As I've mentioned before, comedy is my favorite genre, because it's a way to be able to totally escape into different situations where they, a lot of times, are incredibly over-the-top so one can simply enjoy. However, within the past decade, or more, comedies have not been very funny, if funny at all. So whereas I always looked forward to the next comedy, I now have anxiety when a comedy is released wondering if its going to be a total wasteland or not. One very funny film I, with great trepidation, went to see was "Daddy's Home", and it seriously surprised me.
Brad Whitaker (Will Ferrell) is a mild-mannered everyman whose only goal in life is to be the best stepdad to the two kids of his wife Sarah (Linda Cardellini). Just when he thinks he finally won them over, Sarah's supercool ex-husband and biological father of her children, Dusty Mayron (Mark Wahlberg), comes back into the picture determined to usurp Brad's standing as the favorite dad. These two polar opposites soon get caught up in a competition to win the hearts of the family they both love, but their rivalry quickly escalates out of control. Brad seeks advice from his boss, Leo Holt (Thomas Haden Church) at the radio station that Brad works, about his problem with Dusty basically muscling himself into his family, and Leo only confuses Brad even more than Brad already is. With all the uproarious situations going on, which one will ultimately win in spite of their tremendous differences?
Others to round out the cast are Bobby Canavale as Dr. Francisco, Hannibal Buress as Griff, Scarlett Estevez and Owen Vaccaro as Megan and Dylan, the kids, Bill Burr as Jerry, Bully's Dad, and Jamie Denbo as Doris.
Obviously director Sean Anders ("Never Been Thawed" '05, "Sex Drive" '08, "That's My Boy" '12, "Horrible Bosses 2" '14), knows his way around a comedy considering his aforementioned resume. He's a consummate pro at creating setups with his actors so they come across even funnier than normal, so when they are in the middle of a particular pratfall, with the pacing being just so, ends up being funnier than usual. It was creatively written by Brian Burns, Anders and John Morris based on a story by Burns. Much in the vein of whacky comedies this film soars. Its dialogue and pratfalls meld together very well which makes this much funnier than I would've thought. Then add the ingredient of there being an 'odd couple' situation (two totally opposite personalities) thrown in the mix, and you end up with some seriously hefty belly laughs. Sure, this is nothing worthy of an Academy Award, which I'm sure was purposed, and there was a little choppiness in script, but it was pure escapism at its finest, and the chemistry between Ferrell and Wahlberg was first rate. This was a much better teaming of these two than was "The Other Guys", mostly because the writing in this was far better.
If you want to go to the multiplex just to escape into an uproarious story with funny lines and pratfalls, this will be the vehicle for you. Even if your taste falls more with the dry comedies, if one keeps an open mind, one will see that this is truly funny, and we could all use a good laugh every now and then.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: PG-13 96mins.
Films that are based on causes that are a strain on our society are often fraught with emotion that can range from a crawl to a gallop depending on the issue at hand. We've seen many issue-related films: "Silkwood", "Contagion", "Philadelphia", "The China Syndrome", "Still Alice". And in each one of these films, the issues brought up are to inform using talented acting, writing and directing to tell a story in hopes that the audience can take what they see and learn from it. This is surely what the studio and writer of "Concussion" were undoubtedly attempting to convey as well.
This dramatic thriller based on the incredible true 'David vs. Goliath' story of American immigrant Dr. Bennet Omalu (Will Smith), is a brilliant forensic neuropathologist who made the first discovery of CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy)-- a football-related brain trauma. He performed an autopsy on a 50 year-old pro football player and found the condition then only to have to fight for the truth to be known. Omalu's emotional quest puts him in at dangerous odds with one of the most powerful institutions in the world-- the NFL. So with the help of his boss, Dr. Cyril Wecht (Albert Brooks), an NFL 'defector', Dr. Julian Bailes (Alec Baldwin) and his smart and understanding girlfriend, Prema Mutiso (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), he pursues to attempt to convince the NFL that they are basically killing their football players with little to no success.
Others to round out the cast are David Morse as Mike Webster, Arliss Howard as Dr. Joseph Maroon, Mike O'Malley as Daniel Sullivan, Eddie Marsen as Dr. Steven DeKosky, Hill Harper as Christopher Jones, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Dave Duerson, Stephen Moyer as Dr. Ron Hamilton, Paul Reiser as Dr. Elliot Pellman, Luke Wilson as Roger Goodell, Richard T. Jones as Andre Waters and Sara Lindsey as Gracie.
