Santa Monica, CA (17 March 2010) -- What better way to commemorate the most widely recognized patron saint of Ireland than with a DVD Verdict mini film festival, honoring the country's best, brightest, and boldest filmmakers? Let's get right to it...

Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959)

Walt Disney celebrates the mythology of Ireland in this kitschy but beloved family classic, complete with over-the-top characters, leprechauns, banshees, and a classic episode of the Disneyland television series entitled "I Captured The King of the Leprechauns" featuring character actor Pat O'Brien. We'll overlook the fact that co-star Sean Connery is a Scottsman. And speaking of Scotts, we're choosing this as our fantasy entry over John Sayle's The Secret of Roan Inish (1994) only because Rosalie K. Fry's fairy tale about human/seal mer-folk was originally set in Scotland and relocated to Ireland specifically for the film.

The Quiet Man (1952)

On the classic film front, drawing inspiration from a series of short stories by Maurice Walsh, this classic John Ford piece stars John Wayne as a tormented American boxer and Maureen O'Hara as the Irish lass who turns his world around. A labor of love from everyone involved, the film honors the majesty, the music, and the people of Ireland.

Waking Ned Devine (1998)

For our comedy selection, we look no further than this beautiful little tale of life, love, family, and friendship. The National Board of Review honored in with an "Excellence in Filmmaking" award and the Screen Actors Guild nominated is for "Best Ensemble Cast." No matter how down you may be, writer/director Kirk Jones' heartwarming film is guaranteed to lift your spirits.

The Field (1990)

As a pure drama, Sir Richard Harris owned writer/director Jim Sheridan's compelling tale of a family's devotion to their plot of land and an American who sees it as nothing more than an obstacle to his business plans. With a support cast like Sean Bean, Brenda Fricker, and John Hurt, it's damn near impossible to go wrong.

The Commitments (1991)

For our musical selection, director Alan Parker blew the doors off theatres around the world, with his gritty rock 'n soul masterpiece, an adaptation of Irish author Roddy Doyle's coming of age novel. You most likely heard the soundtrack, headlined by the ballsy Andrew Stong, before ever seeing the film. This one is definitely worth a second or third look. We chose this over writer/director John Carney's Once (2006) simply because of its raw power. But it is worth noting that co-stars Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova light up the screen with chemistry we haven't seen since the golden age of Hollywood.

Circle of Friends (1995)

Our indie film selection falls to a quieter coming of age story, one that introduced to us to actress Minnie Driver. Director Pat O'Connor does a subtle but beautiful job adapting Irish author Maeve Binchy's novel and the inherit struggles of class and social morays amongst a group of Dublin college kids. This picture won out over The Crying Game simply because we didn't want to overwhelm our list one director's films, since...

Michael Collins (1996)

Our historical selection goes to writer/director Neil Jordan's powerful biopic of the 1920s political revolutionary. In a film as resonant today as it was nearly 15 years ago, Ireland native Liam Neeson is a force to be reckoned with, Chris Menges' visuals are breathtaking, and Elliot Goldenthal's score may be one of his finest. This trumped Ken Loach's The Wind That Shakes the Barley in part because we are honoring Cillian Murphy's talent with...

Breakfast on Pluto (2005)

The second of two Neil Jordan pictures, and our Avante Garde selection. Cillian gives an affecting portrayal of a 1970s transgendered woman who leaves her small Irish town for the glitz and glamour of London, only to discover the grass isn't always greener and life for someone who falls outside society's mainstream can often be Hell on earth.

So there you have it, more than a week's worth of excellence in Irish filmmaking, each one a gem in their own right. So cut yourself a slice of soda bread, pour a Harp or a Guiness, and wish your friends and family -- whether they be Irish or not -- a Happy St. Patrick's Day!

--Chief Justice Michael Stailey