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AKB48Fan added 1 item to Movies Watched In 2018 - To Infinity & Beyond! list

Scotland Yard's Inspector Lawrence discovers the Crown of St Edward has been stolen from the Tower of London in a daring daylight robbery. The culprit is super villain Jenebel dubbed The Queen Of The World. It's up to suave, debonair playboy Sir Reginald Hoover's alter-ego Argoman with his telekinetic powers to stop her! This is a truly dreadful Euro super hero parody movie which has it's tongue well and truly in cheek. It's like the Batman TV series except it's far worse than it. The superhero's attire is a pathetic yellow spandex costume with a mask and when he uses his powers his eyes light up green! Just one drawback to those powers though - if he shags somebody he loses those powers for 6 hours!! The plot is nonsensical and the only good thing I can say about this movie is the eye-candy on display in the villain Jenebel and Sir Reginald Hoover's girlfriend who wear quite revealing clothes. If want a good chuckle after a drinking session you could no worse than watch it otherwise steer clear of it.

5 years, 12 months ago

AKB48Fan rated Before We Vanish

 Before We Vanish 6/10

5 years, 12 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Movies Watched In 2018 - To Infinity & Beyond! list

Three aliens travel to Earth on a mission in preparation for a mass invasion. Having taken possession of human bodies, the visitors rob their hosts of the very essence of their being, leaving psychological and spiritual devastation in their wake. This movie by Kiyoshi Kurosawa started out quite well with a husband acting rather odd in a hospital and a schoolgirl who murders 2 old people in their home but then the story slows right down and doesn't really pick up again until about 25 mins before the end. Kurosawa's usual deadpan sense of surrealist humour is at full effect at all times. There's a few good action scenes usually with the alien schoolgirl blowing people away with pistols or machine guns. As the movie drags for over 2 hours, there are pacing issues with the story which doesn't help with the flow - a good 30 mins should have been cut. I can't say this is one of Kurosawa's best work and I don't think I'd watch it again.

5 years, 12 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Movies Watched In 2018 - To Infinity & Beyond! list

An English journalist accepts a wager from Edgar Allen Poe and his friend Lord Blackwood that he cannot spend a night in the haunted Blackwood castle. Once there, the writer wanders around the dusty rooms and corridors, until music and a glimpse of a waltzing couple lead him into an empty room. He is surprised to be tapped on the shoulder by the stunningly beautiful Elizabeth Blackwood. She informs him with an ambiguous charming/eerie manner that she has prepared his room upstairs and that someone is always expected on this night...the Night of the Dead. Thus begins a startling series of supernatural events that bewilder the journalist all the rest of the night. This is a well executed old and very dark house Italian gothic horror. The story is interesting with many twists and turns - so many that you are wondering just who is and who isn't among the undead by the end of the movie. It gets very high marks for creating a creepy atmosphere. The house, black & white cinematography and music work together to make for a scary looking movie. Scream Queen Barbara Steele is her usual beautiful/creepy self. The movie delivers in terms of macabre visuals and shivers with many memorable moments. This is one Italian Gothic horror that is genuinely deserving of its praise. Go watch!

5 years, 12 months ago

AKB48Fan added 2 items to their collection

5 years, 12 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Movies Watched In 2018 - To Infinity & Beyond! list

Based on the popular BBC radio series that was running at the time, this comedy is about an inept crew of a mine-sweeping unit off the fictional island of Boonsey in the English Channel. None of the cast from the radio series apart from Leslie Phillips appear in the movie which is s shame as I'm sure Jon Pertwee and Ronnie Barker would have fitted in nicely in this movie. The plot of the movie is about the Admiralty trying to close down the mine-sweeping unit with the crew getting up to all sorts of mischief to make sure that doesn't happen. You could say this movie is sort of like one of the Carry Ons with it's humour and there is plenty of laughs to be had. Cecil Parker has the leading role as the man in charge of the mine-sweeping operation. Ronnie Shiner tries his best to be like Sid James even attempting to copy his dirty laugh at times. It might not be a classic comedy movie but it's a good one to put your feet up, disengage your brain and just enjoy the shenanigans that takes place.

