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AKB48Fan added 2 items to their collection

5 years, 11 months ago

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

Anthony Quayle stars as Jim Preston who wants to leave his scatty brained wife Amy and son Brian for a younger woman Georgie who works with him. When Jim eventually tells Amy that he wants a divorce and is going to leave him, her life starts to spiral downwards. She thinks of a plan to win him back but will it be to no avail? This is a really good drama which shows the repercussions of an extra marital affair has on a family. Yvonne Mitchell is fantastic as the wife Amy who through a mixture of grief (losing a child), loneliness and boredom has turned out into the person she is through no fault of her own. She never has time to get dressed properly hence the title of the movie. It's quite sad seeing how pathetic she becomes at trying to win back her husband's affection. Mitchell is probably the stand out performer in the movie even though Anthony Quayle is also very good. The plot, script, directing and the acting combine to make a taut drama that deserves to be seen more by people. Well worth your time and effort to seek out.

5 years, 11 months ago

AKB48Fan rated Hairspray

 Hairspray 7/10

5 years, 11 months ago

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

Arguably the high point of John Waters' career, this is a fun, energetic and infectious movie with a top-notch soundtrack and earnest performances from everyone involved. The story centers around Tracy Turnblad played by Ricki Lake, a "pleasantly plump" teenager who spends her afternoons watching the Corny Collins Show, where teenagers dance the most popular dances to the latest tunes. She manages to get on the show, and from there hopes to bring integration to Baltimore, Maryland. While still maintaining some of the weirdness which made John Waters (in)famous, this movie rises above campiness because of the social ideas it embraces such as racial equality. A lot of things in the movie works from the retro fashion which has been lovingly recreated/exaggerated to the choreography and music. It's not perfect by any means but if you're after a fun movie then Hairspray is for you.

5 years, 11 months ago

AKB48Fan rated Outrage Coda

 Outrage Coda 8/10

5 years, 11 months ago

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

The 3rd and final movie in the Outrage trilogy is just as good as the other two entries. It finds the protagonist Otomo working on the South Korean island of Jeju after being banished by the yakuza clan Hanabishi. Hanada is a young member of the clan who finds himself on the wrong side of Otomo after abusing 2 young female sex workers, killing one of his workers and refusing to pay compensation before fleeing back to Japan. With Otomo still seething that his old yakuza clan the Sanno has been taken over by the Hanabishi, he returns back to Japan to settle old scores. If you've watched the other 2 Outrage movies, you'll know what to expect in this movie. Blood, bullets and revenge. For a lot of the first half, Takeshi Kitano's Otomo is missing from the screen as the viewer is witness to people pushing for power in the Hanabishi clan. Once Otomo returns to Japan, it's fireworks all the way as he and his friend blast their way through the Hanabishi. The bloodbath at the convention is superb. Otomo makes sure to take care of the punk Hanada until last (and what a way to go for him as well!!). The movie has a rather downbeat ending. Takeshi Kitano is excellent as Otomo and his old school yakuza trilogy has been nothing short of brilliant.

5 years, 11 months ago

AKB48Fan rated Sekigahara [2017]

 Sekigahara [2017] 7/10

5 years, 11 months ago

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

This movie is about a pivotal moment in the history of Japan - that of the Battle of Sekigara on October 21st 1600. It represents a battle in which the forces of Ishida Mitsunari from the West took on the army of the East led by Tokugawa Ieyasu. Everybody who understands a little bit of Japanese history will already know who was the victor. Tokugawa Ieyasu would unify the country and usher in the Shogunate era which would rule Japan for the next 260 years. The movie takes it's time to set things up for the inevitable battle and shows the political machinations behind the scenes. It's quite a complex lead-up to be honest and can be a little confusing to the viewer because it jumps from various characters involved in the climatic battle. There is more attention drawn on the individuals in the losing camp rather than those in Ieyasu's. Koji Yakusho is fantastic as Ieyasu but I'm not sure if he acted at times like the buffoon he's portrayed in this movie even though we do get to see the flip side too in that of a master strategist. The main battle itself is a little disappointing as I expected it to be a bit more epic. It's still a great movie if you want to find out more about a battle that changed the course of Japan's history.

