THE OPTIMIST - MOVIE REVIEWS

      As January begins to wind down, momentum at the box office is sure to heat up. This weekend marks the opening for the third and final chapter in the Maze Runner series, The Death Cure . I have not read this book series, so to speak to its loyalty to the source material will be out of my reach, but I have to say overall that this series has been quite entertaining. Going into The Death Cure , I'll admit, I had to strain myself to remember what happened in the last film. I don't know if that's a testament to the film's quality or simply the fact that it's been forever since I've seen it. As The Death Cure kicked into gear, I was slowly reacquainted with the characters, plot, and setting. I feel bad but I have to be honest. That being said, The Death Cure is an entertaining movie despite some glaring narrative issues.     Plot wise, this movie takes place...some time after the last one? (LOL I really don't remember). The "Gladers" have te...

     This weekend marks the opening of the epic true story behind the brave men of the first Special Forces team deployed to Afghanistan after 9/11. Under the leadership of a new captain, the team must work with an Afghan warlord to take down the Taliban. The story of 12 Strong is one of courage and bravery in the face of rising hate and evil, something that is ever relevant in society today. The events that took place on 9/11 are forever cemented in the memories of those who experienced it, lost loved ones to it, and witnessed it play out on television. So, any time there are stories that arise that illuminate the heroic nature behind the response to these events, it's hard to criticize. Personally, I thought 12 Strong was a completely serviceable, entertaining, inspiring film and I enjoyed every minute of it.    Chris Hemsworth portrays Captain Mitch Nelson, a inexperienced captain when it comes to combat, but the chosen leader of the group se...

     Well, 2018 is off and running, and that means a new year of (hopefully) really great films. Over the last week or so I've been able to catch a few movies that I've been meaning to see that I wasn't able to get to upon their opening, save for one. This evening I was able to catch Steven Spielberg's newest film The Post , which I'll get to in a second. By way of a little housekeeping concerning this blog, for those few who valiantly read my ramblings (you truly are saints for doing so), my goal for this year is to write about every film I see. Last year there were just as many movies that I watched in theaters that I didn't review in comparison to the ones that I did. So, my goal  is to rectify that. That being said, there may be more of these informal posts that cover multiple movies at a time. Okay, enough of that chit chat, let's get to the movie talk.    Spielberg's The Post is a wonderful film that has a surprisingly relevant message in r...

       About thirty seconds into the opening number in  The Greatest Showman , my wife leans over to me and says "Is this a musical?! How did I not know this! I already love this movie!" Indeed, the new film featuring Hugh Jackman and Zac Efron is, in fact, a musical, and a pretty good one at that. As I try to catch up with 2017's releases, The Greatest Showman was one of those movies that I figured "I'll get around to it." I'm glad I finally did. There's something to be said about walking out of a movie theater feeling joyful, inspired, and thoroughly entertained, and The Greatest Showman offers that in spades. With dazzling musical numbers, an inspiring story, and performances that truly captivate the emotions being displayed, The Greatest Showman is a fun night out at the movies, and well worth your time.    Loosely based on the true story of P.T. Barnum (and I mean loose because this version is nothing like the exploitative nature of the...