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AKB48Fan added 2 items to their collection

5 years, 6 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Hit Or Miss? Good Or Bad? 2019 Movies Watched list

Mike McDermott loses his money in a poker game against Russian gangster Teddy "KGB". Under pressure from his girlfriend, Jo, he promises to quit gambling. This lasts until his friend, Lester "Worm" Murphy, gets out of prison and needs to pay off an old debt. The pair come close to earning the money back but are caught cheating. Then Mike finds out the debt is owed to Teddy and makes one last-ditch effort to beat the Russian. This story is helped by a rich cast, led by the likable Matt Damon. The movie has a surprisingly low-key feel, with many scenes filmed in dim rooms punctuated with hushed dialogue. It's an entertaining movie, but it seems unlikely that the lead character Mike could go through what he goes through and maintain such a sunny disposition and steadfast sense of honour. The dialogue is rife with poker references and inside lingo. If the viewer has no understanding of the game of poker he/she will certainly be lost but it still doesn't take anything away from how good this movie is.

5 years, 6 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Hit Or Miss? Good Or Bad? 2019 Movies Watched list

A brutal mugging leaves Grey Trace paralyzed in the hospital and his beloved wife dead. A billionaire inventor soon offers Trace a cure - an artificial intelligence implant called STEM that will enhance his body. Now able to walk, Grey finds that he also has superhuman strength and agility - skills he uses to seek revenge against the thugs who destroyed his life. An incredible Australian movie all done on a budget of 5 million dollars. This movie is basically "Robocop" meets "Death Wish", with less satire than the former and more humour than the latter. It's an absolute blast. An unrelenting pace, fantastic fight choreography that doesn't skimp on the gleeful blood and gore, and it's a lot of fun and interesting to look at. Some of the one-liner dialogue as delivered by Logan Marshall-Green who plays the lead character feels a bit forced and the plot isn't exactly clever or unique, but it works perfectly. This is cheap genre filmmaking done right. Definitely a must-see for sci-fi/action fans.

5 years, 7 months ago

AKB48Fan added 2 items to their collection

5 years, 7 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Hit Or Miss? Good Or Bad? 2019 Movies Watched list

This tells the real-life story of three men whose brave act turned them into heroes during a high-speed railway ride. In the early evening of August 21, 2015, the world watched in stunned silence as the media reported a thwarted terrorist attack on Thalys train #9364 bound for Paris. This movie is a biographical thriller that feels like it was not needed or there was not much of a source material to even adapt that event into a movie. It follows the three American friends Spencer Stone, Anthony Sadler, and Alek Skarlatos after having different paths with their lives. Most of the movie is the backstory of the friends from childhood with the actual terrorist event on the train perhaps only taking 10 mins towards the end. For anyone looking for action or thrills and suspense will be left disappointed. As for the acting, a lot have said it isn't that good but then again the three real life heroes who star in the movie are not actors so you have to take that into consideration. It's disappointing that Clint Eastwood took the helm as director as I always love his movies but this one I'm afraid is a big miss.

5 years, 7 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Hit Or Miss? Good Or Bad? 2019 Movies Watched list

Apostasy is the low-budget feature debut of writer/director Daniel Kokotajlo and it tells the story of a breakdown in the relationship between a single mother and her eldest daughter when she falls pregnant. The family are devout members of Jehovah's Witness. The daughter leaves the religion with the younger daughter and the mother refusing to leave, committing themselves more and more to its practices, even as they come to question some of its dogma. This is an interesting movie. It shows a realistic portrayal of the insulated life of a Jehovah Witness and the control they live under. The pain of isolation from family and community when one no longer wishes to be known as one of them. This is the reality for the thousands of Witnesses who have left. It's quite an eye opener for somebody who is curious about the religion as most people only know them from the occasional annoyance when they come knocking on your door to spout their crap. It's a fairly slow paced movie, no dramatic music or particularly shocking scenes, Just an overall feeling of the emotional prison these women are in and how terrifying a test of faith can be. The cast are fantastic particularly Siobhan Finneran. A worthwhile watch.