5 years, 11 months ago

AKB48Fan rated Avengers: Infinity War

 Avengers: Infinity War 9/10

5 years, 12 months ago

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

Probably the best Marvel movie ever. It is simply incredible. Two years after the events of Captain America: Civil War, the Avengers team remain a fractured group of heroes, with some completely dropping off the radar altogether. However, one day, the powerful intergalactic tyrant Thanos arrives on Earth to complete his collection of Infinity Stones, which upon acquiring all six, will allow him to control half of the known universe. With time quickly running out, The Avengers must reunite and team up with the Guardians of the Galaxy to put an end to Thanos' unquenchable thirst for power. From start to finish it is action packed, never has a dull moment and is a truly amazing achievement by everyone who worked on this movie. Thanos is a truly terrifying villain who is unstoppable. Although this is for most of the time quite a dark movie, thank God for the Guardians Of The Galaxy to lighten up the mood a bit. Every single superhero gets a chance to shine in the story which should please everyone. The CGI blew me away and as for the cast - they well and truly delivered it for me. All of them! I never expected such an emotional packed ending. I can't wait to see how things continue. All in all, Avengers: Infinity War seamlessly ties together 10 years worth of anticipation with top-notch acting, thrilling action, grandiose visuals and hilarious comedy.

5 years, 12 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Destiny... Fate... Dreams - Anime Watched In 2018 list

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

Brought to life from the classic Beatrix Potter tale, this is an incredibly fun movie for all the family. The story centres on Peter Rabbit and his friends who like nothing better than stealing vegetables from their enemy Joe McGregor's garden until the day he dies from a heart attack. McGregor's nephew Thomas comes up from London to take over the house and starts a war with Peter and his friends. Don't expect this to be a classic take on the Peter Rabbit tale, it's been updated to be a contemporary story so it's definitely different to the books but it doesn't really matter because after a while you'll grow to love this modern version. The blend of CGI and real life is stunning, and visually a treat for the eyes. There is a lot of humour in the movie which the kids will enjoy very much. The voice acting is fantastic with James Corden a good choice to play Peter ably supported by Margot Robbie and Daisy Ridley amongst others. The live action cast by Rose Byrne and Domhnall Gleeson is also brilliant. Right from the start, this movie is a pleasure for adults and kids alike. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and I'm sure you will too.

5 years, 12 months ago

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

The 2nd Pacific Rim movie is set 10 years after the Pan Pacific Defense Corps stopped the apocalypse. It has a brand new cast although there are cameos from some of the original actors. John Boyega takes the lead as John Pentecost, son of the famous hero Stacker Pentecost who sacrificed his life to save the world. It's a story of Jaeger vs Jaeger as a rogue Jaeger causes massive destruction and when it is finally destroyed it doesn't have a human pilot inside but a Precursor but how can this be? I enjoyed this movie much better than the original even though the story isn't that good although it makes more sense and isn't as confusing as the first movie. The action scenes are great and the CGI for most of the time is brilliant. The jury is still out on John Boyega as an actor. I've seen him in several movies now and I really don't rate him that high. He's OK in this movie. Same can be said to Scott Eastwood too. The rest of the cast are fine. It looks like this movie is setting up for another sequel judging by what is said before the end credits. Not too bad of a movie in the end and debutant director Steven S DeKnight did a good job. If you loved the first part then this is a must watch.

5 years, 12 months ago

AKB48Fan added 5 items to their collection

5 years, 12 months ago

AKB48Fan added 6 items to TV Shows Watched In 2018 list

5 years, 12 months ago

AKB48Fan posted 3 images

5 years, 12 months ago

AKB48Fan rated Testament of Youth

 Testament of Youth 6/10

6 years ago

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

Based on the memoirs of British nurse Vera Brittain, this is the tale of tragic loss as young, idealistic men volunteer for the slaughter fields of France and Belgium during WW1 and of a young woman trying to find her way in the world. The movie boasts a fine cast with Swedish actress Alicia Vikander (of Tomb Raider fame) playing the leading role of Vera Brittain. She gives a very powerful performance. Kit Harington plays a doomed officer Roland who falls in love with Vera with Taron Egerton as Brittain's brother Edward. The movie as a whole is beautifully shot with stunning scenery shown. It may be too slow for some people but I enjoyed it.