5 years, 12 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Movies Watched In 2018 - To Infinity & Beyond! list

Burt Lancaster is Ned Merrill, a guy who one day decides to swim his way home, via all his neighbours pools. He stops for chats, drinks and even a frolic in some woods with a buxom blonde teenager. It appears at first he is doing this for fun, then snippets of things that some neighbours say unveil a darker story. This is a weirder movie than it sounds, they way things happen and the interactions with the neighbours is occasionally surreal. It was a box office failure when it was released but has now become a cult classic. The movie draws you in from the first moment and gives you a fantastic performance from Burt Lancaster. His character at first oozes confidence and somebody in the picture of health but in the last scene he's a wreck of a man. Lancaster for a man in his early 50's at the time of filming looked in amazing shape. In the end, this is a great movie of somebody who lost the American Dream. Definitely well worth checking out.

5 years, 12 months ago

AKB48Fan added 2 items to their collection

5 years, 12 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Movies Watched In 2018 - To Infinity & Beyond! list

An interesting version of the Robin Hood story by Hammer Studios. Robin de Courtenay is a Norman nobleman falsely accused by his cousin Roger of murdering his other cousin Henry. Forced to turn outlaw, Robin flees the castle, joins a band of Saxon outcasts, and is dubbed Robin Hood. The fight for justice begins. This version of the Robin Hood story features a number of twists, not the least of which is that Robin is a Norman and his close friends, Little John and Will Scarlet, are Norman retainers. Maid Marian has a rather limited role when compared to most other adaptations. Most, but not all, of the characters generally associated with Robin Hood are present in this version. Barrie Ingham is fine as Robin though he lacks the charisma of other actors that took the role before him. This well-made movie is well worth a look, particularly for those who enjoy the Robin Hood genre or classic adventures.

5 years, 12 months ago

AKB48Fan added 2 items to their collection

5 years, 12 months ago

AKB48Fan added 2 items to Movies Watched In 2018 - To Infinity & Beyond! list

5 years, 12 months ago

AKB48Fan rated Ironmaster

 Ironmaster 3/10

5 years, 12 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Movies Watched In 2018 - To Infinity & Beyond! list

This Italian-French production has a story is about the leader of a prehistoric hunting tribe who is murdered by one of his own people, an evil young tyrant. When the tribe banishes the killer, he wanders into an area of volcanic activity and witnesses the natural formation of an iron bar. Using this weapon and the knowledge of the means to create it, he becomes mad with power and sets forth on a bloody mission to conquer all mankind...one tribe at a time. It is up to his lifelong rival to thwart these sinister plans. This is a poor movie from Italian director Umberto Lenzi. It's just 90 minutes of random loincloths and bludgeoning, with a boneheaded excuse for a plot attached. The dialogue and acting is as bad as I expected, but didn't give me any laughs. For some reason Lenzi gives us plenty of shots of a herd of buffalo on a grassy plain! I'm not sure if real animals were killed in this movie but given Lenzi's past record it wouldn't surprise me. Not worth bothering about this movie to be honest. Skip it!

5 years, 12 months ago

AKB48Fan rated Mary Poppins Returns

 Mary Poppins Returns 6/10

5 years, 12 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Movies Watched In 2018 - To Infinity & Beyond! list

After a gap of 54 years, everybody's favourite magical nanny is back but is this movie any good? This sequel is as much as homage to the original and doesn't necessarily add anything new. The plot's simple - Michael and Jane are now grown-up and Michael has three kids of his own, but the bank's trying to repossess his house, so they need to find a certificate of shares to save the house. Since everything's chaotic, Mary Poppins shows up to help look after the kids - John, Annabelle & Georgie. There's some good animated (traditional cartoons, not CGI, which is nice) scenes, but overall nothing truly exciting or original seems to happen. None of the songs seem that memorable and definitely not as catchy as the original. Emily Blunt did a superior job in the acting department but it's clear she's no Julie Andrews. Her take on Mary Poppins seems a little too cold at times. It also seemed a little bit of coincidence that the young lad playing Georgie is similar in looks to the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge's son Prince George. There's a couple of nice cameos from Dick Van Dyke and Angela Lansbury. So even if this movie fails to capture the charm of the original, it's still a fun movie to go and see.

