From The Superb To The Crap - Movies Seen In 2016

This is a great British comedy movie made at the start of the swinging sixties. The story about the Loch Ness Monster is pure nonsense but the movie never takes itself seriously at all and it is similar to a rather toned down very early Carry On movie, relatively gentle. There are some early appearances by later British comedy greats such as Clive Dunn (of Dad's Army), Wilfred Brambell (Steptoe & Son), Spike Milligan, Terry Scott etc. The main cast led by singer Adam Faith and Sid James make it worth watching.

I was expecting this to be a bit useless if I'm being honest but it turned out to be not bad at all. The movie works by putting two curses simultaneously. Sadako has slightly more portion as the Cursed Video is highlighted more, especially in the beginning. As one curse progresses the Kayako or Haunted Hause is slowly tossed into the mix. And then during the climax the two demons battle it out for their victims. I think this movie works better than previous Grudge / Ring movies because it's got a good director behind it. Kōji Shiraishi was behind creepy movies such as Noroi: The Curse and Carved. Overall the wild concept behind the story worked well because it's something that seemed like it would never have been made. Sadako vs. Kayako is truly unique, daring, but above all -- entertaining. It is not just horror, it is a genre-twisting movie. It is a movie that is expected to fail, but triumphs instead. Well worth watching.

With a title like Shaolin Challenges Ninja... how could this movie not be amazing? With excellently choreographed fight scenes, a decent storyline, and a great assortment of fighting styles and weaponry, this movie is amazing. And there's not that much more to say. Watch this movie if you're a fan of classic Shaw Brother's martial arts mayhem. The only disappointment would come in how easily the hero defeats each villain. But his reasons for non-violence fit the storyline and thus, can't be avoided. A classic martial arts movie.

For the record I've never played Assassin's Creed but even if I did I still would have voted this one of the worst movies of 2016. It's the most boring depressing, badly scripted, and ill-advised "origin" story possibly in the history of film. What a waste of an all star cast to act in this piece of shit. It continues the run of shoddily produced videogame movie adaptations made by Hollywood. Surely they would have learned by now that they can't do these kind of movies. They've tried and failed so why bother giving it another crack. I can't think of anything good to really say about this movie apart from some of the action sequences. Perhaps those who have played the game might like it but as for myself it was the biggest waste of time watching this pile of cack. It was THAT horrible.

The premise of Passengers is fascinating, and it stars two of the hottest names in Hollywood, but the end result falls short of anything remotely close to what I hoped this would be. There's a lot of good in Passengers, mostly dealing with the lead's chemistry, but the lack of focus and identity is where it fails the hardest. That, and the fact that the script feels like something thrown together at the last minute. Viewers must be aware that this is not a sci-fi actioner at all - it's more of a sci-fi romantic drama. If you're fine with that then you'll enjoy this movie but otherwise I don't think this'll be for you at all. Overall it's OK but I was really underwhelmed and disappointed by it all. I was expecting something a lot better.

There seems to be an annual tradition that, every holiday season, a studio will release a big Christmas comedy, usually with an ensemble cast, in the hopes of producing a new holiday cult classic that will catch on in the way that comedies like National Lampoon's Vacation or Bad Santa have over the years. Office Christmas Party, coming from directing duo Josh Gordon and Will Speck, strives for that same goal, while aiming to capture a mix festive silliness and R-rated raunchiness. The end result, despite being funny and enjoyable enough, is unlikely to become anyone's new favourite holiday movie.

Office Christmas Party works well enough as a harmless, brainless Christmas comedy the majority of the time, but it's also not without its fair share of massive problems along the way. The movie suffers from a lot of the same flaws that often plague big studio comedies these days, including an overabundance of unfunny genitalia jokes, an overly long running time, and a third act that barely works. There's plenty to criticise about this movie although it's not too bad in the end. There are enough good jokes and a game cast to make it worthy of at least one viewing. Those looking for a fun Christmas comedy could do a lot worse.

This is the final movie in the trilogy by Noel Clarke which started out with Kidulthood followed by Adulthood. Noel Clarke obviously felt, 8 years after the last instalment Adulthood, that the series needed to be rounded off a little more than it already was, and so we have this, we are assured, the final part. While it still packs a powerful emotional punch or two, somehow the raw, gritty, uncompromising nature that characterised the first two movies just isn't as evident here. Those movies (the first one especially) were from the mind of a young man who had grown up in this unfortunate world, and who gained acclaim by recklessly writing down and screening all the types of stuff he'd seen. With such a large space of time between this and the last movie, the cast (those still in it) and the material with them feel like they've grown up a bit, and this time it all seems to be played more for laughs, even during intense, dramatic scenes. That aside, the story all feels cobbled together without the strongest narrative flow and there's an air of predictability about a lot of it that doesn't go unnoticed. It's still worth seeing though.

