the lottery after the winner unfortunately dies from shock. The cast includes Ian Bannen, David Kelly and Fionnula Flanagan.

Bosnian war drama As If I Am Not There received three Ifta awards for Best Film, Director and Script for the film's Irish writer/director Juanita Wilson at tonight's Ifta awards, celebrating the Irish film and television industry.

Martin MCCann was named Best Actor for 'Swansong - Story of Occi Byrn', while Amy Huberman was got Best Actress for 'Rewind.'

Pierce Brosnan and Saorise Ronan took home the supporting honours at the awards with Brosnan winning Best Supporting Actor for his role in 'The Ghost', while Ronan's part in The Way Back earned her the supporting actress honour.

In the international categories, 'The Social Network' won the best international film, with its star Jesse Eisenberg winning Best Actor. Annette Bening took Best Actress for 'The Kids Are All Right'.

Winners Of The 8th Annual Irish Film & Television Awards:

Outstanding Contribution to Industry...

I found some good animated films in 2010, but I didn't find ten. And it's likely that only two of them are titles most moviegoers have had the chance to see. My list reflects a growing fact: Animation is no longer considered a form for children and families. In some cases it provides a way to tell stories that can scarcely be imagined in live action. The classic example is the Japanese "Grave of the Fireflies" (left), about two children growing up on their own after the Bomb fall.

The first of my best films, unlike some of the others, was primarily intended for children:

"Despicable Me"

This one begins with the truth that villains are often more fascinating than heroes, and creates a villain named Gru who freeze-dries the people ahead of him in line at Starbucks, and pops children's balloons. Although he's inspired by many a James Bond bad guy,...

The soap world lost a number of greats both in front of and behind the camera this year. Here is the annual We Love Soaps TV tribute to those who passed away in 2010 including Michael Gene Adams, Danny Aiello III, Himan Brown, Dixie Carter, Christopher Cazenove, Jill Clayburgh, Gary Coleman, Jacqueline Courtney, John Forsythe, David Froman, James Gammon, Harold Gould, Carl Gordon, Suzanne Grossman, Park Yong Ha, Peter Haskell, June Havoc, Carol Pfander Henderson, Bernard Kates, Larry Keith, Antonie Kamerling, Mick Lally, Simon MacCorkindale, Nan Martin, Kevin McCarthy, Rue McClanahan, Caroline McWilliams, Werner Michel, James Mitchell, Gordon Mulholland, Roger Newman, Michelle Nicastro, Leslie Nielsen, Vince O'Brien, Niek Pancras, Nancy Pinkerton, Addison Powell, Carla Princi, Bob Rappaport, Frances Reid, Lynn Redgrave, Rosa Rio, Zelda Rubinstein, Paul Ryan Rudd, Jean Simmons and Helen Wagner.

Chicago – The most-surprising nominee on Oscar nomination morning 2010 had to be that a little film that almost no one in the audience had heard of much less seen would compete with the big-budget players for Best Animated Feature. Like an off-off-off-Broadway play getting nominated alongside multi-million dollar projects, there was something called “The Secret of Kells” sitting alongside “Coraline,” “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” “The Princess and the Frog,” and “Up.” Now the little-movie-that-could is out on DVD and Blu-ray for you to try and figure out why.

DVD Rating: 3.5/5.0

Of course, the big question is did it deserve it? I’m all for embracing outsiders and allowing the little guy to play with the big ones, so I’m fine with the nomination. And the film features some striking visuals. Having said that, it’s not nearly the experience of “Mary and Max” or “Ponyo,” two of the best animated films...

The Human Centipede: "Two things struck me about The Human Centipede, besides the sheer fucking insanity of the concept. The first was how it... wasn't as bad as I'd expected it to be. Not that it was a pleasant experience, mind you. It's still pretty goddamn gruesome, particularly the first time Katsuro has to go number 2. That's... not a good scene. One of those things that you really wish you could un-see. Nor is it exactly happy fun time when Jenny (Yennie), the unfortunate end-segment, starts developing pus-filled infections around her mouth staples. Ok, so maybe it's pretty bad. But not unwatchably so (depending on your stomach, I suppose). The surgery itself isn't shown, and Six pulls his punches just enough to make it awful and disgusting without crossing the line into Hostel territory. The thing that makes it so fundamentally and outright horrific is really the concept itself,...

