MORE SPOILER-FREE MINI-REVIEWS @ https://www.msbreviews.com/movie-reviews/other-films-watched-lff-2022

"The Banshees of Inisherin is a classic tragicomedy from Martin McDonagh: genuinely hilarious and deceptively inconsequential until it ceases to be.

Despite the expected tonal shift, the narrative follows an even darker path than expected, and the turning point is capable of leaving some viewers "lost" for a while. Nevertheless, the filmmaker delivers a brutal, shocking story about friendship and the importance of some alone time. Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson are absolutely brillian... read the rest.

I really did enjoy this film, but I can't say I am entirely sure what the point of it was...! Colin Farrell is "Pádraic", a man who routinely spends his days down the pub with his friend "Colm" (Brendan Gleeson) before returning home to their small dairy farm where he lives with his itchy-footed sister "Siobhan" (Kerry Condon). Out of the blue one day, his pal refuses to talk to him. He goes and sits elsewhere or outside their tiny pub. Nobody knows why. Confronting this head on, we discover that "Pádraic" is dull. He spends hours droning on about the contents of his donkey's manure and, well,... read the rest.

The Banshees of Inisherin is a stellar film with fantastic cinematography, tremendous performances, and an intriguing plot that will stay with viewers long past the credits. The stories set up does a fantastic job at engaging the audience, we feel for Padraic, truly wanting to know why his lifelong friend would "ghost" him. This sense of despair soon leads to horror as the plot progresses, creating some uncomfortable moments for both our main character and the audience. Overall, there is just something about this movie that is able to hook me. I had many laughs mixed while feeling completely he... read the rest.

This is one of the most brilliant movies I've seen in a long time. I understand why some people might not fully appreciate the story (which reminds me of Aronofsky's Black Swan in that it's a painfully slow descent into Hell). I find this film as complex as a fine scotch, or a fine wine. The top note is, of course, the beautiful visuals created by Ben Davis. The acting all around is phenomenal. Farrell and Gleeson were, of course, nothing short of spectacular. The real surprise was the character created by Barry Keoghan. I couldn't help but be amazed by how real his character was. Although I wa... read the rest.

By: Louisa Moore / www.ScreenZealots.com

This film was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival

Writer and director Martin McDonagh is no stranger to creating stories that find humor in darkness. In fact, it’s arguably what he does best. With his latest film “The Banshees of Inisherin,” McDonagh captures the sadness of a breakup between two longtime friends with his signature darkly comedic, cynical tone. It’s an emotional character study about loneliness and isolation that expertly blends humor and cruelty, and it’s one of my favorite films so far this year.

Set on a... read the rest.