PossibleOptimism Reviews

Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver (2024)

Glorious Slo-Mo Action & more!

[7/10 · 5 June 2024]

Yes, this movie received way too much hate, more than likely from a Star Wars crazed audience. I've never liked that series for it's dated look and trashy sci-fi tropes. This was something new and different.

Sure there was some repetitive stuff and not the greatest of acting but the CGI and slomo cinematography made up for any lack.

I do feel someone's obsession with shaved heads was a little overdone in this movie and it distracted from what was already an arguably weak story...

Do we need a complicated plot in order to follow a movie today? I don't think so. At the end of the day, a movie should be fun and entertaining.

Rebel Moon is all that and more.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

The Only Perk, was the End...

[3/10 · 18 April 2024]

It's not a fun movie. There was a reason this was so far down the watchlist but I didn't know why until I started watching. Full of teen angst and far too much partying and drinking, it paints the picture of a misunderstood-but-accepted-as-they-are part of society.

It spends far too much time glorifying mental illnesses without any clear solutions. Or just plain out acceptance of immorality. Sets up religion to look not much different than a cult.

Now I know this movie came out some time ago but I still see elements of this unnecessary drama unfolding today. It's no wonder kids have no sense of direction... the moral ambiguity of such a life combined with growing up too fast only leads to confusion.

Then substance abuse, people abuse, and death. Unnecessary trauma brought on by consistently worst choices.

"Let's go be psychos together" literally being a direct quote. Why?

Why don't we figure out the correct way to live the first time around--at least try!--than giving in to possible failure and making mistakes more than likely.

Be better. Seriously, do better. You have it in you. Find some faith and don't quit.

Hunter Killer (2018)

Gets Better... and better!

[8/10 · 7 April 2024]

If you think you're settling in for just a standard submarine film with frantic cramped action and the constant haunting feeling of claustrophobia, you'd be mistaken.

If you go in with the expectation you're getting a heavily CGI'd flick with distracting plot points that go nowhere, well, you'd be pleasantly surprised.

If you... You get the point.

Hunter Killer displaces predictability at every turn up to the very end. Full of strong characters, excellent cinematography, and a story rich in depth and excitement---this was excellent.

The pacing of the politics flowed into the story naturally as a heroic soundtrack came to complete a very fun and entertaining film. Don't miss this one.

Lucy (I) (2014)

Insanely Good.. Bit Trippy Though

[7/10 · 8 February 2024]

You would think something with such an unassuming title would be nothing more than a low grade thriller, but you'd be wrong.

Lucy as a name--as a character--became so much more than Scarlett Johansson's riveting performance. Just think of a gender swapped Limitless, then pump a few hundred more doses into it, add a touch of Matrix style VFX and some good old fashioned quantum philosophy spoken by none other than our most recognizable Morgan Freeman.

Sure, there were some weird and wacky moments leading up to the scifi-like conclusion but ... The soundtrack was always on point, the car chase scenes had me shouting this movie was underrated, why did I wait so long to watch this epic movie?

Fool Me Once (2024)

Great! Ignore bad reviews!!!

[7/10 · 10 January 2024]

For a show that popped up out of nowhere, Fool Me Once was surprisingly good. All I can say about the low star reviewers is they don't know what they're talking about because they didn't finish viewing the whole show.

Binge watching all eight episodes in two days probably helped me get pulled in but not lost in the story. The production quality (though probably not the highest budget) was excellent and the actors did a great job. The main actress, though at times mysterious, was great in her role which became so much more understandable by the end.

As someone who loathes Hallmark movies this was nothing like anything from that studio and I'd hate to see someone led to believe otherwise. And on the other side, nor was it too dark and hard to follow like many other empty shows offered today.

The soundtrack and editing were on point and props to writers of an engrossing story, full of mystery and some very good twists. Highly recommend you do binge watch this British show.

Wild Target (2010)

Quirky, Weird Comedy

[6/10 · 8 January 2024]

Something about British comedies is unreplicated in the world of weird films. Wild Target somehow pulls off being quirky and heartwarming at the same time.

Emily Blunt and Bill Nighy are excellent in there roles and it was fun to see Ronald Weasley as a different character. I do feel the comedic effect was very improvised as it appeared entirely unpredictable..like the production was just winging it through. Some parts laying it on a little thick and then others focused on the romantic or suggestive elements.

All in all, not a bad film, but only good for a single watch with an open mind. And a willingness to suspend disbelief.

Like silencers make pew-pews sound like laser guns.

Feast of the Seven Fishes (2019)

Nostalgic, Calm Christmas Vibes...

[7/10 · 30 November 2023]

Why did I like this so much? It just has this charm that's so hard to describe. From smiling faces to festive seafood dishes, this hidden gem had a lotta heart.

