365 Days

365 movies in 365 days? Challenge accepted.

[365moviechallenge]

#99 - Citizenfour (2014)

Watched: 9/17/2015

It has been said that much of the success of a film is due to casting. However, in the case of a documentary, it must be due to the subject. In this case, the subject is far more interesting than the documentary’s handling of it.

Rating: 7.2

[365moviechallenge]

#98 - The Perfect Guy (2015)

Watched: 9/14/2015

With what is, for the most part, a by-the-numbers thriller about a stalker, The Perfect Guy is saved from complete formula by Michael Ealy’s performance and the plots occasional deviations from the norm.

Rating: 6.4

[365moviechallenge]

#97 - A Walk In The Woods (2015)

Watched: 9/1/2015

While a pleasant diversion, the film touches on some broader themes but falls short of achieving its thematic goals.

Rating: 7.2

[365moviechallenge]

#96 - Assassination (2015)

Watched: 8/29/2015

Only stumbling briefly toward the end, Assassination pulls no punches and, while going all-out with action and drama, avoids oversimplifying its narrative or lessening its stakes.

Rating: 9.1

[365moviechallenge]

#95 - The Man From Uncle (2015)

Watched: 8/24/2015

Long and awkwardly-paced yet with fun dialogue and situations, action-espionage film The Man From Uncle falls short of its potential due to attempts to unnaturally broaden its scope.

Rating: 5.6

[365moviechallenge]

#94 - Straight Outta Compton (2015)

Watched: 8/22/2015

An epic telling the story of an early rap group, Straight Outta Compton maintains characterization and intrigue in its exploration of artistry without losing sight of the flawed nature of its protagonists and the world around them.

Rating: 8.6

[365moviechallenge]

#93 - American Ultra (2015)

Watched: 8/22/2015

It’s exactly what it’s advertised as - an offbeat, comedic slacker secret agent movie.

Rating: 7.3

[365moviechallenge]

#92 - It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)

Watched: 8/15/2015

Overstuffed but inevitably epic, this madcap comedy moves from here to there with immense uncertainty, managing mostly mugging and mania.

Rating: 6.9

[365moviechallenge]

#91 - The End of the Tour (2015)

Watched: 8/12/2015

The End of the Tour is a solemn and regretful look at celebrity, self-realization and the less lauded elements of friendship.

Rating: 7.8

[365moviechallenge]

#90 - The Return of the Musketeers (1989)

Watched: 8/9/2015

Still fun but more reflective and self-aware than previous entries, The Return of the Musketeers intensifies the adventure aspects and gives the Musketeers a fitting sendoff.

Rating: 7.7

[365moviechallenge]

#89 - The Four Musketeers (1974)

Watched: 8/9/2015

With more well-defined stakes, this sequel corrects for the stumbling of its predecessor by introducing more moral ambiguity while still having fun with the personalities of its protagonists.

Rating: 7.5

[365moviechallenge]

#88 - The Three Musketeers (1973)

Watched: 8/9/2015

While tremendously fun and flighty, the film exerts so much effort in setting up d’Artagnan’s incorporation into the group that it falls short of feeling fully-realized, overextending fight sequences and throwing off its own pacing in an attempt to give itself an epic scope it can’t quite live up to.

Rating: 6.8

[365moviechallenge]

#87 - The Gift (2015)

Watched: 8/8/2015

This dramatic thriller takes some interesting turns in its questioning of who is a victim and at what point one becomes a perpetrator or accessory. While the creepy stalker angle drives the film, it’s ultimately about damaged people doing damaging things and the lengths they might go to before they are either redeemed or irredeemable.

Rating: 7.8

[365moviechallenge]

#86 - Fantastic Four (2015)

Watched: 8/6/2015

This is a film about outsiders who struggle to be given a chance to shine due to authoritative powers - which explains why the first half of the movie seems heartfelt even if it’s slow and rocky while the second half seems like a complete mess. Although the end result must stand on its own, apparently the film’s thematic subject matter was reflected in the production issues, ironically serving to help prove the film’s apparent original “side” right.

Rating: 6.8

[365moviechallenge]

#85 - Shaun The Sheep Movie (2015)

Watched: 8/5/2015

This is a cute but overlong near-silent film that wows more via its artistry than its narrative.

Rating: 7.6

[365moviechallenge]

#84 - Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley’s Island of Dr. Moreau (2014)

Watched: 8/3/2015

This fascinating documentary reveals the difficulties encountered by director Richard Stanley when he took on creative duties for the 1996 film, The Island of Dr. Moreau.

To summarize the main issues, Marlon Brando was erratic and Val Kilmer was a dick.

Rating: 8.2

[365moviechallenge]

#83 - Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015)

Watched: 7/30/2015

With over-the-top stunts and a standout performance from Rebecca Ferguson, Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation more than lives up to the franchise name but somehow does so without really breaking any new ground.

Rating: 7.8