Month in the Movies: August

Summer movie season is now finished and it has been very... meh. The blockbusters really didn't deliver in what was a disappointing summer season overall. However, August saw a better return at the movies for me as I enjoyed a lot more than I dislike and thought were average for the first time in months. The end month showed promise that will hopefully carry on into the fall. I was lucky enough to see 14 movies this month in what was a very mixed month.

If you aren't aware of this series, I pretty much go through the month and rank the movies that I saw that month based on a combination of quality and how much I enjoyed the film. So lets get into the list!

14. Nine Lives

Ugh. It really hurts me that I have to think about this movie again. One of the worst of the entire year. Not funny in the slightest with a terrible story. To Kevin Spacey, please make better decisions in the future. To everyone involved. You're much better than this.

Check out my review for 'Nine Lives' here

Final Verdict = F

13. Bad Moms

Some people like this comedy. Unfortunately, I did not get the same experience in what added to the list of disappointing comedies this year. Mila Kunis does fairly well but I feel that she was let down by the rest of the cast. Every character seemed to be absolutely terrible people and with no laughs, that makes an unenjoyable viewing. I won't be rushing to see this again anytime soon or ever.

Check out my review for 'Bad Moms' here

Final Verdict = D

12. Suicide Squad

Perhaps the biggest disappointment of the year for me. I really rooted for this movie but it just flopped. Not as fun as I hoped as the film disappointed on many fronts, especially with how they used the Joker. Margot Robbie, Viola Davis and Will Smith were highlights of the film but not enough to save this one. It also brought us one of the most comic book villains on the big screen with the Enchantress who was terrible in this movie. DC went two for two this year, unfortunately both failing in quality.

Check out my review for 'Suicide Squad' here

Final Verdict = C-

11. Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates

This film is perfect for you if you love raunchy comedies. However it didn't quite hit for me but that doesn't mean that it isn't funny. It has its moments and the four main characters do fairy well in their roles, especially Anna Kendrick and Zac Efron. Not the best comedy of the year but definitely not the worst either.

Check out my review for 'Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates'

Final Verdict = C

10. The Purge: Election Year

If you had told me at the start of the year that I would prefer 'The Purge: Election Year' to 'Suicide Squad', I would have laughed and also feel a little sad. Yet that's what I found this month as 'The Purge' seemed to deliver more on the chaos side of things that it had promised in the first two. The best of the franchise but still not a masterpiece. I found this to be an enjoyable viewing as the film didn't take itself too serious.

Check out my review for 'The Purge: Election Year' here

Final Verdict = C

9. Pete's Dragon

Up next is the remake of 'Pete's Dragon'. The film featured great performances from all of the cast with Karl Urban really standing out for me. I wish that there was more of an adventure to this movie which would have made it much more fun but it didn't really deliver as well as I had hoped. However the film is still enjoyable as it was my first exposure to the story of 'Pete's Dragon'.

Check out my review for 'Pete's Dragon' here

Final Verdict = B

8. Finding Dory

Sadly, I was fairly disappointed with 'Finding Dory'. I don't know if it was due to the quality of 'Nemo' or just Pixar films in general but 'Finding Dory' just seemed to be lacking that special something. One of the biggest problems I felt was with the new supporting characters who weren't nearly as good as the ones in 'Nemo'. In saying that, this is far from a bad movie and is a fairly fun family movie that you will still enjoy to an extent. A beautiful looking film as well which we have come to expect from Pixar.

Check out my review for 'Finding Dory' here

Final Verdict = B

7. War Dogs

If the quality of 'War Dogs' was the same as the quality of performance from its two leads, it would probably be number 1 on this list. Jonah Hill in particular is magnificent and the film is worth seeing for his performance alone. A fairly interesting premise with some good humour does create an enjoyable viewing. Some minor problems do hinder the film such as the character of Iz but nothing that massively impacts the quality of the film.

Check out my review for 'War Dogs' here

Final Verdict = B

6. The Shallows

The second best shark movie after Jaws I like to call it, not that there is much going up against it. 'The Shallows' was a very enjoyable, tense film that kept your attention for its shorter run time of 97 minutes. Blake Lively was excellent in her role which had her on her lonesome for a lot of the movie. I was looking forward to this one and was impressed with this survival movie which I feel really delivered.

Check out my review for 'The Shallows' here

Final Verdict = B

5. Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping

The Lonely Island did a phenomenal job with 'Popstar' as they created one of the best comedies of the year. With Jorma Taccone and Akiva Schaffer directing and Andy Samberg starring, you could see their comedy style throughout the movie. The mockumentary was incredibly funny but a bit inconsistent at times. The humour isn't at the same level the whole way through but there is plenty to enjoy with this one.

Check out my review for 'Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping' here

Final Verdict = B

4. Sausage Party

Perhaps the most anticipated comedy of the year is finally here and 'Sausage Party' delivered the goods. Wickedly funny despite some jokes and puns feeling lazy and repetitive. This has opened the door for more animated adult comedies and if they can follow in the footsteps of 'Sausage Party', I am all for it. The film also carries a deeper message that surprised me a lot as it handled a serious situation and commented on it incredibly well. The final act is completely bonkers as well so be ready for that if you choose to see it.

