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

Four beneficiaries of a wealthy practical joker's estate must alter their personalities to collect their inheritance. This is a remake of Laughter In Paradise from 1951 which starred Alastair Sim. The movie is basically a series of episodic plotlines punctuated by set-pieces in which the four beneficiaries indulge in out-of-character behaviour: one has to marry, another has to commit a crime and go to jail for 28 days, another has to rob his boss at the bank and finally the last has to work in a hotel. Leslie Phillips is the usual lothario, Ronnie Corbett great at wordplay, Thora Hird full of character and Michael Hordern bags the funniest scenes as the straight man trying his best to break the law. Wilfrid Brambell has a small cameo as the dead practical joker. The movie is not hilariously funny but it's warm and amusing. It makes for a pleasant 90 mins.

4 years, 10 months ago

AKB48Fan rated Now and Forever

 Now and Forever 6/10

4 years, 10 months ago

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

A rich young society girl falls in love with a car mechanic. Her family is appalled and stops her seeing him. The girl attempts to commit suicide and then decides to elope with him to Scotland. Mario Zampi’s British drama in which a schoolgirl falls in love with the son of a local garage owner and they try to elope to Scotland with the police and the press after them is a great movie. Janette Scott and Vernon Gray both give good performances in their respective roles as Janette and Mike Pritchard, the two lovers who are desperate to be with each other, no matter what their parents say. They both suit their roles well. There are decent performances to be had from Kay Walsh, Jack Warner and Pamela Brown. There are uncredited small cameos from Thora Hird, Brian Wilde and Hattie Jacques. Lovely cinematography of how quaint English villages used to be in the 50's. The story builds up to a happy ending for the couple. An enjoyable movie due to the good performances, direction, script and locations.

4 years, 10 months ago

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4 years, 10 months ago

AKB48Fan rated The Crimson Blade

 The Crimson Blade 6/10

4 years, 10 months ago

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

Set during the English Civil War, a cruel Roundhead Colonel is on the trail of Royalist sympathisers, but unaware of his daughters Royalist sympathies. When she falls into a love triangle with Cavalier Edward Beverly and Roundhead officer Captain Sylvester the stage is set for double crossing and derring do. This is an entertaining Hammer swashbuckler. A lively romp with plenty of various action sequences that are very well staged and always exciting. The plot is basic stuff which happily focuses more on complex characters than other adventures of the period. Jack Hedley takes the lead as The Crimson Blade and whilst he's fine as the hero, it's the villains of the piece in Lionel Jeffries and Oliver Reed that elevate this movie. Jeffries can be relied on for portraying pompous baddies and he does it well here although the movie has a slight twist at the end to redeem his character somewhat. Reed takes on the complex part of one of Jeffries' men who betrays the Parliamentarian cause for the love of a woman only to discover that she's fallen for The Crimson Blade. It might not be the best swashbuckler movie I've seen but it was entertaining enough and I enjoyed it.

4 years, 10 months ago

AKB48Fan rated The Golden Mask

 The Golden Mask 3/10

4 years, 10 months ago

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

aka South of Algiers. An archaeologist and a reporter fight crooks to find a lost tomb containing a legendary treasure (The Golden Mask of Moloch)in Algeria. Don't come into this movie expecting a thrilling action adventure something like King Solomon's Mines or Raiders of The Lost Ark. The movie should have been exciting but too often it just seems like a travelogue with a bit of a plot tossed into the mix. I just found it incredibly boring. The forced romance between a character called Van Heflin and a girl young enough to be his daughter doesn't help either. The only bright spot was the incredible photography of the Roman ruins that are shown. A very dull movie and a waste of time.

4 years, 10 months ago

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

Elena Houghlin is a scientist, engineer and inventor of Calisto - a sustainable energy source that will revolutionise the way people use power. But when the cutting edge technology falls into the wrong hands, Elena turns to the Townsend Agency for help. Now, it's up to the Angels - Jane, Sabina and the newly recruited Elena to retrieve Calisto before it can be transformed into a weapon of mass destruction. This is the 3rd Charlie's Angels movie with all new characters from the previous 2 stories. Is it any better than the other 2 movies? The answer is not really. It's a generic secret agent / spy movie. The story is very simple and certainly predictable and the filmmakers have tried to surprise the audience with plot twists but we've already seen a lot of stories like this. The biggest highlight for me was Kristen Stewart. She carries the movie single-handedly. The other 2 Angels were OK. Some of the humour falls flat and Patrick Stewart is useless as the villain. All in all, it's a lackluster movie that provides some entertainment but as a reboot it brings nothing new to the table.

