Author

David Monaghan

David Monaghan is the former co-editor of HeadStuff's Film and TV section. He is also the former co-editor of OTwo, the University Observer's arts and culture supplement. He is a Dublin-based writer, journalist and critic, and a two-time arts graduate, having completed a BA International in English with Film, and an MA in Film Studies. In his spare time he likes to read comic books and cry over Perfume Genius records.

Film

Film Review | The DCEU Gets Fun With the Charming Heartfelt Shazam!

David Monaghan Apr 5, 2019

One of the most heartfelt statements made by veteran comic book writer Frank Miller is: “I don't need to see sweat patches under Superman's arms. I want to see him fly.” Its meaning is apparent: Superhero fiction operates best when it leans…

Literature

A Dublin Bloom | An Interview with Dermot Bolger

David Monaghan Jul 7, 2018

Dermot Bolger is a stalwart of the Irish literary scene, having written numerous novels and plays since the mid-1980s. These include his recent successes Tanglewood, a microscopic look at the Irish property boom of 00s, and The Lonely Sea…

Film

10 Years On | Is Funny Games A Soulless Exercise In Movie Violence?

David Monaghan Mar 14, 2018

*This article contains spoilers for Funny Games* The original Funny Games debuted in 1997, generating a critical storm of both condemnation and adoration. Directed by arthouse darling Michael Haneke, the film acts as a contemplative thesis…

Film

Film Review | Aquarius Is a Poignant Reflection on Ageing and Intimacy

David Monaghan Mar 16, 2017

Kleber Mendonça Filho’s Aquarius is a poignant reflection on ageing, a focused character study on the protagonist Clara (Sônia Braga), who tries to live her life in spite of multiple intrusions to its status quo. Although the socio-economic…

Topical

Setting the Record Straight | Great Anger at the ‘RTÉ Recognition 4 Repeal’ Protest

David Monaghan Mar 14, 2017

On March 8th, an estimated 10,000 people partook in a march in Dublin to protest Ireland’s Eighth Amendment, which positions the life of the unborn as equal to that of its mother. This restricts abortion access for Irish women and forces…

Topical

At War With Yourself | The Invisible Enemy & Me

David Monaghan Jan 13, 2017

Imagine you were fighting an invisible war where the enemy could anticipate your every move and tactic. Worse still: imagine the enemy lived inside your head and was unrelenting in its fight against you. I was around eleven when I first…

Film Review

Friends, Family and Folk Music | An Interview with Real Boy Director Shaleece Haas

David Monaghan Sep 22, 2016

The GAZE Film Festival has come and gone, showcasing once more the best in LGBTQ+ cinema on both international and indigenous fronts. Audiences were entertained, educated, stunned and most importantly, enlightened by the frank and…

Film Review

Film Review | The Beatles: Eight Days a Week Offers Valuable Insight into an Influential Band

David Monaghan Sep 6, 2016

In the years following their break-up, John Lennon would say that the Beatles were in the crow’s nest of the ship that would discover the ‘New World.’ He was referring of course to the 1960s, a decade of discovery and experimentation. At…

Literature Features

Small Print? | Changes in Irish Publishing

David Monaghan Aug 16, 2016

It is well-documented that Irish writer James Joyce once said, “No self-respecting person wants to stay in Ireland.” Although the automatic and unthinking response of many to such a claim would be dismissal, the long, broad narrative of…

Film Features

GAZE Film Festival 2016 | Ireland’s Flagship LGBT Film Festival is Back for its 24th Year

David Monaghan Jun 20, 2016

The annual GAZE International Film Festival has been a flagship event for Dublin’s LGBT community since its inception in 1992. Now in its 24th year, the festival will continue to highlight LGBT cinema for all its diversity, or so programmer…

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