Forget the US remake of Godzilla, THIS is how a Godzilla movie should be! It is one of the best Godzilla movies you'll ever see. It takes a somber, serious tone as to what would happen if Japan were attacked -- in this case, by a seemingly unstoppable foe. It starts out like a classic Godzilla movie that of a man in a suit but then it changes into something fantastic. You see, in this movie you see Godzilla evolve into the awe inspiring monster that we all love.

Director Hideaki Anno has crafted a modern day classic of Godzilla and it was a surprise to hear music from his brilliant anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion dropped into the movie on several occasions. I half expected some Eva units to emerge from underneath Tokyo to take on Godzilla! The movie is gripping as the Japanese government scramble to find ways on destroying the seemingly invincible beast. The destruction sequences are some of the best as Godzilla unleashes lasers from his dorsal fins as well as from his mouth but also fire too. There's no doubt that this is one of the best movies I've seen this year. If you love Godzilla movies this is a must see. Highly recommended.

This is a vehicle for comedian Dick Emery who had a very popular show on the BBC during the 70s and 80s. Here he plays a con-man Charlie Tully who has to find 4 codes for a Swiss bank account that his dead partner in crime has tattooed on the arses of 4 women. He also has to contend with 2 pissed off crime families namely some Italian mobsters and a London gang who he has stolen money from.

If you were a fan of Emery and his BBC comedy series then you'll enjoy this as he brings several of his most famous characters to this movie such as Mandy the blonde, Lampwick the Butler and Hettie the frustrated spinster. It's seaside humour all the way with innuendos and some nudity - something along the lines of Carry On movies. Emery is supported by a cast that includes Ronald Fraser, Pat Coombs and Derren Nesbitt amongst others. Perhaps you'll have to have lived through this era to appreciate the comedy on display and maybe it won't be hilarious to modern audiences but I found it funny.

Bad Santa 2 is as funny, raunchy, vulgar and politically incorrect as the first movie was. The movie's relentless profanity is a nice balance to the sweet goodness of the holidays. The movie's ambition, it's driving motive, is to be as politically incorrect as possible and boy does it succeed! The basic plot is repeated: the drunken obscene department store Santa connives with his black dwarf elf friend to pull off a major heist. Again the grown white man needs the black dwarf to help pull off the heist. Again the friend tries to rob and kill him. This time the department store is replaced by a large-scale charity. The casting is perfect, Kathy Bates played her "white trash" part with ease, totally believable. The "bad santa" role is perfect for Billy Bob Thornton, he handles his role effortlessly. Nice to see Christina Hendricks in this movie as well. There are plenty of laughs in this movie and it never stops from start to finish. Bad Santa 2 is just as good as the first so if you're after a raunchy profanity laden comedy to see right now - this will be right up your street.

This is a spinoff movie from the anime series The Woman Called Fujiko Mine. Lupin and Jigen plan to steal a diamond from the country of East Doroa, which has a conflict with the neighbouring country of West Doroa. However, what seems like an easy job for the duo got complicated when they discover that Jigen is the target of a famous assassin.

Another great adventure for the master thief and his associates although Goemon and Lupin's nemesis Zenigata does not feature at all. The exciting story moves at a grand old pace. The artwork and music are wonderfully atmospheric, capturing the suave, sensual and stylish essence of the 1960s-70s era. The story too is well- written. On the whole, it makes for a fairly good Lupin tale. Not necessarily one of the best, but definitely an above average story that makes for a great watch.

A young postman gets some terrible news after he falls off his bicycle: he has a brain tumour and will die soon. Then, a devil appears and offers to extend his life on the condition that one thing the devil picks will disappear from the world in exchange for him living one day longer. Things which seems not essential to life turn out to be more crucial than expected, as they affect the relationship he has with his ex-girlfriend, friend and family.

This is a great movie which makes you reflect on life. What would you do with just one day left to live? Would you trade something precious in exchange for an extra day to live? Just one decision the postman makes affects many things in his life. Satoh Takeru delivers an excellent performance with a dual role of the postman and the devil. This isn't a sad movie at all and it does have a positive message to say. I really enjoyed it.

