Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Rocky Balboa 2006

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Posted by Steve Wilson (Member # 2411) on 12-20-2006, 09:16 PM:

I saw it tonight in a theater that held 300 seats that sold about 140 tickets on a night that this theater is lucky to see 2 people on a given screen.

Most of the folks at the theater were not even born when any of the Rocky films were made. Very few old farts like myself, 51 years old were less than 7.

The movie was very good, I was proud to see, that after all these years, Sly still has the magic to produce something that is very good.

Rocky Balboa Rocks

Cant wait to see Rambo 4

Steve Wilson
Holiday Drive In Theater

Posted by Mike Heenan (Member # 392) on 12-20-2006, 10:50 PM:

I recommend everyone go to Aint it Cool News www.aintitcool.com and read through Sylvester's 20 part Q and A sessions with the fans, very cool stuff and lots of funny stories.

Posted by Frank Dubrois (Member # 3042) on 12-20-2006, 11:18 PM:

I haven't seen this yet, but I have REALLY been waiting for it to come out. I got razzed all the time at work for really wanting to see this. I'm so glad its getting great reviews. [thumbsup]

Posted by Ross Oba (Member # 3433) on 12-21-2006, 12:08 AM:

I enjoyed it very much. It's a very touching story.

Posted by Jim Bedford (Member # 4) on 12-22-2006, 09:59 AM:

I guess this means there's still hope for Mel Gibson.... although we may have to wait 15-20 years....

Posted by Lyle Romer (Member # 1266) on 12-23-2006, 10:48 PM:

This was a very good movie and certainly a fitting end to the "Rocky" series (thank goodness the abomination that was "Rocky V" wasn't the last one). It returned to being a character driven story like the first two instead of a circus like III, IV and V.

I also liked that it was pseudo realistic. The situation Rocky ended up in was plausible, and the scenes at his restaurant were probably exactly what it would be like for an old has been athlete running a restaurant.

The fight scene was well done and also pretty realistic (although it seemed shorter than the fights in the previous Rocky's). Also, Rocky seems less prone to facial bruising in his old age.

Overall, a must see for anybody that's a Rocky fan.

4 out of 5

Posted by Jim Bedford (Member # 4) on 12-27-2006, 01:20 PM:

Surprised the hell out of me. There's a story, characters are developed and given things to say that make sense, you're taken along without having to suspend disbelief too much and I liked the people in the movie. Mercifully, the fight waits until the last reel and there isn't too much that is strange except the way Rocky throws himself across the ring to fling punches. The way he acts with his customers in his restaurant reminds me of meeting other retired sport stars in theirs. Sly behaves and doesn't OTT too much.

All in all, a surprisingly 3.5 out of 5

Posted by Lyle Romer (Member # 1266) on 12-27-2006, 01:42 PM:

quote: Jim Bedford
there isn't too much that is strange except the way Rocky throws himself across the ring to fling punches

It was a little exaggerated but that was to show how slow he was compared to the much younger Mason "The Line" Dixon. He did the same thing (although not flinging himself as far) in the first round of the fight against Apollo Creed in "Rocky," also to show how much quicker his opponent was.

Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 12-28-2006, 09:19 AM:

The Rocky movies never really did much for me. I suppose I was a little young to get into them. This one didn't do much for me either, but I thought it was a pretty good story compared to the others. And I never realized Rocky was such a funny character! I might have to go back and watch the others again now.

If you like good dramas about going after your dreams, and going against the odds and all of that, there's a good chance you will like this movie, even if you didn't like the other Rocky movies.

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 12-31-2006, 12:20 AM:

I liked it. It is what it is, could have been better, also could have been much worse. The sappy music bugged me (yes I know it was almost all a variation on the original Rocky theme music). 2.875 out of 5 from me.