5 years, 7 months ago

AKB48Fan added 2 items to their collection

5 years, 7 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Hit Or Miss? Good Or Bad? 2019 Movies Watched list

Set during the mid 70's after the last day of school, a group of high schoolers proceed to raise some hell and get drunk or high. Meanwhile the incoming freshmen try to avoid being hazed by the seniors. Director and writer Richard Linklater gives a well-developed depiction of life in America during the mid 70's with a focus around high school, growing up and making important decisions about what to do and how to live life. With a killer soundtrack as well, the result is more about evoking nostalgia and showing those too young to know what life was like. The characters are fun and easy to spot (by stereotype sometimes) and identify with. The plot is just one giant misadventure involving alcohol, marijuana, high school hazing and a variety of "rebellious" activity. The young cast has Ben Affleck, Matthew McCounaughy and Parker Posey before they hit the big time in their careers. Overall, this is just a fun movie to watch as you get to see what takes place between various friends.

5 years, 7 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Hit Or Miss? Good Or Bad? 2019 Movies Watched list

After air traffic controller Jack Chester loses a plane (it's covered on his screen by a fly), he's told to take a break. Jack books his family into a plush resort in Florida, but it turns out that their lodgings are in a hut by the beach, and that's as good as the vacation gets. An early comedy vehicle for John Candy in what was his first leading role. He comes across affably as the parent whose determination to please his family usually ends in disaster. The movie loses marks in the script and story department because it's so thin and obvious. We've seen variations on this basic concept time and again, and the writers and director Carl Reiner make no attempts to freshen up the familiar material. The first half of the movie delivers most on the laughs but as soon as the sailing plot takes hold in the second half a lot of the comedy dries up which is a shame. It's one of those movies that you'll watch, you smile at from time to time, and then you'll forget.

5 years, 7 months ago

AKB48Fan added 2 items to their collection

5 years, 7 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Hit Or Miss? Good Or Bad? 2019 Movies Watched list

An exiled Chinese general who protects the Silk Road with his men offers shelter to a renegade Roman Captain and his legion, then becomes involved in the soldier's dispute with Rome's villainous consul Tiberius. This tries very hard to be an epic historical war movie with its grand production and Hollywood stars but it tries too hard to please viewers with an inept script and poor direction that the movie becomes unoriginal, even to the point of cringe-worthy. For the setting and costumes, the movie puts a lot of effort to the point it looks flamboyant and it almost looks like a high profile video game set. Each character has their distinct look which is quite appealing to showcase diversity. Choreography is fine as well. The fights are engaging with many details in movement, meticulous array of gimmick and different fighting style. The pacing of the movie is a bit off and it runs a good 20 mins too long. The three main stars in Jackie Chan, John Cusack and Adrien Brody perform well in their roles. As long as you don't expect too much from this movie, chances are you'll enjoy it.

5 years, 7 months ago

AKB48Fan rated Evelyn

 Evelyn 7/10

5 years, 7 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Hit Or Miss? Good Or Bad? 2019 Movies Watched list

Film-maker Orlando von Einsiedel turns the camera on his own family in this documentary and the wounds that remains from his 22-year-old schizophrenic brother Evelyn's suicide in 2004. The family go on rambles in the country where Evelyn liked to go such as Scotland, the Lake District and Sussex. During the course of these walks, each family member talks about how the suicide has affected them and to discuss feelings that's been bottled up for so long. It feels like the viewer is intruding into a family's private chat. It's a movie full of pain and the difficulty of showing emotion to family, and it’s all very British – partly for this inability to overcome a stiff upper lip when faced with grief. The cinematography showing the various locations is superb. It's an interesting documentary and a moving one about a family's loss.

