Rocky Balboa ...

Should I see Balboa, The Good Shepherd, or Happyness tonight?

 

Good Shepherd

 

Happyness

 

If you're unable to suspend disbelief even a little bit and insist that every story be 100 percent believable, stay away from the movies.

 

He's Yawn. Did you expect him to see what everyone else sees?

 

I did not want to see this. I had no expectations. We went to see "We Are Marshall," but we got there a few minutes late and no one was in the theatre (NOT a good sign). And since we're in bumfuck, the movies have to be out by 11:15, so they couldn't just start the movie for us at 9:10. I was pissed. But everyone was already in bed at my parents house except my dad, who wanted to read his book in quiet, so we went to see Rocky Balboa.

Awesome. I loved it. It was outstanding. Quite moving in parts yet the final climactic fight scene had me as energized as the fight scenes in the first five flicks. I'd forgotten the visceral impact of those fight scenes.

I thought the cinematography was great and I loved the symbolism. The first thing we see Rocky do is feed the turtles. He trains in winter, with snow falling on him. He starts out a slow, lurching old man, yet when he leaves Adrian's graveside in the final scene, he is walking confidently.

I loved how the movie was a symbol of boxing today. The heavyweight division is shit, so bad that even if there was an unbeaten stud, no one would take him seriously because there's no one good to beat. There's more money to be made in a freak show exhibition pitting a washed-up legend against the champ than in any legitimate fight. That Mike Tyson--the type of guy who would fight the champ in a freak show exhibition--had a cameo in which he was hollering at the champ was just awesome.

And this exchange made me laugh out loud:

MASON: You're crazy, old man.
ROCKY: You'll get there.

I'll agree it was egoism on the part of Stallone, but you know what? It worked. He IS Rocky. He's the guy who was on top of the world and now he's a nostalgic punchline. Those who are aware of who he is only want to hear about the old days (loved how he was repeating movie lines at the table…because that’s what fans of his want to do: Recite Rocky lines with him) and those who are too young to remember his prime could care less. He's a guy who had it all and, despite living comfortably, is now toiling in the type of obscurity once unimagined for a man of his stature (i.e. Stallone making straight-to-video dreck). Rocky getting taunted and challenged to a fight at a dive bar--that's Stallone in a nutshell. People who once made him a billionaire now mock him.

It's a decent life, but who wouldn't want the opportunity to go out on his own terms and remind everyone what made him so great in the first place?

I don't like Stallone, think he is an unabashed douchebag. But he made himself sympathetic.

This is exactly what I thought, especially when it's revealed Rocky is running a restaurant. The Holmes similiarities were uncanny...in addition to the restaurant, he is a cinematic version of Holmes: The tough, durable champ who never got the respect of the greats and diminished his legacy by hanging on too long. And Holmes would be one of those guys who fought a champ in his late 50s.

I loved this movie. Outstanding.

 

Did I miss the word "spoilers" in the subject line? :-\

 

Clubber Lang jumps in the ring to rescue Mason Dixon in round 10 and kills Rocky.

Sorry J-D.

 

OK. You're forgiven. But you owe me a buttered popcorn.

 

That's not butter.

 

Laughing.

 

Clerk: Do you want butter?
Elaine: Is it real butter?
Clerk: It's butter-flavored!
Elaine: What is it made of?
Clerk: It's yellow!