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American Assassin [2017]
American Murderer [2022] American Renegades [2017] American Traitor: The Trial of Axis Sally [2021]
Amjeon [2019] Among the Living [2014] Amusement [2008]
And Soon the Darkness [2010] Android Re-Enactment [2011] Angel Has Fallen [2019]
Angel Heart [1987] Angel of Mine [2019] The Angels' Melancholia [2009]
Animal House [1978] Anna [2013] Anna [2019]
Annabelle 2: Creation [2017] Annabelle Comes Home [2019] Annihilation [2018]
Ant-Man [2015] Ant-Man and the Wasp [2018] Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania [2023]
Antibodies [2005] Antiviral [2012] Anything for Jackson [2020]
American Murderer [2022]

            

The true story examining the pursuit of Jason Derek Brown, one of the F.B.I.'s most wanted. The film was fine and kept my interest but it also felt somewhat flat and hollow with little real emotional connection with anything. Both the main agent and Brown were pretty one note making them rather shallow. Also, they chose to toss the timeline around constantly making one question, "Did 'A' take place before or after 'B' and where does 'C' fit in?" Interesting as a historical piece but just a peg or two above an average TV true crime docudrama with not a lot of thrills.
American Traitor: The Trial of Axis Sally [2021]

            
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Based on the trials of Mildred Gillars charged with treason for her radio broadcasting for the Nazis during WWII. This film had a lot of problems: Mildred was terribly miscast and did not once command the screen, the singing segments were cringe-worthy, the closing arguments, giving a showcase for Al Pacino, who certainly did rise to the occasion, went on twice as long as necessary, everything felt overly staged and the whole thing felt genuinely non-authentic. It was interesting historically, I didn't now anything about Gillars, but not a well made film.
Anything for Jackson [2020]

            
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Grieving grandparents kidnap a pregnant woman and, thru a satanic ritual, attempt to use the unborn child as a host for their late grandson. What they get is far more than what they bargained for. I wasn't sure if I wanted to stick with this one as it seemed pretty lackluster but that fairly quiet beginning intentionally shatters the viewer's complacency by slowly sliding into concern, dread, terror and, ultimately, sheer bloody chaos. Quite original in it's story and presentation, this is a real treat for us horror fans looking for something new. Good job!
Angel Heart [1987]

         
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A P.I. is hired by a Mr. Zyphre to find out if a particular individual is alive or dead. The P.I. then finds himself in quite a pickle. This is one of those films I've just never got around to seeing ...and now I know why. Boring! For well over an hour, we watch this guy plod along like a buffoon - with the bodies of those he's questioned piling up behind him - waiting for something to happen. Then suddenly, it was all wrapped up and the big twist I vaguely saw coming as it's the only thing that made sense. Filled with confusing and unnecessary scenes, as well. (sigh).
American Assassin [2017]

            

A man seeking revenge against terrorists, for the killing of his fiancee, attracts the attention of the CIA and becomes a recruit. Well made, high action film with a complex story and fully realized characters. Excellent and enjoyable dynamics between the new recruit and his boss. All in all, it sort of comes off as a high budget episode of 24 ...but a real good one. And, holy cow!! You'd be hard pressed to literally have a more explosive climax than this. Great fun!
Amusement [2008]

            
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A psycho kidnaps and terrorizes 3 women who laughed at him in school. Save me from writers without the imagination necessary to progress their contrived story without making everyone stupid. Scenes were dragged out so long that they quit becoming suspenseful and became just annoyingly frustrating. The psycho inspired no sense of dread and any of the victims could have killed him just about anytime they like but none were apparently smart enough to do so. Silly movie.
Animal House [1978]

            
  
One of the true comedy classics centering around a frat house full of the most unruly bunch of students in history. National Lampoon has never been able to top it since, imo. I also have the original companion yearbook which is just as funny and probably the best publication NL has ever produced. Truly funny stuff. These are the kind of movies that really make you miss the talents of the late Doug Kenny (writer) and the late great John Belushi. Always a favorite. Great fan-made trailer.
Annabelle 2: Creation [2017]

            