Tony's story had such a mysterious depth, and though some was mentioned, his family-rich Italian environment did much to complete his character.

Beth's character was a breath of fresh air and brought such a grounded youthfulness to the home. Such layered histories and she was able to fit right in naturally.

Sure, there were slow moments. Brief side plots of possible immoralities & substance abuse which makes it not a movie for kids...but these did not derail the film.

It's a calm movie that reminds you of simpler times and surprisingly draws you in-- to Christmas and to the things which matter the most.

The Darkest Minds (2018)

Good Movie but needed to be a mini series...

[7/10 · 27 October 2023]

The Darkest Minds starts out relatively fast and continues to pick up the pace. This never really finds the rhythm, trying to cram too much into just under 2 hours.

Having never read the book, I can't judge how true to story it stayed, but it felt we missed the growth of the story. The initial lore could have been set up in a couple episodes and would have made us feel more emotionally connected to all the characters.

Sure, there was a lot of cliches which plaque many a teen dystopian film, but I believe much of this could have been remedied with a longer run time of six to eight episodes.

And maybe that's why this wasn't a miniseries. They needed the confidence to make it different enough to stand out from The Hunger Games and the Divergent series and they got just so close... Excellent music, great acting, solid vfx, and we're left on a cliffhanger. Bummer.

How I Became a Super Hero (2020)

Cool, Different, and Mildly Dark

[7/10 · 14 September 2023]

For a foreign film, this one was just the right amount of different than the regular superhero fare we typically receive. I found it pretty cool the story felt like we were placed right in the middle of something that was happening and had been occurring for a while.

Even in it's darker moments, everything felt structured and well planned.

After enjoying much of past Marvel and DC movies, I've gotten a taste for the different types of super powers out there. This French flick succeeded in writing its own story and being truly unique in everything including it's flavor of special effects.

And at just the right length.

Heart of Stone (I) (2023)

It's Fun! low ratings are dumb...

[8/10 · 14 August 2023]

I don't know what the other reviewers are going on about but Heart of Stone is a fun Netflix movie and you'd be dumb to disagree... For the past decade, we've been given many overdramatic thrillers with a dark outlook on our current events, and it even depressing view on our future. Deep down, how can anyone say that is something any of us want to experience?

In a world of remakes and reboots, woke garbage and overdone family drama, it's popcorn-straight-to-Netflix-flicks like this that make movie watching all worth it in the end.

Gal Gadot flexed some of her Wonder Woman strength, as a kick-ass secret agent against a standard but no less interesting adversary. Sure, there were a few movie tropes...but that's what a movie is. Not some over-complicated psycho-babble forcing some political agenda down our throats which you pretend to enjoy just to be accepted within the group. End of rant.

Movies are mostly meant to be fun, and Heart of Stone was that and more. Highly enjoyable & highly recommend!!

Sisu (2022)

Gritty and Fun!

[7/10 · 16 July 2023]

From the last battlefields of WWII, in all it's guts and glory, comes a legendary story in equal parts guts and gory... Our hero is a mysterious man with a little known past but his grit and determination is all we need to know. In fact that's what "sisu" means.

His immortality was commendable if wildly unrealistic. But, come on---it was sure as heck entertaining. Like a dark and gritty comic book character's story made into a movie, which may or may not have been done before. Who cares? It worked out great this time around.

Sisu is a unique film... Possibly in the style of Tarantino but far more entertaining. Possibly just a bit over the top but in a fun way. And more than likely one in which to suspend disbelief just to enjoy quality filmmaking. See Sisu! It's great!!

Lost Bullet (2020)

Fun French Fast 'N Furious

[8/10 · 3 July 2023]

It's rare I find a foreign flick that's this entertaining and doesn't fall into the bad habit of dark cinema. With just enough evil intent, these villains painted a picture which felt real and brutal enough.

It's only about 90 minutes but it truly felt longer as we grew to know our main character, with little backstory but an understanding of his values. Though meeting a few more characters added some much-needed richness to the story.

The car stunts were splendidly done, everything performed practically (or at least most of it) and though it had elements of Fast & Furious, it felt far more real. All in all, praise must be given to the filming as the composition and quality felt polished to perfection...

The Mother (2023)

Solid Action Film.. Beautifully Shot

[7/10 · 19 May 2023]

It's not often I get to recommend you ignore the low ratings and poor reviews but this is one of them. Somehow Netflix brought us a decent action film this year.

J Lo delivers a pretty solid performance as an ex-military killing machine. She made mistakes and enemies along the way, then ended up with a child she couldn't keep. Much of the movie is focused on this choice.. but so much more.

