15. Cinderella Man
When Cinderella Man was initially advertised I had no familiarity with the career of its subject, James J. Braddock. But it wasn't a problem because the movie provides a pretty insightful look at his career and home life. Incidentally, Braddock's middle name was Walter. He used the "J" because two previous boxing champions, James J. Corbett and James J. Jeffries, had the initial and the same first name. Braddock's nickname, after which the film is titled, was given to him by writer Damon Runyon, a contemporary of his.
The movie begins well into Braddock's career, as he and his family live the high-life. Then the stock market crash of 1929 sends Braddock and millions of other Americans into abject poverty. Due to a broken hand, he's unable to continue earning income as a boxer and accepts jobs as a day laborer, concealing his injury, on the docks -- eventually going on welfare in order to feed his family. What makes Braddock's story so inspirational is that he works his way back up from the very bottom to the heights of pugilism to face 1934 and 1935 heavyweight champ Max Baer, who once killed an opponent (he was even charged with manslaughter, but was acquitted), as a 10-to-1 underdog.
The movie ends before Braddock unsuccessfully defended his title against legendary heavyweight Joe "the Brown Bomber" Louis in 1937, making him the first titleholder in 29 years to put his belt on the line against an African-American -- which helped to permanently integrate boxing. Of course, Braddock's decision to risk his crown wasn't entirely altruistic. A key provision in the negotiations was that Braddock was entitled to 10% of what Louis earned for the next 10 years -- win or lose.
14. Hands of Stone
13. I Spy
I Spy is a loose adaptation of a 1960s television show of the same name starring Bill Cosby in his first tv series. It was also the first weekly television drama to star an African-American. The premise was that two intelligence operatives -- one white, the other African-American -- conducted espionage missions posing as a tennis player and his trainer, respectively.
The operatives undergo a sort of race reversal in the movie, with Murphy as Kelly Robinson (the white spy from the show) and Owen Wilson as Alex Scott (the African-American tennis trainer from the show). Also, this time around there's no tennis. Robinson is now an actual middleweight world boxing champion, whom George W. Bush personally requests to provide cover for BNS (Bureau of National Security) screw-up Scott, who poses as Robinson's personal assistant. Robinson's participation is importane because his 56-0 boxing record has earned him legions of fans, one of whom is Scott's target -- an international arms dealer who plans to auction a stolen prototype stealth fighter at Robinson's upcoming title fight. The partners don't gel, the mission doesn't go as planned, and the boxer ends up in the middle of the action.
Scott is more or less the opposite of James Bond -- a not-very-confident spy who's nervous around the girl he has a crush on (ironically, played by Bond girl Famke Janssen).
Much of the humor is derived from Robinson, whose outsized persona was probably inspired by the legendary Muhammad Ali and undefeated champion boxer Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (who retired with a record of 49-0). In a comedic take on the outsider's view of his 1980s and 90s "Eddie Murphy Posse", Robinson is followed everywhere he goes by a large entourage that caters to him. Upon learning that Robinson has agreed to participate in the "secret mission", a groupie asks, "So you're gonna be like 007?" His response: "Yeah, except I'm gonna be more like 009 and a half. That's a little innuendo."
If for no other reason ,I Spy is worth watching to see Eddie Murphy back in top form. He's that good. His Kelly Robinson is his funniest performance in the 21st century. Yes, he's even funnier than Donkey from the Shrek movies. This is manic, shit-talking Murphy. Think: Axel Foley; Reggie Hammond; and Buddy Love.
Fistfights, car bombs, shootouts, car chases and shit-talking? Eddie Murphy has made a lot of bad movies over the years. This isn't one of them.
12. Rocky III
The third time's the charm. Rocky III is the best of the three Rocky action movies -- a category which includes Rocky IV and the unwatchable Rocky V. Four of the seven Rocky movies are dramas about people: people who make a living by fighting and the people in their lives. Rocky III, however, began a trilogy of movies that shifted the focus more to the confrontations inside the ring and away from the actual people -- which isn't a bad thing. Sometimes it's nice to just watch a couple of guys going at it without so much of the introspection and the slow build-up. That desire is the very reason that top real-world pugilists become multi-millionaires. It's a bargain, really. You get multiple, exciting fights that go the distance (no quick, 1st round knockouts like in real life) for the price of a Blu-ray rental. There was only one fight in each of the first two movies in the series, after all. Two hours and one fight.
