THE OPTIMIST - MOVIE REVIEWS

    * First and foremost this is a SPOILER-FREE REVIEW!  However, emotional reactions will be discussed. For the first time ever I will be posting a SPOILER REVIEW next week, simply because this movie has so much to talk about. This review will probably seem vague, because it's hard not to talk about it without spoiling anything. But in the case of this review, fear not and read on! *    I remember a year ago when the first teaser trailer dropped for "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" how excited I was to finally see something about this movie! I also remember thinking "We still have to wait a year for this?!" Well, the wait is finally over! The marketing for the movie was amazing in that every trailer that they dropped gave us more of the tone of the film and really nothing about what the film's plot would be. Even that last trailer with all its action and awesome moments left me saying "Holy crap that looks amazing! But, what the heck is it about?!

  Ron Howard's "In the Heart of the Sea" opens this weekend, hoping to snag the number one spot in the box office before the behemoth that is "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" opens next weekend. Is it just me, or has everyone else felt that the marketing for "In the Heart of the Sea" has lasted forever? For whatever reason, I feel like I've seen the trailers for this film for like a year now. When I realized it was opening this weekend my initial thought was "Finally!". At any rate, it's here and it's a movie that shouldn't be missed.    Famed author Herman Melville struggled to find success in his writings. When his epic Moby Dick was published, Melville solidified himself as one of the most prolific writers of our time. Director Ron Howard's intense film tells the story that inspired the grand tale. The movie actually follows young Herman Melville (Ben Whishaw) as he seeks out Tom Nickerson (Brendan Gleeson), the last

     Thanksgiving has come and gone and the Christmas season is in full swing. Christmas time is a great time for movies. Christmas movies in particular are some of the funnest ones around. The stories centered around families, presents, the discovering of the true meaning for the season, all seem to evoke this sense of worldwide joy that is accustom to this time of year. Most Christmas movies tend to cover a wide range of emotions, from sad and depressing like "It's a Wonderful Life", to the hilarity of "Christmas Vacation", "The Christmas Story", and so many more. However, other than some of the classics like "A Christmas Carol", a modern telling of a Christmas horror story hasn't really come into fruition in the mainstream. This weekend, that all changes.    Director Michael Dougherty is all too familiar with spooky hoilday films. His 2007 film "Trick 'r Treat" is a fantastic Halloween flick that is truly entertainin