Sure there's a few cliches. We've got a scarred British bad guy and some several scenes of implausibility. There's the usual "suspend your disbelief" moments and "lucky breaks" but it doesn't distract too much from enjoying this popcorn thriller. And there were some very realistic poignant moments between mother and daughter.

Couple that with filming in epic locations and an excellent score---you've got a recipe for a fun film. Don't miss this entertaining ride!

National Treasure: Edge of History (2022–2023)

Good.. first Drama Episodes, then Treasure

[7/10 · 15 March 2023]

It's less National Treasure and more twenty-something's drama but it's definitely watchable. Here's a breakdown:

Pros: Good set design, great opening intro. Definitely doesn't feel low budget but does feel made for TV.

Catherine Zeta Jones & Lisette Olivera are great in their roles, with a few others.

The inclusion of characters from the original films such as two FBI agents and even Riley Poole was well placed.

Cons: There was far too much teen angst and the build-up to a love triangle than required for a treasure story. Honestly it was rather distracting and unnecessary for the story's progression.

Oren's acting was abysmal. Script criticism aside, the dude's delivery was consistently cringy-worthy. I kept wondering how he got the role or why there was the unrealistic 'sneaker obsession/convention's. And with facial expressions from third grade acting class---I'm sure someone else has to have noticed.

Gotta mention Tasha, the token black friend with forced sassy attitude.. and somehow hacker-like abilities? Seriously why did you drag in feminism, woke culture, and environmentalism (I think?) and drop it into one character? And the whole hacking thing was terrible, you can see all that flight data on websites for free. No TV antennas required.

There's more plot holes and obvious movie/tv show ploys such as the fake magical compass, attempts to use technology in absurd ways, or the dumbed down nature of the script that insisted on explaining things far too much without letting us come to our own conclusions... but it's not all bad.

I think it's a decent enough Disney Plus show. It's not unwatchable, or deserving of all the hate it seems to have received.

Though it's not the National Treasure we remember, the last episode does bring back at least a taste of nostalgia we've been missing and it would be worth it to give this a try...

The Paper Tigers (2020)

Flat Indie Flick with.. Kung Fu?

[4/10 · 31 January 2023]

It's hard to determine what this film was supposed to become, only knowing something was missing.

Maybe we've become accustomed to the top rated choreography and fight sequences of movies with higher budgets, but a story with characters you care about isn't found in Paper Tigers.

The film's take on backstory and the resulting damage on the main character was unentertaining. Most of it seemed derivative with a thinly-veiled reference to Karate Kid, Master Shifu, and Kung Fu Panda. Each actor had their moment to whine about the past but there was no real closure, no great revelation which showed any real development.

I would say the only good moment was the mild satisfaction in the final fight. All in all, it was a decent attempt but maybe the original plan to include Bruce Willis would have actually succeeded.

Fatman (2020)

Oddball Thriller Just Doesn't Work

[4/10 · 8 December 2022]

Fatman does its level best to kick you in the jingle bells with a slasher/thriller/almost-comedy, and succeeds somehow. Less than happy at being mildly entertained, you're more disappointed this b movie flick can't decide what it is...

Make an annoying kid hold unrealistic power but contribute nothing to the story. Check.

Deliver a crazy hit man with a Cruella complex and unexplained childhood trauma. Check.

Skin swap a main character without explanation or justification and make it glaringly obvious so it's distracting 99% of the viewers away from the ridiculously constructed story? Do we get a double check if she can be from another country and has a funny haircut? Hey, The Oscars called, we met our quota! Yay.

We might have a chance...

The Princess (I) (2022)

Go Goofy Girl Power!!

[6/10 · 28 November 2022]

From an imaginary kingdom forgotten in time and shrouded in medieval cliches, Joey King does her swash-buckling best to deliver a warrior princess. Backed by a decent supporting cast and an upbeat cinematic rock track, The Princess finds a way to give at least a semblance of video game realism.

Do we have to suspend belief? Oh but, of course. How could one girl fight off that many soldiers except if they were but doddering drunks lacking every skill but ill-timed laughter?

Did the martial arts instructor seem like a fill-in with a cheesy mystical mantra?

Wasn't that sewer water awfully clean?

All that aside, it's a truly entertaining movie and despite the overdone parkour, they pulled off some well choreographed stunts. The special effects weren't terrible for what it is and the camera work was great. Would recommend to older teens and up. Anyone not a history buff, probably...

10,000 BC (2008)

Really great!

[7/10 · 1 August 2022]

Honestly, it seemed this movie was too harshly rated. So it was far from perfect, I personally enjoyed it quite a bit.

