THE OPTIMIST - MOVIE REVIEWS

   Edgar Wright is one of the most meticulous and unique directors of our day, and one of my favorite filmmakers in the business. His knack for storytelling coupled with his visionary style makes for really enjoyable and fast-paced movies. Some of his works are just classic, if you ask me. Shaun of the Dead is one of the greatest zombie movies ever made, and it's not really even about zombies! It just has zombies in it! The way he edits his movies is unlike any other film I've seen. He uses every sound and every frame to enhance the story, making every second count. His latest film Baby Driver is the pinnacle of what he's done in my book, and one of the most well-crafted films I've seen in a long, long time.     Baby Driver  follows the story of a young man named Baby who listens to music to drown out the incessant ringing in his ears left from an accident from childhood; and he can drive, like really well. He's a quiet, reserved young man whose musical t...

   With Transformers trying to take the weekend, I thought I'd take a moment to share my thoughts on two recently released films worth seeing outside of the gargantuan bubble that comes from big blockbuster movies. I've noticed recently that some of the best films out there are ones that don't have a $200 million dollar budget. These smaller movies are so rich with character, story and fantastic performances, that I don't think it's fair to dismiss them since they don't consist of large amounts of CGI or people with superpowers. That's not to say that those movies are bad. Wonder Woman and Logan , two powerhouse superhero films, are definitely two of the best films I've seen this year so far. I just gotta give props where props is due. So, for your reading pleasure, here's a little two-for-one for you. One, a drama/thriller, the other a horror/mystery, both with interesting marketing techniques (one hinders, one heightens), but ultimately both ...

   I don't know if I have the stamina to go on and on and on and on about Transformers: The Last Knight . The Transformers movies have become hollow shells that pump out insane, bloated action with little to no character or story. The first one is arguably the best, but after that...oy vey. I honestly couldn't remember what happened in the last movie, Age of Extinction , so I watched it before seeing The Last Knight . It's easily the worst of the bunch, which I guess is a compliment to The Last Knight ? Look, the Transformers movies are the epitome of popcorn movie-going. They are pure spectacle with no substance. You literally do not have to invest a single ounce of brain power when digesting these movies, and you'll probably still be entertained, somewhat. In the end, The Last Knight for me was just that: eyeball fodder.    Just like every other Transformers movie so far, this movie showcases the same over-done plot: Humans and Transformers are at war, O...

   When Straight Outta Compton dropped a couple of years ago, I don't know if it was expected to be as good as it was. The drive, passion, and compelling storytelling in that film lifted it above the mediocre docudrama that most people expected it to be. It is in no way a perfect movie, but it maintained a level of entertainment amidst the narrative. All Eyez On Me , the new biographical drama about one of the most prolific rappers in history Tupac Shakur, holds none of those variables that made Straight Outta Compton great. The movie is by and large an attempt to tell the true story about a man who influenced the rap world like no other, but does so in a drawn out, choppy narrative that ultimately falls short of being great.    I will be completely transparent here, I never listened to rap growing up. I knew who Tupac was, and I knew of MTV and what not, but my social sphere never incorporated that genre of music. Not having that background knowledge goi...

    The summer movie season is in full swing and this weekend marks the opening of five new films: Cars 3 , All Eyez On Me , The Book of Henry , Rough Night , and the feature of this review, 47 Meters Down . For movie-goers, a smorgasbord such as this would be enough to entice a weekend full of cinematic wonder. To choose one over the other might be difficult for some. I've had my eye on 47 Meters Down for quite some time, probably because the ocean freaks me out. I love a good shark movie, and last year's sleeper hit The Shallows did not disappoint. From watching the tension-filled trailers for 47 Meters Down , I couldn't help but feel excited and terrified. After watching it I can safely say that the movie was definitely terrifying...when the sharks were on screen. Everything else was a bit, meh.    The story follows sisters Lisa (Mandy Moore) and Kate (Claire Holt) as they vacation in Mexico. Lisa is dealing with the aftermath of a terrible break-up and he...

     In a world where cinematic universes are becoming the path to tread towards lucrative gain, it appears as though every production company is striving for their piece of that franchise pie. Universal, with their vast history of monster characters, has become the latest studio to venture this path. I have fond memories of the Universal monsters. I remember as a kid watching The Creature from the Black Lagoon over and over again. We had it on VHS, black and white, and I was equally terrified of the slow-walking creature as I was intrigued by its sadness. With characters like Frankenstein's monster, the Wolfman, and Dracula, Universal has maintained the benchmark of classic horror movies. Now, in this new age of cinematic universes, Universal thought it would be a good idea to jump on that train, using their classic monster characters. Thus, with the opening of The Mummy this weekend, we now have the beginning of what they are calling their Dark Universe. Let me j...

      People. It's happened. Warner Bros. and DC did it. They made a superhero movie that wasn't brooding, that was cohesive and understandable; one that happens to be critically-acclaimed and positively reviewed. The time has come to celebrate! After 75 years, Wonder Woman has finally been brought to the silver screen in her own superhero film and it is nothing short of amazing. Look, when it comes to superhero movies, we as a viewing audience have the pick of the litter. It's truly amazing how many power-packed superhero movies exist, and will exist, and in a world where these movies now reside within respective cinematic universes, fatigue and nit-picking will ultimately arise. The DCEU (DC Extended Universe) has been off to a rocky start. Truth be told, I really like all of their films, but I am just one guy. Critics and majority of movie-goers do not share my same level of optimism. In my book, Man of Steel was freaking awesome, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justi...