THE OPTIMIST - MOVIE REVIEWS

      *Let me just start by saying that it will be impossible for me to discuss this film without going into spoiler territory. I will save the spoiler stuff towards the end of the review where I will place another warning should you read this review before seeing the movie. Everything up to that point will be spoiler free. I urge you to see this movie as soon as possible in order to not have it spoiled for you because, man...it's a doozy!    It's no mistaking that the name M. Night Shyamalan (as of late) has become synonymous to the public with terrible movies. Let me warn you, I am a HUGE Shyamalan fan, and if that means my view might be a bit biased, well, so be it. I like to think that I can be open-minded, and I am fully aware that all of his films are not "good" in the common movie-goer sense, despite my liking them all. The man has had an interesting career, one that can easily be tracked through the films he's made. The Sixth Sense was and is a maste

      So, January is a weird month for movies. The big push for Oscar contenders at the end of the year is usually met with mediocre movies throughout the beginning of the new year. It's an interesting trend that seems to always come to be. The first new movie I've seen in 2017 was one that I was interested in simply because of its director. Live By Night is the latest film to star Ben Affleck, who also directs the film. Affleck has a pretty substantial track record when it comes to his directorial outings. I've loved each and every one. He not only can act with the best of them, but he has such a keen eye for well-framed scenes and seamless storytelling. The combination of his acting and directing is what has everyone excited for his solo Batman film, of which he is writing, directing and of course starring. Live By Night is an interesting movie. I wouldn't say it's his best, but it's still worth checking out.    Based on the novel by Dennis Lehane, th

   2016 has come and gone. For movies, it was a year that taught us that big blockbusters aren't all they crack up to be ( Independence Day: Resurrgence , etc.), and that smaller films actually seemed to take the forefront of what would be considered some of the best cinema of the year. Trying to decide on my own top 10 best films of 2016 was a hard feat. Ultimately what I decided was to try and mix what I thought were not only my favorite films of the year but what I actually think were the best films...of the ones I saw. Coming up with that list was difficult; trying to rank them was even more difficult. So, I decided not to rank them and just list them in no particular order. So, behold! The Optimist's Top 10 List! La La Land -  The buzz surrounding La La Land has been palpable and infectious. From the trailers I found myself interested, but the insane amount of positive feedback and whispers of possible golden statues in its future placed La La Land from a "I'