Director Ben Affleck’s latest is a movie that is about as niche as you could ever dream up. It’s a movie with appeal, sure, but appeal to only a certain subset of audience members. For those hoping for a strong character based drama with conflict, and twists, and laughs, “Air” is unabashedly void of any of the aforementioned. In its place is an unofficial ode to corporations that lures us in with the gratuitous eighties nostalgia. Hey, remember Dire Straits? Remember Hulk Hogan? Oh man, wasn’t “A Team” a good show? Remember Nike? The shoe–not the heinous sweatshop labor accusations.
Tag Archives: sports
Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows (1998)
There are still people out there that complain that wrestling is “completely fake”; I am always compelled to argue that wrestling is in fact not fake. In many ways the performers that wrestle give up their body and health to entertain. In Bret Hart’s case, it he gave up his livelihood, his self respect, and his family. “Wrestling with Shadows” is still a pretty sad and shockingly mesmerizing tale of one of the biggest athletes of the 1990’s and the incident that shook his world and nearly tore him apart.
Creed III (2023)
A lot of the basis for the central idea of the “Creed” movie series has been the mentor student relationship between Rocky and Adonis Creed. So it was bold of Michael B Jordan to not only go on without Ryan Coogler, but without Sylvester Stallone, too. Thankfully he proves that fortune favors the bold, as “Creed III” is a masterpiece. It not only progresses the Adonis Creed character, but it reveals him to be a flawed protagonist who has done things in his life that cause self reflection, but the audience to also step back and examine him.
Chyna’s Hollywood Detour to Ruin
In 2001, Joanie Laurer had departed her precedent-breaking reign in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF – later to be renamed WWE) under the name of Chyna and was hoping to start a new career in movies. In an interview with the Houston Chronicle, she acknowledged she was not going to give Meryl Streep a run for her money.
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Streaming Sundays: Hustle (2022)
After a newly promoted NBA basketball coach gets demoted back to a talent scout, he places all his bets on a young troubled Spanish baller with the potential to be a top NBA draft pick. Hustle (2022) is now available to stream on Netflix.
Point Break (1991) [Female Filmmaker Friday]
A group of high adrenaline seekers robbing banks has attracted the attention of the F.B.I. who sends their new recruit undercover to join the gang and help dismantle them.
Ranking the Rocky Series: From Best to Worst
Being born in 1983, I grew up around the period where Rocky Balboa was a household name, and the movies were wildly popular. “Rocky” and the sequels are childhood favorites, and I very fondly remember watching the worn VHS copies on our VCR, and catching their airings on my local television station WPIX. With Stallone re-releasing “Rocky IV” this year with a brand new Director’s Cut, I thought it’d be fun to re-visit the original series and rank the entire franchise from best to worst.
Feel free to post your ranking in the comments.