A dollmaker's daughter, Annabelle, is killed in a tragic accident and a doll he's made becomes a conduit between his dead daughter and a demon. 12 years later, he's opened his home up as an orphanage. Let's see what happens next. This film is pretty mediocre in all respects ...slow paced but not too slow, sufficient number of creeps but not quite creepy enough, interesting characters but nobody really stands out, creative story but nothing special. I liked it ...there just isn't anything new or surprising going on here.
Annihilation [2018]

            
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A group of scientists enter the shimmer ...an anomaly created by a meteorite that's spreading and apparently laying waste to whatever lies in it's path. If you like movies to be explained and wrapped up in a nice package, you're going to hate this film. It is so totally alien, there is little attempt by the filmmakers to explain anything making it simply a ride-along on a very profound journey ...rendering the implications all the more terrifying. I was absolutely captivated right up to the perfectly presented ambiguous ending. Two vigorous thumbs up!!
Anna [2013]
aka Mindscape
         
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A man, who can enter other people's memories, is assigned to evaluate if a teenage girl is being manipulated into an institution or is she a manipulative sociopath. Manipulation is the key word here as the movie brilliantly manipulates the viewer into never being sure one way or the other ...as soon as it convinces you one way, it yanks you back. Convincing performances by Mark Strong & Taissa Farmiga, exceptionally well written and directed, and, even with no action to speak of, the tension is constant. Excellent psychological drama!
Angel of Mine [2019]

         

A woman, suffering from depression over the loss of a child 7 years earlier, sees a girl at a birthday party and becomes convinced it's her daughter. Big fan of Noomi Rapace, not a big fan of this movie. Once the story is established, the film spends it's time showing us this person may be psychotic, a stalker, a danger, a nut case, etc. But, unlike the trailer's impression, I never felt a sense of danger or that she's really going to hurt anyone, except herself, making the film just dull. The climactic twist was great making it worthwhile. The Lifetime Channel crowd will love it.
The Angels' Melancholia [2009]
aka Melancholie der Engel
      

A group of people seclude themselves away in a deserted country castle to indulge in hedonistic perversions and misogynistic depravity. Activities include freely killing animals (non-simulated), surrounding themselves with carcasses, scat and other horrific and violent sexual acts, torturing a girl confined to a wheelchair, all while philosophizing the nature of true freedom. Pornographic, gory, perverse, disgusting, and sick, there are some that will admire this film (it won an award and does have a unique artistic flair) but I hope I never have to meet them.
Annabelle Comes Home [2019]

            

The Warren's bring home Annabelle and lock her in a case. Then their daughter, the babysitter and her friend have to deal with her when she gets out. Devoid of energy for the first 45 mins, with just a few choice moments, once it got going, it was pretty much a roller coaster ride to the climax but became a bit too warm and fuzzy with the "all is right with the world" ending. The whole thing felt so scripted that it was hard to approach it with any amount of believability. Overall, it was fun and entertaining but it doesn't appear the Warren movies are getting any better.
Android Re-Enactment [2011]

         

An engineer is fooling around with androids in an attempt to recreate a dinner party which marked the loss of the love of his life and he wants to figure out what he did wrong. But the androids are not cooperating. On a $30k budget, they managed to create quite an entertaining film. The actors overplay their caricatures perfectly, the dialogue is sharp and quotable, and Jeff Sinasac plays the lead with complete seriousness as the world around him descends into chaos. A campy, gore fest that's really fun and manages quite a few giggles along the way. Bravo!
Anna [2019]

            

A girl, living in poverty with a criminally, abusive boyfriend, is recruited to be an assassin for Russia. This is an exciting film with a lot of problems. We have over-the-top fight scenes ala Kill Bill with her taking out 40 guys at a time in highly choreographed action sequences which seemed at odds with the serious espionage drama being established. Don't get me wrong ...they were great. Just felt like i was watching two different movies. Also, Sasha Luss' performance as Anna was void any charisma or personality making her, and by association, the film, somewhat dull and lifeless. Good, but not great.
Antibodies [2005]
aka Antikorper
            
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This German film examines the stressed relationship between a cop / farmer of a small village trying to solve the brutal murder of a young girl and a convicted serial rapist / killer. Reminiscent of The Silence of the Lambs, this film is personal, tense and emotionally draining and spends a good deal of time trying to define what evil really is. I liked the film. My only real criticism is my usual gripe in that they probably could have done a bit more editing as it seemed to go on far longer than necessary.
Antiviral [2012]