This was directed effectively by Peter Landesman ("Parkland" '13). Certainly this filmmaker is a relative newcomer in the director's chair--he's more of a writer, but this was delineated in such a way that he allowed Smith's character, Omalu to be showcased in order to emit the true importance of what this film was attempting to convey to its audience. The others were there to bounce Omalu's passionate lines off of. He will certainly receive more work. It was written incredibly well by Landesman ("Parkland" '13, "Kill the Messenger" '14) which is based on the GQ article "Game Brain" (in part) by Jeanne Marie Laskas. Truly this writer has a lot to say, as did Smith in this, because the passion of both exuded importance of a topic that not only needs to be addressed, but because it's not being addressed as much as it should be, many are dying in the process, namely anyone who is involved in a consistent high contact situation--this zeroing in on football. Sure, this did get a bit preachy, but it's more forgiving considering how much an entity like the NFL has to be jolted to 'get the hint'. How many more guys in this sport, as with others, have to needlessly die for all to be protected so they can live long, productive lives? Landesman makes this perfectly clear with conviction, passion and clarity. Look, when I'm not reviewing films, I work in an ICU where we see many neurological cases due to auto/motorcycle accidents and the like, and if these people can sustain a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) or the like, why would it be so difficult to believe that these sports figures couldn't sustain CTE's or TBI's when in constant head on contact? Think about it. Also, Smith's performance was his best ever. I see a possible Oscar nod in the making.
If message films are your thing, get ready for a delight, but even if you're just into fluff and pure entertainment, this has got to speak to one's heart, because, at the end of the day, aren't all of us more important than our own desires to sit and just watch fluff all the time?
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: PG-13 123mins.
There is the genre of drama and that of comedy, then there's the combination of both as is nicknamed 'dramedy'. Sure, films that combine the two genres is not a new idea, but when they are combined in a way that a film could not survive without one of them, this is when you have a film like "Joy".
This is the wild true story of Joy Mantano (Jennifer Lawrence) and her Italian-American family comprised of Rudy (Robert DeNiro), her father, Terry (Virginia Madsen), her mother, Mimi (Diane Ladd), her grandmother, and Tony (Edgar Ramirez), her ex-husband, across four generations center on the girl who becomes the woman who founds a business dynasty by inventing the Miracle Mop and becomes the matriarch in her own right. Betrayal, treachery, the loss of innocence and the scars of love, pave the road in this intense emotional and human dramedy about becoming a true boss of family and enterprise facing a world of unforgiving commerce. Allies become adversaries and adversaries become allies, both inside and outside the family, as Joy's inner life and fierce imagination carry her through the storm she faces. One silver lining in her quest to market her Miracle Mop is that of Neil Walker (Bradley Cooper) who is the marketing manager of a TV station where she hopes to sell her product. This tells the story of family, loyalty and love all in a way that turns Joy's world upside down.
Others to round out the cast are Isabella Rossellini as Trudy, Rudy's girlfriend, Dascha Polanco as Jackie, a family friend, Elisabeth Rohm as Peggy, Rudy's daughter of his first marriage, Susan Lucci as Danica, Laura Wright as Clarinda, Maurice Benard as Ridge, Donna Mills as Priscilla, Jimmy Jean-Louis as Touissant, Ken Howard as Mop Executive and Ray De La Paz as Tony's Father.
This was written and directed by the incomparable David O. Russell ("Spanking the Monkey" '94, "Flirting with Disaster" '96, "Three Kings" '99, "I Heart Huckabees" '04, "The Fighter" '10, "Silver Linings Playbook" '12, "American Hustle" '13) based on a story by Annie Mumolo and Russell. This filmmaker is extremely talented in how to combine drama and comedy where it gives one a sense of escapism along with the conveyance of being real with plot and character development. And using a lot of the same actors in several of your films is actually smart thinking, especially if the actors work well with each other. The last time this concept was utilized, was when Christopher Guest directed his films, "Best in Show", "A Mighty Wind", "For Your Consideration", etc. These films were not dramedies--they were total comedies, but the usage of the same cast was incredibly effective. Mind you, the comedy in this, as with Russell's other last few films is very powder dry, but this makes for great comedy, because one has to actually think about the script a little more than just having a total pratfall, toilet humor driven comedy. Jennifer Lawrence simply shined in this as the title role and the film has garnered a Golden Globe nomination. Could she be seeing a possible Oscar? Only time will tell. She certainly deserves it.
