‘Rocky’ saga has post-Stallone life in Jordan-helmed ‘Creed III’
Movie review: The saga’s ninth film riffs on “Rocky V,” but don’t let that turn you away. It significantly improves on that film’s beats.
Sports
‘Replacements’ (2000) strikes balance of heart, dumb humor
Throwback Thursday (Movie review): This loose riff on the NFL’s replacement-player period stands out due to Hackman and Reeves.
‘Blue Crush’ (2002) battles breakers to become memorable
Throwback Thursday (Movie review): Revisiting “Blue Crush” 20 years later, this blend of career dreams and romantic hopes stays on its board.
‘American Underdog’ (2021) gets at heart of Kurt Warner
Throwback Thursday (Movie review): Its portrayal of Iowa is a misfire, but this biopic is an uplifting tale of the undrafted QB achieving his dream.
‘Soul Surfer’ (2011) is Hamilton’s tale of true inspiration
Throwback Thursday (Movie review): This story of the teenage surfer who lost an arm but not her lifestyle hangs 10 in delivering both tears and smiles.
‘Winning Time’ a winner, even if not entirely accurate
TV review: A historian wouldn’t approve of the dramatic license, but these 10 episodes bottle the spirit of the Lakers dynasty.
‘King Richard’ (2021) a crowd-pleasing yet nuanced biopic
Movie review: This biopic is a family-approved, loving portrayal, but the screenplay teases out details even Venus and Serena fans might not know.
‘Cobra Kai’ Season 4 (2021) goes down to the wire
TV review: This latest batch of 10 episodes features many great characters, but it’s dinged slightly by not having one that stands out from the pack.
If ‘Rocky IV’ can change, everyone can change
Movie review: Stallone tinkers with perfection in “Rocky IV: Rocky vs. Drago,” but he can’t break a classic. Both versions are great.
‘Speed Racer’ (2008) a downshift for Wachowskis
Throwback Thursday (Movie review): “Speed Racer” is fun and has a mature plot, but it’s odd that the race scenes are so blatantly artificial.