Day 92 continued - Honor Flight (American)

"Honor Flight chronicles a community coming together to honor World War II veterans. The film follows a team of Midwest volunteers as they race against the clock to send every local WWII veterans to see the memorials built in their honor."

A truly amazing documentary, we should honor our veterans. It was a very eye opening documentary that all young people should watch.  These people fought for us and a lot of them died for us. So I salute all the people who were behind this project and all the veterans out there.

4/5

Day 92 - It's A Girl (American)

"In China and India plus many other places Mothers are killing their daughters in what people call 'gendercide'".

This is a powerful documentary that could of been handled better. I like how personal the film got by talking to some of the people in countries that deal with gendercide. Its a really powerful subject matter, all the facts were there and at times even emotion was seen. If you are a feminist or interested in this matter then please watch this film. It opened up my eyes to a whole new crime and a whole new world.

3/5

In India, China and many other parts of the world today, girls are killed, aborted and abandoned simply because they are girls. The United Nations estimates as many as 200 million girls⁽¹⁾ are missing in the world today because of this so-called “gendercide”. - See more at: http://www.itsagirlmovie.com/en/synopsis#sthash.LnSL3RTr.dpuf

In India, China and many other parts of the world today, girls are killed, aborted and abandoned simply because they are girls. The United Nations estimates as many as 200 million girls⁽¹⁾ are missing in the world today because of this so-called “gendercide”. - See more at: http://www.itsagirlmovie.com/en/synopsis#sthash.LnSL3RTr.dpuf

Day 91 continued - Judith Kerr: Hitler, the Tiger, and me

"Judith Kerr is a famous children's book creator and this is her true story."

A very interesting documentary and a different kind of film about leaving Germany in fear of the Nazis and worse death. Judith kerr is a very interesting person and artist. I can't believe she made children's books about her struggles before and after leaving Germany. This is a good documentary if you are interested in Nazis, Judith Kerr, or the time period.

2.8/5

Day 91 - The Flat (Israel)

"As a documentarian cleans out the flat that belonged to his grandparents - both immigrants from Nazi Germany - he uncovers clues pointing to a complicated and shocking story."

A little too slow and a tad bit boring for me to be honest. It has an very interesting subject matter but its delivery was lacking. I enjoyed how personal this was but it could have been a lot better. This really isn't for people who are interested in Nazis and this is more about two families that have a connection together. 

2/5

Day 90 continued - Fist of Legend (Hong Kong)

 

" In 1937, a Chinese martial artist returns to Shanghai to find his teacher dead and his school harassed by the Japanese."

Wow, seeing Jet Li like I have never seen him before. He is a little younger but virtually he hasn't changed in appearance all that much. His martial art abilities stand out in this film and I even like the addition of boxing footwork.  This film is a very good blend, I loved the interracial relationship between Jet Li and Shinobu Nakayama. That forbidden love made Jet Li's character more human in a way, in better words it made him more realistic. It really impressed me that they would allow that kind of relationship in the script. A good director was present during this film but where was he at during the action scenes? Don't get me wrong, the action scenes were pretty good but some of the effects were a bit too weak. I quite enjoyed this film a lot, so if you are a fan of Jet Li then watch this film and enjoy seeing this legend as a younger man. 

3.8/5

Side note 

The final fight scene was the inspiration for the dojo fighting scene in The Matrix

Jet Li played Chao Zen and he would later play his master, Huo Yuanjia, in the film Fearless

Bruce Lee also played Chao Zen

Day 90 - Return to the Philippines (American)

"Leon Cooper, a WWII, Navy landing craft officer, landed assault troops on six Japanese island strongholds. To this day, Mr. Cooper feels a debt to the thousands of US soldiers who died during battles in Europe and in the Pacific (80,000) who lie where they fell, in unmarked graves, and are listed as "missing-in-action." (MIA) He recognizes that there are thousands of families who are still affected by the lack of closure that results when a loved one is declared MIA"

An eye opening documentary that exposes something that must people have forgotten. The bodies of the fallen American soldiers, the ones who died in the service of the USA. If you are interested in this subject then please watch this delightful documentary. 