4 years, 10 months ago

AKB48Fan added 2 items to their collection

4 years, 10 months ago

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

It's open season on Harley Quinn when her explosive breakup with the Joker puts a big fat target on her back. Unprotected and on the run, Quinn faces the wrath of narcissistic crime boss Black Mask, his right-hand man, Victor Zsasz, and every other thug in the city. But things soon even out for Harley when she becomes unexpected allies with three deadly women - Huntress, Black Canary and Renee Montoya. Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn is genius casting and all of the performances in this movie are pretty good. The action is fun, exciting, and at times pretty violent. However, the story is all over the place and even a bit messy at times. Even though I enjoyed Harley Quinn and Black Canary in this, I feel like they should have done more with the other characters. I was pretty disappointed with Black Mask and thought he was a weak villain. Overall, it's not bad but it could of been better.

4 years, 10 months ago

AKB48Fan rated A Man for All Seasons (1966)

 A Man for All Seasons (1966) 8/10

4 years, 10 months ago

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

Sir Thomas More, Lord Chancellor and a friend to King Henry VIII refuses to take the Oath of Supremacy which declares the King as the Supreme Head of the Church of England. His actions put him in the Tower of London for high treason. This superb historical drama is very much an actors movie that has an excellent script, wonderful costumes and lovely cinematography. The story thrives on the anguish of Thomas More, who is torn between loyalty to his King and his own moral beliefs, the beliefs of his religion system and the potential damning of his soul. The political and religious machinations positively pulse throughout, vividly brought to life by a cast of great actors. Paul Scofield is brilliant as Thomas More with the likes of Leo McKern, Robert Shaw, Orson Welles, Susannah York and John Hurt all playing their part in making this movie such a great one. The drama never lags and has good pacing. A very interesting and compelling movie.

4 years, 10 months ago

AKB48Fan rated Seven Thunders

 Seven Thunders 6/10

4 years, 10 months ago

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

Two British soldiers escape from separate prison camps and head to Marseilles to wait for the right opportunity to try for Britain. This is a remarkable movie based upon the horrific true events of January 1943 when the Nazis and their lapdogs the Vichy French dynamited and destroyed the entire First Arondissement of Marseilles, the area known as the Old Port of Marseilles. It's a gripping story with a well written script. It was also shot on location in Marseilles. There's a good cast which includes James Robertson Justice as a murdering doctor and Kathleen Harrison as an ex-pat cockney woman. It all builds up to the exciting climax when the two soldiers try to escape the destruction of the city in order to catch a boat which will take them across the English Channel. A very entertaining movie and a bit of a neglected gem.

4 years, 10 months ago

AKB48Fan rated The Witches

 The Witches 5/10

4 years, 10 months ago

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

Following a horrifying experience with the occult in Africa, a school teacher moves to a small English village, only to discover that black magic resides there as well. This is not one of Hammer Studio's well known productions and for good reason. It's not particularly that good and I should know having enjoyed a lot of their stuff. Their movies are usually entertaining and never boring but this isn't the case with this movie. It's not a complete disaster and it does have some eerie moments but the suspense and excitement just isn't consistent enough. The English countryside setting is magnificent for a story of this kind but what a shame the whole thing is half baked. I did enjoy Joan Fontaine's acting as the headteacher of a small school who discovers that witchcraft is alive and well in a sleepy village. The climax though is pathetic and lacks any tension. This movie is decent enough but for a Hammer production it is very disappointing.

4 years, 10 months ago

AKB48Fan rated Rockets Galore!

 Rockets Galore! 6/10

4 years, 10 months ago

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

British military commander Hugh Mander arrives on the Hebrides island of Todday to investigate the land for the government's plan to build a rocket launch base there. Despite Mander's assurances that the islanders will be well compensated for evacuating their homes to make way for the base, Father James and Rev. Angus rouse the islanders and, despite the interference of teacher Janet MacLeod, a serious protest takes hold. This is a sequel to the wonderful Whisky Galore. It's not as funny as it. Though by no means a great movie there are many little points of interest, including the scenery of the Isle of Barra. A couple of the cast from the first movie return which includes Gordon Jackson. British viewers will see a very early appearance from Ronnie Corbett, years before he would go on to form a successful partnership with Ronnie Barker. There are a couple of humourous moments in the story but I felt it didn't have the same spark as Whisky Galore. It's still worth checking it out.

4 years, 10 months ago

AKB48Fan rated Don't Panic Chaps

 Don't Panic Chaps 5/10

4 years, 10 months ago

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

During World War II, a pair of observation teams, German and British, are left on a remote Adriatic island, then forgotten. The two sides call a truce and live harmoniously; that is until beautiful Elsa is cast ashore and war breaks out anew. This is a typical British WWII comedy of the late 1950's. It was made by Hammer Studios. The plot is a bit weak and flimsy, not to mention unbelievable, and boils down to British and German forces stranded on an island and forced to integrate with each other, with all of the stereotyped humour you could imagine. There's a good cast for the movie with the best known being George Cole although his character is rather annoying. The jokes are rather dated and some of the silliness is irritating, but this is acceptable enough fare for its era. Would I say it's worth having a look? No, not really.