Rocky III was also a departure for the series in that it features a jacked, super-cut, streamlined Rocky as opposed to the unchiseled slab from the first two movies. And this time around Rock is no longer the underdog, but the high-profile champion. The Philly southpaw also trains outside of the City of Brotherly Love for the first time (in the following movie, Rocky IV, he trains in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia) when his one-time rival, former undisputed World Heavyweight Champion Apollo Creed, takes him to his native Los Angeles in order to coach him personally. They also take Paulie along, who's as racist as ever.
People tend to forget that Hulk Hogan appeared in the movie (his best) and in the ring. His Thunderlips, who towers over the Italian Stallion, tosses Rocky around as though he were a little kid in what is intended to be a mere exhibition match between the two. And like his fight with Apollo in Rocky, Rocky's sparring event against Thunderlips was inspired by a chapter in Muhammad Ali's life. In 1976, then-heavyweight boxing champion Ali faced professional wrestler Gorilla Monsoon in the ring during a World Wrestling Federation show held in Philadelphia Arena. The much larger Monsoon even picked Ali up and spun him around on his shoulders before throwing him onto the mat. A dazed Ali was quickly convinced by his corner to make an exit.
But despite the title, this is Mr. T's movie. He steals every scene in which he appears, Darth Maul-style. His James "Clubber" Lang is a mean, ambitious, Chicago-bred southpaw who teaches Mr. Balboa what happens to boxers who allow their edges to soften -- the hard way. Before beating the champ mercilessly, Lang insults Mickey, the now-retired Apollo and Rocky. On top of all of that, he hits on Adrian right in front of him at the unveiling of the Rocky statue at the top of the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Wow.
Rocky III features the hit song "Eye of the Tiger", which won for "Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal" at the 25th Annual Grammy Awards and was nominated for Best Original Song at the 55th Annual Academy Awards. The song also topped the Billboard chart for six weeks in a row, and as of 2015, has sold over 9 million copies worldwide. Ironically, "Eye of the Tiger" was only created out of necessity when Queen refused to give writer/director/star Sylvester Stallone permission to use "Another One Bites the Dust" as the movie's theme song.
11. Rocky
Rocky isn't the first Rocky movie that I saw. As a kid, the first one I heard about was Rocky III. I later saw it on cable. Next, I inferred from all of the "Apollo and Rocky" talk to which I was privy, that Rocky II might be worth my time. Again, I watched it on cable -- but only the actual fight at the end. That rematch was the nucleus of the fictional-boxing repartee I was exposed to anyway (I didn't see the entire movie until years later -- on Netflix). At that point, what I had seen so far kind of congealed in my mind into my perspective of the Rockyverse and I thought it was pretty great. A little while later, I saw Rocky IV from beginning to end and mentally added it to the set. It would be some time before I watched the movie that started it all -- and then only out of curiousity. I wondered how it all began. But honestly, the knowledge that it was produced in the 1970s lowered my expectations quite a bit. And I was pleasantly surprised. It wasn't an action movie, nor was it a slugfest. But it wasn't bad. I only thought of the Rocky sequels as 1980s blockbusters in the same vein as the Indiana Jones movies, the Rambo movies and E.T. So, imagine my surprise when I discovered that the original Rocky was the top-grossing movie of 1976. It outsold smash hits like The Enforcer, A Star Is Born, Silver Streak and King Kong; and enormously successful classics such as The Omen and All the President's Men.
People have a tendency to forget that Rocky was a criminal. In the beginning, boxing was a hobby but his day job was breaking legs for local loan shark Tony Gazzo (though he felt really bad about it and let at least one guy go with all of his bones intact).
