My feed

AKB48Fan added 2 items to their collection

7 years, 6 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to The Good & The Bad - Movies Watched In 2017 list

The 8th F&F movie is a bit of a step down from the last couple of movies and IMO should have stopped at the last one but with it pulling over a billion dollars at the box office over the world I guess money talks and they've made this one. It's the most ludicrous and far-fetched entry yet in the franchise. On saying that, it's still an enjoyable fun and mindless action movie with a stellar cast, which continues the escalating mayhem of previous entries. The action for the most part is well directed and often spectacular. Jason Statham and Dwayne Johnson add great presence to the movie and really elevate the scenes they are in. The scene with Jason Statham and a baby probably being the stand out scene in the movie. I didn't think Charlize Theron made for a memorable villain. If you're a long time fan of the series you're definitely going to enjoy this movie. Is there still enough steam in the franchise for it to carry on? Well that'll depend on how well it does at the box office but it wouldn't surprise me to see another F&F movie in the near future.

7 years, 6 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Ikou! - Anime Watched In 2017 list

7 years, 6 months ago

AKB48Fan added 2 items to their collection

7 years, 6 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to The Good & The Bad - Movies Watched In 2017 list

A collection of several stories about people lying which takes place on April Fool's Day in Japan - a pregnant woman holding people hostage at a cafe with a gun as her lover tries to seduce somebody else there, an elderly couple from the Royal Family visit a hamburger joint, a teenage boy at school who is convinced that he's about to be taken away by aliens, a gangster who kidnaps a teenage girl but doesn't want any ransom money and there are a couple of others not worth mentioning. It somehow tries to say that it's fine to lie on this day! I'm not sure if this movie is a comedy or a drama and I'm not sure the filmmakers knew either when making it. There are several humourous moments but not enough to give anybody any belly laughs. A problem I've always found with these kind of Japanese movies is they tend to go on for far too long and this one is a prime example. There a big ensemble cast in this movie and I'd say the one that stands out most is Erika Toda. It's not a movie that I'd really recommend to anybody but one to watch perhaps on a dull and rainy Sunday afternoon.

7 years, 6 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to The Good & The Bad - Movies Watched In 2017 list

Apparently this was the 1st Japanese movie to have a vampire as a villain in a modern setting. Japanese vampires aren't the same as those in the West...well not this one anyway. Firstly it's the light of a full moon that transforms the person into a vampire, it's reflection can be seen in mirrors and holy crosses doesn't seem to affect it. Oddly enough it doesn't seem to drink a lot of blood either! It's an enjoyable enough tale about a woman that returns after being missing for 20 years and she hasn't aged at all. For an 80 min movie the pace is brisk and there's plenty of action. It tries though to mix elements of old Western horror movies a bit too much for my liking instead of concentrating on the vampire genre. It comes down to a climax in which the family of the woman confronts the vampire at his cave lair in the country. It's a bit of a hotchpotch this movie in the end but old school horror fans have plenty to keep them entertained.

7 years, 6 months ago

AKB48Fan added 2 items to their collection

7 years, 6 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to The Good & The Bad - Movies Watched In 2017 list

A wonderful debut from director Amir Lily Amirpour. Shot on a shoe-string in gorgeous black and white, this is a funny, dead-pan, creepy, punky, sweet, sly, smart, violent, sexy, mysterious, loaded with style, and the most off-beat celebration of feminism and girl-power I may have ever seen on screen. Great use of music too. It's a vampire story set in an alternate universe that looks like barren, poor, poverty stricken post-industrial America, but where everyone speaks Farsi, and our anti-heroine wears a chador while skateboarding through the night. At it's heart this is an odd, sort-of love story between a feminist avenger vampire and a lost young guy who is burned out with caring for his heroin-addict father. Sheila Vand is excellent as the vampire somehow managing to be fragile and sinister at the same time. I was glad to have seen this stylish movie.

7 years, 6 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to The Good & The Bad - Movies Watched In 2017 list

I'm a big fan of the various GITS anime movies and series that's been released over the years. I came into this movie expecting to be disappointed by it all but I came out feeling more positive. OK, it will NEVER surpass the original movie and I know that with all the controversy about whitewashing etc there will be always be haters but if you do intend to see this movie don't try to compare it to the original. Of course it's gonna be different but come into this movie with an open mind and I think you'll be surprised but how good it is. Much has been said about Scarlett Johansson's casting as The Major but I can seriously say she did a great job. I also enjoyed Beat Takeshi as Aramaki and Pilou Asbaek as The Major's partner Batou. Visually, the movie is absolutely stunning and the action sequences are exciting. Although the movie wasn't filmed in Japan, the neon skyline of Hong Kong serves the story well. The storyline has been tweaked slightly from the original but it doesn't really make a difference. So on the whole I give this Hollywood remake a thumbs up. I hope there'll be a sequel as it deserves one.