5 years, 7 months ago

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5 years, 7 months ago

AKB48Fan rated Aces High

 Aces High 7/10

5 years, 7 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Hit Or Miss? Good Or Bad? 2019 Movies Watched list

Patriotic young pilots straight out of college lost their lives in literally a few days time in the Air Corps during WWI, due to their inexperience and the stress of this new kind of battle. Squadron Leader Gresham has the unwelcome task of leading the 76th Squadron and also visiting colleges to drum up recruits, all the while knowing he's inviting them to an almost certain death. A very good but depressing movie. Malcolm McDowell is subdued in his performance as Gresham and seems to come out of his cocoon only at the end. This is necessary, I think, for his character to survive in the surroundings of constant tragedy. Peter Firth is naive in the extreme, and this is probably a correct portrayal of a green recruit in WWI, where there was no frame of reference for how dangerous those early airplanes were. The movie shows the viewer just how little the commanders valued the lives of their men by sending them out unprepared and inexperienced, and that they know after one group of fliers is decimated, there is always a fresh batch of innocent boys to take their place. A well done movie with a firm anti-war message.

5 years, 7 months ago

AKB48Fan rated White Water Summer

 White Water Summer 6/10

5 years, 7 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Hit Or Miss? Good Or Bad? 2019 Movies Watched list

An experienced wilderness guide, Vic leads a group of teenagers from the city on their first big outdoor adventure. One of the boys, the sheltered and defiant Alan, resents Vic's tough attempts at teaching them life lessons and clashes with him. After tensions have built up between Vic and his young charges, he is injured in an incident and needs their help so that they all can survive the ordeal and make it back to civilisation. This is a great coming of age tale. The story is told in some sort of flashback, with Sean Astin making comments right into the camera, and then picking up back in the wilderness with him looking a couple years younger. The explanation on that is the movie went unreleased for 2 years and I guess they thought it would be interesting for an older Astin to add commentary on his trek a couple years later. It comes off OK. This movie has a lot of good things going for it. The photography is really beautiful, filmed mostly in New Zealand locations. The music is pretty good too. The big draw is probably the cast, with the obvious audience appeals of Sean Astin and Kevin Bacon. Definitely a good 80's teen flick to catch if you get a chance.

5 years, 7 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Hit Or Miss? Good Or Bad? 2019 Movies Watched list

Dr. Nicholas arrives at the insane asylum run by the eminent Professor Tremayne to hear his absolutely bizarre theories as to how four of his patients ended up there. This Amicus horror anthology is rather silly but still enjoyable. The first story deals with a boy who has invisible tiger as a friend with his parents not believing him until huge claw marks start appearing on doors of their house. It's a pretty decent story. The second tale is about a man who has bought an old picture and a penny farthing bike. The picture has an effect on the man making him want to ride the bike which takes him back to Victorian times. I didn't think this story was rather good to be honest. The third is the strangest story of them all and has a man who falls in love with a tree that's fallen down and disposes of his wife!! The final odd tale is probably the best and has a dinner being served at a house with the guests not knowing that it's human flesh that they're eating. There's one last twist in this movie before it ends though. The cast perform well with Donald Pleasance and a young Mary Tamm (of Dr Who) making appearances. It's not the best Amicus anthology movie but still worth watching for the weirdness of it all.

5 years, 7 months ago

AKB48Fan added 2 items to their collection

5 years, 7 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Hit Or Miss? Good Or Bad? 2019 Movies Watched list

A picture-perfect family is torn apart after Tyler finds a cache of disturbing images in his father's possession. He begins to suspect that the man he trusts most in the world may be responsible for the murder of 13 girls ten years prior. At times extremely effective, deeply disturbing and uncomfortable to watch, this is a relatively satisfying and well made movie but it's also a classic example of a movie that doesn't know when to end - dragging out the resolution until you're willing the credits to start rolling; every scene feels like it's setting up the conclusion until it's followed by yet another and you're left impatiently waiting for the crescendo, which is tedious, frustrating and disappointing. However, the performances sell the entire movie and there's palpable tension between characters in emotionally charged scenes so the conflict is incredibly well done and regardless of its faults, it's still a good movie despite being unnecessarily long and drawn out.

