The MovieViews 500 – July Summary

 

The MovieMuse team has set ourselves the challenge of watching 500 different films between us in 2017. Every new film we watch will be rated and given a short review as part of our MovieViews database. After our worst month so far last time arond, how did we get on in July?

 

The answer is “much better.” While our total film count was low compared to some months, we’re now comfortably past the 250 mark and a good selection of new reviews were added to the database, including everything from classics like 12 Angry Men and Jaws, to recent blockbusters Spider-Man: Homecoming and War for the Planet of the Apes.

 

Below are the stats for the month, including each team members’ best and worst picks from the films they watched for the first time. You can also scroll down to see the reviews written by each team member for every film watched in July.

 

Overall Stats

JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJuly
Total Films Watched84454731522339
Unique Films Watched78363927421832
New Reviews Added72374025382030
Average Rating Given3.213.273.292.733.233.223.09
Challenge Completion15.6%22.8%30.6%36.0%44.4%48.0%54.4%

Team Member Stats for July

GordonMatSimon
Total Films Watched19173
Unique Films Watched17121
New Reviews Added17130
Average Rating Given2.973.123.67
Best Film of the Month12 Angry MenSpiderman: Homecoming-
Worst Film of the MonthStrattonBrick-

Gordon’s Reviews

PosterMovieYearCommentsRating
12 Angry Men 1957 An absolute masterpiece of cinema. One location, 12 actors and some of the best dialogue on film. 10
A Cure for Wellness 2016 The film wants to be The Woman in Black crossed with Alice in Wonderland. It is a million miles from either. 3
Baby Driver 2017 Stylish and entertaining, but light on character and plot. Another feather in Edgar Wright's cap, but too shallow to truly shine. 7
Con Men 2015 Like an after dark episode of Hustle gone bad, this low budget Scottish thriller does enough to justify its existence. Just. 6
Duck Soup 1933 A loose film interspersed with Marx Brothers sketches. They have done this much better elsewhere. 5
Sexy Beast 2000 An understated Ray Winstone and a gloriously overblown Ben Kingsley turn this slow thriller into a fantastic comedy of characters. 8
Sleight 2016 The poster says 'Chronicle meets Iron Man'. The film bares no resemblance to either. A run of the mill, poorly acted, low budget thriller that is light on thrills. 4
Spider-Man: Homecoming 2017 Helps to erase the awful memory of the Andrew Garfield Spider-Man's, but it all felt a little too childish. Great action and adventure, but I will be happier when Peter Parker calms down a bit. 7
Stockholm, My Love 2016 A strangely dull film that fails to convey the its love the city. Nenah Cherry's acting debut is just to walk around looking miserable and reading a voice over. 4
Stratton 2017 An awful film in terms of action, performance drama and writing. Even the usually good Connie Nielsen gives the absolute worst performance I have ever seen in a film. 2
Street Smart 1987 An interesting story of a journalist making up a story that is too close to the truth for comfort. Reeve is typically wooden without his cape, but Morgan Freeman makes up for him. 5
The Circle 2017 Emma Watson continues to prove she is a better activist than an actor as she fails to liven a dull and cliched look at social media's impact on privacy. 4
The Hippopotamus 2017 Based on his book, Hippopotamus is an excruciating Stephen Fry tribute act. Why he didn't just do it himself I don't know. 3
The King of Comedy 1982 DeNiro is perfectly cast in a tale reminiscent of Dog Day Afternoon. Deserves its classic status. 9
The Limey 1999 An awful thriller with one of the most unconvincing lead performances (from both actor and director) that you will see. 3
To Kill a Mockingbird 1962 A fine re-telling of a classic book, but I just couldn't accept Peck in the lead role. 7
Tower 2016 Initially the animation jarrs with the archive footage, but you soon forget about the art style and get engrossed in a thriller that is heartbreakingly true. 9
War for The Planet of the Apes 2017 Another classy entry to close the best reboot trilogy of the 21st century. Heart, action and humour. I'd like to see more moral conflict if the franchise continues though. 8

 

 

