Tag Archives: Creed III

20 Films For The Weekend (9/5/25)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Guilty Pleasure Weekend

Last night, while my sister and my boyfriend were watching the Cowboys lose to the Eagles, I took refuge from it all by watching Big Brother (Go Ava!) and then an episode of the Dark Side of Comedy.  The Dark Side of Comedy episode was about Dustin Diamond, the actor who will forever be known for playing Screech Powers on Saved By The Bell.

Watching the episode on Diamond reminded me of the fact that, in 2015, Lifetime turned his terrible, lie-filled memoir into a made-for-TV movie.  They didn’t actually credit Behind the Bell as being the source material for 2014’s the Unauthorized Saved By The Bell Story but it was pretty clear that it was.  That said, The Unauthorized Saved By The Bell Story was entertainingly daft.  The actor who played Dustin Diamond bore a surprising resemblance to him.  The rest of the cast was not quite as well-selected.  Still, if you like cheesy and over-the-top behind-the-scene docudramas about mediocre TV shows, The Unauthorized Saved By The Bell Story is the gold standard.  It can be viewed on Prime.

The Unauthorized Saved By The Bell Story was such a hit that, in 2015, Lifetime gave us The Unauthorized Beverly Hills 90210 Story, which featured a nice nod to continuity by casting the same actress as Tiffani-Amber Thiessen who played the role in the Saved By The Bell film.  Thanks to the Vanessa Parise’s direction, The 90210 film was surprisingly good and it also featured an excellent performance from Degrassi’s Samantha Munro as Shannen Doherty.  The film portrays Doherty as being a bit of a diva but it also makes a compelling argument that Doherty, as a veteran of the industry, understood that, in Hollywood, you could either fight for respect or you could be a victim.  It can be viewed on Prime.

Lifetime followed up their 90210 film with The Unauthorized Melrose Place Story, which was a bit of a disappointment when compared to the other two films.  (The main theme seems to be that everyone got along.)  It’s a film that I recommend only because I’m a completist.  It can be viewed on Prime.

Usually, I only recommend films that are streaming for free but, since we’re talking about the Lifetime Unauthorized series, I will mention that 2015’s The Unauthorized Full House Story is available for rent on Prime.  Unfortunately, most of the really interesting stories involving the cast of Full House (like Aunt Becky going to prison for a nothing crime) occurred after this film aired.  The most interesting thing about this film is how little any of the actors resemble their real-life counterparts.  Still, if you’re a completist and you don’t mind paying for it, it’s on Prime.

While I was rummaging around on Prime, I discovered that From Justin To Kelly (2003) is currently streaming!  I can’t help it.  As bad as this film is, I just love it.  Some of it is because Kelly and I are both from Texas.  (From what I understand, Kelly doesn’t like this movie.  While it is clear that neither she nor Justin Guarini were trained actors, they were both very liable.)  Some of it is because it’s just so unbelievably bad that it becomes oddly charming.  Justin and Kelly are cute together, even though they have zero romantic chemistry.  Apparently, American Idol was envisioned as including an annual film as well but they abandoned that idea after the commercial failure of From Justin To Kelly.  We were robbed of a Taylor Hicks/Katharine McPhee romantic comedy!  From Justin To Kelly is on Prime.

Remember Buford Pusser?

Two weeks ago, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation held a press conference about the legendary Sheriff Buford Pusser, whose life and death in the early 70s inspired the Walking Tall films.  A huge part of Pusser’s legend is that his wife was killed by the Dixie Mafia.  The TBI, however, is now of the opinion that Pusser murdered his wife, shot himself, and then made up a story about having been ambushed …. which, when you think about it, actually makes a lot more sense than anything portrayed in the Walking Tall films.

That said, the saying goes that you should always print the legend.  The original 1974 Walking Tall, starring Joe Don Baker, is streaming for free on one location.  Unfortunately, it’s a pretty suspect site and I’m not really comfortable linking to it.  However, the sequels — 1975’s Walking Tall Part 2 and 1977’s Walking Tall: Final Chapter — are both on YouTube.  Part 2 actually opens with Buford getting plastic surgery that makes him look like Bo Svenson.  (I don’t care how much plastic surgery someone gets, there’s no way someone could go from looking like Joe Don Baker to looking like Bo Svenson).  Part 2 features Buford going after the Dixie Mafia.  The Final Chapter is more of a family drama, with Buford losing reelection but discovering that Hollywood wants to make a movie about his life.  Part 2 and Final Chapter are both on YouTube.

