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Arts & Entertainment

Movies That Will Leave You Green

Five movies that are sure to put you in the Irish spirit this St. Patrick's Day.

St. Patrick's Day is almost upon us and since not everyone goes out and indulges in green beer, we thought what better way to put you in the spirit without leaving the house, than a movie to celebrate the biggest day for one of Europe's smallest countries.

Here are five movies, from different genres, which will leave you not only hankering for some meat and potatoes but will also have you saying Erin Go Bragh.

To many, the first movie that comes to mind when they think St. Patty's Day, or anything Irish for that matter is Boondock Saints. This often vulgar crime thriller is geared more towards the younger crowd, who tend to appreciate the now cult classic more than the older generation. The movie was just a blip on the radar at the time of its release in 1999 but has since snowballed thanks to home video consumption. It has little star power to back it up, however, if you like Willem Dafoe, this performance surely won't disappoint. The plot revolves around two fraternal Irish Catholic twins living in Boston who become vigilantes after killing two members of the Russian mob in what they claim was self defense. The entire dialogue is swarming with Irish and Bostonian accents and the movie even starts off with a St. Patrick's Day celebration.

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If vulgar crime thrillers aren't your thing, then you might want to skip the next choice which is another more recent pick, Martin Scorsese's The Departed. The Departed is probably the most seen St. Patty's themed movie, since it is not only stacked with an awesome cast, but it was not that long ago that it hit theaters back in 2006. This movie also takes place in Boston and stars Leonardo DiCaprio as an informant with the Massachusetts State Police, who is trying to arrest a local mob boss that is being tipped off by a fellow cop played by Matt Damon. Throughout the movie, various Irish slang can be heard and even the main song of the film is sung by a bagpipe wailing, Irish-American punk rock band known as the Dropkick Murphys. If you like crime thrillers or movies with plenty of suspense, then grab a shamrock shake and be prepared for a twist you won't see coming!

If you are looking for something a bit more classic, then check out the 1952 romantic comedy, The Quiet Man, staring legendary actor John Wayne. Wayne plays an Irish-born American who returns to Ireland to reclaim the family farm. He then meets a lady and falls in love much to the dismay of her sister, who will not sanction the marriage. The movie is known for it gorgeous photography of the Irish country side, which has withstood years of aging. The most famous scene of the Quiet Man comes during a comical fist fight between John Wayne and costar Victor McLaglen. If you want a movie the whole family can enjoy then this might be the best bet. Warning: children may say this is boring within the first 15 minutes.

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For something a little different, check out 1993's Leprechaun. This low budget, at times laughable horror movie will surely leave you green. It is tough to leave a movie with Ireland's mascot off the must-see list, so be prepared. This movie is a train wreck that will leave you watching simply to see what happens next. The movie takes place in North Dakota, where a sealed-away leprechaun guarded by four leaf clovers is discovered and his bag of one hundred gold coins is stolen. He then goes after a family who has moved into a nearby home and it is up to Jennifer Aniston's character to figure out a way to kill him before he tries to do the same in the hopes of finding his gold coins. You might want to watch this one after the kids go to bed as at times it can be very creepy but make sure you don't laugh too hard because you might wake them up. And if you enjoy that be sure to check out one of the numerous sequels including Leprechaun in 'da Hood and Leprechaun 4: In Space.

If musicals are your thing, then perhaps Finian's Rainbow will help you get that St. Patty's Day fix. With a blend of dancing and singing, this 1968 film based on a stage musical was directed by Francis Ford Coppola and stars perhaps one of the greatest dancers ever to be on film – Fred Astaire. Astaire plays an Irishman who has stolen a leprechaun's pot of gold and much like the laughable horror film previously mentioned, the leprechaun follows him to retrieve his gold. When the gold is found, wishes then begin to come true. This is yet another movie for the whole family, with plenty of Irish flair. It is sure to leave you toe tapping.

If you decide that you are going to have a quiet St. Patty's Day and can't find anything on TV, just remember that even though Christmas gets all the glory, there is still plenty to watch on March 17.

So start your own yearly movie tradition!

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