This unlikely Irish animation, about the monks working on the Book of Kells, is a quiet, pleasurable film, says Peter Bradshaw

Tomm Moore's Oscar-nominated animation, set in 9th-century Ireland, reimagines the story of Kells abbey, where the fabled Book of Kells was produced. It is ruled over by Abbot Cellach, voiced by Brendan Gleeson, and things are shaken up with the arrival of Brother Aidan (Mick Lally) who is working on the famous Book – protecting which becomes a mission to protect the monks' beliefs and their very identity. To my eye the visuals are likably reminiscent of Friz Freleng's Pink Panther, and of course a little more so of the Kells illustrations themselves. A low-key pleasure.

Rating: 3/5

AnimationFamilyOscarsPeter Bradshaw

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Irish actor Mick Lally has died at the age of 64.

The popular star, born Michael Lally, passed away last Tuesday in Dublin after suffering from a brief illness.

Lally co-founded Galway's Druid Theater troupe with actress Marie Mullen and Garry Hynes in 1975 and he went on to find fame on hit Irish TV soap Glenroe, on which he portrayed farmer Miley Bryne.

He also appeared in films such as 1994 fantasy The Secret of Roan Inish and voiced the character of Aiden in the Oscar-nominated animated movie The Secret of Kells last year.

Lally is survived by his wife Peige and three children.

One of Ireland's most well-known actors, Mick Lally, has passed away. The actor, known best to Irish television audiences for his long-running role as Miley Byrne in 'Glenroe', died this morning, aged 64, after a short illness. Mick Lally's other film projects included voice work on the Oscar nominated feature animation, 'The Secret of Kells' as Brother Aidan along with roles in 'Circle of Friends' and 'Alexander'.

Mick Lally one of Ireland’s best-known actors, has died. He was a founder of the Druid Theater and best known to Irish television audiences as Miley Byrne in the long running series ‘Glenroe’ and in the BBC hit series ‘Ballykissangel’. He was aged 64. Lally’s other roles included voice work on the Oscar nominated feature animation, ‘The Secret of Kells’ as Brother Aidan and roles in ‘Circle of Friends’ and ‘Alexander’. He was born in Tourmakeady, Co Mayo, and began his career as a schoolteacher before moving to acting.He became a founder member of the world acclaimed Druid Theatre Company with Garry Hynes and Marie Mullen In 1979. He was a fluent Irish speaker and a strong supporter of the language, appearing in the Irish language series ‘Ros na Rún’.. Mary Hanafin Td Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport extended her heartfelt sympathy on the death of Mick Lally,...

The Secret of Kells (2010) is based on the famed Irish manuscript written in Latin; the Book of Kells contains the four Gospels of the New Testament. The manuscript was first transcribed by Celtic monks circa 800, and is praised for its brilliant illustrations and ornamentation. In 1953, the Book of Kells was bound in four volumes and has been enjoyed for generations. The original Book of Kells currently resides at the Trinity College Library in Dublin, Ireland. The film is set in the 9th century and follows twleve year old Abbot Cellach (Brendan Gleeson) who awaits a dangerous battle against the Vikings and a serpent god, in hopes to find a crystal and the legendary Book of Kells. Abbot Cellach is working hard for his uncle and fellow monks and when Brother Aidan enters the picture, young Abbot Cellach life changes forever. Brother Aidan (Mick Lally) captivates Abbot Cellach and explores his...

The Secret of Kells (2010) is based on the famed Irish manuscript written in Latin; the Book of Kells contains the four Gospels of the New Testament. The manuscript was first transcribed by Celtic monks circa 800, and is praised for its brilliant illustrations and ornamentation. In 1953, the Book of Kells was bound in four volumes and has been enjoyed for generations. The original Book of Kells currently resides at the Trinity College Library in Dublin, Ireland. The film is set in the 9th century and follows twleve year old Abbot Cellach (Brendan Gleeson) who awaits a dangerous battle against the Vikings and a serpent god, in hopes to find a crystal and the legendary Book of Kells. Abbot Cellach is working hard for his uncle and fellow monks and when Brother Aidan enters the picture, young Abbot Cellach life changes forever. Brother Aidan (Mick Lally) captivates Abbot Cellach and explores his...

