In the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, faculty members in the Department of Cinematic Arts at the University of Miami School of Communication offered Irish film recommendations for those looking to celebrate the holiday with a movie marathon.
“For St. Patrick's Day viewing, the most obvious place to go is the Jim Sheridan-Daniel Day Lewis collaborations such as ‘The Boxer,’ ” said Christina Lane, chair and associate professor of the Department of Cinema and Interactive Media. She explained that there are also classics such as Alan Parker's “Angela's Ashes” and Neil Jordan's “The Crying Game,” which are also great movies to watch.
Lane noted that those who are looking for lighter fare should “check out the heart-warming musical ‘The Commitments’ or the black comedy crime film ‘In Bruges.’”
Lane also highly recommends “Dancing at Lughnasa” (1998), “Breakfast on Pluto” (2005), and “Philomena” (2013).
Jim Virga, associate professor of professional practice, agreed that Jim Sheridan-Daniel Day Lewis collaborations are great movies to binge watch during the holiday. He said his favorite film is “My Left Foot,” “because it is a very inspiring film about a man, born with cerebral palsy, who learns how to paint and write with his only controllable limb—his foot.”
Here is a list of other film selections from Virga:
- “Brooklyn” (2015)
- “The Commitments” (1991)
- “Waking Ned Devine” (1998)
- “In the Name of the Father” (1993)
- “Nothing Personal” (2009)
Ali Habashi, assistant professor of professional practice, said his favorite movie is “Brooklyn.”
"There is this constant undercurrent and tender theme of acceptance, as it could be deeply experienced by the first generation of immigrants stepping into a new world for the first time,’’ he said describing the movie. “There is a unique mix of determination and vulnerability, the inner conflict and sense of guilt of leaving everything behind and moving forward with a purpose, discovering along the way, through courageous decisions and devastating failures, who one is becoming."
His other choices include:
- “Wild Mountain Thyme” (2020)
- “The Hole in the Ground” (2019)
- “Extra Ordinary” (2019)
- “Sea Fever” (2019)
- “Calvary” (2014)
- “Philomena” (2013)
For those interested in animated films, Habashi suggests:
- “Wolf Walkers” (2020)
- “Song of the Sea” (2014)
- “The Secret of Kells” (2009)
For classic movie buffs, Habashi recommends the following:
- “Circle of Friends” (1995)
- “Waking Ned” (1998)
- “The Wind that Shakes the Barley” (2006)
- “Hunger” (2008)
- “Ondine” (2009)
