THE OPTIMIST - MOVIE REVIEWS

   Where to begin...    So, as I sat in the theater after watching " The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 ", while the credits were rolling, I immediately began to think about what I wanted to say in regards to this feature. This blog, the premise behind The Optimist is that this would be a place where one could find positive reviews from a guy who loves everything there is about film. As I took in the events that occurred on screen during this particular film, knowing that there had to be a positive review floating around in my head somewhere, a scene from another film popped into mind. I pictured Heath Ledger 's iconic Joker from " The Dark Knight " in the interrogation room of GCPD; Batman himself throwing the mad man around the room in hopes to squeeze some positive, useful information out of the Clown Prince. Batman has a rule, and Joker doesn't hesitate to reveal that in order to obtain the desired outcome:  " You're gonna have to br...

       There's an idea or thought that has been around for quite some time making the case that Hollywood has abandoned all hope of original material and has simply decided to chug along, siphoning the spoils of big blockbuster films. I have a hard time with this idea only because I can see the relevance to both sides of that argument. There has been a surplus of big-budgeted, bloated Hollywood popcorn flicks and I'll be the first to admit that I scurry out to see them as often as any body else does. But over the last few years I've tried to expand my horizons, delving more into the independent films, small-budget movies; those films that tend to slip under the radar. The reason being that there's something to say when a filmmaker can take a piece of material in a familiar genre and do something original with it. Nine times out of ten, these films will surprise you. Now I'm not saying that larger-scaled movies can't have the same affect. Say what you will (...

      David Ayer 's World War II epic " Fury " is one of the more powerful war films you'll see to date. This can be attributed to the fine casting, the scope of its cinematography, and it's overall story. I love a good war movie just like the next person. "Saving Private Ryan", "Platoon", "We Were Soldiers", all of these films both portray realistic wartime events with an emotional story driven by grounded characters. They're usual grand in scope and encompass a wide range of emotion. Few war movies though can transcend the entertainment value in order to obtain a higher level of emotional connection. 2009's Academy Award Winning film "The Hurt Locker" did just that, expanding the epic scope of modern-day warfare from the battlefield into the mind of the soldier. "Fury" does the same thing but from the perspective of another time in history. It's truly moving to watch.    "Fury" takes pl...

       This Friday marks the opening weekend for the new action flick " John Wick ", and if you're a fan of action movies, this one is not to be missed. Keanu Reeves makes his glorious return to high-action form and does so with so much awesomness! I mean, Keanu Reeves hasn't been this bad-ass since donning the shades and trench coat in " The Matrix " films! I internally jumped for joy all throughout this movie, hoping desperately not to fly out of my seat in excitement, ruining the experience for the poor soul who sat behind me. I waited until the credits began to roll before releasing my bubbling joy. This movie, in a word, is just plain fun.    Reeves plays John Wick, an ex-hitman who leaves the life of an assassin in search for normalcy. He finds what he is looking for through his loving wife. His peace is short lived however when his wife passes away. She leaves John a parting gift, an adorable puppy named Daisy, as he strives to spend his days...

   There's a reason why the name  Robert Downey, Jr.  is considered a household name. The guy can act his face off. There is so much talent that oozes from that man's body that it's just a special experience to be able to sit and watch. His latest film " The Judge " only solidified in my mind the notion that was already there, that being: RDJ can do no wrong. I'll go as far as throwing the gavel down now and say that for his performance in this film, Robert Downey, Jr. should be nominated for an Oscar. No joke.    Downey, Jr. plays big city lawyer Hank Palmer. He's cunning, cutthroat, and well versed in being successful at his job. Estranged from his family, he returns to his childhood hometown where his father Joseph Palmer ( Robert Duvall ), the town's judge, is suspected of murder. Hank sets out to discover the truth behind the allegations against his father as well as struggle to reconnect with his family. This movie is as much about the relat...

  Hollywood has this tendency to revamp, reboot, deform, and sometimes mutilate various genres, character lore; sacrificing originality in order to gain the easy buck. This time of year, with Halloween approaching, our minds often turn to horror, monsters and all things that go bump in the night, when it comes to choosing something to watch. Television is populated with classic horror movies and scary shows, playing on our fears for our own entertainment...and we love it. The classic monster stories of old have been told over and over again, through various revisions and changes to their original lore. Some of those work out, some don't. This year's " I, Frankenstein " was a fresh take on a stale story. It was riveting, and the overall vision, however different from the original, was fun and exciting. The " Twilight " Saga however is not a refreshing take, but is a disgrace to the vampire lore in its entirety. Sorry fans, The Optimist draws the line with...

   Disney's " Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Day " is quite simply a delight. I remember reading the book as a child, as I'm sure many people have, and it was one of my favorites. The film does an excellent job at capturing the essence of the story, the moral that everyone is going to have bad day, but it's those bad days that make you cherish the good ones. Leave it to Disney to deliver a family film full of comedy, heart, and a touching message.    Seeming to always come up on the short end of life's stick, young Alexander ( Ed Oxenbould ) can't seem to squeeze out a good day if his life depended on it. On this particular day, he wakes with gum in his hair followed by one calamity after another. Finding no solace from the other members of his family, Alexander resorts to the idea that everyone else's lives are perfect and that he is destined to live one horrible day after the next. Soon, his father, mother, brother a...