Many writers called 2009 the greatest year in the history of animation, or the equivalent to 1939 in Hollywood history. One writer commented that animated movies have become more mature, while live-action movies have grown less mature. What makes me really happy about this new "renaissance" is that it's made up of films from all corners, i.e. they're not all computer animated, 3D spectaculars. Case in point is the new The Secret of Kells (20 screens), which surprised everyone when it turned up as a recent Oscar nominee for Best Animated Feature in place of Hayao Miyazaki's Ponyo and other contenders. I watched it with folded arms, convinced that the Academy had gone mad, but soon whatever magic enchanted the voters enchanted me as well.

Set many centuries ago in a remote outpost, it tells the story of a young boy, Brendan (voiced by Evan McGuire), who is never allowed to venture outside the compound's walls.

Every Irish person knows about the Book of Kells, the ninth century manuscript that’s a priceless triumph of the illustrator’s art, but very few Irish people ever bother to line up alongside the tourist hordes to actually take a look at it in any kind of detail themselves. Like the Blarney Stone or the Giant’s Causeway, most of us are happy enough just to know it’s there. It’s one of the most important artifacts of Irish civilization after all; it’s a part of what makes the Irish who we are. But there’s no call to go out of your way to actually see the thing, right? Well, wrong. In The Secret of Kells, the remarkable Oscar nominated Irish animated film starring Brendan Gleeson and Mick Lally (best known as Miley from the Irish soap Glenroe) the Book of Kells provides the inspiration for the storyline,...

Suffice to say that it received its highest profile in the form of a sure-to-lose nomination for the Best Animated Feature Oscar at the 2010 Academy Awards, but The Secret of Kells is no runner-up or underdog when it comes to imagination or creativity. Turning the origin story of the fabled Book of Kells into a fanciful but never frivolous work of historical fiction, co-directors Tomm Moore and Nora Twomey find a perfect synthesis between childhood exuberance and grown-up restraint, creating a singular and sensational animated work that needs no formal reward to be recognized as a great achievement.

In the film, a young boy named Brendan (Evan McGuire) struggles to understand the world outside the walls of the Abbey of Kells, which his stern uncle, the Abbott Cellach (Brendan Gleeson), has forbidden him from experiencing. Obsessed with illumination, a meticulous process by which the prophesied Book of Iona was created,...

"The Book of Kells" is perhaps the most famous of the illuminated manuscripts -- manuscripts that combine ornate text with elaborate drawings, borders, illustrations and initialing. Transcribed by Celtic monks in around 800 Ad, it tells the tales of the four Gospels of the New Testament through vivid designs, complex drawings and rich calligraphy. It is the finest the Insular Gospels and is renowned as the most breathtaking example of illumination in history.

The Secret of Kells is an animated film from Ireland about a young Irish boy, Brendan (Evan McGuire), and his friends and family, interwoven within the story of The Book of Kells. It is, at the risk of hyperbole, a staggeringly lovely film that was nothing less than captivating. The story begins with young Brendan, an orphan living with his uncle, the Abbot Cellach (Brendan Gleeson), in their abbey. Their days are filled with backbreaking work as they...

We have added a new set of pictures from The Secret of Kells. Magic, fantasy and Celtic mythology come together in a riot of color and detail that dazzle the eyes in this sweeping story about the power of imagination and faith to carry humanity through dark times. Features the voices of Brendan Gleeson (Harry Potter, In Bruges), Mick Lally, Evan McGuire and Christen Mooney. Young Brendan lives in a remote medieval outpost under siege from barbarian raids. But a new life of adventure beckons when a celebrated master illuminator arrives from foreign lands carrying an ancient but unfinished book, brimming with secret wisdom and powers. To help complete the magical book, Brendan has to overcome his...

The Secret of Kells gets a March 19 release Indie film distributor Gkids announced today that their award-winning animated feature The Secret of Kells by director Tomm Moore has received an Academy Award Nomination for Best Animated Feature. All other nominees in the category were major studio releases from Fox, Disney/Pixar and Universal.