This movie bears all the hallmarks of a classic slice of British Gothic horror: it's got an eerie setting in the deserted Cornish tin mines, it features an actress many consider to be Britain's best scream queen (the delectable Hazel Court), and the Frankenstein-style plot features a misguided scientist who performs experiments on the living and the dead in a bid to become a pioneer heart transplant surgeon. What's not to love? Quite a lot, it actually turns out, and not least the clunky script, which routinely AVOIDS every moment of possible excitement in favour of talky, talky, boredom. The potential horrors of the script are diluted and avoided, with a single snippet of bloody surgery the only horror we get until the climax, in which a fine-looking zombie shows up for some last-minute action. A bit of a shame as this had potential and could have been a hell of a lot better.

Archaeologist Karl Schiller is doing research on a mythical ring that was apparently once owned by Count Dracula. Even though his twin brother tries to talk him out of going, Karl heads off to Transylvania where he goes to a castle ran by Countess de Vries and her assistant Lara.

This is apparently a popular EuroHorror movie but I can't guess why. It's not completely rubbish but it's not what you call a good movie either. It does have a rich moody atmosphere as well as plenty of nudity, sex and of course blood. There are some effective moments throughout but the highlight has to be a sequence where the Countess is bathed in blood before standing up where we get a terrific shot of the blood covering her body as the fog rises in a graveyard. Horror fans might get something out of this movie but I'd say it's more for the fans of the stunning Rosalba Neri more than anybody else.

This is one of the worst movies ever made! It's basically a re-make of "The Little Shop of Horrors" where a socially inept loser buys a talking mutant plant and eventually starts feeding people to it as it grows bigger and bigger. The only real difference is the guy here is a peeping tom who is constantly watching other people have sex. It's an absolute mess of a movie, the acting is of amateur level, the special effects are terrible as the plant looks like it's made of paper mache by five year old children. The supposed comedy doesn't work at all. A total waste of time.

The story is about two Japanese families who got their sons exchanged at birth but only to find out about it 6 years later. The big dilemma that both families face is whether to switch children or not. The main strength of this movie is the unique story and the complexities that comes with this theme. Already from the start when both families meet a lot of tensions occur due to the different backgrounds and personalities of the characters. The acting performances are top notch creating a convincing scenario between these families. Director Koreeda has always been good with handling fun and deep family stories with underlying conflicts. A masterful combination of both humour and grief. This movie will make you both laugh and cry. As always in Koreeda movies the children are the biggest reasons for enjoying them. Full of charisma and innocence pulling us through a emotional journey from start to end. Recommended.

The second movie in the horror series takes place soon after the events of the first movie, with reporter Terence Knox trying to discover what happened in the now empty town. Oddly, although every adult in sight and several children are dead, the cops disappear after a few minutes, leaving Knox free to discover bodies all over the place. It's the same mixture as before - various characters are killed by a group of spooky kids and their cornfield - with the addition of perfunctory romances and boring troubles between father and son. The movie is repetitious beyond belief, seems twice as long as it really is, and as the plot revolves around Knox piecing together what we already know it's also entirely redundant. Totally forgettable.

Grave Of The Vampire is a very low budget 70's horror movie that was made quick and cheap. However, what it may lack with poor production value and editing, Grave Of The Vampire had some fresh ideas and has an interesting take on the vampire genre. When vampire Caleb Croft awakes for a midnight snack and attacks a couple, he feeds off the blood of the boyfriend and rapes the girlfriend, leaving her pregnant. The mother, against the idea of abortion gives birth to the child. The child is half vampire and needs blood to survive. The child grows up and is B movie bad ass William Smith and vows revenge on his father for making his mother suffer and plans to put an end to his evil for good. There is a grim tone to the story as well as dark ambience. If this movie had a larger budget and the right director, it could have been huge. Even still, I found this to be entertaining and original.

There's nothing you haven't seen before in this Japanese horror comedy set on an island where the undead roam and a yakuza gang has to battle them in order to survive. The mish mash of comedy, drama and horror doesn't gel that well at times in particular the comedy element. Yes, there are parts that make you smile but genuine laughs are hard to come by. The horror part of the movie is done well with liberal amounts of gore sprayed on screen. The cast led by veteran Sho Aikawa are good in their roles but it's the characters of the 2 teenage kick ass girls that stood out for me especially in the scene where beat the shit out of some hoodlums. It's a fun movie to enjoy with it's fast pace but don't come expecting something different from the norm.