Rocky's training regimen, including running up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and punching hanging beef carcasses, was appropriated from real-life Philly pugilism legend and former heavyweight titleholder Joseph "Smokin' Joe" Frazier. Frazier's nemesis, Muhammad Ali, is the obvious inspiration for Apollo Creed.
Contrary to popular misassumption, Carl Weathers, who portrays Creed, was never a boxer. He did, however, play professional football for the Oakland Raiders under Hall of Fame coach and video game icon John Madden in 1970 and 1971.
Rocky is a fairytale for white guys -- especially the Italian-American variety: A caucasian dude from humble beginnings challenges the African-American dominance of professional sports. The hero even gets a pure, virginal princess. Writer and star Sylvester Stallone based the story on an actual 1975 title fight between Chuck "The Bayonne Bleeder" Wepner and the first and only three-time world heavyweight champion, Muhammad Ali. In the movie, Rocky loses a split decision to undefeated champ Apollo Creed. However, Wepner was counted out in the 15th round without ever having knocked Ali down.
10. The Fighter
The Fighter is one of the best films set in the Boston area that doesn't belong to the crime genre and hands-down the pinnacle of Mark Wahlberg's collaborative efforts with director David O. Russell. Wahlberg was so committed to the role that he had a boxing ring built in his home and consulted eight-division world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao and his coach Freddie Roach.
The movie is loosely based on the lives of two former professional boxers -- "Irish" Micky Ward and his older brother Dicky Eklund. Most of the focus is on Ward's career in the ring (and time off from his career) in the 1990s. In fact, the movie opens during his respite from the fight game, working on a road-paving crew with Eklund in their native Lowell, Massachusetts, located 30 miles northwest of Beantown. Ward's professional trajectory is hampered by injuries, failing self-confidence and family -- including Eklund.
Eklund, a former Welterweight champion and Ward's trainer, also suffered from a crack cocaine addiction. He was even featured in the 1995 HBO documentary, High On Crack Street: Lost Lives in Lowell. His habit led to prison time in the mid to late 1990s. During his career, Eklund lost a 10-round decision bout to boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard. All of these stages of Eklund's life are depicted in the movie.
The film ends before Ward's trilogy of bouts with hall of fame boxing champ Arturo Gatti -- the fights for which he's best known. But the movie would've been far too long had that story been included. This does, however, present the possibility of a sequel.
9. Raging Bull
Interestingly enough, Raging Bull, though nominated, failed to land the Oscar for Best Picture at the 53rd annual Academy Awards back in 1981. Though filmed in 1979, the movie is black and white. While odd for a film of its era, the colorless look served to bestow a certain timelessness on the movie.
The film is an adaptation of 1940s middleweight titleholder Jake "The Bronx Bull" LaMotta's autobiography, Raging Bull: My Story. LaMotta is a bully in and out of the ring and both his career and personal relationships suffer due to his penchant for burning bridges. The film covers LaMotta's participation in matches fixed by the Mafia, as well as his long rivalry with legendary world champion Sugar Ray Robinson -- the two fought six times (LaMotta only won one of the bouts).
It is Jake's story, but his brother and manager Giuseppe "Joey" LaMotta steals the show. Joey, himself a former boxer, is involved in the best fight of the movie -- and its nowhere near a ring. When he notices local Mob associate, Salvy Batts, flirting with Jake's wife, Vikki, at the Copacabana nightclub, he kicks off in his ass from the table to a car parked out front.
8. The Trials of Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali transcended the arena of sports like no other athlete in history. He took up boxing at the age of 12 and six years later he captured a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the Rome Olympics in the summer of 1960. Four years after that he became the world heavyweight champion in an upset -- and he hadn't been shy about predicting his win. Soon after, he changed his name from Cassius Clay following his conversion to Islam under the teachings of Malcolm X and Elijah Muhammad, founder of the Nation of Islam. Two years into his reign Ali became a political activist when he refused to be drafted into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He cited his religious beliefs and objected to military service as a conscientious objector, setting off a firestorm that resulted in his being stripped of the heavyweight title, suspension of his boxing license in all 50 states, arrest, and conviction for draft-dodging charges.
