THE OPTIMIST - MOVIE REVIEWS

   Movies are my jam. The whole point of this blog was to have a place where I can express my views on movies that I see because I was annoying the heck out of my family with my high-octane, overly-optimistic verbal reviews. I absorb the movie culture like a sponge, from movie news to trailers and commercials for upcoming movies and so on. When I go into a film, I usually know something about it prior to that viewing. That knowledge doesn't really sway my experience because at the end of the day, the cinema is my Fortress of Solitude, and I'll enjoy the experience whether the movie was good or not. Why I'm rambling on and on here will get to a point, I promise. So, last night - as I do just about every Thursday night - I ventured to my local theater and decided to watch a movie I knew nothing about save for who was in it. I've gone into a movie blind before, and I'll tell you, it can be pretty refreshing. I purchased a ticket to see Wind River , knowing only that...

  Director Steven Soderbergh returns to the director's chair after a short hiatus to helm the small crime comedy Logan Lucky . Soderbergh has given us some of the coolest caper films with Ocean's 11, 12, and 13 , and with them he's been able to showcase his fine eye for story and visuals. Opening in the same weekend as The Hitman's Bodyguard , Logan Lucky is a comedy that will probably get overlooked, but hopefully won't.    The story is pretty straight-forward. Two brothers attempt to pull off a heist during a NASCAR race in North Carolina. That's it. That's the premise. Where this movie shines is in the cast performances and the cinematography. The Logan brothers, played by Channing Tatum and Adam Driver, are our protagonists. Jimmy (Tatum) loses his job and struggles to maintain his relationship with his daughter in spite of his ex-wife (played by Katie Holmes). He gets the bright idea to rob the motor speed way. Why? To be honest it's kind of u...

   When it comes to successful comedies, the ones that make it seem to have a host of things go right. This year has seen its fair share so far of some really great comedies that have been well-written, well-produced, with acting that seems genuine and on point. Adding to that list will be another great comedy from the director of Expendables 3 Patrick Hughes; a film that relies heavily on the comedic dynamic between Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson. The Hitman's Bodyguard is a fun, entertaining, action-packed, hilarious yet straight-forward comedy that is easily one of the more entertaining comedies of the year so far. I think a lot of the buzz will come from wanting to see the interactions between Jackson and Reynolds, and rightfully so. If your leads can't hold it together, well then you're sunk. Luck for us that's not the case here.    The Hitman's Bodyguard tells the story of Michael Bryce (Reynolds), the world's top bodyguard who falls on hard t...

     Over the years I've come to really enjoy horror films. I think I've always enjoyed them, but over time I've learned the integral aspect of movie-going, in that if you open yourself up to the story no matter the genre - within the magical bounds of a cinema - the movie becomes more of an experience. For me that aspect seems to ring truer for horror films because that's their whole intent: to give the audience an experience. There are many classic horror films, and even more classic horror failures. This year in particular has seen some really great horror films, starting the year off with the critically-acclaimed Get Out . If you were to ask me though what my current favorite horror movies were, I'd have to say it would be the James Wan-helmed films The Conjuring and Conjuring 2 . Both are fantastic movies beyond their genre, brilliantly crafted and scary as hell. With their success we're beginning to see a cinematic universe bloom. We were introduced t...

       When it comes to book-to-film adaptations, it is very rare that a film is able to do justice to its source material. For this optimistic critic, The Lord of the Rings films are probably one of the best examples of not only getting the spirit of the novels right, but capturing the magic and awe from the page to the big screen. Some may disagree, but in my book its one of the best adaptations to date. In just about every case, the book is always better than the movie, and given that both are separate narrative mediums I don't think there will ever be a situation where book and movie are held at equal footing. With that in mind, we look to this weekend's new releases. One of the most prolific writers of our time, Stephen King, has built a reputation for delivering horrific, tense, engaging, and highly entertaining narratives that span the course of many decades. One of the first authors I read and engaged with, King is a masterful storyteller that has had a...