A fairly good anthology horror movie centering around a female reporter talking to an uncle of an executed serial killer. The uncle played by Vincent Price reveals 4 tales of the evil that resides in the town of Oldfield. Each of the four stories is interesting though I found each one getting better and better. The last story featuring a house inhabited by young children whose parents were all killed during the Civil War was probably my favourite. There's also a bit of a twist between the reporter and the uncle right at the climax as well. As far as anthologies go, it's not one of the best I may have seen but there's plenty for horror fans to enjoy so it's definitely one to check out if you've got nothing better to do.

A mildly mentally retarded man submits to a scientific experiment to increase his intelligence. This movie is a clever morality play about science that crosses certain boundaries but instead of going down the horror route it explores the emotional human tragedy that inevitably occurs when an experiment of this nature goes awry. Based on the classic novel, "Flowers for Algernon", the movie strikes a keen balance of warmth, comedy and tragedy. Cliff Robertson's Oscar winning portrayal of the main character is unforgettable. An emotional, touching drama, "Charly" still rings a cautionary bell.

In the vein of the Confessions and Adventure sex comedies that came out of Britain in the 70's, this movie follows a young man who has to keep a job for 7 days before his fiance will allow them to get married. Following the opening 20 minutes which is full of Carry On double entendres and fairly amusing, this peters out into a movie whose only excuse is to get ladies to drop their clothes and have the male lead Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett in the Star Wars movies) have some misadventures with some horny women! The jokes do fall flat after the first third and the only saving face if it's your cup of tea is seeing the beautiful women on show.

Horror Hospital is far too silly to be taken seriously! The movie throws in one illogical sequence after another, and if you tried to account for all the events in the movie and make sense of them; you'd be completely wasting your time. The movie clearly knows that it's trash rather than a serious horror movie, and this is shown throughout by the tongue-in-cheek mood that runs through it. When it comes to bad movie-making, this has it all - a terrible script, duff cinematography, useless actors delivering stupid performances, daft music, a clichéd, rip-off ridden and implausible plot and the list goes on. Michael Gough tries his best with his delightfully over the top camp performance as the 'evil' Dr Storm. There's no need to describe Robin Askwith's performance - he's useless in everything he's been in! It's worth taking a look just to see how dreadful it is!

The Nohara family is preparing for a yakiniku feast for the ages when a mysterious man bursts in and gets them tangled up in a gigantic mess. Framed for various crimes down to baby Himawari and the dog, they must now escape the droves of police and yakuza after them and make their way to Atami to solve the case.

The 11th Crayon Shin-chan movie is a very funny and extremely crazy anime movie as is to be expected from a show that constantly draws the ire of parents in Japan for it's crude and slightly adult humour. The main character Shin-chan is famous for pulling his pants down and showing his arse and also his fascination with his trunk (a nickname for his penis!). For those used to quality animation, the amateurish designs on the characters will take some getting used to. I think the best thing to those who come into Shin-chan with no knowledge whatsoever is try out an episode or two of the series and I'm sure it will convert you into a fan. Just remember this isn't something for the kids. Adults are huge fans of the show and movies.

Set against the backdrop of the 1930s English Lake District, Swallows and Amazons sees an innocent childhood sailing adventure become embroiled in a sinister conflict of interest between two mysterious parties. Though it preceded Enid Blyton's Famous Five stories it is strikingly similar in tone. Held up by a veteran supporting cast including Harry Enfield and Kelly McDonald, the young Walker children are all an enthusiastic delight, chiefly responsible for rendering this particular adaptation so cheerily playful for the majority of its running time. Swallows and Amazons is precisely the movie that family audiences need in 2016; a reminder that a summer spent outdoors, rather than five inches from a screen, is the most memorable of all.

Jellyfish otaku Tsukimi lives in the atmospheric house in a Tokyo neighborhood with four other female otaku -- traditional Japanese culture-loving Chieko, Romance of the Three Kingdoms obsessive Mayaya, trainspotter Banba and Jiji. One fateful day Tsukimi meets Kuranosuke, a cross dressing young man who loves beautiful women's clothes and fashion accessories because of his mother who works in Paris. When Kuranosuke's father threatens to tear down the neighbourhood for a new development, the girls must do something to save their house and the area they live in.

