My feed

AKB48Fan added 1 item to A New Decade! A New Year! Movies Watched In 2020 list

American V.I.P James Burn II finds his son James Burn III leading a giant “sleep-in” that has taken over Windsor Castle. He hires Nancy to get him out of the castle and into work. With the help of her crazy eccentric father, who believes in working day and night and producing nothing and uses a fantastic astro-telescope for casual bird watching, she does just that! Considered a lost movie until it resurfaced on a streaming platform, this awful comedy should have stayed lost! It's one of those sex comedies that were made a lot in Britain during the 70's. Lulu is terrible as the leading actress who disappears for a long time and reappears looking completely different near the end. A selection of ageing British comedy greats (Terry Thomas, Wilfred Hyde-White, Spike Milligan, Patrick Cargill) are wheeled out for cameo appearances but not even they can save this drivel. I don't think I laughed once throughout the movie which shows how poor it is. Don't waste your valuable time watching this movie.

4 years, 4 months ago

AKB48Fan rated The Killing Machine

 The Killing Machine 6/10

4 years, 4 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to A New Decade! A New Year! Movies Watched In 2020 list

Mr. Soh, a righteous man with a cold stare and fists of steel, returns to a lawless post-war Japan in 1946. He protects the weak, defends the poor and knocks some good sense into friends and enemies alike. Rapists and gangsters get the worst of it, as Mr. Soh builds up his shaolin school on the island of Shikoku. Loosely based on the life of the founder of Shorinji Kempo, this movie has six or so plots running throughout - only one of which is about Sonny Chiba kicking ass- the others are about war orphans, Etsuko Shihomi's one-armed brother, Chiba's friend's long lost wife, foreign child molesters and black market profiteers. When Chiba does show up to kick ass, it's pretty good, but it doesn't happen that often. The movie is more concerned about exploring the environment of want and desperation during the American occupation, and how the results of the war affected the Japanese psyche. Still, if you enjoy watching Chiba giving the bad guys what they deserve then you'll enjoy this movie.

4 years, 4 months ago

AKB48Fan added 2 items to their collection

4 years, 4 months ago

AKB48Fan added 2 items to A New Decade! A New Year! Movies Watched In 2020 list

4 years, 4 months ago

AKB48Fan rated City Hunter

 City Hunter 8/10

4 years, 4 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to A New Decade! A New Year! Movies Watched In 2020 list

Nicky Larson is tasked to recover the perfume of Cupid, a perfume that would make anyone who uses it irresistible. This is the French version of the Japanese manga/anime City Hunter and what a fine action/comedy it is as well. Director Philippe Lacheau is a big fan of the anime and he has transferred it brilliantly to the big screen. It is dare I say it better than the Jackie Chan live action version from 1993. Lacheau has really captured the spirit of the show, with all the action, raunchy humour, and drama feeling like they could fit right at home in any episode of City Hunter. What really makes this movie work are the performances, everyone who is based on a character from City Hunter executes their role perfectly. The gags are really funny and I laughed a lot throughout. Overall, not only is it a wonderful adaptation of the series, but a damn fun action/comedy in its own right.

4 years, 4 months ago

AKB48Fan rated Gladiatress

 Gladiatress 5/10

4 years, 4 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to A New Decade! A New Year! Movies Watched In 2020 list

Roman soldiers capture a Celtic princess Dwyfuc, hoping to extract intelligence from her that will facilitate their invasion of Britain. The Celtic tribe needs a hero to go to the rescue, and local misfit Worthaboutapig is the candidate. Off she sets with the help of a pet goose and, if she's lucky, her intimidating sister, Smirgut The Fierce. Smack The Pony was a very funny comedy on Channel 4 in the late 90's/early 00's and starred the female trio Doon Mackichan, Fiona Allen and Sally Phillips and this is the first and only movie they did together. I've avoided this movie since it's release due to the mostly negative reviews it got but having seen it now it's not that bad. Sure, it's not the funniest movie you'll see but there are some laughs to be had. I know the name of the one of the characters is just for a cheap laugh (Dwyfuc = Do I F**k) and the fart sequence is lifted from Blazing Saddles. There is plenty of sexual innuendo and general comedy which whilst a bit hit and miss does at least run relatively thick and fast. The female trio all have their moments to shine with some fun scenes and they work well together as they did on their comedy show but the script lets them down at times. I suppose at the end of the day, if you enjoyed Smack The Pony you'll take a chance on this movie and give it a go. I can't promise you a comedy masterclass but it might provide a laugh or two for you.

4 years, 4 months ago

AKB48Fan rated Albert, R.N.

