Tiger_Mark

I know that it was tempting to Sly to keep making Rocky movies. They made money and people liked the character. The character made Sly. Sure, he had the Rambo character to fall back on, but this was his original love. However, Rocky IV is so horrible, that it momentarily causes us to forget how much we loved the original. It could be said that other than the original and maybe Rocky III, this series has been a disaster. In Rocky IV we have singing robots, more friends dying, plenty of red-baiting and final fight that is so unrealistic, that the WWF would have never aired it. Rockey literally is beaten to a pulp. He is knocked down more than eight times and takes twenty shots in the head before being able to get his hands up. No person could ever survive that beating and no referee would have ever let that beating continue. I guess, the pro-American Rocky vs. the Dirty Communist Drago was good red meat in 1985, with Reagan's America. But looking back at it now, you have to wonder how Sly had the nerve to come back with one more movie?

This was not the kind of film that I generally seek out. Just does not appeal to me, seems kind of "Broadway." However, I have to admit, this was funny. What makes it go is just the comedic brilliance of Robin Williams. The man is so versatile. Couple that with the over the top lunacy of Nathan Lane and the reserved Gene Hackman, and you just have a rip-roaring good time. The story centers around a gay father's son marrying the daughter of a right wing Senator. The father of the girl (Hackman) insists on having dinner with his fellow in-laws before the marriage can take place. The gay Robin Williams character does not want to ruin the marriage of his son, but he no longer has a wife. In order to try to do him a favor, William's partner (Nathan Lane) decides he will impersonate the mom at the dinner. Well, most of the movie deals with the dinner from comedic hell. It is a real thrill watching these Hollywood heavyweights battle it out. Good stuff!

What a truly great film! I have not laughed more loudly at a film since I saw "The Big Lebowski." What is so refreshing about this film, is that it is physical humor, not silly gags. Napolean Dynamite is a bit of a mess as a person. He is not cool, even though he thinks he is. He does not have any friends, until Pedro shows up. His family defines the term "losers." His lone hobbies are drawing (badly) and playing teatherball. Moreover, Napolean's failures in life make him a constant target from other bullies, which leads to Napolean taking a very hostile approach to many things. The movie opens with a young kid asking Napolean "what are you going to do today?" Napolean's response, "whatever I feel like doing, Gosh!" There is something about seeing movies about small town life in abstract places like Preston, Idaho. Moreover, there is something very special about seeing a film that takes so many detailed steps to providing the audience with both an enjoyable and sweet film. I laughed at Napolean, Pedro, Kip, Rico, Deb and Rex. I did not laugh at them because I thought they were dorks, but because I just found them interesting and amusing. This is good entertainment and goes to the top of my list for 2004.