Packed with so many colourful characters, Princess Jellyfish can't help but be an over-the-top movie. It's fun and makes you smile with people that you want to root for. A typical underdog battling corporate pigs storyline. In all honesty, if I had been told before I viewed Princess Jellyfish that I'd love a movie with jellyfish and a fashion show in it as much as I do, I would not have believed it. But, then, this romantic comedy also has otaku characters whose obsessive passions I'm enough of a geek to be able to identify and empathize with - and its celebration of them and their quirky ways is something I found heartwarmingly wonderful as well as pretty entertaining.

David Brent is back! Brent is trying to boost his popularity by getting in another documentary, as the once famously hated star of The Office. Being a major fan of most creations of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, I just had to watch this one. Unfortunately, the movie doesn't get close to being as funny as any of their earlier work. While in The Office all the awkwardness lead to some deeper sense of sympathy for Brent, the characters in this spin-off have nothing of the depth that those in The Office had. Yes, Brent and his cringe factor is still there, but instead of laughing at his ridiculousness, you actually feel quite sorry for him, he's portrayed as a very depressed person in this, and the fact that he is mocked by his band, and even have to pay them to have a drink with them isn't funny, it's downright depressing. I think had Stephen Merchant been on board sharing the writing duties with Gervais, this movie would have been a lot better. It's a shame, because this could have been something quite special, if Gervais wasn't so egotistic in thinking that this would have been a box office hit.

This is a poor Alien copycat movie that doesn't have any frightening creatures and the plot is mixed up. A group of astronauts that are possessed by alien parasites for some reason are only possessed part of the time. Why? I don't know and it doesn't matter. You know they are possessed because they all of a sudden speak in a stupid computerised digital voice. The astronauts go places, but it doesn't matter. Then, they rip off the Terminator by having another alien arrive that can kill them. By this time you are extremely bored and don't care. There are, however, lots of explosions. A complete and utter waste of time!

This is an unbelievable prequel movie to Star Wars: A New Hope. It delivers on everything a fanboy would want from epic space battles to gritty war scenes on the ground. Furthermore, the use of incredibly advance CGI, reviving Grand Moff Tarkin and Princess Leia, is so perfect that you wouldn't even be able to notice the difference without a trained eyes. There are other numerous cameos / references to tie in with A New Hope as well. The new characters introduced are brilliant although I wasn't that keen on Donnie Yen's one.

The main lead, Jyn Erso, is wonderfully strong and instantly likable with an energetic performance from Felicity Jones. We see a younger Jyn present in the prologue which gives us some well-needed backing to her story. I loved the reprogrammed Imperial security droid, K-2SO played by Alan Tudyk, who is one of the main sources of comedy to counter the dark storyline. With Gareth Edwards directing, I was initially worried about this movie. However, he has showcased his talent and teamed up with cinematographer Greig Fraser to present a visually stunning piece of cinema. This movie looks incredible so well done to both of them. Overall, Rogue One is the quintessential Star Wars movie we've been waiting for. The writing is compelling, the acting captivating, and the original movie's tone is back in full force with sublime film sets and costume design. Congratulations to everyone involved, in all departments, and thank you Gareth Edwards for this wonderful movie.

Kiyoshi Kurosawa's latest movie revolves a woman whose presumed dead and lost-at-sea husband returns home after three years and the 'journey' that ensues. The wife is played by Eri Fukatsu and she usually delivers good performances in the movies she's in. Tadanobu Asano who I think has sold himself out to big money Hollywood productions recently also gives a good account of himself here. This movie is unlike other Kurosawa works. This isn't a suspense / thriller but a gentle paced romance drama. There's nothing wrong with that but it might disappoint the majority of his fans. It was mildly interesting this movie, though not something I'll probably watch again.

Gordon Scott is the mighty Hercules in this short snappy movie. Hercules tries to defeat a slug-like creature that takes a virgin woman as it's sacrifice but he also has to take on a devious man who would rather that he didn't kill the creature to further his own gains. As this movie is so short, the pace is quick with hardly any lull or boring padding. The acting from the capable cast is OK with Gordon Scott making for a strong and credible Hercules. The sea creature isn't up to Harryhausen quality let's just say that! Everything about this production is lacking in several aspects but it is still watchable.

Although this is certainly not one of their more famous titles, I was actually quite impressed with this Hammer movie which is an interesting variation on the famous French thriller "Diabolique" but with four main characters instead of three. Judy Geeson is a naive young woman who marries a man who she thinks is also a schoolteacher but actually turns out to be the caretaker of an abandoned boys' school and its mentally unstable former headmaster. The headmaster in turn has a shrewish, grasping wife who spends her time cruelly blasting rabbits with a double-barreled shotgun. Without giving too much of the plot away, two of the characters are having an affair and scheme to drive another of the characters insane so he/she will kill the fourth character. But as usually happens, the plan goes horribly awry for almost everyone involved.

