Over the last few years we have been told that Irish film is constantly evolving and evolving to a level that it hasn't reached before, but the reports are true. Irish film has now become something that we can be infinitely proud of with amazing casts, brilliant directors but most importantly, scripts that give actors and actresses an opportunity to exercise their acting chops while simultaneously dealing with some pretty important issues in society. Recession, abuse, health and marriage, no topic has been deemed too serious for representation on the big screen, but Irish film was beginning to end up in a rut, constantly depending on these particular themes instead of reaching a point where we can move past them and see them in a different light. This is not to say that any of these issues should ever be ignored, rather their representation needed to change.

Thankfully, post-modern Ireland is certainly been represented on the big screen. Gone are the days where many felt the need to tiptoe around subjects, now we are facing these demons head on. Granted, there will always be criticism of the representation of this little nation on screen, but we, as a country, always feel the need to be understood. Occasionally, how we are depicted on the big screen by those living outside the country can be jarring; the accents aren't right, many don't seem to understand that we don't head to the end of rainbows to try to find crocks of gold and perhaps most importantly, although we are partial to the odd beverage, we're not exactly raving alcoholics. Well, most of the time.

Yet somehow, John Michael McDonagh has managed to "get" us. Granted, he actually spent a good portion of his life here in Ireland, McDonagh has become this brilliant lens through which we can see ourselves, both the view from abroad and from at home, which is not the most common. He gets our dry humour, he understands our concerns, and yet, with Calvary, he still manages to treat the most serious of topics with just that edge of humour that's needed.

McDonagh says the idea for Calvary came to him while drinking in a pub with the cast from The Guard. Discussing the situation with the church and clerical abuse, McDonagh said he understood that not all priests were bad and he wanted to make a film about a good priest. Calvary was born.

Revolving around that one good priest, Calvary tells the story of Father James Lavelle who lives in a sleepy village where he knows everyone's business and everyone knows his. However, during confession, a threat is made on his life by one of his congregation who tells Lavelle he must try to tie up his affairs in just a few days before an attempt will be made on his life. Father Lavelle spends his time trying to continue his work in the parish while also attempting to figure out who has issued this threat.

This isn't quite as easy as you may think. Although Lavelle lives a virtuous life and is a help to all who need him in his parish, there are quite a few colourful people who are not the fondest of the lovable priest. Some provide comedy and laughs, others will slightly break your heart, all are part of his mission.

Calvary is just wonderful, there are no two ways about it. With the deeply haunting subject matter, it would be easy to fall into the same loops as Irish films have before, but it becomes so much more than that; you will begin to almost feel sorry that a man like Lavelle is really losing his place in modern society. He offers counsel and solace, yet there are those who are not religious and who find fault with the institution he comes from, rather from the work he does himself.

Nearly everything works here, the script is absolutely immaculate. Although this is particularly dark subject matter, there are still occasions when you can breathe a sigh of relief and laugh. The characters are wonderful and entirely believable, some a little left of centre, but brilliantly written with troubling back stories of their own. The butcher whose wife is cheating on him, the lonely boy who wants his life to be something amazing, the troubled daughter; the list is endless.

In terms of performances, Gleeson, of course, owns the entire affair. His sombre nature and his wonderfully sweet character would win over any disbeliever. He is the great pillar of strength in his community, yet simultaneously the broken man, a balance he displays quite beautifully. The character was written for him, there is no one else who could play this role to this level. However, that is not to say the rest of the cast are not brilliant, Killian Scott, Aidan Gillen, Domhnall Gleeson and Chris O'Dowd. This is literally the epitome of Irish talent and there are none better.

Also, make sure you see this in the cinema. McDonagh has a particular talent at making this country look as beautiful on screen as it is in reality.

We wish there were more Irish films like this.

The Raid 2 (18) ***

Director - Gareth Evans

Cast - Iko Uwais, Julie Estelle, Arifin Putra

When the Raid burst on to the scene back in 2011, it really was an action force to be reckoned with;  a relentless fight film that turned up the adrenalin and tension to such a level you either felt like you were dying of a heartache towards the end or that you were going to start a fight with the nearest person to your fist when you left the cinema. The Raid lived and breathed all of the greatest things about the action genre, good clean directing, little plot but what existed was concise and clear and simply brilliant editing. The Raid played to audiences all around the world, picking up major film festival awards and winning the love of its audiences all over the world.

The Raid was a curious film; an Indonesian film with unknown actors and directed by the Welsh Gareth Evans, on paper, everyone was more than a little curious. However, when it opened here for the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival in 2011, the Raid was the audience and critics winner across the board. Immediately, there was a talk of the sequel, and with Evans confirming that another film was in the works, the pressure was certainly on. Would a film that had nearly been so successful purely from word of mouth be able to put out a sequel that was just as good as the original? Evans certainly seemed up to the challenge.

This is where the Raid 2 becomes more curious.

Following on from the ending of the previous film, the Raid 2 begins with Rama being persuaded to once again work for the police force, going under cover with the thugs of Jakarta to bring down the gang who have been controlling things. Rama enters prison for his mission and spends two years winning over the trust of Ucok, the son of one of the leading gang families in the city.

Rama serves his friend quite well, especially throughout one of the most dramatic fight sequences in the film, and ends up in his employment when he leaves prison. However, Ucok is not exactly someone you could clearly support with better judgement and as he delves further and further into the gangland underworld, it becomes clear that he will stop at nothing to win the control of the city and overthrow his father.

First off, those who saw the first Raid are going to see a very different film in the form of the Raid 2. Although far more ambitious in scope, the plot takes centre stage here with the fight sequences happening around it. Unfortunately, therein lies the problem. With the inclusion of a fairly sprawling and incoherent plot, the fighting takes a back seat to the main acting of the film. The acting is not that great either but we also seem to have lost the formula of what worked in the original film. Don't get us wrong, the Raid 2 will most certainly have its fans, they possibly won't be the people who liked the original production. There is much less action here than the first film, there is far more dialogue.

Iko Uwais is back here in the starring role and does hold the film together, you feel empathy towards his character who is forced to abandon his wife and child to end a dispute that in reality, seems endless. However, you will feel little or no sympathy for the rest of the gang, much less will you be able to keep track of who everyone is as so many new characters are introduced throughout the production.

Lastly, the fight scenes are still technically brilliant and a thing of beauty, but there are moments when you expect Quentin Tarantino to walk out from behind the camera and although this nod to a brilliant director is absolutely fine and expected, you can begin to feel like there is so much more to Evans than just the Raid and the Raid 2.

The Raid 3 has been announced. Let's just see how that one goes. The Raid 2 is still worth your time.