5 years, 12 months ago

AKB48Fan rated Bumblebee

 Bumblebee 7/10

5 years, 12 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Movies Watched In 2018 - To Infinity & Beyond! list

Finally a decent movie for Transformers fans. Ditching Michael Bay was the best thing that could have happened. The franchise has gone back to it's roots with the robots actually looking how they were in the 80's cartoons. The amazing opening sequence on Cybertron probably had fanboys drooling with favourites such as Shockwave and Starscream showing onscreen. It got myself excited anyway! It was good to see Bumblebee back as the VW Beetle we know and love. Kudos for director Travis Knight for understanding Transformers and giving what the true fans wanted. I enjoyed the relationship between Bumblebee and his human owner played by the lovely Hailee Steinfeld. The movie had tender character moments and comedic moment that weren't cheap but was actually rather funny, successfully fleshing out the warmth of Bumblebee's character and making us sympathize with the lovable Autobot. Bumblebee is a fresh entrance in the Transformers franchise and can hopefully mark an exciting new direction for the franchise.

5 years, 12 months ago

AKB48Fan rated Thoroughbreds

 Thoroughbreds 7/10

5 years, 12 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Movies Watched In 2018 - To Infinity & Beyond! list

Billed as a cross between Heathers and American Psycho, this is an unsettling albeit subtly humorous tale of two childhood friends, upper class Lily and sharp witted social outcast Amanda, who debate try to solve each others problems, no matter the cost. Their friendship is tested by a cold-blooded plan of murdering Lily's minted stepfather Mark whom she despises. This movie is incredibly entertaining and intriguing from beginning to end. The story unfolds in a very interesting way and the ending left me satisifed. It manages to be both comedic and dark and balances the tone quite well. Anya Taylor Joy and Olivia Cooke have excellent chemistry together as Lily and Amanda. Although different personality wise, the subtle humour derives from the contrast between the two, such as Cooke's dry hilarity and emotionless stature, and Taylor-Joy's conflicting role as a young woman trying to cope with her terrible step-father. Director Cory Finley creates tension throughout some scenes with just dialogue and pacing without having to show any violence or gore on screen. He uses very descriptive disturbing dialogue, careful framing and pacing to make your skin crawl. Overall, this is an engaging and effective movie packed with impressive performances and a vision from a debutant director that gives a breath of fresh air to treaded ground. Do check it out.

5 years, 12 months ago

AKB48Fan rated Escape by Night

 Escape by Night 7/10

5 years, 12 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Movies Watched In 2018 - To Infinity & Beyond! list

A bus transporting prisoners is hijacked when a gang takes their leader back. The rest of the prisoners and the bus is locked up inside a barn which is doused with paraffin and will be set alight if anybody tries to escape. This is a cracking low budgeter. Part of the story follows a police investigation as they attempt to track down the missing prisoners while another follows the melodrama taking place inside the barn as certain prisoners recall the tale of how they got to be arrested by the police in the first instance. There's a good cast which includes Peter Sallis as an unhinged lunatic who thinks everybody should be afraid of him. It's him that sets up the fiery and exciting finale. I enjoyed this little b-movie.

5 years, 12 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Movies Watched In 2018 - To Infinity & Beyond! list

A realistic tale of puppy love between two 12 year olds who decide that they want to be together for the rest of their lives and marry straight away. For anybody that has fallen in love for the first time at school, you'll find a lot of nostalgia in this great movie. The story revolves around the pair's growing up years at home, at school and outdoors. In the end, Daniel's friend Ornshaw helps the eager boy-girl couple to get married by playing the pastor performing their marriage ceremony with their school friends as the congregation. There are so many great moments in the movie that take you right through your childhood age although the anarchic final 20 mins is a bit far-fetched. The movie is directed by Waris Hussein who is best known for his work on the early episodes of Dr Who. The gentle soundtrack from the Bee Gees complemented the movie and helped to evoke the 70's era beautifully. An innocent and charming movie which will turn some viewers into hopeless romantics after watching it.

