THE OPTIMIST - MOVIE REVIEWS

      As a kid who grew up watching the Disney animated classic films, Peter Pan was one of my favorites. Then in the 90s, a little film called "Hook" came around and my mind was blown as my love for the character and story grew. To me, Disney's classic animated feature and Steven Spielberg's "Hook" are the Peter Pan cinematic staples. There have been many versions of the beloved story since then, the newest being this weekend's Joe Wright -directed " Pan ". I was optimistic going into this movie, because it looked really interesting, at least from initial impressions. That being said, though this movie had some shining moments, I walked out of the theater scratching my head with a dumbfounded look on my face because my brain was straining to figure out what exactly I had just watched. I was pretty sure it was Peter Pan, sorta. But then again...I just don't know! Let's break it down a bit.    What I DID like about this movie was th...

       Ridley Scott 's latest sci-fi epic " The Martian " is one heck of a ride. Most people, while swimming in a lake of naivety, have dubbed this film Interstellar 2, which both undermines the greatness of Interstellar as well as this drastically different film. Others claim it's merely Cast Away on Mars, which is, in essence, a better comparison. However, The Martian is much more than any comparison one might make. It stands alone as an individual in the sci-fi world, and though it may not be the best sci-fi ever, it's still utterly amazing.    During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney ( Matt Damon ) is presumed dead after a fierce storm hits their base half way through their mission, and is left behind by his crew. Unbeknownst to his crew, NASA and the world, Watney actually survives the storm and finds himself stranded, alone on the hostile planet. With very little supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subs...

      When it comes to the sappy, feel-good stuff with movies, Nancy Meyers never fails to deliver. She has such a pleasant way of balancing emotion and humor in her films that they're really all pleasant experiences all around. Her latest film " The Intern " is a contemporary tale that just makes you feel good. Like, when the the credits roll you feel like you didn't waste your time. Who doesn't love that about a movie going experience? There's a lot of stuff to choose from when it comes to picking a movie to watch today and I'll say it here, The Intern is worth your viewing.    70-year-old widower Ben Whittaker, played by the magnanimous Robert De Niro , has discovered that retirement isn't all it's cracked up to be. After trying endlessly to fill his days with things to do, he feels he may succumb to the black hole of solitude. When a strange new opportunity arises to join a growing online company through their senior citizen intern progra...