THE OPTIMIST - MOVIE REVIEWS

  The lasting power of mythology comes from the innate human element - that nugget of realism in the midst of fantasy - that highlights a fundamental aspect of our existence. There's a reason why the Greek gods and Arthurian narratives still get taught in schools and adapted into various mediums. They are stories of meaning, honed over the years like a boulder rolling down a mountain, smoothing and chipping away in order to remain applicable as time chugs on. Mythology is important; don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I think it was Madeleine L'Engle, author of fantastic contemporary fiction like A Wrinkle in Time , who said something to the point that when we lose our myths we lose our place in the universe. One of my most anticipated movies of the year was a retelling of a famous myth, that of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. My only real connection to this myth was through reading J.R.R. Tolkien's retelling of it, which I read once many, many years ago. David Lowery

  As a movie lover, I'd like to think that I stay pretty up-to-date with what is coming out week to week, what is on the horizon, and all the buzz surrounding those upcoming projects. I love that stuff; makes me feel connected, in a way, to the process, as if I'm more than just a consumer. Sometimes, though, a movie will slip through my radar and completely surprise me. That's what happened with the new Mark Wahlberg feature, Joe Bell . I was scrolling through upcoming movie times, trying to decide if there was something I wanted to venture out and see, and I noticed showtimes for this movie Joe Bell . I knew nothing about it, hadn't heard of its release, and I saw Mark Wahlberg on the poster. I watched the trailer with my wife, who then expressed interest in seeing it, and off we went. I love knowing about movies and how they progress, but I also love not knowing, which made our viewing of Joe Bell that much better. Joe Bell is based on the true story of a small tow

  I will forever defend the hill that says M. Night Shyamalan is a brilliant filmmaker. My appreciation of film as an art form can be focused down to two main elements: The Appendices for the extended editions of The Lord of the Rings (which is basically film school compacted into 12+ hours of behind-the-scenes footage and info), and M. Night's filmography, specifically The Sixth Sense , Unbreakable , Signs , and The Village . M. Night is one of those talents that isn't afraid to take those big swings, even if they're massive misses. He's had a recent resurgence with movies like The Visit , Split , and Glass , after a stint of commercial stinkers, and his latest film OLD , which opens this weekend, is a big swing for sure. Because of my bias towards the filmmaker, it can be hard for me sometimes to really dive into the faults of his films. I loved a lot of what this film does, so we'll focus on that for a bit. OLD is a thriller about a family on a tropical holiday

  I love a good story. Don't you? I mean, stories can be entertaining, sure. But sometimes you come across a tale that hits you right in that meaty area where your emotions tend to hang out and suddenly you realize that stories can be more than just entertainment fodder. I just finished watching a film that is arguably one of the most interesting and unexpected favorites of the year for me. That movie was Michael Sarnoski's Pig .  Pig tells the story of Rob, a truffle hunter who lives alone in the Oregonian wilderness. He's a recluse, quiet and simple. His companion is a foraging pig, a husky little number that Rob deeply cares for. Rob is hiding something; there's a past there, one that will inevitably be explored, but an obvious mystery during the beginning stages of the film. Eventually, we follow Rob as he is forced to return to his past in Portland in search of his beloved foraging pig after she is surprisingly kidnapped.  What attracted me to this film, initially