Sam's Review Club

It is refreshing that, ever since the success of Moulin Rouge, the movie musical has been more and more popular over time. The Greatest Showman is certainly a fun film but never reaches the same dramatic heights as many of its predecessors. Some might consider this a bad thing. Showman , however, clearly doesn’t care. Much like P.T. Barnum, this film is concerned with pure entertainment above all else. The Greatest Showman is a straightforward rags-to-riches story about P.T. Barnum (Hugh Jackman), the man who pioneered the circus and, in many ways, modern entertainment. Along the way, he finds a business partner in playwright Phillip Carlyle (Zac Efron), whose character is a composite of multiple historical figures—most notably James Anthony Bailey (of Barnum & Bailey fame). Barnum’s dutiful wife, Charity (a surprisingly refreshing Michelle Williams) stays at his side through the highs and lows and, with the film leaning into the cliché, serves as a moral compass througho...

Happy 2018 everyone! A blog might seem so early 2000s but I swear there's a method to my madness. At the end of 2017, I got MoviePass (which is amazing and everyone should sign up for it). I started seeing more movies and talking about them with my friends, family, and co-workers. As I did, a couple friends suggested that I start blogging about my opinions--I have a lot of them after all. That brings us here. This is a blog that serves a few purposes: I'll get my thoughts on paper (does the internet count as paper?) about all of the movies, television, theater, music, books, etc. that I consume. It will make looking back on all of these memories at each years' end so much easier. This will be a great test of my resolve. Resolutions come and go and they rarely stick. Maybe this will build my determination and commitment throughout the year. Writing for personal enjoyment is so crucial. More than any writings done for work this is the best way to develop one's ...