Interesting article over on First Things about the new movie. I can't really say more than that since, unlike the esteemed Rico, I am untutored in the ways of the Rocky universe.
One little bit did catch my eye though (other than Spider being far cooler a first name than Johnny):
Sound familiar? Rocky Balboa is part trip-down-memory-lane, part remake. As much as I wanted the old magic, as much as I admire Stallone for sustaining the spirit of this character all these years, it’s tired. The set speeches about continuing to move forward no matter how hard you’re hit, and how “it doesn’t matter how this looks to other people”—tired. This is Stallone talking to himself and talking to his critics. Yes, all the Rocky films have mirrored to some extent a particular phase of Stallone’s life and career, but it’s only the deep-down sweetness of the character that mitigates what by now comes across as self-pitying and self-justifying cant. Not that there’s anything wrong with a message about the value of perseverance—but who in his right mind wouldn’t counsel a 59-year-old with arthritis in his neck not to get in the ring with the heavyweight champion of the world? At some point common sense must trump sheer will. But, again, this is more about Stallone than it is about Rocky.
Rocky's going to be 59! I know Stallone's getting up there, but couldn't they done something to make him look a mere 45? I mean, c'mon, this is just getting ridiculous.
One aging movie star making a sequel led me to think of another aging star. I've read that Lucas and Spieberg are still kicking around the idea of Indiana Jones IV. They'd better hurry. Harrison Ford is no spring chicken himself. By the time production roles around, Ford's going to have to play Indiana Jones in his 60s, which, if I have my time frame right, means the movie will take place during the '70s, which means it will now be possible to connect this guy:
With something like this . . .
The horror. The horror.
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