If you're a Russell fan as I am, you'll be in film heaven, but even if it's not, well crafted films don't come along all that many times in one's life. My advice? Reach out and grab this brass ring, because if you don't, you'll miss out on a true gem.
Out of 4 Stars: 4 Rated: PG-13 124mins.
Films based on true stories have become as prevalent and frequent as disaster films were in the 1970's. But what makes "The Big Short" different than most films 'based on a true story' is that this story is based on an outlandish premise that if one didn't see based on a true story at the beginning of the film, you'd swear it was pure fiction. This was a more dramatic view of an outrageous true story whereas "Pain & Gain", based on a true story was a lighter view of an outrageous film based on a true story. Did you get that?
This true story explores the 2008 financial crisis through the lens of four unorthodox moneymen, who foresaw the consequences of the fraudulent mortgage-lending practices of large banks on Wall Street. Christian Bale plays Michael Burry, a former hedge-fund manager who was one of the first to forecast the collapse of the credit bubble due to excessive subprime lending. Steve Carell is Mark Baum (based on the real-life Steve Eisman), a money manager who rose to fame after successfully betting against subprime mortgages. Ryan Gosling is Jared Vennett, a money/commodities investor who convinces Baum and his associates to basically bet against the banks in order to profit, and Brad Pitt plays Ben Rickert, an ex Wall Street investor who ends up mentoring both Charlie Geller (John Magaro) and Jamie Shipley (Finn Wittrock). These two young investors find out that things don't seem up and up in the financial realm, so they consult with Rickert to help them win over the financial community in order to profit. All these investors have two motivating factors that catapult them to act upon this situation: 1) to expose 'Wall Street' for what it is and hopefully reap financially from it.
Others to round out the cast are Melissa Leo as Georgia Hale, Marisa Tomei as Cynthia Baum, Mark's wife, Jeremy Strong as Vinnie Daniel, Rafe Spall as Danny Moses, Hamish Linklater as Porter Collins, Karen Gillan as Evie, Tracy Letts as Lawrence Fields and Adepero Oduye as Kathy Tao.
This was surprisingly well directed by Adam McKay ("Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" '04, "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" '06, "Step Brothers" '08, "The Other Guys" '10, "Lifecasters" (TV movie documentary) '13, "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues" '13). I say surprisingly because this filmmaker's claim to fame are the light comedy fare you have seen, hence his resume. This is a drama, with some comedic relief, but a drama nonetheless. So his talent shines in that he was able to get these actors to convey the characters they're playing quite effectively despite this not being the genre he typically directs. It was equally well written by Charles Randolph and McKay based on the book by Michael Lewis. What's interesting about this is the fact that the film begins in the year 2005, where it introduces us to the different characters and slowly how they caught on to an insightful outlook of the banks coming up with these bogus mortgage bonds that the public were getting conned into, and then as the years progress, the more others were jumping on the bandwagon to expose and try to benefit from the greed of the bankers. Instead of starting at 2008 and trusting its audience that they will easily catch on to the ludicrous stance of the bankers, these writers pursued their audience with a screenplay delineating slowly how this outlandish story actually took place. There were a couple of places of the lack of some cohesiveness, but all in all, this script rocked! The smart move was choosing one writer (Randolph) who is mostly a dramatic writer and (McKay) who predominantly writes comedy. This definitely made for an effective combination. And both Bales's and Carell's performances were captivating and mesmerizing. Carell fairs so much better in the genre of drama, that I wish he would perform more in it.
While this was coming down all around us back in 2008-09, it was so devastating to so many people that this story simply had to be told. So when one goes to see this, it will graphically detail what actually happened to all of those people's money.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: R 130mins.
