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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
The Founder | 2016 | 3 | Another tale of how the American Dream is really the big guy kicking over the small guy's sandcastle. Well told, but Keaton is just Keaton so I am glad the early Oscar buzz petered out. | 6 |
 |
Paterson | 2016 | 4, 7, 16 | A delightfully humdrum film about life's poetry. Surprisingly not in consideration for the major awards. | 8 |
 |
The White King | 2016 | 7, 17 | Don't believe anyone who tries to convince you this film has some kind of relevance with Trump's America. It is just a poor dystopia film with some of the worst acting outside of soap opera. | 3 |
 |
The Great Wall | 2016 | Action, 1, 15 | A run of the mill action adventure that is so light on plot and heavy on bad cgi that you will come away feeling dumber than when you started. | 4 |
 |
Loving | 2016 | 3, 7, 16 | Another biopic where the story's importance is far greater than the drama can convey. Impecibly acted and beautifully shot, but lacking in suspense. | 7 |
 |
Christine | 2016 | 3, 7 | High on melodrama but low on insight. | 4 |
 |
A Monster Calls | 2016 | 7, 8, 9 | Whilst the film is a heartfelt story of childhood grief, it is ultimately a slightly dull tale permeated with well animated fables. | 5 |
 |
Dheepan | 2016 | 7, 10 | Like a French Harry Brown. I'm not sure the French will like the portrayal of France as a war-zone and England as the promised land though! | 6 |
 |
Toni Erdmann | 2016 | 4, 7, 10 | In places it represents the mundanity of real life and in others it is mad as a bag of squirrels. German comedy, who'd have thought that would happen? | 7 |
 |
Lion | 2016 | 3, 7 | A wonderful feel-good true story that despite pulling at the heartstrings, is told completely believably. Great acting from both 'Lions' and a wonderful score. | 8 |
 |
Mustang | 2016 | 7, 10 | A gentle family drama takes an interesting turn towards the end as Turkish sisters rebel against forced marriage. Has a fantastic score. | 8 |
 |
Golden Years | 2016 | 4, 5 | A return to the bad old days of British comedy. Not a joke to be seen and some terrible acting from surprisingly good actors. | 3 |
 |
Ben Hur | 2016 | Action, 1 | A TV movie masquerading as a Hollywood blockbuster. Even the fabled chariot scene is a let down (with its obviously CGI horses). | 4 |
 |
Fences | 2016 | 7 | Beautifully shot and very well acted. It is sometimes hard to accept Denzel as a poor man, but the way he delivers his long monologues and diatribes show just how good an actor he can be. | 8 |
 |
American Honey | 2016 | 7 | A different take on the coming-of-age road trip movie with a band of believable misfits working and playing hard as they travelling the mid-west. | 7 |
 |
Split | 2017 | 11, 20 | McAvoy manages to pull off each of his personalities with skill in M Night Shyamalam's best film for some time. Borrows from 10 Cloverfield Lane in more ways than one. | 7 |
 |
Passengers | 2016 | 1, 16 | All of the action is in the trailer, the plot holes are laughable and for a romance there is no chemistry.. Massive disappointment. | 3 |
 |
Julieta | 2016 | 7, 10 | Despite wrapping up reasonably well, the film doesn't seem to go anywhere. It portrays loss well but unfortunately not well enough to make you really care. | 5 |
 |
Jackie | 2016 | 3, 7 | A surprising and intriguing look at woman behind JFK. Portman is wonderful, as is the production. | 8 |
 |
Manchester By The Sea | 2016 | 7 | An absolutely stunning performance from Casey Affleck in a slow and upsetting portrayal of grief and regret. | 7 |
 |
Denial | 2016 | 3, 7 | A reasonably interesting courtroom drama that is made semi-unwatchable by an awful performance by Rachel Weisz. | 5 |
 |
The Hard Stop | 2016 | 6 | Interesting, but one sided and divisive documentary about crime, oppression and consequences. | 6 |
 |
Allied | 2016 | 7, 16, 20, 21 | No matter how good the story or acting may be (both are just OK), it is hard to look past the strange CGI de-ageing work that has been done to Pitt. | 6 |
 |
Under the Shadow | 2016 | 10, 11 | A slow and creepy Iranian horror film where not a lot happens, but it stays with you. | 8 |
 |
Hacksaw Ridge | 2016 | Action, 3, 21 | A good war film that could have been great but for Gibson's obsession with fiery death (worried about where you are going Mel?), Vince Vaughan's attempt at a serious role and Garfield's gormless face. | 7 |