This is one of the more interesting 70's Hammer movies because it actually tries to do something new rather than just mining the old Gothic formulas and monsters that served them so well in the 60's. Hammer had of course done psychological thrillers like this before in the 60's but they refined and made it better in the 70's. This will probably never be regarded as a Hammer classic, but is interesting movie at least and well worth having a look.

Uncanny is one of those very rare movies that quickly and effectively engages the viewer...unless you've seen the same plot in Ex-Machina!

This is a slow burn sci fi movie, there is not an abundance of special effects or action. What you get instead is a mostly well written, clever story with a message about deception and surveillance. Technology may be amazing but, in the wrong hands, it is not necessarily our friend. The acting is good. Its hard to fault the cast in any way. That said, the story which is great lets the movie down somewhat in the last five to ten minutes. Uncanny may be a little flawed but this is still a very good movie with a very relevant message.

Troma movies are supposed to be bad. Well, I mean, they're supposed to be cheap and kind of stupid, but there always seems to be some element of fun in there...somewhere. But Surf Nazis Must Die was just plain awful, even for Troma. The movie plot is simple - a gang of homicidal surf nazis run the beach. They meet their doom when they kill a young black man. His mama, Eleanor Washington, not a feeble woman at all despite their treatment of her in the nursing home, is going to take revenge on the gang who took her boy from her. And man, is she one awesome hero out to put an end to those dreadful fashion victims, the surf nazis.

The whole movie is stupid, but the end is the real cheeser with surf nazis battling Mama Washington in action scenes on the water on a half chopped motor boat. I think I partly cheered on Mama Washington because she was the only one to serve up a slice of revenge on some of the most annoying characters ever put on celluloid. If it weren't for her, this movie would just be pure pain on the eyes.

This movie begins where the previous movie "Hercules" essentially ends with the mighty Herc played by Steve Reeves bringing his bride along with Ulysses back to Thebes with him. However, when he gets to Thebes he discovers that things have changed for the worse as two brothers are locked in a bitter dispute over who will be the new king and war is about to break out between them. To make matters worse, while trying to mediate a solution Hercules is captured and beguiled by the evil queen of Lydia named Onfale which only exasperates the situation.

Now, as far as the overall merits of this movie are concerned let me just say that a person may have to make some allowances in order to fully appreciate it. First, it was initially filmed in Italian and dubbed in English which sometimes doesn't capture the equivalent emotion of the event. Also, the fact that it is over 60 years old doesn't allow for any modern special effects which would have helped this movie immensely. But the fact that it is in colour should count for something and viewers of this time will certainly understand this. Be that as it may, although the story is somewhat entertaining it doesn't quite measure up to the previous movie.

A deadly sniper is on the loose in Tokyo causing panic for the citizens. Will Conan be able to find out who the sniper is and why he is targeting certain people?

This isn't the best Conan movie I've seen and I have noticed that the quality of the stories in recent years have dropped considerably from the earlier movies. A lot of the story is trying to deduce who the sniper is and although The Black Organisation is alleged to be behind everything they do not appear in this movie. The mystery itself is not very exciting, though the action sequences and gadgetry were enjoyable. I wasn't too keen on the new American characters to the cast and their awful accents. There's just about enough to keep fans interested but I hope the scriptwriters buck up on their ideas for the 2015 movie as they're beginning to run out of steam.

A police bust goes awry, resulting in the death of a police officer. His partner chases the killers to a warehouse full of toys, but she doesn't know that tonight the toys will awaken and be filled with demonic spirits. Along with a fast food delivery driver and a bumbling security guard, can she defeat the toys and Satan or will the demon achieve his highest goal -- being born into a human host?

This movie is a curious mixture of gore and cheesiness - in about equal measures. In fact, this movie epitomises cheesiness: stupid plot, uneven effects, mostly terrible acting and dialogue laced with lame puns. But the gore is pretty extreme and over-the-top (the dolls rip off huge chunks of flesh from the faces of their victims). It's a bad movie, but tolerable IF you're in the right mood!