5 years, 7 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Hit Or Miss? Good Or Bad? 2019 Movies Watched list

Growing up on a farm with his elder brother, Mason, Tex McCormick becomes troubled after his mother's death and his father's departure. While Tex and Mason try to live on their own, their individual teen woes threaten their relatively independent existence out in the country. Starring a very young Matt Dillon in one of his earliest main roles, this is a completely by-the-numbers movie. It trudges over cliché after cliché, but it's age and settings sort of let's you forgive it's generic feel. It's core development is a drama of brothers growing up together and looking out for one-another. I liked the movie for it's simplicity and charismatic performance from Matt Dillon. Conversations were honest and occasionally poignant. The supporting cast are fairly good including also a young Emilio Estevez and Meg Tilly. Worth a watch.

5 years, 7 months ago

AKB48Fan added 2 items to their collection

5 years, 7 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Hit Or Miss? Good Or Bad? 2019 Movies Watched list

After being captured for a series of gruesome murders, Horace Pinker, a television repairman, faces execution by the electric chair but a deal with the devil allows him to come back as electricity. Once he changes into his new form, Pinker goes after the detective that brought him down, Lt. Don Parker as well as Parker's adopted son, Jonathan. However, Jonathan's mysterious connection to Pinker through dreams might help track the killer's moves. This horror movie by Wes Craven is mostly a mixed bag. The story has almost no development beyond the initial ideas, turning the movie into an endless series of repetitive chases, and gets increasingly silly as it moves along. There are also too many action scenes which lack credibility to a point where that can't be forgiven. However, there is also a particularly memorable sequence with the villain and the hero entering another dimension and fighting each other while jumping in and out of various TV shows. Performances from the cast are adequate and there are even small cameos from Sam Raimi and Heather Langenkamp (from the Elm Street movies). More cheesy than electrifying I'd say this movie is but unassuming entertainment nonetheless.

5 years, 7 months ago

AKB48Fan posted a image

5 years, 7 months ago

AKB48Fan added 2 items to their collection

5 years, 7 months ago

AKB48Fan added 2 items to Hit Or Miss? Good Or Bad? 2019 Movies Watched list

5 years, 7 months ago

AKB48Fan rated Chase a Crooked Shadow

 Chase a Crooked Shadow 8/10

5 years, 7 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Hit Or Miss? Good Or Bad? 2019 Movies Watched list

A man shows up at Kimberley Prescott's Spanish villa claiming to be her brother. Trouble is is that her brother, Ward Prescott, died in a car accident a year ago... This is a belter of a movie with a brilliant plot that keeps you guessing right to the end. Director Michael Anderson carefully builds the suspense, ensuring that what we think we know may in fact not be the case. The twists and jolts are deftly handled and the finale is a delightful bolt from the blue. The cast are mostly effective with some people calling Richard Todd's performance too wooden, but he needs to be restrained here, he is after all playing the character's cards close to his chest. Herbert Lom has authoritative presence as the policeman being pulled both ways of the mystery. This is an exciting and gripping thriller and I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

5 years, 7 months ago

AKB48Fan added 1 item to Hit Or Miss? Good Or Bad? 2019 Movies Watched list

A part-time Tokyo call girl Akiko finds an unlikely connection with an old retired sociology professor. Whilst living her double life as student and escort girl her relationship with her hot-headed, blue collar boyfriend reaches boiling point. This movie is about the first pangs of love, the period when two people begin the process of understanding the other. In this case it is the old professor who unexpectedly finds himself falling for the young girl. The script and the director uses the seedier side of Tokyo to tell a tale of loneliness and discomfort within a sprawling and uncompromising city. This is not a movie for all tastes. Each scene is long and laborious, many scenes are of simply the characters waiting for the other to appear on screen. But if you are willing to stay the duration you may be rewarded with a touching if some what incomplete love story. The abrupt ending of the movie may also frustrate viewers as well.

5 years, 7 months ago