I Must Break You

So, the conversation at work the other day was "Which is the best Rocky movie?"

I immediately answered "Rocky IV". But then I had to elaborate... I saw Rocky IV in 1985 on the big screen. I was 16. Therefore, everything I saw or heard at that time is linked to HORMONES. Things at that time for me were the FUNNIEST, or THE SADDEST THING I'VE EVER HEARD, or Wow, that song expresses EXACTLY how I feel. (And, Mom, I don't remember if I wasn't supposed to see this movie or not. Well, it was rated PG, so it was probably ok. I won't tell you what I saw instead of the 2010: Space Odyssey, which I still haven't seen, btw. Ok, it was Footloose. That Kevin Bacon made me do it. Hope you can forgive me 22 years later.)

Anyhoo, we tried to rent it Sunday at our local place. They had II and III, but not IV on the shelf, so I asked for it. They said "We don't have it anymore." I said, "But that's the best one!" The guy grinned and said, "Yeah, you're right."

So, last night we were at our local Evil Empire, and Lee asked if I just wanted to see if they had it. $7.50. Awesome. We watched it last night.

I have to say, it still clearly IS the best Rocky. I forgot about the AWESOME 1985 outfits and fast cars, and the SONGS .... And in true 80's formula movies, there are no fewer than 3 montages. I kept saying "See, it's awesome, see, Drago is training in a lab, and Rocky is DOING THE SAME EXERCISES, but he's doing them IN THE SNOW! See! Look how time has passed, because now Rocky has a BEARD."

Later, Lee mentioned that Rocky IV was panned because it's the most violent Rocky movie, and as I was drifting off to sleep, I said, "Well, YEAH, cause it was against the Russians, and did you see Drago, he was like a FOOT TALLER than Rocky. Rocky's so scrappy."

For me, Rocky IV is still the best one, although we liked Rocky Balboa quite a lot more than we thought we would. No, wait. Rocky is probably the BEST, but IV is the best of the II-V franchise, Rocky Balboa being technically VI. Speaking of Rocky Balboa, they could not have cast Rocky's son any better. Seriously, we're watching Rocky IV, and saying, "Man, doesn't young Rocky look like Milo?" Check out the lower lip and the sad eyes.


FAVORITE QUOTE:
Duke: [to Rocky] You see? You see? He's not a machine, he's a man, he's a man.
Drago: [to his own trainer] He's not human. He's like a piece of iron.