As I have yet to see The Banshees of Inisherin I have turned to a guest blogger.
“The beauty of The Banshees of Inisherin is that even in the darkest hours, you never know where the journey will lead. Director Martin McDonagh’s brilliant script takes you to places you don’t expect, even if they’re mere decorations, with Colm cutting off a finger every time Padraic continues to mend their friendship. These sombre and foreboding scenes can be shocking, even shocking, as the film continually doubles down on the ultimatum the story threatens. While hilarious at times, with genuine laughs, a dark undercurrent pervades the entire experience of this Irish comedy. The Banshees of Inisherin keep surprising viewers and leading us down some unsettling paths. All the while, there’s a sadness that blends beautifully with the film’s more surreal elements. The film reunites writer/director Martin Macdonald with his two Bruges co-stars, and the trio’s talents shine once again. Both Farrell and Gleeson are at their best and comfortable in their surroundings. Is this just drama? There is very strong evidence that something akin to the loom of fate is at work through the “banshee” in question. But this is by no means a fantasy or carefree film. Bad things happen, and there’s little respite from the humor sprinkled on them. Somehow, for whatever reason, Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb listed The Banshee of Inisherin as a comedy. The movie posters at my theater had commentary quotes like “very funny”…don’t be fooled. It’s an A-rated movie, but it’s pure misery porn.”
As it happens my guest blogger hasn’t seen the film either but, with a few lapses of grammar, has possibly captured the essence of a film with nine Oscar nominations. The review has been written by Artificial Intelligence (AI). I signed up (free so far) on Smodin.io – the io indicates the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean south of the Maldives. The awful thing is that I doubt my review would have been better although I would not have cribbed so blatantly from online reviews and content like Chaggers.
I fear AI is coming for our jobs, Christopher. No doubt Eric Blair, who lies in my village churchyard, has an “I told you so” expression on his ossified tubercular lips.