       In 2013 we were introduced to real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren on a cinematic level with the horror masterpiece (yup, I threw that gauntlet down) " The Conjuring ". Directed by James Wan (who solidified his name as one of the best in the annals of horror filmmakers, even after " Saw "), "The Conjuring" harnessed everything that makes a good horror movie, and then amped it up a notch. Personally, it's one of the scariest movies I've seen to date. Within the story of "The Conjuring", we were introduced to one of the Warren's earlier cases...one dealing with a specific doll. That doll's name is Annabelle. Though only in the film for a short period, we are quickly introduced to the epic-creepiness of that doll. It had such a profound affect that its freakishness was enough to garner its own film. Hence this month's release of the highly anticipated prequel to "The Conjuring", the ter...

        David Fincher 's " Gone Girl " is a crazy movie. Based on the novel by the same title, the story is about a lot of things. It illustrates how manipulative and powerful the media is. It deals with loss and the struggles of maintaining relationships, as well as many other themes, all combining into one crazy narrative that, by the end, will leave you shaking your head in awe as to what transpired before your eyes. It's a riveting tale that will stay with you after you leave the theater.    The story follows a couple, Nick and Amy Dunne, (played by Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike respectively). After moving from their New York home to Nick's home town in Missouri due to vocational hardships, Nick and Amy's relationship goes through some difficult times. On their 5th wedding anniversary, Nick reports to the police that his wife has gone missing. Soon, pressure mounts from the police investigation as well as the swarming media and before he knows ...

       Denzel Washington is the gift that keeps on giving. Teaming up again with " Training Day " director Antoine Fuqua , Washington delivers another entertaining performance in the action-packed thriller " The Equalizer ". Robert McCall (Washington) has done everything in his power to put his past behind him, while attempting to live a life that is quiet, calm and all-around normal. The problem is, he has this overwhelming need to be, well...helpful, in times of need. Robert meets a young woman, Teri ( Chole Grace Moretz ), who happens to be under the control of a violent, fairly cliche Russian gangster Slavi ( David Meunier ). Being the boy scout that he is, Robert finds that he can't stand idle in the presence of injustice, and figures he should "help".    The story has a very over-the-top, knight-in-shining-armor feel to it. Robert is a simple, regimented man. He doesn't sleep; his nights are spent reading in a 24 hour diner drinking ...

       As summer fades away allowing fall to slither in, and in the wake of a handful of big summer blockbusters, we begin to experience that transition period into the winter months and the big films that usually open during that time. However, that doesn't mean that in between now and then there aren't any good films to see. This last week, the Liam Neeson starring crime drama " A Walk Among the Tombstones " joins the 2014 club, and does so with stoic awesomeness. In my book, Liam Neeson can do no wrong. He has become one of Hollywood's most valuable action stars, taking on roles that one might think he was merely type-cast for, but in retrospect are right in his wheelhouse. He's played the complicated, dark, flawed man's man so well that it's not boring when we see the similarities in his characters.    "A Walk Among the Tombstones" is a refreshing take on the detective/crime drama. Neeson plays Matthew Scudder, a former police det...

   " This Is Where I Leave You " surprised me. The first thing that appealed to me when I saw the trailer for the first time was the cast. It's a pretty starry cast if ever I've seen one. Some of the top-of-the-list comedic actors of our time find themselves in a film together and, coupled with a sweet storyline and a decent screenplay, deliver a movie that was surprisingly great. I say that as if I was surprised that it was good. That's not it at all, I love everything (duh), so allow me to clarify. I was surprised at how good it really was.    Judd Altman, played by the wonderfully talented Jason Bateman , has what will probably become the worst year of his life. Not only does he find out that his wife ( Abigail Spencer ) is cheating on him with his boss ( Dax Shepard ), but his father passes away. The loss of the family patriarch is merely the catalyst to the emotional roller coaster that ensues for Judd and his family. Not that a cheating wife and a de...

             Movies nowadays that fall into the category of "Young Adult" films tend to have a few items of unwanted baggage attached to them. The first being a mixture of either poor source material or, more often than not, a poor interpretation of good source material. The second being the over-exuberant fan base who spend more time screaming and clapping when their adorable movie crush is on screen than actually watching and paying attention to the film. Good Young Adult movies tend to get a bad wrap sometimes simply because of their intended audiences. The acting is sometimes over the top, the writing and story-telling is flat or lacking, and no matter their faults, you still get the screaming and applauding, leaving you to question " Why did I think coming to see this movie was a good idea? " The recent adaptation of " Divergent " was like that, as was both " The Hunger Games " movies thus far. The big difference between the two though i...