Certainly when it comes to film franchises, the Star Wars franchise has got to be one of the oldest around, considering the original "Star Wars" was released to packed theaters in 1977. Since then this phenomena has packed theaters since. "Star Wars: The Force Awakens", being the seventh installment--episode VI, will undoubtedly gross major bucks at the box office like "Avatar" did a number of years prior.
Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) has vanished, and both the Resistance headed up by Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) who is now a general, and the sinister First Order headed up by Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) are searching for him. Crack pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) inadvertently obtains a digital map to his whereabouts, but when everything goes wrong, a droid called BB-8 becomes the centre of the search, along with scavenger Rey (Daisy Ridley) and a stormtrooper deserter FN-2187 whom later Poe renames Finn (John Boyega), who have found the droid. Because they're attempting to protect the droid, they inadvertently end up fighting the First Order with the Resistance along with Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) to put an end to this evil and to locate, once and for all, Luke Skywalker.
Others to round out the cast are Domhnall Gleeson as General Hux, Lupita Nyong'o as Maz Kanata, Anthony Daniels as C-3PO, and Max Von Sydow as Lor San Tekka.
This was effortlessly directed by J.J. Abrams ("Anatomy of Hope" (TV movie) '09, "Star Trek" '09, "Super 8" '11, "Star Trek Into Darkness" '13). Obviously this filmmaker knows a thing or two about the filming of a big-budget, high adrenaline, explosive movie--look at his resume, because it certainly speaks volumes. He's one of the few directors out there today that knows how to emit intensity from his actors as well as tenderness when needed and pull it off equally well depending on the scene at hand. It was equally well written by Lawrence Kasdan, Abrams and Michael Arndt. It has to be written well since these writers are seasoned, talented guys. Between all of them, their resume would go on forever. Suffice it to say, these guys can write a screenplay. And with the exception of a couple of very small slow places in script, this soared. There were places where the film looked like it didn't know what to do given a slower scene, but very quickly rebounded and then accelerated.
What can I say about the composer, John Williams. This guy is a movie composer legend. You know, the same guy who composed music for "Jaws", "Raiders of the Lost Ark", E.T. The Extra Terrestial", "Superman", "Lincoln", "War Horse", "A.I.", and the first "Star Wars" plus tons of others. His score fit this film so well it was amazing. And, of course, the visual effects by ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic) were absolutely seamless. Oscar nods could go to visuals, music and possibly photography-- time will only tell. There were a few surprises, but to say it will continue wouldn't ruin any surprise, because one would have to know it will continue before you walk in the multiplex.
For all the Star Wars freaks out there, you will revel, however even if this is not your franchise, one can still get something out of this considering the talented people working on this and the fun escapism story that will keep you riveted. Break out the popcorn!
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: PG-13 135mins.
When it comes to different films, whether they be based on a true story or are period films, so often are they not represented in the same film, especially when they are based as far back as the 1800's. Mind you, some films include these two elements, but most clearly do not. So when I realized that a film in which inspired Herman Melville's "Moby-Dick" was coming to the theaters, I just had to go see this. And what I viewed was stunning in both acting and direction.
In the winter of 1820, the New England whaling ship Essex was assaulted by something no one could believe: a sperm whale of mammoth size and will, and an almost human sense of vengeance. The real-life maritime disaster would inspire Herman Melville's "Moby-Dick". But that told only half the story. This story reveals the encounter's harrowing aftermath, as the ship's surviving crew including Captain George Pollard (Benjamin Walker) and First Mate Owen Chase (Chris Hemsworth) is pushed to their limits and forced to do the unthinkable to stay alive. Braving storms, starvation, panic and despair, the men will call into question their deepest beliefs, from the value of their lives to the morality of their trade, as their captain searches for direction on the open sea and his first mate still seeks to bring the great whale down.
This starts as a flashback in 1850, whereas an older whaler who survived the Essex, Tom Nickerson (Brendan Gleeson) is telling his harrowing story to Herman Melville (Ben Whishaw) who had to know the story first hand himself. As the story unfolds, it fades to 1820, logging everything that transpired aboard the doomed ship. However, what interests Melville more is the part about the whale, because that has never been the actual given reason of the Essex's undoing.