Check out my review for 'Sausage Party' here

Final Verdict = B

3. Nerve

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this movie and I did so much that I went to see it for a second time. 'Nerve' is a very fun movie as it starts with some harmless dares as Emma Roberts and Dave Franco compete together. The pair show great chemistry together and I really enjoyed their performances. Despite the fun of it, the movie is scarily realistic with how people on the internet act and it actually doesn't seem as far fetched as you'd think. It does then progress to become very tense and has you on the edge of your seat. One of my favourites of the summer.

Check out my review for 'Nerve' here

Final Verdict = B+

2. Lights Out

I've been really impressed with the horror movies in 2016 and 'Lights Out' is up there with the best. A great premise based on the short film created by David Sandberg who got to direct the feature length version. Scary and tense throughout as 'Lights Out' fully delivered for me as I really enjoyed this movie. The performances in this were great especially Maria Bello who played the unhinged mother. The effects were also incredible throughout the film as 'Lights Out' really impressed me.

Check out my review for 'Lights Out' here

Final Verdict = B+

'Pete's Dragon' Review

'Pete's Dragon' is the latest film to recieve a reboot in the form of a live action movie. The original was sort of live action with a cartoon dragon but now, Disney are going all out...to an extent. Comparing this to Disney's other live action project this year 'The Jungle Book', 'Pete's Dragon' has had nowhere near as much attention put on it. Maybe this is due to it not being as beloved but still, you'd expect a Disney project like this to be a lot more in the public eye. Due to this, I didn't expect a masterpiece. I wish it did gain more recognition as 'Pete's Dragon' is very much so an entertaining movie.

When he was very young, Pete (Oakes Fegley) was in a car accident that took the lives of his parents. Orphaned, he was saved by a green dragon who took care of him and they became each others family. Mr Meacham (Robert Redford) told stories of how he encountered the dragon to which many believed were not true, including his own daughter Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard). Grace soon discovers Pete who claims to have lived with the dragon in the woods. Grace will now see for herself if what she has been told has been the truth all along.

I have no memory of seeing the original 'Pete's Dragon' and if I have seen it, it would have been when I was very little. Some may have a problem with this remake but for me, it was a lesser known story that could do with being brought back to the big screen for a new generation to know of the story. And I feel that it more than succeeded as a reboot/remake. This retelling of the story created a fun, family adventure which it set out to do.

The main part of the film obviously has to do with the relationship between Pete and his dragon, Elliott. With minimal dialogue, you can see a true love between the two which is impressive considering the relationship consists of a child actor and a completely CGI character. The film handles the relationship between the two very well as we see that they really rely on each other. They hate being apart for any period of time and you can see a true bond between the pair. Strangely, the film cannot do this at all with the relationship of Bryce Dallas Howard's character Grace and her husband played by Wes Beentley. We are told that they are a unit but it never really shows in the film. The pair don't have great chemistry together and they don't seem to be in a relationship at all. Just an observation that seemed strange considering how well the film handled the relationship between boy and creature.

Oakes Fegley does very well as Pete, the orphaned child who was taken care of by Elliott. He was impressive in his role as were thee supporting characters. Oona Laurence is Grace's daughter Natalie which brings in another child actor but again she is great. She develops a friendship with Pete that helps draw his personality out as he grows to trust people more as he gains his first human friend. Laurence shined last year in 'Southpaw' and she impressed me yet again and most definitely is one for the future. 

Karl Urban does a tremendous job as Grace's brother in law Gavin who after discovering Elliott, seeks to hunt him down. After playing one of the most likeable characters 'Bones' in Star Trek Beyond, Urban plays a terrific bad guy who you just dislike as soon as he finishes his first scene. The character was well written and equally well portrayed by Urban who shines again. Him and his group of cronies get the film to become more exciting as the pursue the beast, giving us comedy as well as moments where we see our protagonists struggle and even plays with your emotions.

Robert Redford appears in this film and for what the scenes he's in, he's great. However he appears quite early on in the film for not a long period of time and then completely disappears from the story. With his character having already encountered the dragon already, I feel they could have done a lot more with him. He was underutilised to an extent as he doesn't show up for a good 40 minutes after his first appearance and you sort of forget about him. In saying that though, he does play a big part in the finale which is very fun with Redford leading from the front.

It's safe to say that the start of the film isn't as interesting or as fun a the rest of the film. That's mainly due to the story not really kicking in until later on and even then it is quite thin and the events happen rather quickly. The film certainly takes its time at first to set everything up which may not be as entertaining the whole way through. However they do make sure to throw in some nice scenes involving Pete and Elliott playing together, showcasing the relationship and showing off some dazzling CGI effects at the same time.

Speaking of the CGI in this film, it is of a very high standard. The dragon looks decent and there is a consistency in quality throughout the whole film. It's not your usual dragon which resembles a dog a lot of the time but nonetheless, it is still very impressive. The CGI is utilised incredibly well when creating other creatures in the film as well. I'm not entirely sure if they were CGI but the wolves in this film looked so lifelike that I'm really unsure if they were generated rather than actually being there. I hope that it was CGI as it would go down as one of the best uses this year, matching that from 'The Jungle Book' earlier this year.

Overall, Pete's Dragon is a family, fun and heartwarming film that will bring entertainment across the board. A good example of what a remake should do and it seems to have introduced a tale to a new generation with a nice modern look at it. Worth seeing if you already enjoy the tale or if you are completely new to the story, like myself.

Final Verdict = 

So have you seen 'Pete's Dragon'? If so what did you think of the film? I hope that this review was useful for if you were planning on seeing the movie! Once again, thank you for taking the time to read my review, it is much appreciated!

By Angus McGregor