Online Entertainment Tips: Snowpiercer, JK Rowling's new tale, and two films on Repeal
A new thriller on Netflix is already causing a stir, and JK Rowling has set the internet alight with chapters of her fairytale, writes
Netflix
With just two episodes available so far, this dystopian thriller has already been building quite a buzz.
Based on a film by Parasite director Bong Joon-ho, it's set on a huge train that contains the remaining humans who have survived an apocalypse in a now-frozen world.
The well-fed elites exist in splendour up front, while the unfortunates are crammed into carriages at the back. Not surprisingly, there's no shortage of conflict between the groups.
Reviews have been somewhat mixed, but it still makes for action-packed viewing and is well worth jumping aboard.
A new episode is released every Monday.
Given the talent involved, you'd have backed this new comedy series to be a soaring success.
Featuring the likes of Steve Carell, Lisa Kudrow and John Malkovich, its story of a new military force to “put boots on the moon” takes regular jabs at Donald Trump but many of its scenes fall surprisingly flat.
Perhaps the public will take to it, but critics are already rolling out the “fails to take off” headlines for a show that really should be funnier.
- Available to stream from Thursday May 28
For Kids
The Harry Potter author caused quite a stir on Tuesday when she announced she was publishing a new story.
At pains to point out it wasn't anything to do with the tales of the hugely-popular young wizard, The Ickabog fairytale was originally written for her own children, and Rowling is releasing one chapter per night for free online, with eventual publishing royalties going to Covid charities.
She has also encouraged children to create illustrations for the story and to share them online.
“The Ickabog is a story about truth and the abuse of power,” wrote Rowling on her website, cautioning that its release wasn't intended as a response to anything that’s happening in the world right now.
Be warned that older Harry Potter fans might be a bit disappointed with the story – it really is a children's fairytale.
https://www.theickabog.com/
Unlikely to be mentioned among Harrison Ford's best films, this adaptation of the Jack London tale still has enough to keep younger viewers entertained.
It's set in the Yukon in the late 19th century and follows a man and his trusty companion dog as he pans for gold in the wilderness.
- Download from Sky Store, Apple, Google Play, etc
Feature Films
Heartwarming film that was probably missed by a lot of people last year.
Tom Hanks stars as the real-life children's television star Fred Rogers who strikes up a friendship with a journalist who has been given the job of digging up some dirt on him.
- Sky Store, etc, from Friday
Documentaries
The second anniversary of the vote to repeal the Eighth Amendment took place earlier this week, so the Irish Film Institute has made a documentary about the occasion available on its player until Sunday.
When Women Won was made by Anna Rodgers, and takes an “unashamedly partisan” look at the vote from the perspective of the winning side.
Another documentary around that vote, The 8th, has just had its premiere via the prestigious Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, and is available to stream via that event's website.
Longtime pro-choice campaigner Ailbhe Smyth features prominently in the film, and there are also interviews with representatives of the losing side.
This documentary about the Irish composer won plenty of praise on the festival circuit, and this release via the video-on-demand service gives it a chance to reach a wider audience.
Christened the ' Godfather of Irish electronica', we hear about Doyle's innovative output through the 1970s and 80s, including his work on theatre and film soundtracks.
One for the musos.
- Volta
Music
The harper completes the Piece by Piece sequence of works that the Cork arts centre has been running in recent weeks with Improvised Music Company.
Basically, each week a musician improvises on the music that has preceded them in the series.
Monaghan's harp will presumably be at the centre of this final interpretation, but she often adds electronic effects and sound recordings to the mix.
The very last piece in the musical puzzle of #piecebypiece is coming up this Fri 29th at 8pm, from harper and sound artist @una_music, please join us at https://t.co/9pe4dvVOB7 or @TriskelCork's Facebook! @europejazznet @CEDCultureIE @MovingOnMusic pic.twitter.com/IAB9ii8VlU
— ImprovisedMusic (@ImprovisedMusic) May 27, 2020
Should be interesting.
- Triskel Facebook, Friday, 8pm
The Ó Snodaigh brothers and their cohorts will be performing a gig on Saturday evening from their Lock-Up Live stage in a warehouse in Wicklow.
BIG NEWS...we are doing a socially distanced gig on the @LockUpLiveShow LIVE on YouTube - Saturday night, May 30th at 8.30pm
— Kíla (@KilaRecords) May 27, 2020
The Youtube link is below and we're very excited @FERGDARCY will present...We hope to see you there! Virtually! #LockUpLiveShowhttps://t.co/ZjAwiBtqa5 pic.twitter.com/uxkCFDbMzv
Like most of these events, it is free, but the band say donations are welcome to pay crew, etc.
- YouTube, Saturday, 8pm
