There are many different ways to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day, whether it is going out to the pub, eating Irish foods or just ordering a Shamrock Shake from McDonald’s. While all of those sound intriguing, there are a few other ways to celebrate the country of Ireland.
Watching movies is a perfect way to celebrate a country’s culture, especially if it is a movie showing the culture from Ireland. All of these movies take a look at different aspects of Irish life and are perfect for a chill Saint Patrick’s Day.
- “Once”
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This movie follows the story of two musicians and how they create a song together. It is so simple, yet so beautiful. This one is more about the simplicities of life in Ireland, focusing on the beauty in the little things in life. The song they created in the movie won the Oscar for best original song in real life.
- “The Banshees of Inisherin”
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Nominated for multiple Academy Awards this year, “The Banshees of Inisherin” is one of the most talked about movies of 2022. It takes place on a fictional Irish island called “Inisherin,” and it’s about two men and their sudden rift. It sounds very simple, but it is so elegant in its simplicity and becomes emotional when you least expect it.
- “Brooklyn”
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A story about a girl who moves to America from Ireland to make a life for herself but is torn between the two countries and two men. The main character is played by Saoirse Ronan before she received her prominent roles in “Lady Bird” and “Little Women.”
- “The Quiet Girl”
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Nominated this year for best international film, “The Quiet Girl,” is about a girl sent to live with her relatives where she finds a secret she wasn’t supposed to. This movie is rare, as it features Gaelic as the main language, which is only spoken by about two million people.
- “WolfWalkers”
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“Wolfwalkers” is about a girl who moves to Ireland with her father who is there to hunt wolves, but soon she finds herself in a world of magic as she finds out she is closer to the wolves than she knew before. It is an animated movie that is the third in a movie trilogy by director Tom Moore. The other two in the trilogy are “The Secret of Kells” and “Song of the Sea.”
- “Sing Street”
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Set in Ireland’s capital in the ’80s “Sing Street” is about a boy and his band that he created in order to impress a girl. It’s part rom-com and part musical, which makes for a good watch.
- “Leap Year”
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This one is obviously watchable in February, but it is perfect for March because it takes place in Ireland. This rom-com stars Amy Adams as she tries to propose to her boyfriend. As she attempts to do so, she finds herself on the other side of Ireland and not with the man she thought she would be with.
- Bonus: “Aftersun”
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This film doesn’t take place in Ireland, but it does star up-and-coming Irish actor, Paul Mescal. Since his break-out role in the limited series, “Normal People,” Mescal has since been nominated for his performance in “Aftersun” and has been cast in the sequel to the 2000’s movie, “Gladiator.” He is definitely someone who we should all be paying attention to in the coming years.
Even if you don’t normally celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day, it is always fun to check out movies from other countries to broaden your film knowledge and maybe even find your new favorite.