            
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Mixing the body horror influences of his dad with a bit of Stanley Kubrick and David Lynch, Brandon Cronenberg has created a tale from the near future where people have become so celebrity obsessed that they'll infect themselves with diseases directly from their favorite stars. This is one of the most vividly surrealistic and viscerally physiological films I'm ever seen. Whether you condemn it as far too repulsive or praise it as a horror masterpiece, there is no denying that it is unlike anything you've ever seen before. Brilliant!
Ant-Man [2015]

            
  
A master thief is recruited by a scientist to become Ant-Man in an attempt to stop a corrupt CEO from developing similar technology. The casting is brilliant. Everyone plays their parts to perfection ...especially Paul Rudd whose performance is funny and heartfelt in equal doses. Exciting action and complex story we've come to expect from any MCU film and several laugh-out-loud gags that are classic. Another MCU treasure.
Ant-Man and the Wasp [2018]

            
  
Hank Pym, his daughter, Hope (Wasp) and Steve (Ant-man) strive to find a way to rescue Hank's wife from the quantum realm after 30 years. Standing in their way are the FBI, a black market trader, faulty equipment and a phase-shifting advisory known as Ghost. Great story with lots of twists and turns, excellent interplay between characters - especially Ant-Man and his daughter - wonderful action and some really funny laugh-out-loud moments.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania [2023]

         
  
Ant-Man's daughter develops a link to the quantum realm and someone uses that link to drag the family into it. I can understand the relatively low ratings for an MCU film and it basically boils down to what entertains you. Pretty simple story - a villain must be stopped while the group tries to find a way out - and, because it's in the quantum realm, it's terribly spec fx intensive. As for me, I found it incredibly exciting, eye candy was dazzling, the quantum inhabitants and villain were cool and the future possible implications are quite horrific. I really liked it!
American Renegades [2017]
aka Renegades / The Lake
         

A Navy Seals unit, in Bosnia, 1995, plans a heist to recover $300 mil worth of gold bars submerged in a town since WWII. Turn off all logic filters going into this film as they're liable to get in the way of your enjoyment. Loaded with logic errors and a disregard for general physics, the viewer is expected to just 'go with it'. Which is fine if there's something going on worthwhile. The biggest action sequence is the opening. The rest is discussing and executing the heist with surprising little excitement. Characters were likable, dialogue is snappy, mildly entertaining.
Angel Has Fallen [2019]

            

An assassination attempt leaves the president in a coma and someone sets up Mike Banning as the fall guy. That's a mighty big mistake. The 3rd film in the "...Has Fallen" series has the usual intense, exquisitely orchestrated action sequences, which still never fail to amaze and horrify, but also manages to get far more personal. Adding Nick Nolte as Mike's cantankerous dad was brilliantly casted and the rapport between the two was immediate and heartfelt ...as well as generating a few moments of chuckle humor. Maintains its high quality, nicely.
Among the Living [2014]
aka Aux yeux des vivants
            

Three students decide to skip the remainder of the last day of school before summer and they discover a woman tied up in a trunk and a couple psychos under a movie set. It's all downhill from there. After a brutal opening, the film has a total lack of energy for the first hour making all the 'scary' events lethargic and dull. There were few likable people and they got real stupid. The police are nincompoops. Every scene was contrived and planned out without any logic or imagination. The last 20 minutes were more ridiculous than words can convey.
Amjeon [2019]
aka Warning: Do Not Play
            

A Korean supernatural / psychological thriller about a horror filmmaker who's having trouble coming up with new inspiration for a film. When she hears rumors about a film made by a ghost that terrified and killed those that saw it, she goes on a hunt to find a copy. This was a fairly good movie with the main protagonist basically carrying the film. She's likable, despite her aloof and distant manner, and obsessively driven well beyond her rational fear. The film became somewhat cliche and overindulgent in the last 20 min, as well as perplexing, but a good view.
And Soon the Darkness [2010]

         
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Two young American women who are either tragically naive or mortally stupid are bicycling through Argentina when, out in the middle of nowhere, they decide to have a girlie fight and separate. What a surprise when one disappears! Absolutely awful film with one cliche after another and not an original idea to be seen. It took over an hour for an interesting moment and then that moment was interrupted with yet another example of monstrous stupidity. Everyone in this film got exactly what they deserved. Next!
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