 Albert, R.N. 6/10

4 years, 4 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to A New Decade! A New Year! Movies Watched In 2020 list

The British inmates of a POW camp think they have an informer among them after several escape attempts fail. One of the prisoners constructs a dummy which they christen “Albert” and use at roll call in order to foil the German guards. Based on a true story, Lewis Gilbert's movie came out in the early 50's; a boom time for WWII memoirs hitting the big screen. As such it is just one of a rash of war and POW movies from that era and unfortunately does little to set itself apart, being a rather solid but unimaginative affair. Jack Warner delivers his trademark paternal and affable wise owl character, complete with pipe, but the majority of the characters much like the plot itself never really rise above the stereotype. However, some scenes in the movie do keep you on the edge of your seat with a tense atmosphere at times. There are better POW movies to see but it's decent enough for a watch.

4 years, 4 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to A New Decade! A New Year! Movies Watched In 2020 list

A woman with psychic powers has a vision of a murder that took place in a house owned by her husband. An Italian giallo movie by Lucio Fulci with hardly any gore! In doing that though, it's easily his dullest movie. It starts out well enough in the first 20 mins or so but then gets very very boring. The characters and plot are completely uninteresting. It's padded out to an insufferable degree and by the end, you won't be clamouring with excitement but stricken with boredom. Jennifer O'Neill's performance is good though. Gorehounds beware - there's just not much going on in this movie so go watch something else instead.

4 years, 4 months ago

AKB48Fan added 2 items to their collection

4 years, 4 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to A New Decade! A New Year! Movies Watched In 2020 list

A pair of wild west cowboys who rob banks for a living become British fighter pilots in World War I. This is a great action comedy movie which is let down by terrible back projection special effects. It was also a massive flop when it was released back in 1986. The plot is ridiculous but don't let that put you off this movie. It's a lot of fun with two charismatic leads taking on a massive steampunk German airship. At times you'd think you were watching a live-action movie of Dastardly & Muttley with one British plane using a repurposed Model T Ford car with wings on it!! The German accents that some of the cast use is terrible as well. Scott McGinnis and Jeff Osterhage play the main characters and do a good job and have great chemistry together. I was gobsmacked to see Nicholas Lyndhurst play a British plane mechanic in one of his few movie roles. If you forget about the awful special effects and not take the story too seriously you'll have a lot of fun watching this movie.

4 years, 4 months ago

AKB48Fan rated Bleak Moments

 Bleak Moments 6/10

4 years, 4 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to A New Decade! A New Year! Movies Watched In 2020 list

Moments from the uncompromisingly bleak existence of a secretary, her intellectually disabled sister, an aloof and uneasy teacher who is a prospective boyfriend, a bizarre neighbour and irritating workmate. Mike Leigh's debut as a director is a very depressing movie about the lives of a number of residents in South London. A relentless vision of personal entrapment loaded with plenty of klutzy encounters, misunderstandings, and people who desperately crave company, who also are driven to misery because of their inability to understand or express themselves confidently. It is just cringeworthy to watch these people unable to escape from their mundane lives and this movie thrives on their miserable existence. I wouldn't say this movie is entertaining in the conventional sense as it is quite awkward to watch at the best of times. Mike Leigh would go on to direct better movies but as his debut it's fine I guess.

4 years, 4 months ago

AKB48Fan posted a image

4 years, 4 months ago

AKB48Fan added 2 items to their collection

4 years, 4 months ago

AKB48Fan added 2 items to A New Decade! A New Year! Movies Watched In 2020 list

4 years, 4 months ago

AKB48Fan rated New Kids in Town (aka Master of Disaster)

 New Kids in Town (aka Master of Disaster) 4/10

4 years, 4 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to A New Decade! A New Year! Movies Watched In 2020 list

Two exceptional kung fu students leave the mainland to work for their uncle in Hong Kong. Before long the students and their female cousin, get mixed up in a drug smuggling ring. They decide to take on the gang when their cousin is taken prisoner. A so and so martial arts action movie which is made more confusing as scenes from the Jackie Chan movie The Protector have been crudely inserted for no apparent reason. I only watched this for Moon Lee and she isn't at her best here. Apart from a strange rollerskating fight and the odd skirmish she is absent for a good part of the 2nd half. The action scenes improve as the movie wears on with a lot of gunplay involved. It ends with the customary showdown between the good guys versus the baddies and a great though short encounter between Lau Kar Leung (the action choreographer of the movie) and his student Eddie Mahler. This movie might have just enough action to satisfy some people but I didn't think it was that good.

