Thursday Movie Picks - Combat Sports

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I'm back after a week off from Wandering Through The Shelves' Thursday Movie Picks and this week we're talking about combat sports! This will be properly awkward because I kind of hate the Rocky movies and I expect those to get picked a lot this week. Here's what I came up with


1) The Wrestler - I grew up watching professional wrestling and following it online. I think wrestling forums were the first thing I ever really engaged with on the internet, so of course I love this flick. I loved the backstage things we saw.


2) Fighting With My Family - Another wrestling film which blessed us with the most perfect line of dialogue in the gif above.


3) The Fighter - I hate David O. Russell but ugh...this movie is so good. I want to watch it again.

Comments

  1. joel65913December 1, 2022 at 9:26 AM

    Oh a theme within the theme! Love those!!

    However I hate wrestling but have seen two of these, the first and the last. I detest Mickey Rourke but when he was nominated for this I gave it a try. Still not a fan and delighted he lost to Sean Penn's superior work in Milk.

    I was marginally fonder of The Fighter, though I hated Melissa Leo's performance and am incredulous that she won an Oscar for it. The one time I watched it was more than enough.

    The very first thing that popped into my mind was the James Caan version of Rollerball. Not that I loved that film but it's all about the combat and miles better than the recent remake which sucked badly.

    Otherwise my mind turned to boxing and two older films with favorite actors of mine-firstly John Garfield's Body & Soul and Errol Flynn's Gentleman Jim. Love both because they explore more than just what happens in the arena. Actually that brings to mind another phenomenal noirish boxing drama, The Set-Up with Robert Ryan and Audrey Totter. All three are quality films.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamDecember 2, 2022 at 3:48 PM

      Believe it or not, I was actually happy with Penn winning too (even though I don't care for either actor). I would've been happy with Milk winning Best Picture, I loved that movie.

      Rollerball is getting a lot of mentions! I ned to see that.

      Delete
  2. thevoid99December 1, 2022 at 2:32 PM

    Fighting with My Family is the one film I want to see as I do like Saraya and LOVE Florence Pugh. I hope when Saraya gets the chance to wrestle in Britain or for a championship. She'd be accompanied by Pugh. It would be a good sequel and hopefully not produced by WWE.

    The Wrestler is a masterpiece while The Fighter is good though I really didn't like Melissa Leo's performance as I thought it was just too much.

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    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamDecember 2, 2022 at 3:46 PM

      I'm surprised you haven't seen Fighting with My Family yet! I haven't kept up with Saraya. I fell off WWE when she came on as Paige. The girl they have playing AJ lee when she wins her title has her voice down so spot on that I wonder if they just played a recording over her.

      Delete
    2. thevoid99December 2, 2022 at 8:41 PM

      You mean Zelina Vega (real name Thea Trinidad)? She actually did speak like AJ. Saraya just had her first match in years against Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D. at AEW Full Gear. It was a good match but Saraya is going to do one match a month and then see how it goes. She's taking it slowly.

      Delete
    3. Brittani BurnhamDecember 5, 2022 at 2:33 PM

      Was that Zelina? I had no idea. I should've looked it up. I sort of know who she is, mostly from that funny NXT match where she tried to hurricarana Drew McIntyre and he just kind of gently put her back on the apron while she screamed at him lol.

      Delete
  3. BirgitDecember 1, 2022 at 3:27 PM

    I just watched The Fighter about 3 weeks ago and it is really good. What's wild is how down pat Christian Bale got his character down. I love watching the extras on DVD and Bale nailed it.
    The Wrestler is another good movie and a good comeback for that strange being called Mickey Roarke.
    I have not seen your second pick.

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    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamDecember 2, 2022 at 3:45 PM

      Christian Bale is awesome. He's easily one of my favorite working actors right now. LOL strange being Mickey Rourke. Accurate.

      Delete
  4. SJHoneywellDecember 1, 2022 at 10:33 PM

    Nice internal theme of sorts. I've seen the first and third ones--and I agree on your assessment of David O. Russell.

    My first thought here would have been the original Rollerball with James Caan. It's one of those movies I watch every year.

    ReplyDelete
  5. WandererDecember 2, 2022 at 4:14 PM

    I've been wanting to see The Wrestler.
    Fighting With My Family - Switched it off halfway. I was bored.
    Christian Bale looked soo unhealthily skinny that I've been avoiding seeing the movie.

    ReplyDelete
  6. ThePunkTheoryDecember 23, 2022 at 2:19 AM

    Based on the gif alone I will have to watch Fighting wiht my Family!

    ReplyDelete

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