Home About TMC Alphabetic Index Hall of Flame Other Film Sites Feedback

Monday:
Rocky Balboa (2006)

...nearly as good as the first...

Buy this poster at

Sylvester Stallone, returns for the sixth (and hopefully last) installment of the Rocky franchise. Rocky, now a widow, begins to see that his life is passing faster than he had previously realized. If only he had just one more chance to show that he is still capable of being the world champion. Mason "the Line" Dixon ( Tarver) gives him that opportunity and the "Italian Stallion" accepts. There is also a cheesy sub-plot that involves a growing relationship with a little girl (she is an adult now, of course!) he met long ago, and the strained relationship with his son, but it isn't worth discussing.

When I heard about Rocky Balboa I thought, "Great! He is going to train his son!". No, instead, they send a sixty year old into the ring. The presence of his age was not kept secret. You could feel it in his actions and words but don't fret. He still runs up and down the stairs in Philly and trains just the same as the other five films.

I really can't be that hard on this movie. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't spectacular. Sure it may seem like a money scheme, but the end result it nearly as good as the first film (it far surpasses the sequels). If you grew up on Rocky, then give him your attention one last time and enjoy yourself. After all, you can finally find out where all of your characters wound up.

R.I.P. Adrienne...

My Rating =

Rent

Wednesday:
Borat: Cultural Learnings of American for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)

...pacing was terrible...

Borat disappointed me on so many levels. I was promised a truly original (which it was) comedy that would blow me away. I may have blinked, but I didn't see the part about it dragging on for what seemed like a month. The pacing was terrible, yet it still manages to be funny...in a disgusting way.

The Kazakhstani reporter, Borat, travels to America to make a documentary about "the greatest country in the world". On his adventure, he is accompanied only by a cameraman who plays a bigger part in the movie than I had ever expected. Once he arrives in New York, he is sidetracked by who he thinks is "the most beautiful woman in the world". Now, with his sights on Los Angeles, he must make it across country (in a car) to marry Pamela Anderson.

If you enjoy stupid-funny movies (e.g. Kung Pow; Scary Movie; Dude, Where's My Car?), then you will find at least some enjoyment out of this film. This movie certainly covers the bases. Borat proves that you can take the man out of Kazakhstan, but you can't take the Kazakhstan out of the man with his unusual behavior. This movie is not for kids or those that do not like nudity, severe language, and and crude sexual content.

My Rating =

Rent

Friday:
There's Something About Mary (1998)

...appeals to a wide variety of people.

Buy this poster at

An awkward high-schooler, Ted (Ben Stiller), gets a prom date with any guys dream girl, Mary (Cameron Diaz). To his dismay, an embarrassing zipper accident cuts it short, but that doesn't stop him from hiring a private investigator (Matt Dillon) almost thirteen years later. Ted receives word that she is currently residing in Miami. So, he naturally makes a visit, only to find that his sleazy detective has fallen head over heels also. They both must resort to lying, cheating and stalking as they compete for Mary's love.

Anybody who has ever seen this movie may remember a certain "hair-gel" scene. That alone warrants the rental of this movie (possibly followed by you buying it!). Cameron Diaz is amazing as she plays monkey in the middle with Stiller and Dillon. For any fans of Ben Stiller (see my review for Night at the Museum), it may benefit your cravings to see the film that threw him into the limelight.

There's Something About Mary appeals to a wide variety of people. It has gross laugh-out-loud humor, romance, plot, and character development (which has been missing in a lot of films). No matter how ridiculous the movie got, I still cared about the people. I actually wanted to see what happened at the end. You may not want to show this at church, but I don't see a problem renting it at home.