Over the last weekend, Movies.ie tried to bring a little of the San Diego Comic-Con spirit to Dublin in the form of the first Movie Fest event: two days of preview screenings and plenty of trailers and sneak-peek footage, all available at screen 17 of the Cineworld Cinema. It was a valiant effort, and some of the chosen films certainly suited the occasion, particularly the remake of Fright Night and Cowboys and Aliens, but the mention of Comic-Con was probably a bit misleading.

This was a movie event, and the Comic-Con tie lay in the fact that the preview footage had previously been seen at that event – and had since been uploaded to the Internet, both legitimately and otherwise. Other than that, it was all about being in a cinema, enjoying some films – both arthouse and mainstream – that weren’t quite out yet and previews of others still in production. Not really a “Con” event at all.

I like the idea of having a more populist alternative to the likes of the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival, but Movie Fest seems caught between being the celebration of movies that it wants to be and trying to shine itself up with some geek cred. If it comes back next year, I’d like to see it have a clearer idea of what it is. For now, congratulations to those who put it on this year – selling out both days is nothing to be sniffed at.