2.8/5

Side note

Narrated by Ed Harris

Leon Cooper formed a charitable trust called "MIA-You Are Forgotten"

Day 89 continued - Captain America: Winter Soldier (American)

 

" As Steve Rogers struggles to embrace his role in the modern world, he teams up with another super soldier, the black widow, to battle a new threat from old history: an assassin known as the Winter Soldier."

Way better than the first movie, I think the Russo brothers did a good job with this film. I also like that the Black Widow had a bigger role as I like the character. It was nice to see some more characters being added to the franchise.  I kind of wish that more happened in the film though, I feel like it was a tad bit rushed. The effects were good as was the action, the introduction of the Winter Soldier was good as well. The appearance of Robert Redford was a little different but he did a good job. I actually was quite surprised that he would want to do this kind of movie. Chris Evans did a great job in developing his character and making it seem natural. Anthony Mackie who plays Falcon did a great job in his appearance, he made it like it wasn't the first time that he has played this character alongside Chris Evans. So there was some really good cast chemistry going on.

3.9/5

Little info

Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson wrote most of their own dialogue for the scenes they were in together

Nick fury states that his grandfather was a elevator operator. In real life Samuel L. Jackson's father was a elevator operator.

Anthony Mackie sent many emails to try to get a role in a marvel movie as it was his dream to do so. His emails caught the attention of kevin Feige who offered him the role of Falcon.

UFC champion George St. Pierre makes an appearance in the film

Day 89 - Showrunners: The Art of Running a TV Show (Irish)

 

" A documentary that explores the world of U.S. television showrunners and the creative forces aligned around them."

A very good documentary into the world of running a TV show. It was nice to hear advice and to see into the world of making a TV show. It was quite impressive, as we get to hear from the people who work on some very popular shows like Kurt Sutter (Sons of Anarchy), JJ Abrams (Person of Interest), Kirsten Bell,  Matthew Carnahan (House of Lies), Hart Hanson (BONES), and many more.

It could have been better directed though, maybe a bit longer with more in depth interviews with the showrunners. It should have shown more of the world that these people live in. 

3/5

Little info

Took four years to make this film

First Irish film to screen at the San Diego and New York Comic Con and the first to have booths

It is the first feature documentary to be screened by the Television Academy of America

Day 88 continued - The Defender (Hong Kong)

"A corrupt businessman commits a murder and the only witness is the girlfriend of another businessman with close connections to the Chinese government, so a bodyguard from Beijing is dispatched to help two Hong Kong cops protect the witness. Complications arise when the bodyguard and the witness must confront their deep feelings for one another."

So far it is my favorite Jet Li Hong Kong movie.  You had all of Jet Li's wonderful action scenes but the script was a bit poor. The film was quite predictable and almost had the feeling of being a comedy. Everything seemed so rushed and nothing really is as interesting as it could be.  Also I think they used the kid poorly, he was also a tab bit annoying. I will suggest this film to you if you are a Jet Li fan.

2.8/5

Day 88 - Intangible Asset No. 82 (Documentary)

 

" The search for an enigmatic South Korean shaman, and the inspiration found on the journey, renews a jazz musician's faith in the power of music."

I think this documentary was poorly done but had a really good subject so in a way it was successful. If you are interested in traditional Korean music then this is the film for you.

0.8/5

Day 87 continued - Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (American)

"A growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier."

I thought it was a bit of a disappointment but it is better than the James Franco one. I wished some of the special effects were better but they did a good job with all of the apes. The cities almost seemed so real, so they had some better good designers making this film.  It was nice to see how things resulted in the world being controlled by apes that can be seen in the original films and Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes.  The writing could have been better but the character development was actually good. I would suggest fans of the series to watch this.

3/5

little info

This is the first Planet of the Apes film to be released on 3D

This was shot in 91 days

The sequel has been confirmed for 2017

Day 87- The Enforcer (Hong Kong)

" An undercover cop struggling to provide for his son and ailing wife, must infiltrate a ruthless gang. But things turn sour when another cop blows his cover and he quickly finds himself battling for his life and the lives of his family."

