MovieMuse
T
he MovieMuse Reviews (MovieViews) database is a searchable collection of films that the team have watched, providing a comprehensive guide on what to watch and what to avoid. It provides a link to an in-depth review or a short opinion on the film and a rating, as well as a link to the film’s poster or DVD cover. For more recent entries we are also including a link to the film’s IMDb page and a trailer from YouTube.
You can search and sort the list by individual film names, genre, reviewer, score and other variables to inform you on whether a film is worth your time, or to inspire you for your next movie night.
We will also use the database to create periodic lists of the recommended films in all sorts of categories. These lists will be shared on the website and some will even come with a video.
| Poster | Movie | Year | Genre | Comments | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Ghostbusters | 1984 | 4, 11 | Some of the effects look dated now but this film was never really about them. A brilliantly-written story with some of the finest comedic talent of the era make for one of the iconic 80s movies and a pop culture sensation that endures to this day. | 8 |
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Crocodile Dundee | 1986 | 1, 4 | Much of the film is just a sequence of sketches showcasing Paul Hogan, but the surprise is that it has aged pretty well barring a couple of scenes and is far more sensitive and inclusive than you'd expect of a mid-80s comedy starring a brash Aussie. | 7 |
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Dragnet | 1987 | Action, 4 | The plot is hit and miss but this is a great 80s comedy with Dan Aykroyd providing the best moments in his role as the straight man, and if nothing else it delivers one of the most finely-crafted punchlines of all time in the final scene. | 7 |
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Heathers | 1989 | 4, 7, 20 | If David Lynch had ever done a teen high school comedy then it would probably have turned out like this. Occasional moments of entertainment are cancelled out by equal amounts of weirdness and the whole thing is a little too dark to be enjoyable. | 5 |
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City Slickers | 1991 | 4, 7, 22 | A funny and heart-warming story about facing middle age and appreciating what you have, with the witty dialogue between Billy Crystal and his friends being the highlight. | 7 |
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A Few Good Men | 1992 | 7 | Best known for the fantastic verbal showdown between Cruise and Nicholson, but even before that this courtroom drama is gripping from beginning to end with excellent performances almost all round and a fascinating story. | 8 |
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Shallow Grave | 1994 | 5, 20 | Danny Boyle's debut film is tense, witty and dark as they come as we see the impact of one traumatic act on three friends, with Ewan McGregor and Christopher Ecclestone both showing early examples of the talent that would lead them to bigger things. | 8 |
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Clueless | 1995 | 4, 16 | There are occasionally some funny moments in this film, but the story is formulaic and predictable even by the standards of the era and many of the characters are so detestable that it is hard to watch. | 5 |
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Love Wedding Repeat | 2020 | 4, 16 | With a cast featuring young British comedy talent the film starts of as a quirky and funny wedding farce. But on the hour mark ( about 15 minutes after interest has waned) it take a 'sliding doors' turn that doesn't really work. | 5 |
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Peninsula | 2020 | Action, 10, 11 | Without the claustrophobic setting of a moving locomotive, this Train To Busan sequel is little more than a bog standard zombie film with a distinct lack of Zombies and an over-reliance on CGI where it isn't needed. | 5 |
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Beverly Hills Cop II | 1987 | Action, 4, 5 | Despite the plot being mostly superfluous, the chemistry between Murphy, Reinhold and Ashton covers up the flaws and keeps the Beverly Hills cop name intact. | 6 |
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Breaking the Bank | 2014 | 4 | A weak British comedy with an American lead (Kelsey Grammer) playing a clueless English banking boss. Only watch if you really want to know what happened to the guy from Gavin & Stacey. | 4 |
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Beverly Hills Cop | 1984 | Action, 4, 5 | An 80s film that stands up so well almost 40 years later is very rare, but Murphy's performance, a great scrtipt and quality direction help Beverly Hills Cop break the mould. | 8 |
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Project Power | 2020 | Action, 5, 17 | An interesting take on the superpowers trope, but despite good performances the script sand action are a little underwhelming to the point where it feels like a teen-adventure rather than an action film. | 6 |
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Murder Mystery | 2019 | Action, 4, 5 | A high profile (but mostly terrible) ensemble farce their way through a traditional murder mystery as Sandler and Aniston portray an unbelievable couple who get into unbelievable situations. There is 90 mins of fun there, but you will forget it quickly. | 6 |
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The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner | 1962 | 7, 19 | A truly wonderful example of the british kitchen sink dramas of the 60s as a young boy reflects on his dysfunctional home-life whilst serving time in a borstal. Tom Courtney's performance is absolutely top notch. | 9 |
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Cast Away | 2000 | 1, 7, 16 | Zemekis was brave to make a film where half of the film contains no dialogue, but Hanks pulls it off. However it is the product placement that detracts from the film's qualities and leaves us with 'FedEx the Movie'. | 6 |
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Layer Cake | 2004 | Action, 4, 5 | Another wannabe Guy Ritchie gangster flick that gets its fun from a decent Daniel Craig turn and some well written and played support characters. | 6 |
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Ghost | 1990 | 4, 7, 16 | Despite a great Whoopi performance, Ghost has aged particularly badly and despite his stock being high at the time, Swayze gives the worst performance of his career. | 5 |
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Liam Gallagher: As It Was | 2019 | 6, 12 | Whilst the film tries a little hard to make Liam Gallagher the hero man of the people by avoiding the more difficult subjects, it does a great job of humanising his persona and giving an insight into his life and worldview. | 7 |
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Hero | 2002 | Action, 1, 10 | A beautiful and balletic example of the Wuxia martial-arts genre at its best. If you can accept the fantastical fighting style then you will find a brilliantly told tale of honour and revenge. | 8 |
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Last of the Mohicans | 1992 | Action, 7, 15 | Not quite the historical epic I was hoping for. Whilst it is nicely shot for the most part and has a couple of great battle scenes, there are some really dodgy effects and a love angle that left me cold. | 7 |
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Doctor Sleep | 2019 | 11, 20 | An intriguing sequel to The Shining that is fairly creepy, but the runtime is painfully long and the plot seems contrived to get the action back to The Overlook Hotel to revisit key scenes from the original, which is ironically when this film shines most. | 7 |
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Destroyer | 2018 | 5, 20 | Nicole Kidman is excellent in a role - and look - we've never seen from her before in this revenge/redemption thriller, but sadly the story and action are nowhere near as compelling as the trailer promised and even the final twist is underwhelming. | 6 |
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Jay and Silent Bob Reboot | 2019 | 4 | J&SB are back, but is there any point? A very nearly terrible comedy that tries to be meta but just comes off as out of ideas. Only the last 20 minutes saves the film from being a total wash out. | 4 |