5 years, 12 months ago

AKB48Fan added 2 items to their collection

5 years, 12 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Movies Watched In 2018 - To Infinity & Beyond! list

The Duchess is based on the true life story of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire who married William Cavendish, the 5th Duke of Devonshire in England in 1774. The facts of Georgiana's life form the basis of the movie's plot such as her initial failure to produce an heir to the Duke to her affair with the future Prime Minister Charles Grey. This is a very beautiful looking movie. The costumes are grand and wonderful to look at. The art direction was also of a high end and there was a lot of detail put into this movie. They wanted to get the feel for the period. The director Saul Dibb seemed to be influenced by Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon with the amount of candle light shots and wonderful historical settings in Bath and the countryside. Dibb did a good job trying to keep a good pace and there solid attempt to make an interesting movie. Keira Knightley gives a powerful and sympathetic performance as The Duchess. Hayley Atwell has an interesting character as both Georgiana's best friend and the Duke of Devonshire's lover in what is a very complex relationship. All in all, The Duchess is a great costume drama full of compellingly deep characters. One to watch for sure.

5 years, 12 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Movies Watched In 2018 - To Infinity & Beyond! list

Young Paul Grahame is the elder child in a family living well above their means. His mother Hester is a spendthrift badly hung up on money as some sort of status symbol, while his father, Richard is a gambler, and not a good one at that. The family are heading for bankruptcy unless some income comes in. Befriending the new handyman Bassett, Paul is delighted to find that Bassett is an ex-jockey and regales him with tales of horse racing, he even learns from Bassett how to ride his rocking horse like a real jockey. Then something magical happens, Paul seems to be able to predict the winners of real horse races, and the money starts to roll in… D. H. Lawrence's story gets a faithful adaptation and transfers quite excellently to the screen. It's a haunting fantasy at heart, but one tinged with utter sadness. As the story progresses, it soon becomes evident that Paul has to ride his rocking horse to a frenzied climax, if he doesn't get there then he will not see the name of the next race winner. The irony of this movie is that Paul ends up virtually saving his family from financial ruin without them knowing it. The stress and strain of 'saving the family' soon becomes too great for Paul to bare. This is truly a bizarre story about how the burdens of a dysfunctional family are often placed on an innocent child who wants to fill a void that the adults aren't able, or willing, to do on their own. The whole cast is brilliant but especially John Howard Davies as young Paul. This story after almost 70 years still holds up well as one of the most sinister movies I've ever seen. Recommended.

5 years, 12 months ago

AKB48Fan added 2 items to their collection

5 years, 12 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Movies Watched In 2018 - To Infinity & Beyond! list

A classic Christmas movie which is sadly neglected these days. This is the story of a Christmas in which the emotionally wounded family of a Church of England clergyman come home and attempt to have a happy holiday. It's a reasonably realistic look at a family of emotional cripples as they all try to put their lives back on track. Various members of the family have gone through painful experiences of one kind or another but have been afraid of telling their father as they thought he wouldn't understand as a vicar. Forget about the usual cheery Christmas movies in which everybody is happy and smiling. This is a real Christmas about real people. The movie has a tremendous cast in Ralph Richardson, Celia Johnson, Margaret Leighton, Denholm Elliot, and Hugh Williams! This is a movie that deserves wide attention and should be a Christmas staple.

5 years, 12 months ago

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6 years ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Movies Watched In 2018 - To Infinity & Beyond! list

An American comes over to Britain trying to find some information out about his younger brother who was killed in a commando raid during WWII but the shot that killed him did not come from a German soldier. This is a great whodunit detective movie. It's not an easy task to discover details about a death during a commando raid, obviously a chaotic and deliberately secret event by nature. Although the American's motivations remain a bit fuzzy to everyone, he is doggedly determined. The result is an ending resolution that I found to be rewarding and finely done. Ray Milland is the perfect choice as the American. Director Jack Tourneur has made this movie like an Agatha Christie puzzle in which clues are slowly drip fed to the viewer. There are some fine shots of the Scottish Highlands as Milland pursues the truth north of the border, where the whistling of a folk tune called 'White Heather' takes on significance in terms of identifying the killer. Overall, this is a fantastic movie for those who love mystery stories.

6 years ago

AKB48Fan added 2 items to their collection

6 years ago