Others to round out the cast are Cillian Murphy as Matthew Joy, Michelle Fairley as Mrs. Nickerson, Tom Holland as Thomas Nickerson, Paul Anderson as Caleb Chappel, Frank Dillane as Henry Coffin, Joseph Mawle as Benjamin Lawrence, Edward Ashley as Barzillai Ray, Sam Keeley as Ramsdell, Osy Ikhile as Richard Peterson, Gary Beadle as William Bond and Jamie Sives as Cole.
This was finely directed by the consummate Ron Howard ("Grand Theft Auto" '77, "Night Shift" '82, "Splash" '84, "Gung Ho" '86, "Parenthood" '89, "Apollo 13" '95, "A Beautiful Mind" '01, "Cinderella Man" '05, "Frost/Nixon" '08, "The Dilemma" '11, "Rush" '13) plus many others. One thing I can truly respect Howard for is that he is willing to tackle any subject or genre, whether they be controversial or total fluff and anywhere in between. And every film is very important to him regardless of its impact or message that it's attempting to convey. The actors in this simply looked effortless in their roles like they were actually the characters they were portraying, but, of course, this is Howard. He has come such a long way from Opie on the Andy Griffith Show. Who would've thought then that this would be where we'd see him now? This was effectively written by Charles Leavitt ("K-Pax" '01, "Blood Diamond" '06, "Seventh Son" '14) based on a story by Leavitt, Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver which is based on the book, "In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex" by Nathaniel Philbrick. This writer certainly has the resume to handle this type of script and this showcased his abilities. There were a couple of very small slow areas in this, but nothing to really take away from the impact he was obviously wanting to convey to his audience. And the visual effects by Double Negative, Scanline VFX and others actually enhanced this story even more.
If you're into maritime disaster films, this will put you in that happy place for one to revel. Certainly observing the brilliance of Howard's direction alone is worth the price of admission. And with the incredible visuals along with an IMAX and 3D format, this becomes fine escapism at its best.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: PG-13 121mins.
Of late we've seen a plethora of films based on a true story or person, so it actually excites me to see and review a film that is based on a novel--strictly fiction. I thought Hollywood had forgotten how to make movies fictionally based until I saw "Brooklyn". Showing the intricacies of life in the big city as immigrants embark on the U.S. during the 1950's, was both touching and entertaining.
A young Irish immigrant, Ellis Lacey (Saoirse Ronan) lands in 1950's Brooklyn, where she quickly falls into a new romance with Tony (Emory Cohen). When her past catches up with her, she must choose between two countries and the lives that exists within.
This tells the profoundly moving story of Ellis being lured by the promise of America, so much so, that she departs Ireland and the comfort of her mother's home and her supportive sister, Rose (Fiona Glascott) for the shores of New York City. The initial shackles of homesickness quickly diminish when she meets Tony and falls into the intoxicating charm of love. But soon, her new vivacity is disrupted by her past, and Ellis must choose between two countries and two loves: Tony in the U.S. and Jim (Domhnall Gleeson) in Ireland.
Others to round out the cast are Jim Broadbent as Father Ford, Julie Walters as Mrs. Kehoe, Brid Brennan as Miss. Kelly, Matt Glynn as Priest, Maeve McGrath as Mary, Jane Brennan as Mary Lacey, Eileen O'Higgins as Nancy, Peter Campion as George Sheridan and Eva Birthistle as Georgina.
This film was finely delineated by director John Crowley ("Intermission" '03, "Celebration" (TV movie) '07, "Boy A" '07, "Is Anybody There?" '08, "Closed Circuit" '13). This filmmaker, by his very resume, sticks to what he does best--independent films. With the exception of "Closed Circuit", he's an indie type of guy, and why not--some of the most artfully, creatively done films are indie films, "Brooklyn" being one of them. His actors had a subtle approach to how they were to convey their characters to the audience and this takes a talented director, whether the actor is consummate or not. It was brilliantly written by Nick Hornby ("Fever Pitch" '97 and '05, "An Education" '09, "Wild" '14) plus others. OK, I'm not sure what "Fever Pitch" is about. With the talent of this writer, I suspect one must pay their dues in order to be able to write scripts they can sink their teeth into, whereas "Wild" was phenomenal and a great character written for Reese Witherspoon. This film showcased Saoirse Ronan's incredible ability to act. She actually proved her acting ability in "Atonement", but Hornby's script simply gave her an amazing vehicle to prove is a consummate pro--possibly with an Oscar nod in her grasp, and Emory Cohen as Tony was a delight and had great chemistry with Ronan. The production values were incredible and spot on for the period in which was represented: production design, costumes, photography were true to the era.