Ben Affleck is becoming one of Hollywood's hottest sells. The movies he directs are strong and his recent performances are turning heads, and here he is proving to be able to add depth to a titular action hero. Affleck plays an autistic man having grown up learning very violent ways to defend himself from his militaristic father. Whilst un-cooking the books for deadly clientele he uses these skills to good measure until some rather lethal people start to hunt him down. The Accountant starts slow, showing a good 50 minutes of maths and numbers before any plot really kicks in but it is when it does that it really takes hold. Other performers in this movie aren't given the room like Affleck but Jon Bernthal does also bring weight to his character. Anna Kendrick gets sidelined as the story unfolds and JK Simmons has played characters like this in his sleep, that's not to say he isn't good here mind. Forget about the movie's many flaws, contrivances and tangled narrative and go switch off for two hours and enjoy a good solid action thriller. It is a lot more fun then it is given credit for.

I came into this movie thinking I wasn't going to like it due to other people telling me it was more of a romance story than an action thriller but after watching it I rather enjoyed it. It's all about an undercover couple during WWII who eventually marry each other but a certain obstacle is thrown their way when the British Intelligence Agency accuses her of being a German spy. Marion Cotillard steals the movie. She really is a class act. She is able to capture emotion through her face and not many actresses can do that. Brad Pitt was great, although essentially used to be the bankable star and to get viewers to watch the movie. Robert Zemeckis was a good choice to be the director and he continues his tradition of producing excellent work. Overall, Allied was a decent romantic period drama with an incredible performance from Cotillard and outstanding direction from Zemeckis, although the script had inconsistent pacing. Worth checking out.

If you like the odd, different and unusual this movie is for you. Very hard to classify and way out there. You will be mesmerised by this movie or you will totally dismiss it. Yes, this is a low budget, over-reaching movie that may have a non-existent plot but it begs for forgiveness for its primitive roughness and freaky ideas that makes you scratch your head. And, you will find yourself asking from time to time "What ever happened to Quin Kessler?"

Connoisseurs of B-Movies will enjoy the range of weird characters here such as a Frankenstein type monster, Nazi sports stars and psychotic barbarians in pink tutus. Sandahl Bergman leads the way as the title heroine but even she can't save this mess. You've just got to watch this movie just to see how bizarre it is!

This is a British comedy based on a Joe Orton play with a dark, funny premise. Young men manage to steal money from a bank vault, attempt to hide it in a coffin that already holds a body, remove the body, and then are stuck attempting to hide both. Hywel Bennett plays Dennis, one of the young robbers, who lays every woman in sight; Milo O'Shea plays his father; Richard Attenborough is the Inspector on the bank case; and Lee Remick plays a sexy nurse caring for Dennis' mother and looking for a rich man. I confess it took me a while to recognise her. She looks totally different here as a sexy, bombshell blonde, and speaks with an Irish accent.

This is a very end of 60's movie, sort of Carry on Doctor Meets Caper movie, and some of it comes off as a little tired and frantic today. The story is fairly amusing at times though not laugh out loud with good acting from the cast. Nothing really stands out from this movie.

Not one of Takashi Miike's best. The plot is as strange as they come, it's a mix of gangster and vampire element in ultra-violence parody. The shift in tone is superbly jarring, one moment they discuss the impact of recession and tribulation of life, then the next time some creepy flying head attacks. It's not an understatement that in halfway point, the movie nosedives into obscurity and rampaging silly carnage. The gore and action is mixed with serious and comical undertone. The combat is extremely visceral, in addition to its bloody practical and special effects. Action fans might find some amusement here. In the end, the hectic story might be confusing, pointless even, however for those seeking for utterly mindless fun and action violence, they will have a few laughs from its sheer unpredictability.

Hentai Kamen (Masked Pervert) is back!! The first HK movie back in 2013 was superb and this sequel is just as funny and entertaining as it. This is a continuation from the first, where the villain was killed in an explosion. Kyosuke has made a promise to Aiko that he will no longer be the perverted hero Hentai Kamen. But when an old enemy resurfaces and all the panties in Japan are in jeopardy, Kyosuke must don the panties once again and save Japan and all the panties!

So what do you get with the HK sequel? - Well apart from some good belly laughs you also get more hilarious moments, more sexy poses, more pervert signature moves, and more outrageous opponents. I thought it certainly lived up and even surpassed the first movie. If you haven't already gotten acquainted with Hentai Kamen, I suggest that you take the time to watch both movies, because they really are hilarious and entertaining. Outrageous Japanese comedy at it's best!