The documentary focuses on his athletic career of course, but also goes well beyond his dominance of the sweet science and deftly explores his legal problems and the social pressures he faced during his peak. The filmmakers combine present-day interviews with family, friends and colleagues (including his younger brother Rahman Ali, former wife Khalilah Ali and daughter Hana) with video, talk show interview clips and news footage of the era to provide those of us who weren't around at the time with an invaluable glimpse into 1960s America akin to peeking out of a time machine window. There's even video of Ali performing in the 1969 Broadway musical, Buck White.
Ali has been the subject of countless scripted films and documentaries over the years. This one is the greatest.
7. Million Dollar Baby
When Girlfight was released at the turn of the century, it received widespread critical acclaim and caused Hollywood to sit up and take notice of then-newcomer Michelle Rodriguez. But if you've never seen a film depicting the world of boxing from a woman's point-of-view and you find yourself curious, skip it and see Million Dollar Baby instead.
Though not a biopic like Cinderella Man, Million Dollar Baby is based on short stories by Jerry Boyd, a boxing manager and "cutman" (the guy who treats the fighter's lacerations, swelling and bleeding in the corner, between rounds). It's the story of Margaret "Maggie" Fitzgerald, a 31-year-old waitress who takes home the scraps that customers leave on their plates. Her dream is to defy the expectations of her community and family, and for women of her background and upbringing, by embracing her passion -- boxing. To this end, she pleads with misanthropic Frankie Dunn, trainer, cutman and owner of flea-bag Los Angeles gym the Hit Pit, to train and manage her. Frankie's closest friend and only employee is long-retired contender Eddie "Scrap-Iron" Dupris. "Scrap", for short, empathizes with Maggie in ways that Frankie never could and speaks up for her to his old friend in a way that Maggie never could.
At one point, Dupris knocks out Shawrelle Berry, an African-American boxing hopeful, for beating up "Danger", a potential-challenged, white, aspiring boxer who announced on his first day at the gym that he didn't have a problem with "niggers". I'm not quite sure whose idea it was (director Eastwood, screenwriter Paul Haggis or writer Jerry Boyd), but this seems like an obvious attempt to send the message: "See? Not everyone uses racial slurs maliciously! Can't we all just get along without political-correctness?" Riiight.
Million Dollar Baby is all about second chances. Frankie gets a second chance to become a great trainer; "Scrap" gets a second chance that I won't spoil for those who haven't seen the movie; and Maggie gets a second chance at a fulfilling life. When the dust had settled at the 77th Academy Awards, Morgan Freeman ("Scrap-Iron") had won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor (after going home empty-handed his first time around for 1987's Street Smart); Eastwood had won his second Oscar for Best Director for his second collaboration with Freeman; and star Hilary Swank had won her second Oscar for Best Actress.
Ironically, though 2006's Invincible was based on a true story, Million Dollar Baby seems to be the more realistic of the two over-the-hill amateur athlete-overcomes-the-odds films. One of the many aspects of Baby that adds to the realism: two generations of a white family participate in welfare fraud.
Apparently, some have assumed Baby is the "female Rocky". It's not. DO NOT watch this film expecting to see Raquel Balboa. But do watch this film. It's probably the best movie of 2004 (Yes, it's better than Sideways).
6. Ali
5. Rocky Balboa
Balboa is a return to form in several respects. Stallone, who'd ceded the director's chair for the preceding movie, resumes his duties behind the lens. Rocky reconnects with "Little" Marie, the loudmouth girl he walked home in the first movie. His opponent is portrayed as a thoughtful person and not just a one-dimensional villain. And most importantly, the series reverts to its dramatic roots (the three previous movies are much more action-oriented).
