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During the coronavirus shutdown, each day we will bring you a recommendation from The Post’s Peter Botte for a sports movie, TV show or book that perhaps was before your time or somehow slipped between the cracks of your viewing/reading history. If you’re looking for an eight-part sports movie binge, here you go:
The “Rocky” and “Creed” series
Streaming: All eight movies, Amazon Prime.
8. Rocky V (1990): Pretty sure we all can agree this one was a campy and clumsy mess of the Sylvester Stallone franchise, featuring real-life boxer Tommy Morrison as supposed protégé Tommy “Machine” Gunn and an incredibly non-credible plot of Rocky’s bumbling brother-in-law Paulie (Burt Young) losing the entirety of the family fortune.
Botte Blows: 1 of 5.
7. Rocky IV (1985): This probably will be an unpopular take, but this movie largely is contrived crap, too, from Apollo Creed’s (Carl Weathers) death, to Rocky single-handedly taking down the Cold War, especially the hard-work-versus-steroids training sequence and the politburo’s standing ovation during his “We all can change” speech after defeating Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) in Russia.
Botte blows: 2.5 of 5
6. Rocky Balboa (2006): This one actually regains some of the franchise’s charm tossed aside in the previous two, particularly Rocky’s relationship with his now-adult son (“This is Us” star Milo Ventimiglia) after the death of his beloved wife, Adrian (Talia Shire).
Botte Blows: 2.7 of 5
5. Creed II (2018): The magic and heart of the first “Creed” entry is partly lost in the sequel, especially with the forced premise of Drago, his wife (Brigitte Nielsen) and their son reemerging to fight Apollo’s kid Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan), now the heavyweight champ.
Botte Blows: 3.5 of 5
4. Rocky III (1982): Apollo retires after losing the belt, but comes back to train his former foe after Mickey dies while money-changes-everything Rocky loses the title to stronger, younger and meaner, Clubber Lang (our introduction to Mr. T). Also featuring a pre-Hulkamania Hulk Hogan as charity-wrestling opponent Thunderlips.
Botte Blows: 3.6 of 5
3. Rocky II (1979): Apollo goads Rocky back into the ring after exclaiming “there ain’t gonna be no rematch,” Adrian falls into a coma during childbirth and implores Rocky to “win” when she wakes up and Rocky wins the title. You know, the usual, but it mostly works.
Botte Blows: 3.6 of 5
2. Creed (2015): Jordan is fantastic as Apollo’s out-of-wedlock boxer son, “The Cosby Show’s” Phylicia Rashad signs on as Creed’s former wife and Adonis’ adoptive mom, and many critics believed Stallone should have copped an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, though he lost to Mark Rylance for “Bridge of Spies.”
Botte Blows: 4.4 of 5
1. Rocky (1976): A heartfelt underdog tale on the screen and off, “Rocky” — written by and starring Stallone — became the first of three sports movies ever to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards, upsetting heavyweight contenders “All the President’s Men,” “Network” and “Taxi Driver.” Rocky losing a decision to Apollo in the climactic scene actually is the perfect ending.
Botte Blows: 4.8 of 5
Quote of Note: “Yo, Adrian, I did it!” Rocky, after defeating Apollo Creed for the heavyweight title in Rocky II.
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