Acting from our two attractive leads was engaging and believable. Though the story seemed a little rushed for the sub 2 hour time slot, the CGI and visual effects held up pretty good for 2022. It's no over-the-top big budget by today's standards but the authenticity made it more than a passable popcorn flick.

If you tire of the wokeness fare of late, and enjoy the adventure movies of the 90s.. don't miss 10,000 B. C.

Hanna (2019–2021)

Best Binge-Worthy Show on Prime!!

[10/10 · 20 June 2022]

From the forests of Europe to the starkness of modern cityscape, Hanna draws us in with a mysterious understanding in her piercing eyes.

The mildly slow burn beginning of season 1 leads way to fast action throughout the second. The final season wraps up with a fantastic blend of the two as our characters complete their journey back. Betrayal, justice, and love all line up at just the right time for an emotional ending. This has been one of the best offerings Prime video has ever delivered.

And for me so far, the best show of the year...

Murder on the Orient Express (2017)

Pleasantly surprised...very well done, indeed

[8/10 · 25 April 2022]

From the far reaches of a snowy mountaintop, a mustachioed Kenneth Branagh delivers us a twisting story of intellect and wry justice. Fascinating cinematography gives way to a choice array of acting talent, including (but not limited to): Penelope Cruz, Josh Gad, and Johnny Depp. More developed than a typical whodunit, the audience is saved from the dreariness of a cold psychological thriller in favor of rich story and visuals.. which served to enhance---not distract from the experience.

I'd highly recommend this movie to anyone with but half an inkling of interest.

Sing 2 (2021)

So Much Heart!!

[9/10 · 11 April 2022]

After enjoying the first Sing movie last year, I was pleasantly surprised with how much the sequel surpassed expectations. The familiar track selection for this movie was excellently curated and there was something special about our characters this time around. So much more than an animation, this movie had so much heart and through all the laughter and tears I enjoyed it immensely. Don't miss it!

Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

Chaotically paced...but amazingly good

[8/10 · 10 March 2022]

I've waited too long to watch this.

As a fan of Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, I should have guessed it would be a stellar performance from both. Sure, the pacing was chaotic and hard to get used to, but I found myself engaging with the story which weaved itself realistically with a cast of possibly all misunderstood characters. Family, relationships, personal struggles.. it all painted a relatable picture of quite simply, the human condition. And presented hope that somehow, someday, we can all be in the right headspace to see the silver lining...

Sicario (2015)

Horrific Thriller with No Redemption..

[2/10 · 7 March 2022]

Starting off with a bang, Emily Blunt carries this realistic thriller on a rough ride through the southwestern desert and beyond. Though heartless characters are brought on screen, they receive no comeuppance. They paint the wall with innocent blood and the bad guys walk away.

If this is considered a 'perfect' movie, the bar is far too low. It's not like I'm unaware of the very real situations surrounding the drug cartel, but to make such a depressing film with no resolution, no redemption..what was the freaking point?

We watch movies for escapism from the pressures of life and to enjoy watching others overcome their trials. There was no overcoming, just abuse, torture, and wanton human destruction. I gave it a plus for the cinematography and respect for the actors as well..but I do not recommend this movie.

Reacher (2022– )

Entertaining new thriller series...

[8/10 · 12 February 2022]

As someone mildly interested when this series was announced and familiar with the previous movies, I was pleasantly surprised with the solid storytelling in this gutsy new series. In between pausing to appreciate southern roots and colorful characters or holding my breath as the suspense rose... I did notice a few distracting flaws.

The scene with the badass woman defending a dancer in the strip club jarringly made no sense and seemed obligatory towards today's 'woke' society. Similar towards Reacher's defense of a cute dog and subsequent takedown of the owner. These two scenes were so outside the story and contributed nothing except possibly a weak attempt to make our toughest characters appear more human. Also, in the final showdown, as bad guys began falling, their guns lay prime for the taking---yet our heros seemed oblivious to the possible advantage..!

But all this aside, I did enjoy it and I am looking forward to a second season. Especially if we leave bloody Margrave behind and explore not only another state all together (and take down a few more dirty cops) but discover more of what Reacher has yet to overcome.

Eternals (2021)

Hit And a Miss

[4/10 · 21 January 2022]

I think Marvel stretched themselves too far on this one. I mean, they had me in the first half but I still was waiting for it to get better. Instead, the next hour and a half let me down a dark path with characters we really couldn't care about, their backstories non-existent or simply pointless because they've just been alive to unbelievably long.

Sure the CGI was incredible, the creature design was unique, the visuals just wow, but the pacing-- switching back and forth from different eras destroyed any hope of a purpose.

Weird decisions were made like unessesary inclusions of controversial scenes, failed jokes, and confusing casting... It just felt, uncomfortable.

And why the heck did Harry Styles show up?