A typical Disney effort. The animation is stunning and a tremendous achievement but as for the rest of this movie it's regurgitated from clichés too numerous to list and too hastily mashed together to have any kind of coherent effect. I'm not a fan of these all singing all dancing animation movies at all. Fine, it's for kids and they will no doubt love this movie with it's very likeable title character. Cut out the singing and I might have enjoyed it more perhaps.

Honestly, I am not sure where all of the criticism is coming from for this movie. It's a thoroughly enjoyable thriller, with constant plot twists riddled through it. It's very similar to both Angels and Demons and The Davinci Code, so if you considered those mediocre or dull, then expect nothing different here. Many of the critics, it would appear, hated the clue-hunting, historical side of the movie. So those critics were, once more, disappointed with the clue-hunting and historical aspects of the movie. However, if you saw the first two movies and enjoyed them like I did, then you won't be dissapointed. Tom Hanks is great as he always is as Robert Langdon. Don't listen to what the critics are saying. This is a good movie whatever they say.

A top police officer Chief Choi with a chance for further promotion accidentally kills a man who was going to knife him before fleeing the scene. The next morning, however, the body of the dead man is found hanging from a crane, with Choi himself being put on the high-profile case, his promotion riding on its success. Desperately trying to cover up his involvement, Choi thinks things are going his way, until a mysterious man shows up at the police station and confesses to the crime.

This is a great cat and mouse thriller with a shady cop being caught in a bad situation. It follows scenarios found in other Korean thrillers which are similar. The plot has flashbacks to the past as to why Choi is being targeted by somebody. Choi makes for an interesting protagonist, a conflicted mix of good intentions and morally flexible ruthlessness, enough so to make the viewer emotionally invested in his plight. Son Hyun-ju is great as Choi - a man who is gradually pushed closer to the edge. There are numerous twists and turns which are revealed before the climax and the pace of the movie never lags. There’s a lot packed into this fast-moving movie. Overall, I thought it was a slick and entertaining thriller.

This Korean gangster movie is a gory, but realistic, portrayal of the depths of man's capacity for greed and violence in the country during the 1970s. It's about the area of Gangnam which is targeted by corrupt politicians and gangsters as a future development area. Caught in the crossfire are penniless childhood friends Jong-dae and Yong-ki who find a golden opportunity. The movie shows graphically how men can be pushed, by despair and need, to fight with everything they have to not just survive, but to prosper. I've seen numerous Korean gangster movies over the years and whilst this is pretty good (but way too overlong), I think there are better ones for viewers who want to get into the genre.

Hacksaw Ridge is not a movie for the faint-hearted. Right away the opening scenes portray the horror of war, and the emotional journey is only beginning as the audience is led through the story of war-hero Desmond Doss. One of the great feats of storytelling from Mel Gibson as director and Andrew Garfield is to lead the audience along Doss' journey with a feeling of having experienced the journey as Doss, and experiencing the wide range of emotions endured by this heroic character along his journey.

The supporting roles add depth, with both script and performance making very few, if any, of the supporting characters two dimensional. Vince Vaughn's excellent turn as Doss' training sergeant provides both humour and pathos to bring laughs and pause- for-thought at well scripted points of the tale, allowing the audience to gather their breath. By the end of the movie, audience members will leave the cinema feeling tired, worn out by having experienced Doss' journey of hope, innocence, love, confusion, anger, faith, and courage. Hacksaw Ridge is in no way a popcorn-lazy-Sunday-afternoon movie; it is a journey. Highly recommended.

Kumiko, a Japanese office lady who lives in Tokyo, has only one hobby : treasures. She doesn't have any friends, and is really bored by her job. After seeing a VHS of "Fargo", she decides to travel to North Dakota to find the money hidden by Carl Showalter in the movie.

This is a gem of a movie. Rinko Kikuchi appears under a new face with this introvert and amazing character, inspired by a true story. Director David Zellner really did a good job of balancing comedy and drama - never exaggeratively funny, nor never desperately sad, the directing is very subtle and finds its own way to create an atmosphere around the point of view of an unusual character that sees the work differently than most of people do. Which is, sometimes, really refreshing. Very enjoyable.

Borrowing ideas from various Japanese horrors, this Korean movie is fairly standard one about a mysterious website The White Room which kills several women making their stomach swell up to look like they are pregnant. Unlike Ringu whose video killed people in 7 days, this deadly website takes 15 to do the same thing. It's not a particularly scary movie at all although it has one or two creepy moments. The movie might be well made and all that but at the end of the day it just doesn't have anything going for it. For Asian horror completists only.