Rocky Balboa... We're sooo there

It's no big secret that I'm a big Rocky fan. While I think the series has gone hugely downhill since the first movie (which I consider a serious film that I'd rank in my all time top 5), I still liked the sequels for their cheese and 80ness.

In any case, Ethan (Red LAMP) and I will be taking part of tomorrow off to celebrate the launch of comicvine and see the latest chapter in the Rocky chapter. I know it's asking a lot, but I think the new movie might actually get back to the original film's roots and be a good flick. My prediction? Rocky loses after going the distance, bookending the series with the first film.

I've collected some oh so fun training montages from the first 4 movies as well as the trailer to the new one. I like to think rocky 5 never happened.

Rocky 1 Training

Rocky 2 Training

Rocky 3 Training

Rocky 4 Training

Rocky 5 Training

Well, I hate Rocky 5 so i'm not gonna show anything here...

Rocky Balboa Trailer

Awesome dude. It's coming out tomorrow? Let us know how it is!

Thanks for the training clips Captain. Looking forward the new movie.

Zero says:

"Thanks for the training clips Captain. Looking forward the new movie."

Yeah, you really need some tips, Mr Zero.

Im am so looking foward to this movie it got good reviews and I love Rocky!

We just got back after going to the first showing today. Definitely a solid addition. It's much closer to the original movie then the other flicks. It's got it's shakey parts, but overall I was pretty impressed with how Sly wrote/acted/directed it. Definitely closes stuff out well and more importantly isn't silly at all.

Awesome. Can't wait to see it.

Yo Rock! I agree with the good Captain that the first Rocky is a seriously awesome legitimate film. The fact that they didn't cheese out and give it a Hollywood ending really makes it work. I loved Rocky II & III mainly because I saw Rocky II first and was a child of the 80s, so naturally loved Mr. T and Thunderlips. Rocky IV was pretty lame but watchable and yes Rocky V never existed in my mind either.

So I saw Rocky Balboa (interestingly not called Rocky VI potentially because Stallone himself doesn't like to admit Rocky V exists either) recently. When I first heard about it coming out I thought it would be the worst movie ever. Then I read a few reviews right before seeing it and they were all good, so I expected a great film. It was somewhere in the middle. I really really liked the first half of the film. It was damn depressing but very real. The second half really turned on the cheese though, and forced some supporting characters down our throat just to force cliched messages. Overall I enjoyed the film, but it certainly had its faults and I can't see myself watching it ever again. (Whereas I can always tune in for 1-3).

My 2 biggest problems with the latest Rocky:

1) I know Stallone's a lot older but either his face is really messed up or they put horrific makeup on him. At times he looked like he was wearing a Muppet-like mask. Really creepy, fake looking skin.

2) The training scene blew. Thanks for the montage, Cap'n. The training scenes are always the best part of any Rocky film, even #4 in Russia where he's running in the snow helping the horses. But what was this one? He picks up a friggin keg of beer and tosses it down? Yawn.

I agree that the last 20 mins of the movie are the worst. However, the first half of the movie is really a nice bookend for the first movie. I loved the scene where he pulls the lightbulb out of his pocket. That was something Rocky I would have done, not Robot buying Rocky III.

It's not gonna win any academy awards, but I was happy with the film.

If you're looking for quality cinema though, go check out children of men.