6 years ago

AKB48Fan added 4 items to their collection

6 years ago

AKB48Fan rated JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable - Chapter 1

 JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable - Chapter 1 5/10

6 years ago

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

Based on a manga and anime, this movie started out well enough but got more silly as time wore on. It's about a transfer student named Koichi who has moved into a town called Morioh where there has been a spate of mysterious deaths. He meets JoJo after he is confronted by 2 thugs demanding money for him to pass down a street. JoJo looks like a yankii with his dark clothes and eccentric hair style but he has secret powers called Stands. There are other young people with Stands who want to use their power for evil. I've heard about this manga title for years but I wasn't that familiar with what it was all about. The first half of the movie is mostly about introducing the characters and relationships which it does reasonably well and setting up the conflict with other Stand users. The action scenes in which several characters use their Stands that look like avatars to beat the hell out of each other are good. For a Takashi Miike movie it's one of his tamer efforts to date and the story smacks of being predictable if I'm being honest. It piles on the melodrama for the climax between some of the characters which spoiled the movie for me. The location filming in the town of Sitges in Spain is great though and makes for a nice change from the landscapes of Japan. The CGI effects are decent and the cast don't do anything special to stand out. I'm sure fans of the manga/anime will enjoy this movie but it's not one I would watch again.

6 years ago

AKB48Fan rated Foreboding

 Foreboding 5/10

6 years ago

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

Shape shifting aliens have quietly taken over some humans as a prelude to an invasion but before they do that they want to learn about human beings. They use a human as a 'guide' - a person they control to do their bidding. The guide selects victims that the aliens take a human concept from them such as fear, love etc. One unfortunate man is Tatsuo who has been selected as a guide by an alien who has taken over the body of Dr Makabe. Tatsuo's wife Etsuko senses that something odd is going on with her husband and finds out the truth. But can Etsuko who is immune to the aliens' power stop them before humanity is wiped out? If you're expecting an all action alien invasion story you've come to watch the wrong movie. Kiyoshi Kurosawa's movie is fairly interesting, has an uneven pace and is long on talky bits. The movie is based on a mini-series that aired in Japan. It definitely creates an unsettling atmosphere that something bad is about to happen at first but seems to abandon that half way through to have Tatsuo trying to break free from the aliens' power over him and a chase begins with him and his wife fleeing from Dr Makabe. This was probably the weakest aspect of the movie for me. The ending isn't that good either. The acting by the cast is just OK. I felt the movie missed a chance by not creating enough creepy moments to sustain viewers' interests and it goes on for way too long. In the end, I feel this movie was a wasted opportunity. Not one of Kurosawa's best work that's for sure.

6 years ago

AKB48Fan posted a image

6 years ago

AKB48Fan rated A Quiet Place

 A Quiet Place 6/10

6 years ago

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

Debutant director John Krasinki creates a gripping and original horror suspense movie in which alien creatures have taken over the planet and hunt human beings using sound as they are blind. The storyline follows the Abbott family as they live their everyday lives on a farm in the country trying to make as little sound as they can. Any sound no matter how little attracts the creature to attack. Using little dialogue to create tension, this unique movie has won rave reviews from critics. It's clever how the director who also plays the leading male role uses visuals and sound to give you a story that at times leave you on the edge of your seat. It's Emily Blunt though that gives the standout performance and the most memorable moments in the movie. She's amazing. I can't say the movie is perfect as one explanation states that as long as there is a louder sound than the Abbotts, they are perfectly safe from the aliens. Surely they could use that to their advantage for most of the time but they don't. Just a small gripe though. All in all, it's a good exciting movie but it's not a must see.

6 years ago

AKB48Fan rated The Entertainer

 The Entertainer 7/10

6 years ago

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

Laurence Olivier stars as Archie Rice, an entertainer who has seen better days. Now playing to near empty halls in an unnamed Northern seaside town (I think it's either Blackpool or Morecambe), he carries on regardless thinking that the good times will come back but they never do. Archie is a relic of a bygone age but he's still a despicable man who's out to bag a young girl or use somebody for his own gains. This movie has been touted as being one of Olivier's best movies and whilst it is very good I wouldn't say it's a classic. His performance is definitely strong and makes the viewer see how pathetic of a man Archie Rice really is until the tax man comes a calling and Rice's world finally crumbles down. The supporting cast which includes Olivier's future wife Joan Plowright and Thora Hird are also good. It might be quite a depressing movie but it's still worth watching.

6 years ago