With so many big-budget, high adrenaline, violent and graphic films we are besieged with these days, it's a welcome breath of fresh air to see a film about simple life in the city about a couple meeting and getting to know one another and how that ultimately affects others around them. This is a must see this Christmas for all to experience. And by film's end, one can walk out of the multiplex not only feeling better about one's self, but also the same of those around you.
Out of 4 Stars: 4 Rated: PG-13 111mins.
There are many original films Hollywood has graced us with since the beginning of films themselves, but since the last 3 to 4 decades back, this same community has realized that there is a ton of money to be made with as little work involved in expanding a film into a sequel or sequels. As these sequels have grown, film franchises have blossomed from them. We've seen a plethora of franchises, but I think one of the oldest franchises is that of the "Rocky" one dating back to 1976. There's been "Rocky" and "Rocky II, III, IV, V and VI" and even "Rocky Balboa". As a new audience emerges, the producers, as well as Sylvester Stallone felt we needed another film to add to the franchise in the form of "Creed".
Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan) is the son of the infamous boxing champion Apollo Creed, who died in a boxing match in "Rocky IV" (1985). Adonis wasn't born until after his father's death and, after struggling with anger of his father and living in his shadow, wants to follow in his father's footsteps in boxing. He ends up seeking a mentor to train him, so since he realized that his father was a former friend of Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), Rocky reluctantly agrees to mentor Adonis. With Rocky's help along with Pete Sporino (Ritchie Coster), Stich (Jacob 'Stitch' Duran) and emotional support from his girlfriend, Bianca (Tessa Thompson), they hope to get a title job to face even deadlier opponents than his father. But whether he is a true fighter remains to be seen.
Others to round out the cast are Phylicia Rashad as Mary Anne Creed, Andre Ward as Danny 'Stuntman' Wheeler, Tony Bellew as 'Pretty' Ricky Conlan, Graham McTavish as Tommy Holiday, Conlan's trainer, Malik Bazille as Amir, Gabe Rosado as Leo 'The Lion' Sporino) Wood Harris as Tony 'Little Duke' Burton and Rupal Pujara as Dr. Kathari.
Where does Hollywood get these new up and coming filmmakers? I ask this this because This was powerfully directed by Ryan Coogler ("Fruitvale Station" '13) plus shorts. This director will go places considering the directing quality of this and "Fruitvale Station". He really knows how to emit the right intense emotions out of his actors, and since he worked with Jordan in "Fruitvale Station" as well as this, this had to make this much easier to accomplish--not to mention that Jordan is a very accomplished actor himself. It is equally well written by virtual newcomers, Coogler and Aaron Covington based on a story by Coogler which is based on characters created by Sylvester Stallone. What interests me is that these newer writers are so much more talented than their comedy writing counterparts. I suspect the reason for this is that the genre of comedy is actually more difficult to write, because this writer has to convey something that not only is funny, but also has to be delivered in a comedic way, and this is definitely easier said than done. Hollywood needs to work on obtaining better comedy writers, so maybe, just maybe, a comedy can possibly be nominated more often come Oscar time. Trust me, this wasn't without issues--it got a little bogged down in sentimentality especially nearing the end and was a bit choppy in some places, but not enough to realize that this was definitely so much better than I ever thought it would be. Can you say, "Creed 2"?
Obviously if you're a "Rocky" fan, you'll be in boxing heaven, but even if you're not a "Rocky" fan, which I'm not in particular, this still has a lot to say about fear, anger, drive and redemption all with a boxing backdrop. Even Stallone was solid in his performance, but he could definitely portray this role in his sleep.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: PG-13 133mins.
As I've mentioned before, comedy is my favorite genre, because it's a way to be able to totally escape into different situations where they, a lot of times, are incredibly over-the-top so one can simply enjoy. However, within the past decade, or more, comedies have not been very funny, if funny at all. So whereas I always looked forward to the next comedy, I now have anxiety when a comedy is released wondering if its going to be a total wasteland or not. One very funny film I, with great trepidation, went to see was "Daddy's Home", and it seriously surprised me.
