Visiting with a friend

Once upon a time Kevin and I went to the show*. I say that because in the history of our relationship, we have rarely been to the show. I figure the more hilarious my blogging becomes, the more likely we will take future treks to the show. It was a relationship resolution so to speak that we decided to frequent the show more often. We decided this a week after we got married. So, in the past three months, we have been to the show...yes, twice. This may not seem very often but before this recent trend, the last movie we saw together at the movies was Doggtown and Z-boys. An inspiring film about the birth of skateboarding featuring some excellent tunes from the 70s, the film was released in 2002. We saw it in 2002...I said 2002. So two movies in three months is a great feat.
One of these films was Rocky Balboa. When I heard of its released, I couldn't believe it. I thought it was a joke. The last attempt from Sly made me cry. Seeing the commercial for Rocky 5, and the commercial alone, kept me from theaters and the video store. To see Rocky lose everything was something I could not handle. I admit; I never saw it. But when I heard that Rocky Balboa featured Rocky emerging from the dumps of despair, I looked forward to it more than the next Harry Potter book.
The anticipation of seeing my friend Rocky again left me with the same butterflies that I get when I look forward to seeing my friends who live in distant places. It's that same anticipation of waiting for the next Harry Potter movie or watching a new documentary about Anne Frank or waiting over the weekend to see what happens next to Jonathan on Guiding Light. Rocky, like Anne Frank, Jonathan Randall and Harry Potter, is my friend. Spending time with him again meant more to me than seeing any fantastical imagery like Pan's Labrynth. More than the feel good teacher movie that could give my career a boost in inspiration. Seeing Rocky meant I got to spend time with my friend and get a view into what his life is now that time has gone by. I wonder about him time and time again. And I am happy for Rocky. I really am---He gets to hang out with that gross bartender lady, do pull-ups in his yard and he continues to pick up Pauly's mess (no shocker here.) I wish he shared more about what is happening with his son. What's up with that? Reunited with my friend Rocky and he doesn't even tell me how his relationship is going--he barely scratched the surface. His relationship with his new "son" didn't surprise me. I realize that relationship was just as important to him as it was to the fatherless boy. I appreciate Rocky taking risks at his new relationships which made me long to know what was going on with he and Robert even more. Nonetheless, it was still nice to visit with him.
I am troubled by the weak premise of the film so much that it brings to me the horror of 1994...the year baseball went on strike. Like Rocky, the White Sox too were chosen by a computer simulation to take all. No one needs to be reminded of the horrors of computers and giving them such awesome power as to predicting imaginary sporting events. We've all seen Terminator and know of the damage computer technology can cause. One of the many reasons that T-2 is probably the greatest horror film of all time. For the same reason that it's the greatest part 2 of all time--the horror of computers and what pain they cause.This computer generated fight between he and the current champ, a knockoff Mike Tyson chip on his shoulder-esque fighter-did Rocky take it seriously, or was it just an excuse to get his old man body back in shape a la the greatest montage sequence of all time? I have questions--no answers. All I know is that computers predicting sporting events is more horrific than the sci-fi world of machines taking over. It horrifies me that this machine would be powerful enough to get Rocky back in the ring. It makes the reality of T-2 seem closer at hand. I can't bear to even consider that for a moment...a machine controlling Rocky's will.... and for that very reason i find the very premise as weak as Eddie Furlong's biceps in T-2.

Unfortunately, the only thing I got out of the film was the satisfaction of knowing how my friend Rocky was doing. Parts of it made me laugh really loud, and I don't mean with Rocky, I mean at him. Like if he was a real life friend, and not an imaginary friend, I would call a mutual friend and say " Can you believe this guy?" and we'd probably spend hours talking smack on him and saying...This guy is nuts. Get a grip. examples--. Like when he changed that lightbulb for gross bartender lady. (tear) And let's not forget how he named his restaurant Adrienne's. It's touching and heartfelt but a bit cliche. I don't mean no disrespect but how many movies and television shows have we spent at a grave site? I think he spent more time there than the entire cast of the entire series of six feet under spent at cemetaries. Couldn't he have been a little more original or unique? We used to take Grandma to visit Grandpa at the cemetary, but not everyday.
I truly and sincerely feel sorry for my friend. He breaks my heart. I realize he's a man of few words but a few more moments and development with he and Robert would have helped. It would have eased my worry about him. And why didn't he bring the pup with the grave at the end. Why? Bad choice. How could he leave the pooch at home? Who goes for a walk and leaves their doggie at home? Does Sly have a dog? Does he understand the dynamic relationship between man and dog? Or, even man and son for that matter?
The film was as depressing as the song Under the Bridge. I felt like Rocky's only true friend was the city he lives in...Philly. That may be enough for some but I want more for him. He trained, he fought hard, and I really don't know if he grew from the experience. What was the point? Has he changed or will he forever be lost without Adrienne? I need more reassurance. I wish I could visit with him again. It's unfortunate that we probably won't. I would like to spend some time with my friend again.
If any Rocky fan sat in a Denny's with him for twenty minutes, chances are any of us could have gotten the same information and pictured it in our heads just as well as the images and dialogue Sly chose for the big screen. The only things that would be missing are the classic montage moments of Philly. Montages. One thing is for sure. Sly is the master of the montage. I realize he recycled the one from 1976 but the dog silhouette triggered those tearful laughs. Maybe I felt pity for my friend. Regardless, it's always pleasant to catch up with old, dear friends. More than anything else, the film made me long to visit Philly. I look forward to that visit more than I do a Rocky 7. Lucky 7. hmmm.


*In Chicago instead of saying going to the movies/theater, we say going to the show.

The Stink

Here is the debut of one ill movie. An attempt to motivate myself to watch more movies, review more movies, discuss more movies, and, most importantly, practice my stand-up, this "blog" should push me in the right direction. I am also pretty lame. Having a blog may make me a bit more "hip". Like all my creative, artsy hipster friends have blogs. They might take me a little more seriously if I have one too. People talk about "blogs" all the time and I don't even find the time to read my friends' blogs as much as I should. I am a horrible friend. This may make me a better friend if I start running in the blog circle. is there a blog circle? What shape is it?...but by no means am I cluess. I have wanted to have a blog for a long time now. I just needed a little inspiration. that inspiration came from amie king. (Please visit her at www.amieking.com). I can't help but think of old men like my dad who say things like, "what's this blogger stuff? What's that all about? Why do I give a @?#$L$>@ what some stupid yuppie thinks?" This came up a lot during the last election that I like to pretend didn't happen. My goal--perhaps my daddy one day will read my blog and understand what blogging is all about. "My daddy thinks I'm the best"...at french kissing that is.

So yeah, I guess I should review a movie, right? Well I don't feel like it right now. All I have to say is that I watched "The Sting" last night and wanted to call it "The Stink". People have been raving about this flick my whole life and I did sit through the entire movie thinking and saying out loud "was that supposed to be the hilarious part?" What's so hilarious? I always like seeing Doc Hopper from the Muppet Movie though; that's what I liked best. I did like Robert Redford's pimp daddy burgundy suit and train scenes are always great but I have to say how can some corporate fancypants criminal banker be stupid enough to gamble a half million dollars? It just doesn't work, once again, it's not hilarious either. And fake blood at the end: stupid and predictable. Much like the entire film. Don't get me wrong, Robert Redford and Paul Newman were hot back in the day but not hot enough to be walking around in wife beaters. Como se dice scrawny?

Joke #1-
Did you hear they're renaming New Orleans?

Thomas Jonestown

Joke #2-
You thought Katrina was bad. Did you hear what happened to New Orleans last week?
The Bears happened.