Finally, 1978’s A Real American Hero is a made-for-TV movie that features Brian Dennehy as Buford Pusser.  Needless to say, it’s not easy to watch Brian Dennehy play a redneck sheriff without immediately assuming that he’s going to arrest John Rambo for wanting to get a cup of coffee.  A Real American Hero is on a lot of sites, including YouTube.

Speaking of Sylvester Stallone….

All of the Rocky films are currently available to stream on Prime.  I used to be very critical of the Rocky films but I’ve actually come to appreciate them over the past few years.  (A lot of that is due to Sylvester Stallone’s performance in Creed.)

For instance, I still occasionally roll my eyes at the first Rocky (1976) but I’ve come to appreciate Talia Shire’s performance as Adrian and Burt Young’s performance as Paulie.  The raw sincerity of Stallone’s performance eventually won me over (even if I do think Stallone was better in First Blood) and I actually now better appreciate the fact that Rocky lost the big fight but was still a winner.  Rocky II (1979) is a bit too slow for me.  One got the feeling that Stallone was trying too hard as both an actor and a director with this one.  But, on the plus side, at least Carl Weathers got his own redemption arc as Apollo.

Rocky III (1982) is where things really start to work for me.  With Rocky III, Stallone fully embraces the melodrama, stops worrying about the Academy, and he truly gives us a wonderfully over-the-top film that one can’t help but enjoy.  Mr. T’s Clubber Lang is a great villain.  For fans of Burt Young, the film features Paulie at his slovenly best.  And I dare anyone not to cheer as Rocky and Apollo jump up and down in the ocean.  Rocky IV (1985) features Rocky defeating the Russians and delivering a heart-felt plea for world peace.  Again, how can you not love that?  Apollo Creed died to teach us all to appreciate our nation.  Remember that during the 250th birthday celebrations next year.

Rocky V (1990) was supposed to be the final Rocky film and it featured Stallone giving a performance that was so bizarre that it simply has to be seen in all of its glory.  Everyone realized that Rocky V really wasn’t the ending that the franchise deserved and, many years later, Stallone tried again with Rocky Balboa (2006), an undeniably touching film about a 70 year-old risking his life in a boxing ring.  Somehow, Paulie outlived Adrian.

Finally, the first two Creed films are also available to stream on Prime.  Creed (2015) featured perhaps Sylvester Stallone’s best performance as Rocky Balboa.  Creed II (2018) allowed Rocky to forgive himself for Apollo’s death and, to its credit, also gave Drago a hint of redemption.  Creed III (2023) does not feature Rocky, which I was actually kind of happy about, if just because it indicated that maybe Rocky had finally found some sort of life outside of the ring.  Creed III does, however, feature excellent work from Michael B. Jordan and (yes, I’m going to say it) Johnathan Majors.  Creed and Creed II are available to stream on Prime.  Creed III, you’ll have to rent.

Odds and Ends

In The People Next Door (1970), Eli Wallach and Julie Harris play a suburban couple who discover that their kids have gotten involved with hippies and drugs!  This is the type of over-the-top melodrama that I love.  It can be viewed on Tubi.

If you really want to depress yourself, follow up The People Next Door with The Death of Richie (1977), a true story about a suburban father (Ben Gazzara) and his teenage son (Robby Benson).  Benson gives a surprisingly good performance as the out-of-control Richie.  Gazzara brings his trademark intensity to the role of the Dad.  Don’t watch this movie unless you’re ready to cry.  It can be viewed on a lot of streaming sites, including Tubi.

Finally, since James Nguyen’s celebrate a birthday earlier this week, I will just mention that his best film, Replica (2005) is currently available on YouTube.  Some films defy description and that’s certainly the case here.  Find it on YouTube.

Click here for my previous weekend film recommendations!

Film Review: Creed III (dir by Michael B. Jordan)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Creed 3 opens with Adonis “Donnie” Creed (Michael B. Jordan) on top of the world.