This is the first time I have seen Jet Li in a Chinese movie. It wasn't as bad as I thought, I was thinking it might have a poor sound quality. It wasn't that bad to be honest, Jet Li had all the right moves. It was a little different to see Jet Li handle guns in a film as in American movies he usually just fights hand to hand. I did not like the direction of the film or the rushed romance present in the film. Nor did I like the kid's acting ability but he did an okay job. I would suggest you watch this if you are a Jet Li fan.

2/5

Little info

 Jet Li (Kung Wei) and Mo Tse (Johnny Kung) previously portrayed father and son in the 1994 film, "Legend of the Red Dragon

Day 86 - The Divine Move (Korean)

"A professional baduk player infiltrates his local underground gambling scene to avenge his brother's death."

One of the better Korean movies I have seen recently. I like the fact that most of the actors did a different kind of role in this film. As some of the actors in the film normally do comedy but in this film they actually played a serious role. That's the good part but the bad part is that this film is only watchable once. It could have been a lot better with a different director and better editing.

2/5

Day 85 continued - The Liberator (Spanish-Venezuelan)

 

" IBERTADOR - THE LIBERATOR journeys through the impassioned struggle of Simón Bolívar's (Édgar Ramírez) fight for independence in Latin America from Spain and his vision of a united South American nation"

A very poor film about a very important man. I saw many holes in the story and in some of the scenes. The story was a bit predictable and at times a little boring. The only reason to watch this film is to learn about the formation of what South America is today.

0.6/5

Day 85- Man in Love (Korean)

"Tae-Il lives a fast life as low level thug. He then learns that he has a terminal illness and not much time left to live. For the first time in his life falls in love. The woman's name is Ho-Jung." IDMb

Hwang Jung-min is awesome in this film, it was nice to see him as a gangster. It is always nice to see him perform, too bad I have to wait a while until the film gets English subtitles. I think the film could have been better directed, as there is a time skip present in the film. I think it was the wrong approach, I would have added all of the drama that goes along in a drama film. It was almost like watching a Korean drama to be honest, it seems like the typical standard of Korean storytelling. It is a touching love story that is a bit different than a typical dramatic Korean film.

3.4/5

Day 84 continued - Fulltime Killer (Hong Kong)

"Two very different hitmen find themselves to be in each other's way. They use all their skill to solve the problem." IMDb

One of the worst Andy Lau and Johnny To movies I have seen. I have to say Andy Lau had the best performance in the film and is the only real reason to watch the film. I think the script could have been better, the main actress could have been better as well. I wished they used her in a different way, as she could have done more.

2/5

Day 84 - Double Headed Eagle: Hitler's Rise to Power (Belgian)

"Lutz Becker lets newsreels, home movies and other archive footage tell the tale of Hitler's rise to power after WWI." IMDb

It wasn't as bad as I thought but it wasn't as good as I thought it was going to be. It was nice to see actual videos and pictures yet I was slightly bored. It was made in 1973, so there could have been a lot of in-depth interviews with people that were in Germany during Hitler's time. I will suggest this film to those that are interested in history.

2/5

Day 83 continued - Holes in my Shoes (American)

 

" 94-year-old New Yorker, Jack Beers, has broken the age barrier full force. He can do what most young men can, and his diverse lifetime achievements would take many to accomplish"

A documentary that could have been shot better but Jack Beers is the ultimate documentary subject. He is such a fascinating person, 94 years old and he tore a phone book in half on camera.  The documentary discloses a lot of interesting topics you would not expect but Jack Beers had a hand in building some of the most famous buildings in New York City, he also had a hand in the Manhattan Project, he has also acted in a few movies, and was in the show dog business for a while. With Jack beers this is a lot to talk about but I will not spoil it for you. I suggest you watch this wonderful documentary about such a remarkable man that maybe it will inspire you to live more.

3.8/5

Day 83 - Ray Harryhausen: Special Effects Titan (Documentary)

 

" The life and work of the renowned film visual effects artist and producer."-idmb

A very interesting in depth documentary about an important figure in the visual effects world. Ray had a lot of good things to say, so I am glad that they made this documentary. The insights to the beginning of visual effects was pretty cool as well, as it wasn't boring like it might be in a technical book.  I would suggest this film to anyone in interested in the film industry and for people interested in visual effects. 

3/5

Little info

There are appearances by Guillermo Del Toro, James Cameron, Tim Burton and many more famous people in the industry.