The Wrestler

And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Wrestler!

Original image located here. Accessed 16th May 2025

A lot has been said about this movie, with it being the resurrection of Mickey Rourke's career and being one of the best movies of the 2000s. So it therefore becomes difficult to bring something new to the table.
Personally I enjoyed it and think the approach of making this movie comparable to a documentary worked wonders. Rourke is in top form and credit is due to taking wrestling seriously. 

So is this movie the evil cousin of Rocky and Raging Bull? Well that's one way of putting it. But personally I find it fitting that this movie came out the same year as Iron Man: Both movies

• star an actor who had fallen out of favour, 
• delivering a performance that effectively breathes new life to their career 
• in which they play someone who mirrors their personal life.  

But ultimately this wasn't an easy watch so next week I think I might watch something more fun *checks schedule*....Oh hello.....

Million Dollar Baby

  And this week's Friday night movie has been... Million Dollar Baby!

Original image located here. Accessed 4th November 2024

Best Picture Oscar winner no.: 77 (2004)

This one has been a long time coming. 
I guess comparisons to Rocky are inevitable as both are built around boxing and tells the story of an underdog giving it their all. The difference this time however is Clint Eastwood is in the director's chair and he is, for me, a favourite: This is due to the fact that Clint has proven time and time again he can eschew flashiness for taking what he has and doing a lot with it. 

Actually, I feel there this is one important similarity between Million Dollar Baby and Rocky: Both resemble a boxing movie but they aren't really about boxing. And that is the case here: Sure it's a compelling watch but it's only in the final half hour that it shows it's hand. I won't give too much away but throughout the movie there are meditations on poverty, striving to obtain a better life, knowing one can do better than their current situation, and dealing with those who try to disparage - and leech off of - one's success. 
It's a compelling watch with great acting all around, superb direction and a punch-in-the-gut finale. 

Truly a well-deserved winner of Best Picture.

Rocky

  And this week's Friday night movie has been... Rocky!

Original image located here. Accessed 12th July 2024

Best Picture Oscar winner no.: 49 (1976)

It's the ultimate underdog story: A guy who has lost his way is presented with a opportunity at redemption and he approaches it with hard work and dedication. Really, how could this not win the Best Picture Oscar?

Despite my distaste for sports movies, I did enjoy this one in that is well shot, it is filtered through the lens of seventies cynicism/realism, the outcome isn't obvious and it is genuinely inspiring. It also helps to have one of the most unforgettable movie themes supporting it.
But what did surprise me is that there is some degree of goofiness at work here, with Rocky's tendency to talk about random stuff and to anyone in a nonstop fashion (this goofiness, apparently, will be amplified in the sequels). 

Still this movie is, for the lack of a better choice of words, a knockout.