Mat‘s Reviews

PosterMovieYearCommentsRating
An Eye For An Eye 2016 Billed as a story of hate, murder, redemption and love, this documentary ends up more a study of the nonsensicality of US Law. Investment in the story depends largely on whether you believe Mark Stroman's remorse, and I was less than convinced. 5
Brick 2005 The premise was interesting but the film is incredibly tedious, bogged down by endless conversation, very little action and an unconvincing, unlikeable performance from Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the lead role. 4
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes 2014 The franchise reboot continues to surprise with another high quality offering. More action-orientated than its predecessor, but still with a thrilling and thought-provoking story. The CGI is top notch and Andy Serkis is superb as lead ape Caesar. 8
Intruders 2015 Starts off as an unusual spin on the Home Invasion sub-genre, but loses its way towards the end and features some fairly stupid characters. The major plot twist is given away in the trailer too, so don’t watch it! 5
Jaws 1975 The shark may look a bit cheap these days, but with jump scares aplenty, an action-packed final showdown and John Williams’ masterful score, this film still has the ability to jangle your nerves. A genuine classic. 9
Jaws 2 1978 Another, slightly more realistic shark terrorises Amity Island but none of the returning cast seem to care, with Roy Scheider looking particularly bored. Even the shark seems subdued in this unnecessary sequel. 5
Jaws 3 1983 The returns continue to diminish with a poor story, largely terrible acting and a rarely-seen shark. The removal of the 3D format also showcases some awful special effects and murky cinematography. 3
Lake Placid 1999 A refreshing aquatic monster movie that wastes little time with plot or character development but provides an equal amount of thrills and laughs, with Brendan Gleeson the standout amongst a decent cast. 7
Oblivion 2013 Relies on familiar Sci-Fi themes and gets bogged down by romantic wistfulness at times, but the post-apocalyptic locations and production design are stunning, the story has some great twists and Tom Cruise gives an excellent performance. 7
Speed 1994 One of the most innovative action films of the 90s, with some thrilling setpieces, a surprisingly good turn from Keanu Reeves as the hero, and an excellent, emotion-filled performance by Sandra Bullock. 8
Spider-Man: Homecoming 2017 Tom Holland proves a worthy successor to Tobey Maguire as Spidey in a film that is equal parts action thriller and high school comedy. As with most Marvel offerings, the action is fun yet forgettable but the characters are what makes it watchable. 8
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 2014 Less Reality TV and more dystopian war movie, this instalment lacks a bit of action but compelling perfomances by the lead actors meant this was the first time I really cared about this story. Best of the series so far to my eyes. 7
The Incredible Hulk 2008 Edward Norton is probably too good to play this character, but he does his best in a reasonable thriller that is unlike most superhero films. Unfortunately, that's part of the problem - nobody seems to know what to do with The Hulk in his own movies! 6
The Negotiator 1998 A tense conspiracy thriller that's at its best in the face-to-face scenes between Jackson and Spacey. Sadly, the largely superflous action scenes detract from those moments and dumb down the film as a whole. 7
Tron 1982 The computer generated effects have aged remarkably well, and the light cycle sequence is great, but the plot is largely dull and the characters unmemorable. Given the subject matter I should love this, but it always leaves me cold. 5
Tron: Legacy 2010 Much like the original, this visually impressive film has occasional moments of excitement but the story is quite boring and overcomplicated. Redeemed slightly by the presence of the always appealing Olivia Wilde! 5
War for the Planet of the Apes 2017 Astoundingly good CG effects and a decent, if sometimes predictable story bring this trilogy to a satisfying end. For me, slightly less enjoyable than its predecessors, but overall this has probably been the best franchise reboot in cinema history. 7

 

 

Simon’s Reviews

PosterMovieYearCommentsRating
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade 1989 I liked this one, the sets are well crafted, the action good enough and the performances quite engaging, espicially the main interaction between Indy and his dad. A likeable addition ton the series. 7
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom 1984 Pays homage to the original but with the violence turned up several notches. Story is a bit haphazard and is a bit contrived in places but I still gleaned quite a bit of enjoyment from it. 6
Raiders of the Lost Ark 1981 The classic Indy movie, literally. The start of the series and still the best one, great settings, well acted, and great action set pieces. Set the bar for action adventures and is still eminently watchable today. 9

 

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