THE OPTIMIST - MOVIE REVIEWS

    Ghost in the Shell is the latest live-action adaptation of a beloved anime that hopes to transcend the stigma that anime cannot be remade properly in live-action. Personally I haven't caught the anime bug. That's not to say that I don't think it's a viable form of entertainment. I whole-heartily respect the genre and what it has done for storytelling, but it's just not something I have actively pursued. From what I hear from friends and people who do love anime, almost every live-action version fails miserably to capture the magic of the original. Whether Ghost in the Shell does that is for the fans of the original to decide. As for me, I'm looking at this simply as a movie, and as a movie it's pretty good.    The story takes place in a plausible near future. Humans can upgrade their bodies with cybernetic parts, enhancing their experience in life. Our protagonist is Major (Scarlett Johansson), the first of her kind: A human saved from a terrible

   Disney's plan for remaking their animated classics into live action iterations can be considered either a genius, artistic choice, or a money-hungry cash grab. In all honesty I think there's a little bit of both in there. I was one of the millions of children whose childhood was blessed with the whimsical tales of Peter Pan, The Little Mermaid, and many more. They are cherished stories that hold a special place in my heart, and the movie fan in me is stoked whenever an announcement is made that a new live-action version will be made. The critic, however, wants to know why it is that Disney isn't investing in new and original stories? Sure the likes of Frozen , Zootopia, and Moana can be considered new and original, and that's well and fine. Keep pumping out new animated stories, because they work. But, why not do the same with their live-action films? They've got the money, so why not take some risks? Disney is the staple for family-friendly films, so how m

    How many times does one property have to be remade before audiences get tired of it? That's the question studios seem to ask nowadays as they push that line to the breaking point. Of all the properties to continuously get remade, King Kong has probably made the list for the most remakes. Dating back to the 1930s, it seems like every couple of years we get a new King Kong movie. Well, the latest iteration opens today with Kong: Skull Island , a film that...man...where to start...well, it's a movie that...hmmm...I got it--its a movie that most...no...sheesh, what can I say? It's a movie that was made and is now in theaters. Yeah, let's start with that.    I'm gonna keep this review brief because I don't think I need to go on for days about it. Kong: Skull Island takes place in the 1970s just after the Vietnam war. A group of scientists discover an uncharted island and commission a military escort to go and survey the island, claiming that there might b

   The comic book movie has become such a staple in our movie-going diet. Every character is getting their own movie, crossover, TV series, you name it. We live in a time where high-quality comic book films are being pumped out every year at an alarming rate. Of the plethora of movies, only few have been able to transcend the genre. Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight and Jon Favreau's Iron Man would be two that pop into mind right away. Both of these films don't give in to their comic-y origins and just tell a riveting story with fantastic, grounded performances. Robert Downey, Jr. will forever be Tony Stark whether he likes it or not. Heath Ledger's Joker is a brilliant, masterful performance that would have garnished the Academy Award whether posthumously or not. These movies are beyond the genre they find themselves in and that's what--I think--the comic book movie genre needs more of. Thankful, Logan is here to save the day.    What is probably the most