7 years, 6 months ago

AKB48Fan rated Spud 2: The Madness Continues

 Spud 2: The Madness Continues 6/10

7 years, 6 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to The Good & The Bad - Movies Watched In 2017 list

More shenanigans at a boarding school for boys in South Africa in the early 90's as Spud and his gang (The Crazy 8) are targeted by their house teacher who will do anything to get them all expelled. As this movie doesn't have to establish any of the characters, the movie dives right into their mischief and escapades. However, the bullying is nastier, more malicious in nature and has far greater consequences. John Cleese returns as Spud's beloved book teacher and Troye Sivan delivers a more subdued and angst-filled performance as the title character. This movie is a lot of fun and just as good as the first movie with it's larger than life characters. Give it a shot.

7 years, 6 months ago

AKB48Fan rated Kôpusu pâti: Book of Shadows

 Kôpusu pâti: Book of Shadows 3/10

7 years, 6 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to The Good & The Bad - Movies Watched In 2017 list

This is the sequel to the original movie that came out in 2015 which I haven't seen yet. It's yet another dull and generic Japanese slasher movie based on a game / manga. A group of teenagers go back in time through the use of a finger bone to try and save their classmates who were killed by a weird looking young girl in the first movie. If seeing teenagers running about in dark school corridors being picked off in various bloody ways is your thing then you'll enjoy this movie but I'd rather see something with an interesting storyline and a cast than can act rather than this piece of crap. A total waste of time.

7 years, 6 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to The Good & The Bad - Movies Watched In 2017 list

You'd expect Reg Varney of On The Buses fame to give a hilarious or maybe even a bawdy performance in this type of movie but we see another side of him in this tragic comedy. He gives a genuinely affecting performance as Sherry - an aging cross dressing entertainer at a holiday camp. It's an emotionally hard hitting piece as Sherry fails to realise that his career is coming to an end and his endless boasting of having performed in front of the Queen fails to convince people that he still has a future. The plot goes down a dark path towards the climax as Sherry's world comes crumbling down. Reg Varney gives one of his best performance of his career in this movie. I was surprised as I expected him to portray a cheeky rude character similar to his most famous role of Stan Butler. For those that want to see a different and slightly serious side of Varney check out this underrated movie.

7 years, 6 months ago

AKB48Fan added 2 items to their collection

7 years, 6 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to The Good & The Bad - Movies Watched In 2017 list

This movie is about a forbidden love between two women and very much aimed at celebrating feminism in France during the 70's. It gives us an insight into the struggles for equal rights faced by women at the time and celebrating female empowerment centered around a beautifully engaging love story between the two main characters. There is undeniably a strong chemistry between both the central characters which engrosses the audience, from the moment they meet. French filmmaker Catherine Corsini has crafted a beautiful movie with gorgeous shots of the country around Limousin and superb performances from Izia Higelin and Cecile De France as the main leads. The soundtrack has some songs by Janis Joplin which enhances the movie. The movie is a human drama that grabs you from the start to the end and well worth taking a look at.

7 years, 6 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to The 2017 TV Shows List list

Season 1 & 2

7 years, 6 months ago

AKB48Fan added 2 items to their collection

7 years, 6 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to The Good & The Bad - Movies Watched In 2017 list

This movie was a critical and box office success at the time due in part to what was some fairly straight forward dialog about sex. It also had an Oscar winning performance from the French actress Simone Signoret. Looking at it now I can't see what the big fuss was all about. The plot is about a man conducting a love affair with two women. He's only going with one as he wants to climb the greasy pole at his workplace and her family is rich. I didn't find the movie to be engaging at all and found my interest waning. The cinematography showing the grimy streets of a Northern town in the late 50's is interesting enough. The acting isn't special and not sure why Signoret was chosen for an Oscar for her performance here. Yes, she's competent enough in her role but enough to recieve a gong? No, I don't think so. It's only an average movie in the end which doesn't justify the numerous plaudits that's been given to it.