Rocky's relationship with his only son, Robert, Jr., which grew strained in the preceding movie, has only gotten worse over time. Though the elder Balboa's fortunes have risen (he is now a successful restaurateur), he continues to live in the city. Robert, now a grown man, has remained in Philadelphia as well but only maintains minimal contact with his father. Robert, Sr. only sees him when he shows up unexpectedly. Rocky does manage to bond with "Little" Marie's half-Jamaican teenaged son, "Steps" (short for Stephenson). Rocky, who's never been a candidate for Mensa, thinks Jamaica is in Europe.
The crux of the story revolves around Rocky's decision to suspend his retirement and put the gloves back on for a few charity bouts. After the state boxing commission reluctantly reinstates Balboa's license, the current champion's (Mason "The Line" Dixon -- that moronic name is the film's biggest flaw), promoters decide that their client's reputation needs the boost of credibility that would likely result from an exhibition match against the legend. The idea for the bout is actually inspired by a computer-simulated fight between the two produced by ESPN. The software calculates that Balboa would win by a knockout had he been given the opportunity to square off against the undefeated Dixon in each man's prime. Rocky wisely recruits Apollo's old trainer, Tony "Duke" Evers, who determines that because of his physical limitations due to his age (including reduced speed), the former champ must alter his technique and rely on brute strength to have any hope of competing.
Yes, Rocky's old. So is Sylvester Stallone. But in this film it works. Rocky's age is addressed by everyone. And I do mean everyone: the Pennsylvania boxing commission; his trainer, Duke; his son, Robert; his friend and brother-in-law, Paulie; his opponent, Dixon; neighborhood bullies; and Rocky himself.
As per the usual for these films, the simulated bout between Dixon and Balboa is based on real events. On January 20, 1970, 1500 theaters throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe screened a filmed enactment of a fictional boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Rocky Marciano called The Super Fight. At the time the two were the only undefeated heavyweight champions in boxing history and they agreed to act out a fight between them based on the predictions of an algorithm intended to calculate which would win had the two ever met in the ring in peak condition.
Although it debuted 30 years after 1976's Rocky, Rocky Balboa is the first realistic film of the set and was intended to cap the series off for good. Fittingly, the film is partly about closure. While Rocky might've lost a step or two, Stallone's skill in front of and behind the camera has only gotten better. He should really give some thought to continuing his filmmaking career, though he should probably hand the starring roles to someone else if he decides to make more action movies.
4. Spike of Bensonhurst
Like Rocky Balboa before him, Spike Fumo's 1st love is boxing, but he earns his living (barely) by making collections for a mobster. But, while Rocky worked on the fringes of the mafia, Spike has ingratiated himself to the head of his Brooklyn neighborhood. That's where the similarities end. Rocky is a generous nice guy who competes for the world heavyweight title. Spike is a selfish asshole who only participates in local bouts. Spike fights in prearranged matches, teaches little kids how to shoplift, knocks up two girls in the span of a few days (one of whom is the daughter of a made man), hates his mother and insults mafioso. But, his jackass-ness makes for some astonishing, yet funny, moments.
Sometimes titled, Mafia Kid, this film is hard to find by any name. But it seems to be an obvious inspiration for The Sopranos, with its comedic exploration of family and neighborhood life for modern mafia members.
3. Creed II
Like Creed and Rocky Balboa, Creed II is very much about fathers and sons -- but to an even greater extent. Now that the loose ends concerning the Dragos have been tied; the Balboas' issues have been resolved; and the Creeds seem to have found both redemption and peace, one question remains: Will Apollo's other two kids ever be addressed?
2. Creed
Creed passes the Ran test with flying colors: there are no African-American sidekicks; no black criminals; no black "clowns" mugging for the camera; the black people aren't all uneducated; and the black guy isn't the first, or only, one to get killed (Actually, nobody dies in this movie. The black guy, who was the only one to get killed in a previous Rocky movie -- Rocky IV -- is mentioned quite often, however). And yet, the film -- a big-budget, mainstream Hollywood film -- is filled with African-Americans.
