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+

'The Shallows' Review

It's safe to say that films featuring sharks are either a hit or a miss. There is a humongous gap in quality when it comes to movies featuring the ferocious predator. You have one of Steven Spielberg's greatest films and a classic in 'Jaws' sitting high at the top of the pile. However, it may be safe to say that 'Jaws' is the only example of a true great shark movie. You have films like 'Deep Blue Sea' which are enjoyable but more of a guilty pleasure and the likes of 'The Reef' and 'Open Water' that are just OK. Then there is a huge crop of completely terrible movies. The list of bad movies in this sub genre goes on and on with the likes of 'Jaws 4', The 'Sharknado' franchise and all of your monster combination films like 'Jurassic Shark' and 'Sharktopus'. With 'The Shallows' coming out, we can only hope it can join the few good quality movies and hopefully stay as far away from the bottom.

Still dealing with the loss of her mother, medical student Nancy Adams (Blake Lively) travels to a hidden beach where her mother had previously gone to for some much needed alone time. She takes the time to surf and as she goes to catch one last wave, she is attacked by a deadly Great White Shark that leaves her to swim for her life which leaves her stranded on a rock. Injured and alone, she must use her intelligence to stay alive and also make it to the shore to safety as the shark circles her, waiting to attack.

Now in a film like this, you have to suspend your disbelief as there are things that happen that may not play out the same in real life. With the injuries recieved to Lively's character Nancy this is most definitely the case as she uses basic resources to do her best to heal the wound. However what she is doing does seem to make sense and in reality is all she can do. What I liked about what the film did was it would go back to her injuries showing the effect they were taking on Nancy as the film didn't just try to forget about them. It's a small thing but they did well to not just act as if she was completely fine after suffering a heavy attack.

Blake Lively does do a good job in this film considering the thing that she has to play off the most is a seagull. She does very well at selling her injuries and shows the struggle as she is hurt, alone and desperate. It's safe to say that she is a very attractice woman and that the creators take every chance to show this early on as it takes every opportunity to focus on her assets. This is really obvious a lot of the time and may just be a way to attract more people to see the film. However something that I did like with how they handled the character was how they didn't keep her looking as if she had makeup all the time whilst stranded. You could clearly see that she had becom sunburnt and it was small things like that which made the film more enjoyable as it seemed much more realistic because of it. Lively acted against everything very well, showed great fear as well as intelligence as she planned to survive.

One of the negatives that comes with the film for me is the CGI. At times it really isn't great and doesn't do the film justice as it seems noticeably fake when it comes to some of the creatures. With the likes of 'The Jungle Book' this year showing how realistic they can make things look, I hope they'd be able to do the same in a film like this. This is surely down to the budget of the film which was $17 million so you can't moan about it too much. If there had been a bigger budget it would have looked better but hopefully with this film being a success, we may see more investment in similar type movies to create realistic creatures.

The runtime of this film is 86 minutes and I feel that this is perfect for this movie. Any longet and it would have seemed as if it was just to prolong the film which may have made it drag. There isn't a whole lot that you can do in a film like this so around an hour and a half is just fine. It is filled with many scenarios that draw tension and keep you guessing to what her next move may be. Some may say that it is predictable but going into a movie like this, you know what exactly you're getting into and I feel that 'The Shallows' did a good job at creating a new film in the survival-horror sub genre.

There is an aspect of the film that showcases Nancy's struggles in her life, mainly regarding her mother's death and her relationship with her father due to that. At the time this felt quite unneccesary but it really does add something to the character of Nancy. With the passing of her fighting mother, it gives her inspiration to keep going and to not give up which of course makes sense. It does fill up a bit of time when she is struggling and felt like a way to progress the story. 

Overall, 'The Shallows' is an entertaining movie that the summer needed, A short but fun movie which shall entertain audiences. Blake Lively does a very good job in her role and you really care about her which is vital in a survival film like this. 'The Shallows' is worth seeing despite some minor problems. Not quite the standard of 'Jaws' but now possibly my second favourite movie surrounding the sea predator.

Final Verdict = 

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

By Angus McGregor