4 years, 4 months ago

AKB48Fan rated Absolution (1978)

 Absolution (1978) 6/10

4 years, 4 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to A New Decade! A New Year! Movies Watched In 2020 list

At a Catholic boys’ school, domineering disciplinarian Father Goddard rules over his pupils with an iron hand. When one of his teenage charges confesses to murder, the dogmatic but deeply repressed Goddard finds his faith challenged and his life spiralling dangerously out of control. This movie is a combination of paranoia driven madness and youth-driven chaos. It's a well crafted thriller that is sure to keep you guessing until the movie’s end. Richard Burton and Dominic Guard are fantastic as Father Goddard and Stanfield, and watching their cat and mouse game with each other is entertaining. Additionally, David Bradley is equally as fantastic as the somewhat secondary character, Arthur Dyson. This was the movie debut of Billy Connolly who has a bit part role and it also features Robert Addie (best known as Guy Of Gisburne from Robin of Sherwood). The movie does a great job at portraying Father Goddard as an oppressive person, and equally showcases the school where the movie takes place as an equally oppressive structure of religious control. It evolves into a descent into madness by the end. The movie is slow to get going but once it does the pacing is good. Overall, an enjoyable movie to watch.

4 years, 4 months ago

AKB48Fan rated Fist From Shaolin

 Fist From Shaolin  6/10

4 years, 4 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to A New Decade! A New Year! Movies Watched In 2020 list

Wong Fei Hong must fight against slave trader Master Eleven and Prefect Wu to stop the Chinese being sold as slaves work in the gold mines in America. The big success of Once Upon A Time In China brought a jump in several martial arts actioners about China's past cultural hero Wong Fei Hung as the likes of Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Donnie Yen,and other actors all took their turn in portraying the guy. This is a low budget martial arts comedy movie about him. The director concentrates as much on displaying Fei Hung's acts of heroism and martial arts fighting ability as he does on the many good martial arts fight sequences that fill up the movie. Whilst it may not be as great as those movies by HK's top stars about Fei Hung, it's still worth seeking out.

4 years, 4 months ago

AKB48Fan posted a image

4 years, 4 months ago

AKB48Fan rated Remember My Name

 Remember My Name 6/10

4 years, 4 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to A New Decade! A New Year! Movies Watched In 2020 list

Just released from prison, a young woman arrives in town to “start a new life”, but soon begins stalking a married construction worker for no apparent reason, turning his life inside out and eventually terrorising him and his wife. This movie has a lot going for it: decent dialogue and great acting by Anthony Perkins and Geraldine Chaplin. The cinematography is pretty good for a low-budget, minimalist movie too. The problem I've got is with the ending. I was hoping for an over-the-top movie like Fatal Attraction. I expected a slightly more profound, emotional climax after all the buildup. The stalker character seems legitimately deranged, albeit in a subtle, slow-burning, methodical way but she's wasted in a poor cop-out ending. The story had a lot of potential, but it doesn't really go anywhere. It just looks that way because the movie ends so inexplicably and abruptly, so the viewer is left confused by her scheme. It seems odd that all she wanted was her ex-husband's credit cards to have a bit of a splurge and then bugger off in her car. So all in all, it's a great movie that's ruined by a crap ending.

4 years, 4 months ago

AKB48Fan rated Silver Bears

 Silver Bears 6/10

4 years, 4 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to A New Decade! A New Year! Movies Watched In 2020 list

Financial wizard “Doc” Fletcher is sent by crime boss Joe Fiore to buy a bank in Switzerland in order to more easily launder their profits. When he arrives, Fletcher finds that the bank, acquired by his associate Prince di Siracusa, consists of some shabby offices above a restaurant. To make up for this, the Prince suggests that Fletcher invests in a silver mine owned by Shireen and Agha Firdausi. This solves one problem, but the mine also attracts the attention of some of the most powerful people in the silver business. Fletcher must pull out all his wheeler-dealing skills in order to keep hold of everything he’s worked for, in the process romancing a banker’s discontented wife. A late 70's crime caper movie without the physical action. Not a great recipe on paper but it somehow works and that's because of the cast. Michael Caine isn't given a lot to work with but still performs well and I was surprised to see Jay Leno as an actor. He's not that good in his role and the direction he eventually took with his career was a better choice than this. Cybil Shepherd provides a little bit of humour into the proceedings and she looks fantastic. Louis Jourdan came into this movie off a great role as Dracula in a memorable BBC adaptation. The plot isn't that complicated but I'm sure many will not be interested in the financial wheeling and dealing that takes place. Overall, I thought it was great fun and enjoyed it from start to finish.

4 years, 4 months ago