7 years, 6 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to The Good & The Bad - Movies Watched In 2017 list

This movie does a good job of portraying the life of a middle-class Singaporean family. Set during the 1997 financial crisis, it revolves around one family's everyday struggles and their uneasy relationship with their newly hired Filipino maid. With both parents busy working, naughty 10-year-old Jiale is left to the maid's care. His antics get her into trouble, but they gradually form a close bond. Pregnant with a second child, the mother struggles to cope with the demands of work and family. The father is retrenched and despite all his efforts, is unable to find a job with comparable pay, forcing the family to cut back significantly. Although there was no proper storyline, the movie was engaging throughout and zoomed in on the struggles that each character faced. Angeli Bayani is superb as Teresa the maid. I loved watching the jealousy that was developing from the mother as her son starts to bond with Teresa. A fantastic debut for director Anthony Chen.

7 years, 6 months ago

AKB48Fan added 2 items to their collection

7 years, 6 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to The Good & The Bad - Movies Watched In 2017 list

A tragic action-adventure movie about a mentally challenged man who works as a traffic sign holder by day, but who becomes Defendor by night. Armed with his club, marbles, firecrackers, and angry hornets, Defendor emerges from his secret hideout, helping others and stopping punks, in his effort to find Captain Industry and bring him down. His exploits pique the interests of a girl, a family, and eventually a whole town. By his youthful wisdom, determined and fearless bravery, he gains many admirers who voice support for his cause. Woody Harrelson and Kat Dennings give amazing performances. Even though more people enjoy Kick Ass as it's similar you'd be a fool to miss out on this movie.

7 years, 6 months ago

AKB48Fan rated London Town

 London Town 7/10

7 years, 6 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to The Good & The Bad - Movies Watched In 2017 list

This is a fabulous coming of age story, set against the back drop of London in the 70's and the music of The Clash. The movie is cleverly put together with a great mix of humour, emotion, gritty reality and music of The Clash. The plot is about a teenage boy who faces a series of misfortunes, and ends up having to make a living while taking care of his young sister. He perseveres through the hardship, and meets the famous rock star from The Clash, and his life is changed for the better. The acting is great particularly Daniel Huttlestone as Shay, although little Alice steals the show more than once! Jonathan Rhys Meyers could be Joe Strummer, with his attitude and great voice. A very entertaining and watchable movie.

7 years, 6 months ago

AKB48Fan rated Tristan & Isolde

 Tristan & Isolde 7/10

7 years, 6 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to The Good & The Bad - Movies Watched In 2017 list

Hollywood-slick rendering of the classic myth/story of star crossed lovers out of Britain's Dark Ages: the clandestine match of the orphaned nephew of an English Lord and the daughter of the King of Ireland. The movie was beautifully done. The costumes, the sets and props, choreography and the cinematography was fantastic. The cast was great. Sophia Myles was illuminating as Isolde with good performances also by James Franco and Rufus Sewell. There were slight changes to the legend, a bit of tweaking and some things were completely left out. Overall, a very enjoyable and engaging drama romance movie.

7 years, 6 months ago

AKB48Fan rated Brave Story

 Brave Story 4/10

7 years, 6 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to The Good & The Bad - Movies Watched In 2017 list

A below average anime much in the same vein as Spirited Away in which Wataru enters a fantasy world by the name of Vision in order to save his parents' marriage which is crumbling. Wataru has to face several challenges and grow as a person if he has any chance of getting his parents back together. The storyline is nothing special. It just didn't hook me in for some reason, the characters are bland and the pacing is off. The ending seemed to be rushed as well with a rather strange climax which gives the impression that a sequel is going to continue the story but I guess that never happened. This movie has it's fans especially those who like Dungeons & Dragons but the weak storyline and 'meh' characters makes this an anime I wouldn't really recommend.

7 years, 6 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to The Good & The Bad - Movies Watched In 2017 list

This movie is based on a true story in which 13 Chinese sailors were murdered in Thailand and drugs were found on them. Who murdered them remains a mystery? The movie purports to tell the official version agreed upon by the Chinese and Thai governments. A group of Chinese special forces are sent into Thailand to flush out an evil drug organisation they think killed the sailors. I usually like movies by Dante Lam but this one is rather dull. The action scenes I will agree are great but in between those scenes the story is boring and I inevitably switched off. It just goes on for long. A good 30 mins should have been cut to make the story flow better. If you've got the patience for it you might enjoy the movie but for those expecting non stop action I'm afraid you're gonna be disappointed. It's not a total bust this movie but there are better Dante Lam movies you should watch before seeing this one.

7 years, 6 months ago

AKB48Fan added 2 items to their collection

7 years, 6 months ago