Rocky IV (1985) written, directed by, and starring Sylvester Stallone.

The Iron Claw (2023)

Dir. Sean Durkin

ten frames.

the iron claw (2023) — dir. sean durkin

The Boys in the Boat (2023)

A 1930s-set story centered on the University of Washington's rowing team, from their Depression-era beginnings to winning gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

A really uplifting and feel good sports drama set in the 1930s. It is predictable but yet still very enjoyable. I really enjoyed it. This is also an excellent movie that you can watch with the whole family.

P.S. I think Callum Turner should throw in his name into the "next Bond" ring. I think he has the potential to make an excellent Bond.

Southpaw, dir. Antoine Fuqua, 2015

'Hands of Stone' (2016) film

Odd little movie, but great atmosphere and performances. Joan Crawford, Walter Huston and many other greats... Lewis Milestone directed

Rain (1932)

Marek Vašut and Eliška Balzerová in Fists in the Dark (Pěsti ve tmě) 1987, dir. Jaroslav Soukup IMDB

Recently Viewed: The First Slam Dunk

This one was kind of a cheat. The Japan Cuts screening of The First Slam Dunk sold out almost immediately after tickets became available to the public. That’s hardly surprising: it’s an adaptation of a beloved manga series, the popularity of which rivals Dragon Ball both in its native country and abroad. Fortunately, the venerable GKIDS had already acquired the foreign distribution rights, so I was able to catch it at AMC tonight. I’ll just pretend that I saw it at the festival…

Regardless of the venue, the film is a spectacular sports drama, depicting basketball with an immersive intensity reminiscent of Raging Bull’s approach to boxing. The animation, which borders on naturalistic without sacrificing the exaggerated expressionism that makes cartoons so universally appealing, emphasizes such minute details as glistening beads of sweat, the folds and wrinkles in the fabric of the uniforms, and the rough texture of the ball—tactile sensations that make the audience participants in the action, rather than passive observers. The conflict isn’t merely physical, however; through editing, voiceover narration, and a nonlinear narrative structure that offers brief glimpses of the characters’ backstories and motivations, director Takehiko Inoue delves into the psychology of the game. Slow-motion, for example, extends crucial seconds to excruciatingly tense minutes. At the opposite end of the spectrum, the players occasionally move with such speed and desperation that they appear to outrun color, sound, and even the very medium, literally unraveling into sketchy line art.

In terms of its plot, The First Slam Dunk is a fairly traditional underdog story—and that familiarity doesn’t diminish its quality in the slightest. Deliciously suspenseful, emotionally engrossing, and inherently cinematic, the movie is a triumph of style and substance; it deserves every bit of the critical acclaim and commercial success that it’s earned.

Submission* The Iron Claw - 2023

NOT SAFE - A,V•

For The Iron Claw (coming to theaters 12/22), there's a part during a wedding where the groom steps away into a bathroom, and we hear an extremely graphic v* noise. The groom opens the stall, and aftermath is seen.

*** This is a submission from the community. I personally have not reviewed this film.***

Thanks for the submission!!

On March 2, 1991, Raging Bull debuted in Brazil.

Stay on Board: The Leo Baker Story (2022)

72 min.

Country: USA

Genre: Documentary, Sport, Biography

Language: English

Celebrated skateboarder Leo Baker shares the details of their rise to fame and the clash between their career and self-discovery as a trans person.

Watch on Netflix

John Springer Collection / Corbis via Getty Images