He has just retired, as the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, from boxing.  Unlike other boxers (like Big George Foreman or Rocky Balboa or Creed’s father, Apollo), Donnie is not retiring because he’s been defeated or because his health is at risk.  Donnie is retiring because he has apparently worked out his anger and his issues with with his father’s legacy and now, he wants to spend some quality time with his wife (Tessa Thompson) and his daughter (Mila Davis-Kent).  Donnie, however, does remain in the world of boxing by managing the new world champion, Felix (Jose Benavidez, Jr.), and setting up a title fight between Felix and Donnie’s former rival, Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu).  However, when Viktor is attacked by a mysterious assailant and left too injured to fight, Donnie has to find a new opponent for Felix and he has to do it quickly!

Interestingly enough, Dame Anderson (Jonathan Majors) has just returned to town.  Donnie and Dame were childhood friends.  When they were kids, Dame was the aspiring boxer who dreamed of going to the Olympics, turning pro, and then eventually becoming the world champion.  However, those plans changed when Dame went to prison.  While Donnie was becoming world champion, Dame was serving hard time and writing letters to Donnie, all of which were hidden from Donnie by Donnie’s well-meaning mother (Phylicia Rashad).  When Dame returns home, a guilt-stricken Donnie gives Dame a job as Felix’s sparring partner and even promises to help Dame out with his late-in-life boxing career.  (As just about everyone points out, boxing is a young person’s sport and Dame is even older than Donnie.)  When Dame asks Donnie to give him the title shot against Felix, Donnie ignores everyone else’s advice and gives it to him.  Donnie justifies his decision by reminding everyone that Apollo gave Rocky a shot.

Directed by Michael B. Jordan, Creed III is an exciting and intelligent sports film that also works as a deconstruction of some of the genre’s most beloved clichés.  Donnie himself points out that everyone loves an underdog story and that’s certainly true, from Rocky to this year’s Champions.  Dame uses the world’s love for the underdog to his advantage, just to turn out to be a vicious and self-destructive fighter.  This is the film that answers the question, “What if Rocky Balboa wasn’t such a nice guy?”  Dame also uses Donnie’s guilt about the past to his advantage.  If the previous two films were all about Donnie coming to peace with the legacy of Apollo Creed, this film is about Donnie (and, to an extent, Dame) coming to peace with the legacy of Adonis Creed.

And yet, Dame himself is not a one-dimensional villain.  For much of the film, he’s actually more likable than Donnie and, even after he nearly kills Felix in the ring, he still seems to be incapable of understanding why everyone’s so upset.  While the other characters treat boxing as a sport and ignore the violence at the center of it, Dame understands that boxing is just a fight with a bigger audience.  After twelve years in prison, the system has dumped Dame on the streets and ordered him to make something of his life without bothering to help him develop any of the skills necessary to do so.  Dame fights because that’s what he’s had to do his entire life.  Since he went to jail for a fight that Donnie could have just as easily been arrest for, Dame is who Donnie easily could have become.  While his performance has since been overshadowed by his own legal issues, Jonathan Majors is never less than compelling as Dame, perfectly capturing both Dame’s bitterness and his own need for approval.

This film is Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut.  There are a few moments when Jordan falls victim to the first-time director’s trap of trying too hard to show off his artistic bona fides.  A sequence, during the final match, when the audience vanishes and Donnie and Dame dance around the ring and roar at each other like animals is occasionally effective and occasionally silly.  That said, Creed III is a hundred times more compelling and visually interesting than the more conventionally-directed Creed II.  Jordan gets good performances from his entire cast and shows himself to be a strong story teller.  I look forward to seeing what he does next as a director.

Finally, as everyone knows, Sylvester Stallone does not return as Rocky in this film, though the character is mentioned several times.  Stallone’s absence isn’t really felt.  That’s not a slight against Stallone, an actor who has gotten considerably more likable in his later years.  It’s just that there’s really not a place for Rocky Balboa in this film.  (Arguably, there really wasn’t much of a place for Rocky in the second film as well.)  Rocky Balboa has earned his retirement and hopefully, is still visiting his grandson in Canada.  This film belongs to Donnie and Dame.

Michael B. Jordan and Jonathan Majors square off in the trailer for Creed III!

Posted on by Leonard Wilson

After working with Ryan Coogler since 2013, Michael B. Jordan’s making his directorial debut with Creed III. The trailer seems to share along with Jordan’s character Adonis Creed finding a new adversary both in and out of the boxing ring in The Harder They Fall‘s Jonathan Majors as Damian. Tessa Thompson, Wood Harris, and Phylicia Rashad are also on hand.

Creed III is set to release next March in theatres.