Madeleine the Movie Maven

Groundhogs and Movie Marathons

6 degrees… High of 11… -5 with wind chill. No, these aren’t the names of upcoming indie films. They’re the recent temperatures (Fahrenheit) we residents of Northeast Ohio, USA, have endured over the past several bone-chilling, snot-freezing days. And if any of you readers in the upper Northern Hemisphere are thinking, “Wimp!”, let me just say that it’s so frickin’ cold in our part of the globe that FROST has formed on the INSIDE of my windows!

Some meteorologists and climatologists would argue that these torturous temps are “good for us,” that we need this weather to keep our ecological systems healthy. I say, “Hogwash!” The only beings on the planet that benefit from subzero events like this are penguins and polar bears! (And I bet even they get their tongues stuck on an icicle every now and then.)

So what does this ungodly weather report have to do with groundhogs and movie marathons? I don't know about you, but I don't plan to step one toe outside until my thermometer says at least 20 degrees. Punxsutawney Phil – one of many groundhog weather prognosticators – did not see his shadow last Friday, so that means we will enjoy an early Spring. (And he’s the expert around these parts.) I figured it would be a good time to get in a little extra movie watching while we await the early Thaw. Hence “groundhogs” and my new blog category, “Movie Marathons.” I expect this category to be a big hit with my fellow hibernators (and procrastinators).

Bruce Willis kicks off new blog category

When you think of Bruce Willis, the words “action hero,” “king of the one liners” and “brooding cop” come to mind. In honor of the fourth Die Hard movie due out this summer – which will be here faster than you can say “car chase,” I’m giving the inaugural spot to a “die hard” in his own right.

Here are 3 films I recommend for your Bruce Willis movie marathon:

Death Becomes Her – Believe it or not, this is my favorite B.W. character. It’s so far removed from what he normally does, and his performance as the hen-pecked, alcoholic plastic surgeon is fantastic. I plan to add this DVD to my collection very soon.

16 Blocks – I admit I was skeptical when I saw the trailer, but I really enjoyed this movie. It didn’t last very long in the theatres, but I think that was because it had a lot of summer blockbuster competition. Had it been released in March or April, I think it would’ve led the box office for several weeks.

12 Monkeys – Did I hear a few groans? Remember that open mind I referred to in my James Bond post? Go dig it out of the closet. Go ahead, we'll wait............. Yes, this is a sci fi flick. But in case you haven’t heard, sci fi is “in”. And if you don’t believe me, I have two words for you: Battlestar Galactica! 12 Monkeys is one of those flicks you have to watch a few times before you catch everything. In case you’ve forgotten, Brad Pitt was nominated for his performance as the crazy madman (which seems redundant, but it worked for him). Plus, Terry Gilliam directed it!

I can sense some of you heading for the panic button. Maybe you’ve never “coordinated” your own movie marathon before. Fear not! The great thing about films is that they’re inherently creative. That means no rules. You’re in control! No boss telling you that you’re not “following the process” by watching the deleted scenes first. You can watch these movies by yourself or with a dozen friends… You can watch all 3 of them in a row, or 2 in the afternoon and 1 with dinner… or one on Friday, one on Saturday and one on Sunday… You could even watch them in whatever order you want, or watch them more than once! You could say, “Guess what, Madeleine?! I’m choosing three Arnold Schwarzenegger movies instead." And to that I would say, Now you’re getting the picture!

By the way, I have a suggestion for those of you residing in the Southern Hemisphere…grab your laptop and BBQ supplies and head for the patio!

Happy viewing!

Movie Review & Lab Results for Rocky Balboa

L-L-Let’s get ready to revieeewwwwwwwww, Rockyyyyy Balboaaaaaaa! [cue Rocky theme music… “da-da-Daaaaa, da-Da-daaaaa…”]

Now that you have that memorable song running through your head, it’s time for me to present the results to part 2 of my first Trailer Experiment.

To recap, I predicted that I would rank the sixth installment of the Rocky movie series, Rocky Balboa, as “Matinee.” After watching the trailer, I was concerned that the story would be a rehashing of the previous five Rockys. Or is it Rockies? Either way, I’m happy to report that I liked this movie more than I thought I would.

Written and directed by Sylvester Stallone, the creator of the Rocky characters, Rocky Balboa shows us where the champ and his family ended up post-boxing career. Adrian has passed on after a bout with “woman cancer.” Son Robert, a.k.a. Rocky, Jr., (Milo Ventimiglia, of TV show, Heroes, fame) is trying to go the distance working in corporate America (never an easy opponent, I assure you). And Paulie (Burt Young) is still drowning his sorrows in booze, lamenting that his meat-packing job is all he has in life.

So how is the champ doing? Well, he’s still a local celebrity/hero in his hometown of Philadelphia. Fans stop him in public to ask for an autograph. They patron his quaint Italian restaurant called "Adrian’s" to see his boxing memorabilia and have Rocky regale them with stories about his good ol’ days. [Check this out: One of my readers was an extra in a restaurant scene. Click here to read how Sly hand-picked her to be in his movie.]

But Rocky seems to be a little lost without Adrian and takes to reminiscing in the old neighborhoods, which unfortunately have not faired as well as he.

During one of his trips down memory lane, Rocky meets single-mom and barmaid Marie (Geraldine Hughes) at one of his former hangouts. They hit it off and start spending time with each other. Marie introduces Rocky to her son, Steps (James Francis Kelly III), who Rocky seems to relate to more than his son. But Rocky isn’t satisfied. There’s a “beast in the basement” that he needs to exorcise. Thanks to modern technology and an interesting hypothesis put forth by ESPN, Rocky gets his chance.

What I liked: This is an older, wiser, more endearing Rocky, who struggles to give his life meaning in the wake of the death of his beloved Adrian; Paulie’s reaction to Rocky’s musings, “You haven’t peaked yet?!” Great line!

What I didn’t: The editing was a little choppy; the script could’ve used a little polish in places

I predicted: Matinee

After seeing the film, I say: Yo! It’s worth full price

What do you say?

EPILOGUE
So, will there be a Rocky VII? I’m not up on the latest gossip regarding this topic, but let’s brainstorm a few ideas anyway…. I could see Rocky becoming boxing manager and mentor to Steps, which could lead to a showdown between Steps and Rocky, Jr. (this scenario might be too similar to Rocky V).... Or, Rocky could manage the next hot female boxer, something akin to Million Dollar Baby (which was good, but not worth all the hype/awards i.m.o.)… Or, there’s always the prequel option, examining the childhood experiences that led Rocky to the boxing ring. Whatever happens, Stallone can be proud that his timeless story has come full circle, even with the couple of “bumps” it hit along the way (Rocky IV and V).

What do you think?

TEST RESULTS
Part 2 of this experiment taught me that my instincts about a film based on its trailer are not always clear-cut. Sometimes I can’t figure out what my gut is telling me. When this particular feeling appears, I need to remind myself to give the film the benefit of the doubt.

What did you learn?

Stayed tuned for results from part 3 of this trailer experiment: Pan’s Labyrinth, which I’m seeing tonight!

Off I go to listen to my new Bitter:Sweet CD, “The Mating Game,” to get this Rocky theme out of my head….