4 years, 10 months ago

AKB48Fan rated The Mind Benders

 The Mind Benders 6/10

4 years, 10 months ago

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

Dr. Henry Longman, a brilliant scientist, conducts experiments on himself to test whether humans can actually be brainwashed, which results in him alienating himself from his wife. This is a very interesting movie about sensory deprivation experiments that result in unexpected, tragic results. The story is told in a serious and somber manner. Dirk Bogarde is especially good as the reluctant researcher who volunteers to take a second dip in "the tank" to prove that sensory deprivation can be used to brainwash a person. The movie seems to come to a climax when it is revealed to Bogarde that he was brainwashed while in "the tank", but then goes on for another 15 mins in order to give the movie a happy ending. This somewhat drags the story down, but does not detract from the overall impact of this movie.

4 years, 10 months ago

AKB48Fan rated Allegro non Troppo (1976)

 Allegro non Troppo (1976) 7/10

4 years, 10 months ago

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

An enthusiastic filmmaker thinks he's come up with a totally original idea: animation set to classical music! When he is informed that some American named "Prisney" has already done it, he decides to do his own version, using an orchestra comprising mostly old ladies and an animator he's kept locked in a dungeon. This is an Italian parody of the Disney movie Fantasia. It's a mix of live action slapstick sequences and animated shorts. It's certainly not for kids to watch but more for an adult audience as it has sexual content. Amongst the animated shorts you'll see is a horny faun lustily pursuing naked young maidens to the strains of Debussy and sludge at the bottom of what looks like a Coke bottle evolving into some pretty nasty lifeforms to the strains of Stravinsky. None of the animation shorts connect to each other. The live action comedy shot in black and white is also pretty funny with the conductor and the animator fight sequence the best of the lot. The animation is pretty crude but don't let that put you off this from watching this bizarre and surreal movie. I didn't expect to like this but it grew on me. I enjoyed it a lot.

4 years, 10 months ago

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

In the years after the Civil War, Jo March lives in New York and makes her living as a writer, while her sister Amy studies painting in Paris. Amy has a chance encounter with Theodore, a childhood crush who proposed to Jo but was ultimately rejected. Their oldest sibling, Meg, is married to a schoolteacher, while shy sister Beth develops a devastating illness that brings the family back together. The umpteenth movie version of Little Women deserves kudos for its authentic period feel, and there are brief moments in which it truly engages, but overall, the plot line is all over the place, and no amount of well-choreographed young woman group chaos can overcome this. None of the characters was ever sufficiently developed to make me feel connected to them. Perhaps that's the fault of Greta Gerwig as the director adding her feminist message to the story. The acting is good with Soarsie Ronan being the pick of the bunch. Emma Watson seemed to me to be under used in the movie. The movie seemed rushed, and with the constant flashback and flash-forwards it just comes off as confusing to anyone unfamiliar with the subject matter. If you want to see a very good version of the story, go and see the 1994 one with Winona Ryder instead.

4 years, 10 months ago

AKB48Fan added 2 items to their collection

4 years, 10 months ago

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

A tribe of cats called the Jellicles must decide yearly which one will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new Jellicle life. You may heard about how bad this movie version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical is and they'd be right. It is truly terrible and hands down the worst movie of 2019. Words can't explain what I just saw. The recipe for a hit was there: an all-star cast, a big budget and a director who adapted the fantastic Les Miserables to the big screen so what could go wrong? Literally everything! Beautiful sets, scenes, and some good dancing couldn't even begin to save the hideous story and plotless adventure. The singing by some of the cast is awful. It's a total yawn-fest of boredom. If you've ever had a nightmare that left you feeling nauseous, sick, and confused.. this movie is leaves you the same way! Do yourself a favour and steer well clear of this unwatchable movie.

4 years, 10 months ago

AKB48Fan rated Bunny Lake Is Missing

 Bunny Lake Is Missing 7/10

4 years, 10 months ago

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

Ann Lake drops off her 4 year old daughter Bunny at school but leaves her with the cook as she can't find any teachers at the time. Returning to collect her later, she discovers the child has gone missing and that nobody has any recollection of ever seeing her. The police are called to investigate her disappearance. A suspenseful movie that will have you on the edge of your seat with an amazing finale. This intriguing movie is packed with thrills, suspense, plot twists, and results which are quite entertaining though sometimes it gets a bit too over the top. From start to finish the intrigue and thrilling scenes are continuous with a fantastic script. The cast is superb with Laurence Oliver as a detective hoping to find the missing child, Carol Lynley as Bunny's tortured mother Ann, Noel Coward as a drunken landlord and Keir Dullea who is rather unsettling as Ann's brother. All in all, a great mystery thriller that never lets up.

4 years, 10 months ago