        The third installment of what is becoming a formidable franchise arrived a few weeks ago in " The Expendables 3 ". Though the film has lost some steam since its mediocre opening, it's still a fun, adrenaline-pumping action flick that is as enjoyable as the two that came before it. In this particular adventure, we find Barney ( Sylvester Stallone ) finally beginning to feel Grandfather Time weighing down on him, as well as his team. Things begin to heat up after Barney realizes that the notorious arms trader he and his team have been trying to capture is in fact Conrad Stonebanks (played by the formidable Mel Gibson ), the co-founder of the Expendables long since removed from memory. Barney decides to inject some new blood into the group by embracing wholeheartedly the phrase "out with the old, in with the new"; dumping his old team for fresher, younger players. However, we learn not too far in that though you may be old, it doesn't mean you're...

      Who doesn't like a good sports movie, am I right? " When the Game Stands Tall " is one of those movies that really makes an effort to spread a specific, positive message and one that will leave you smiling as you walk out of the theater. The movie is an account of the De La Salle High School football team, brought out of obscurity by their legendary, inspiring coach Bob Ladouceur to a record-breaking 151 win streak. That's the premise, if you will. The story is really about life, loss, what it means to be inspired, and the true meaning behind the pursuit of happiness. The story aside, it's truly an inspiring film. Movies are definitely one of the greatest forms of entertainment, but to be moved or inspired from the stories portrayed is what makes the cinema a work of art.    The story of the infamous De La Salle High School football team has reached national recognition. Their program is structured not only to teach kids to play football, but to ulti...

  Another day another horror film. This weekend marks the opening of the creepy found-footage horror flick " As Above So Below ". The movie follows a team of explorers in Paris. They venture down into the extremely creepy catacombs beneath the city and discover there's a dark secret waiting for them. The "found-footage" style of film-making has definitely become a staple within the horror genre. When done right, it can be truly effective. When not done right, it can cause some serious headaches. Though this film has some sweet scary-movie-moments, be sure to bring your Tylenol.    Okay, so let's just get this part out of the way. First, the "found-footage" was done pretty poorly. We see the events of the film portrayed through a series of head-lamp cameras and one shoulder mount camera. The camera man made sure that the group, as well as the audience, was well aware of the head-lamp cameras that he so conveniently installed for this trip. The ...

        Film, like any other form of artistic expression, is always evolving. The art of storytelling through film is a medium that captivates many of us. Being able to connect emotionally to a character portrayed on the big screen as they go through whatever crazy or mundane events their particular story has to offer is one of the most visceral experience we can have. The evolution of film is fascinating and captivating. Nowadays, the area of special effects via motion-capture computer animation is probably on the top of the list. Richard Linklater 's " Boyhood " has expanded the art of storytelling via film in a way that is as equally captivating as the realistic special effects we see in most blockbusters, yet does so without any computer animation or actor-driven, motion-captured characters.    "Boyhood" is simply the life story of a boy named Mason from age 5 to 18. No, it's not a documentary. It's a thoughtful, poignant approach to the everyday...

       2014 has had its fair share of tear-jerking movies. Each year there seems to be a steady balance of films that fall into a wide emotional scale. " If I Stay " is one of those films that will stick with you. The movie follows young, musically-gifted Mia Hall, played by the up-and-coming brilliant actress Chloe Grace Moretz . Mia's life changes almost instantly when her and her family get into a car crash, leaving her in a coma. During an out-of-body experience, Mia has to decide whether or not she wants to wake up and live a life far different than the one she had prior to the crash. It's an emotional roller coaster. So, just brace yourself for that.    People will say this movie is about a lot of things. If I had to pin point the greatest theme of the film in one word, it would have to be perspective. Mia comes from a quirky family, not unlike most you would find in your own neighborhood. Some of the best scenes of the film are when the fami...

   " The Giver ", an adaptation of the award winning book by the same title, is an interesting film. The story is simple yet extremely complex and intense all at the same time. It's about a Utopian society that has no recollection of fear, pain, suffering; the basic emotional aspects that define humanity. Everyone and everything has its purpose. It's a very 'robotic' society. Children are assigned families, given bikes at a young age (the main mode of transportation in the community), and when they are of age they are assigned a function that they will endure for the rest of their lives. Unlike the chaotic world we all live in, this community is peaceful, yet bland. The story focuses on the function assignment given to the protagonist of the film Jonas ( Brenton Thwaites ). When his friends are given 'normal' lifelong assignments, Jonas is chosen to be a Receiver of Memory, a position given only to a select few. Within a society that focuses on liv...

      This week marks the release of yet another Hollywood summer buddy cop film with writer/director  Luke Greenfield 's " Let's Be Cops ". Comedy is a tough market and the buddy-cop shtick has been overdone. Just months prior to this film we had the outrageously hilarious " 22 Jump Street ". Though it doesn't lack in laughs, "Let's Be Cops" falls short to it's comedic predecessor. The film follows a fairly common plot thread in that two down-and-out roommates Ryan ( Jake Johnson ) and Justin ( Damon Wayans, Jr. ), realizing their lives aren't going the way they wanted, decide something has got to change. When they decide to dress up as cops for a costume party, they soon realize after taking to the streets and being mistaken as actual police officers, that they have unlocked a gold mine of potentially rockin' good times...not matter how illegal their escapades really are.    The movie was funny. Was it as funny as "2...