Regal Cinema World 8 in Eugene, House #7. The place is starting to slip (will be permanently closed in a couple months). Broken seats. Ironically ticket prices have been raised to $8 for a full-price admission. Gotta cover that new higher Oregon minimum wage that kicks in Jan 1st ($7.80), and prepare the customers for the new pricing when the new theatre opens across the street in Feb. Presentation was just ok, not horrible, but too many trailers. Two concessions stations and two box office stations open = Slammed for them.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 01-06-2007, 07:44 PM:

First off, I can barely stand listening to Stallone's bizarre vocal delivery for more than 10 minutes in ANY movie he's made. Secondly, I thought ROCKY I was nothing more than a rather predictable, only passably entertaining boxing story which deserved nowhere near the accolades heaped upon it. But then having been effed over so badly with ROCKY 3, 4 and 5 -- each being like progressively more and more intense Chinese water torture, ending with #5 being like having bamboo slivers forced into the corner of my eye balls -- why would I or ANYWONE for that matter even consider sitting through yet another ROCKY torture device? And even if this one got unanimous, rave reviews, I wouldn't go to see it just out of contempt and spite for how they made me suffer thru each successive sequel as each spiraled further and further into the lower depths of mediocrity hell. [puke]

So who are these masochists who would willingly go to yet another ROCKY attempt after being subjected to such repetitive disasters without at some point saying, "Hey, enough is enough....you've already had five freakin chances."? I guess the same people who went to see STAR WARS 2 and 3 after suffering thru STAR WARS I: THE DIGITAL MENACE. [Confused]

I guess you can tell I won't be adding this film to my Netflix list, eh?

Posted by Mike Heenan (Member # 392) on 01-06-2007, 08:07 PM:

I liked it. And it seems a bunch of other people like it too. I dont get the point of your post, since you say you haven't and wont see it, I guess that's just another pointless FT rant... [sleep]

Now, if you substituted Rocky Balboa with Fun With Dick and Jane (jim carrey version) in your rant, I would totally agree [Big Grin]

(Yes, I saw that unfortunately, and it was horrible)

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 01-13-2007, 12:09 AM:

I liked it. It really redeems the series after the crapfests of IV and V.

I enjoyed the montage at the end of people running up those art museum steps. never thought about that...it's probably an hourly occurrence there, eh?

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 01-13-2007, 06:56 AM:

Come on Mike....you've never been in a ranting mood? I was really in good form there [beer]

And I will be the first to admit, the whole world certainly loved ROCKY 1 so I know I am definately dancing to a different drummer on that one. But that's what makes the world go round. It's just Stallone....something about him is like fingernails on a blackboard for me. And I am with you on Carey -- I definately won't go to suffer thru most anything his in either. Some actors just rub you wrong and wind up being so annoying that you just can't enjoy anything they are in. It works the other way around too; for some reason, I can watch anything that Ellen Burstyn is in, and even if the film is mediocre, she still makes it enjoyable for me. Go figure.

Posted by Mike Schindler (Member # 1309) on 01-13-2007, 01:30 PM:

Frank, as someone who hates all of the Rocky sequels, I would urge you to see this movie. You're right that there's no reason to think it's any good. But somehow, it is. It's actually way better than all of the other movies. So take it from a fellow Rocky hater. ROCKY BALBOA is one of the year's best movies.

Posted by Demetris Thoupis (Member # 833) on 05-26-2007, 03:31 AM:

"The Heart Wins"

That's all I have to say. Anyone who watched the movie will know why I said it. Anyone who did not DO watch it for is great.

Posted by Stephen Cattenazzi (Member # 2214) on 06-30-2007, 03:58 AM:

When I first heard Stallone was doing Rocky Balboa, I was a bit cautious about how it would be done. But as time drew closer to the release, I started to get more and more anxious to see it.
Having grown up with the whole Rocky series, and knowing the last installment wasn't the best, I didn't raise my expectations too high.
I was really pleased with this film. He took it back to the original days when he was a nobody, and brought back characters that would have seemed long gone. If anything, this film along with the "Rocky" character, is designed to inspire one to better themselves. Not to become rich and famous, but stay true to yourself. We had an imbicile here in Australia review the film, which I doubt he even watched. He made a comment about Rocky not being able to buy himself a new pork pie hat. If he knew anything about the character, he would've known he wasn't about getting new things. Rocky stayed true to his old self. But it was interesting that the film was in his top 5 for the next 3 weeks.
All in all, I thought it was a wonderfully written film, and like all the others, I hate to admit the air conditioning got to me, which made my eyes water up a little. [Wink]

4.5 out of 5

"Why do you feel you owe something just because you get something?"