Calvary (2014)

Brendan Gleeson plays an Irish village priest who receives a death threat in the confessional box at the start of “Calvary.” “I was 7 when I first tasted semen,” the instigator says, proclaiming that he wants to slay a good priest in the name of revenge as the abuser priest has died. Refusing police help, James seeks out the man in secret among the locals, including a bartender, a butcher, the mayor, the mayor’s gay trick, a pathologist, an American writer, and a wealthy, lonely Londoner. Near all angry at life for its cruelty, or the Church, longtime protector of child rapists. James’ soul is righteous, he having lived as husband and father, his wife now dead, his grown daughter (Kelly Reilly) troubled and haunted. Writer/director John Michael McDonagh’s drama focuses on the trouble and glory of faith, even lost. James’ spirit bends as his week turns to violence, from the same man, others? Rarely is religion treated with such somberness. Alas McDonagh serves up blatant, ugly stereotypes. The trick is a Fox News cartoon. That said, the end broke me as James insists on grace over damnation. That, not the stereotypes, is a notion to live by. B

The Crying Game (1992)

I’m shocked how the numerous reveals of “The Crying Game” still build on me, that I find hints never noticed before: Side characters, motivations, phrases with new meanings. Stephen Rea is IRA “volunteer” Fargus, who takes part in the kidnapping of a British soldier (Forrest Whitaker) and as he guards the prisoner, foolishly befriends the man. The soldier knows Fargus’ motives are crumbling and pleads, “Go to England, find my girl, and tell her I love her.” Fargus goes and finds Dil (Jaye Davidson) and follows her, attracted and intrigued by her world, stage presence, and an aura that leaves him curious. Soon, though, our hero’s IRA accomplices (Adrian Dunbar and Miranda Richardson) return and are intent on putting our man though a suicide mission. If he fails, Dil dies. That’s only a portion of Neil Jordan’s film, which also is about an entirely different matter altogether, including how Fargus will not fight for his own life, but will kill a man for insulting his lover. Rea is fantastic, complicated, confused, then sure, and Davidson constantly turns the tables on what Fargus expects and wants, and what we expect and want. A

The Secret of the Kells (2009)

I may have missed the unique, Irish children’s tale “The Secret of the Kells” if it had not landed an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature for 2009. Thank goodness it did. “Kells” boasts some of the most innovative, out-there animation I’ve ever seen. The story is simple, playing like a first chapter: A young orphan boy is kept within the village walls by his paranoid, shockingly tall uncle. Young Brandon wants to visit the forbidden forest, and with the help of an elderly scribe, he does just that. I shall give away no more. Directors Tomm Moore and Nora Twomey have made one beautiful film. “Kells” pops with artwork inspired by ancient Bible margin art, Cubism, Expressionism, Japanese inks, water colors, chalk drawing, kaleidoscopes, etc. Inspired. Not charted to exceed CGI 3-D box office records. The dialogue is great and slyly funny, the themes dark and magical, the music hummable and ... what else is there to say? I’m ready for more Kells. A-

Once (2007)

“Once” is a true feat: An original take on a tired standard (here, boy-meets-girl drama) that turns the table legs up, and provides a bit of magic for extra bargain. The magic here is the amazingly heartfelt, seemingly-off-the-cuff music created by the guy (Glen Hansard) and the girl (Marketa Irglova). The set-up is easy: Girl stumbles upon Guy as he sings passionately -- wildly so -- on a Dublin street corner. They talk music, and befriend each other, moving ever closer to … I won’t spoil it. Made on a shoestring budget and by-God seemingly shot on the fly and improvised, writer-director John Carney has made a startling new passionate film about adult love. If you’re looking for a mushy feel-good rom com, look elsewhere. This is the anti-“High School Musical” - a film about love, music and adults. Blissfully real, with an ending that will stick with you. The soundtrack - have I said this enough? - is amazing, and not a single bit American. A