A viral, word-of-mouth Oscar campaign eschewed all paid advertising and capitalized on audience passion to create a groundswell of support for The Secret of Kells. The nomination is a major accomplishment in a year with so many well-regarded commercial animated releases.

The Secret of Kells is also the only independently distributed film nominated for the animation industry Annie Awards Best Animated Feature and is winner of the Audience Award at the prestigious Annecy International Animation Festival.

The Secret of Kells stars Brendan Gleeson, Liam Hourican, Mick Lally, Michael McGrath, Evan McGuire, Christen Mooney, Paul Tylack, Paul Young...

'Wheels of Death', a short horror film shot in Dublin wins audience award at the Killer Shorts Competition, and shooting finishes on Irish film 'Tarp'. 'Wheels of Death', the latest short film from Dublin based independent film company First Quarter Films (founded by Rob & Edward Kennedy, and Andrew Mahon), has won the first ever Killer Shorts Competition at the Monster Mania Convention held in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, as a result of this, the film is the first ever to earn an advance slot in the programme for the 2009 NYC Horror Film Festival. Furthermore Dublin-based production company Tilted Pictures has recently wrapped filming on the short film 'Tarp', funded by the Galway Film Centre and RTÉ. 'Tarp' was written and directed by David Freyne and produced by Rachael O' Kane and Rory Dungan. The film stars Mick Lally (Alexander, Middletown) and Maire Hastings (The Running Mate, The Daisy Chain) and...

Marking the second Irish feature length animation to be released in Ireland in the past year, Iftn talks with animation director Tomm Moore ahead of the release of the lavish debut feature 'The Secret of Kells'. Set for nationwide release on Friday 6th March by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Ireland, 'The Secret of Kells' introduces the vibrant animations of director Tomm Moore and the team at Cartoon Saloon, the Kilkenny based animators of behind the Ifta winning series 'Skunk Fu'. The film is also the work of a partnership with animators and producers from France's Les Armateurs and Belgium's Vivi Film. With the backdrop of the Viking raids on Ireland, the animation follows twelve-year-old Brendan who meets an elderly Brother Aidan, the keeper of an extraordinary, but unfinished book of illuminations. Aidan sets Brendan the task of completing this legendary book for which he must...

Moving from passion fish to mystical seals, versatile filmmaker John Sayles' latest is a first-rate, all-ages fairy tale steeped in Irish folklore.

Adapted from Rosalie Fry's enduring juvenile story, "Secret of the Ron Mor Skerry", the renamed "The Secret of Roan Inish" is a gentle, lilting film of "The Secret Garden" variety, currently playing at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Given its healthy Irish brogues, low-key animatronics and absence of familiar faces, the secret of "The Secret of Roan Inish" lies in its more ambient charms.

Ten-year-old Belfast native Jeni Courtney is ideally cast as the film's central character, Fiona, a determined girl whose widowed father sends her to live with her grandparents (Eileen Colgan and Mick Lally) on a remote Irish fishing village. There, she becomes quickly acclimatized to the townsfolk and their love of imparting local mythology, particularly in regard to the "Selkie", a fabled Celtic creature that was part-woman, part-seal.

Raised to be a sensible young woman, Jeni is nevertheless taken in by the stories, convinced that they might hold the key to the whereabouts of her lost little brother, presumed to have drowned at sea. She decides to conduct her own investigation.

Sayles has anchored the rather lofty story line with a prevailing logical base that easily lures the viewer into the proceedings. The richly observed terrain is brought out to full earthy effect through Sayles' trademark gift for storytelling and crisp dialogue. Of course, he's ably assisted in his efforts by esteemed cinematographer Haskell Wexler, who captures the moody Northwest Irish coast with a misty clarity.

THE SECRET OF ROAN INISH

First Look Pictures Releasing

Producers Maggie Renzi, Sarah Green

Associate producer Paul Miller

Director-screenplay John Sayles

Director of photography Haskell Wexler

Editor John Sayles

Production designer Adrian Smith

Color/stereo

Cast:

Fiona Jeni Courtney

Tess Eileen Colgan

Hugh Mick Lally

Eamon Richard Sheridan

Tadhg John Lynch

Running time -- 104 minutes

No MPAA rating

(c) The Hollywood Reporter...