Looking forward to...
More from the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival. Here are six to watch this final weekend:
1 As If I Am Not There
Cineworld, 5pm, Saturday
Powerful drama from Irish director Juanita Wilson concerning atrocities during the Bosnian War. Based on the novel by Slavenka Drakulic.
2 My Joy
Cineworld, 6pm, Saturday
Perversely overlooked at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, Sergei Loznitsa’s superb drama finds a Ukranian truck driver encountering all kinds of misery.
3 Miss Remarkable and Her Career/The External World
Cineworld, 2pm, Saturday
Two fine Irish animations are packaged together in a double bill. Joana Rubin Dranger’s Miss Remarkable is an adaptation of the renowned graphic novel. David O’Reilly’s The External World screened at Sundance.
4 You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger
Cineworld, 11am, Sunday
The latest Woody Allen picture stars Anthony Hopkins as an older man in love with a younger woman. Sound familiar?
5 Anton Chekhov’s The Duel
Cineworld, 1pm, Sunday
Irish premiere of a well-reviewed sideways take on a Chekhov story. The American film, featuring Irish actor Fiona Glascott, is surprisingly funny.
6 Men of Arlington
Cineworld, 2pm, Sunday
Powerful documentary examining life in a London shelter populated largely by Irish expatriates. Directed by Enda Hughes.
Anticipating...
Two nights with Sufjan Stevens (and brilliant support act DM Stith) in the Olympia in Dublin on May 17th and 18th.
Listening to...
Adele's 21. Great songs, a sassy style and the first artist since The Beatles to have two singles and two albums in the top five simultaneously. This week's performance on Letterman was fantastic.
Lykke Li's Wounded Rhymes. The Swedish singer's second album is full of sweet pop tunes with a finely tuned edge.
Build a Rocket Boys!, Elbow's new album. When it works, it really works.
Watching...
Tremeon Sky Atlantic: New Orleans as seen thru the eyes of the people behind The Wire.
Visiting...
Dearc: Celebrating 150 Years of the RDS Taylor Art Awardat the RDS Concert Hall. Work by William Orpen, Walter Osborne and Roderic O'Conor features among the 25 selected artists – although it should have made room for more. But the often outstanding pieces also offer a potted history of 150 years of Irish art. It runs until March 20th.
Tuning in to...
If you can't afford a foreign trip right now, Gerry Godley's Reels to Ragas(Tuesdays, Lyric FM) is an ideal compromise. Around the world with musical elan and Wilde-esque quips – and back in time for supper.
Delighted by...
The rediscovery of five Daphne Du Maurier short stories, including one about a girl who is obsessed with a mechanical sex doll. The Dollwill be published in a new collection in May by Virago.
Getting to Vicar Street...
For The Irish TimesTheatre Awards tomorrow night. The biggest night for Irish theatre always offers on-stage drama – and occasionally drama among the audience, too. Highlights will be shown on TG4, 10pm on Thursday.
Going back to Vicar Street
The Choice Music Prize announcement on Thursday night. Villagers (right) have been favourites since the beginning of time, but in a vintage year for Irish music nothing can be certain
Arguing
About Snap, Carmel Winters's low-budget drama about a mother, son and a missing child. It drew audible gasps from at least one member of the audience at its film festival showing last Sunday, but at a post-showing Q&A Winters was asked about heavy editing by another punter. Ultimately, opinion is split on whether it's an effective, slow-burning thriller or overly fussy and tricksy. Then again, we argued about her play B for Babytoo.