Rocky, Rocky II, Rocky V and Rocky Balboa all showcase the blue-collar and poor side of Philly -- but mostly Italian Philly. Creed features, even parades, African-American Philadelphia for the first time. But Creed's most significant departure from the rest of the series is something that shouldn't be such a big shift after all. The city is 44.1% African-American and the only black guys we've seen in the franchise up to this point are out-of-towners: Apollo Creed, his family and his team; Clubber Lang; Mason Dixon and his entourage; George Washington Duke; and Union Cane. For fuck's sake.
The black guy mentioned earlier, who was killed in Rocky IV, is former undefeated world heavyweight champion boxer Apollo Creed. And he practically haunts this film. It's even named after him. But its his son Adonis' story and how he copes with having a legendary father. The previous film, Rocky Balboa, touched on Rocky's son Robert's struggle to live in his famous father's shadow as well and its revealed in this movie that he surrendered to the pressure and moved, not only out of Philly, but out of the country. Rocky tells Adonis that Robert, Jr. now lives in Canada. Adonis however, takes the challenge head-on. He not only takes up his father's profession, he moves from Los Angeles to Philadelphia in order to solicit the Italian Stallion's training expertise.
And in turn, when Rocky needs someone to lean on, it is Adonis, and not his only son, who supports him.
For the first time, Sylvester Stallone plays a supporting role in a Rocky movie -- and he was richly rewarded for it. He was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar and won a Golden Globe for the same category. Creed's release date, November 25, 2015, is marks the fortieth anniversary of the date of the first scene in the original Rocky. How's that for coming full circle?
1. Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson
Muhammad Ali may be the greatest, but Jack "the Galveston Giant" Johnson is the first. The first African-American Heavyweight Boxing Champion of the World. Indeed, Ali has Johnson to thank for his penchant for taunting opponents prior to meeting them in the ring.
Unforgivable Blackness represents the first time that a sports figure was given the Ken Burns treatment (the second, and only other to date, is 2016's Jackie Robinson).
Johnson, the son of two former slaves, went on to be crowned the first African-American Champion of the World the day after Christmas in 1908.
He won $1.50 for winning his first prizefight. He once knocked middleweight champion Stanley Ketchel's front teeth out -- they were still stuck in Johnson's glove after the fight.
Unforgivable is not the first time Johnson's story was told on film. 1970's The Great White Hope, starring James Earl Jones, is the movie adaptation of a play based on Johnson. Opposition to Johnson's dominance of the sport was so high during his reign that promoters offered retired champ James J. Jeffries $120,000 (equivalent to $3 million today) to lose 100 lbs and step back into the ring to face him (Johnson won when Jeffries' corner threw in the towel). Johnson was paid $65,000 ($1.7 million today). His victory resulted in race riots in 50 cities across the U.S.
A certain segment of America loves the idea of the "Great White Hope". Jack Johnson is the man who first inspired that dream.
Originally Posted 8/21/16
Very good selection of films (although, I-Spy?) and agree with most of the comments. If you were to go with the modern critics today though I think most would agree that from a performance perspective, 'Raging Bull' would be the overall best boxing film. I still cannot believe I have not watched that one all the way through but plan on doing so. I did have to add though that one film not included and I believe should be is 'The Champ.' I have not seen the original but am referring to the modern version that stars the great actors Jon Voight and Faye Dunaway and introduced us to Ricky Schroder. While some will say it simply plays on the emotions of those intrigued by the young son, I say it is still a great movie. Yes, if you are not moved by the performance of Ricky Schroder when he approaches his dad during one particular scene in the movie, then something is wrong.
ReplyDeleteLol, I realize that "I Spy" may be an unexpected choice but it's roll-on-the-floor hilarious and in my opinion, if a Comedy makes you laugh then it's done its job. As for "Raging Bull", it's one of the most well-crafted films of all time. It's just not as entertaining as some of the other entries on the list. Not to me, anyway.
DeleteOne other comment I have to add regarding the boxing films is that 'Million Dollar Baby', in my opinion, is one of the best films around, period. The direction was good, the storyline intriguing and the performance of Hillary Swank just absolutely amazing. How in the world anyone could watch this film and not be moved is beyond me. Love this one...
ReplyDelete