Sylvester Stallone writes and stars in Rocky V, which sees the return of John G. Avildsen to the series, back for the first time since his directorial turn in the original Rocky. This one get slammed pretty hard by Stallone and some fans (at least it doesn’t have any robots in it) but this may…
Tag: writer
The Suicide Squad (2021) – James Gunn
Pretty much ignoring the previous Suicide Squad which was released five years earlier, James Gunn comes in as writer/director and delivers a subversive, laugh-out-loud action film based on the DC comic of the same name. This time out Waller (played viciously by Viola Davis) throws together a team to infiltrate the island country of Corto…
Rocky IV (1985) – Sylvester Stallone
There are some flaws in the fourth entry in the Rocky series (I’m looking at that ridiculous robot) and I’m not sure the themes of East vs. West, hubris, and capitalism carry through all the way, because, despite all of the things Rocky (Sylvester Stallone who also wrote and directed) gives up during the course…
Rocky III (1982) – Sylvester Stallone
With ‘Eye of the Tiger’ blaring from every radio station in 1982, it’s wild to think of a time before the song, and the film existed. 1982 was a great year for moviegoers, and Sylvester Stallone brought Rocky back to the screen for a third go-round, in Rocky III. Once again, he wrote, directed and…
Rocky (1976) – John G. Avildsen
From the horn fanfare created by Bill Conti to the fantastic steadicam work (a revolutionary reveal at the time), to an open, honest performance from Sylvester Stallone, 1976’s Rocky remains an iconic film, and the first ‘sports’ film to win the Best Picture Oscar. Stallone wrote the film and was heavily involved in its making,…
About Time (2013) – Richard Curtis
Writer/director Richard Curtis brings together an all-star cast to deliver a time-travel tale that is frequently funny, emotionally poignant and a reminder that life is pretty beautiful and amazing if we remember to take the time to appreciate it, and all the little things it shows us. Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams and Bill Nighy star…
Men at Work (1990) – Emilio Estevez
Emilio Estevez writes, directs, and stars alongside his brother, Charlie Sheen, Leslie Hope, and Keith David in a goofy comedy that allows Estevez to give nods to other films, like Rear Window and his own Stakeout. It’s silly, not entirely engaging, and it seems Estevez, even in his own films, likes to chew some of…
Garden State (2004) – Zach Braff
The Zach Braff film (writer/director/star) Garden State hasn’t aged very well. And even in 2004, some of it seemed questionable. The soundtrack that we all thought was amazing at the time wasn’t, and I have to tell you, I never liked the Shinns no matter how much Braff insisted the song would change your life….
The Brothers McMullen (1995) Edward Burns
In the mid-90s it seemed every studio was trying to find the next big little indie title, so there were lots of smaller character-driven films being foisted upon the audience, and while a lot of the studios have eschewed that for sure-things and tentpoles, some studios still take chances. But in the 90s it seemed…
The Dark and The Wicked (2020) – Bryan Bertino
Bryan Bertino who wrote and directed the now iconic horror film, The Strangers, delves into supernatural territory with this unnerving little film that occasionally misses the mark by leaning too heavily into its scares while presenting the idea of a demonic presence as more of a hunting animal, preying on the weakest, separating them from…
The Mind Reels 