A Look Back: Rocky III
Writer/director Sylvester Stallone was faced with an interesting challenge when the time came to continue the story of his loveable underdog Rocky Balboa in Rocky III (1982). In Rocky (1976), Rocky Balboa is a journeyman boxer who’s squandered his talent and is given a once-in-a-million shot against heavyweight champion Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). The championship fight becomes less about the title and more about Rocky earning respect (and self-respect) and proving that, for the first time in his life, he matters. Rocky II (1979) is the obligatory sequel to a successful movie. Given Rocky had lost the first bout against Apollo, a rematch beckoned. It would’ve been a brave filmmaker…
A Look Back: Star Trek III – The Search for Spock
Every movie enjoys the same conceit: that the good guys might not win. But it’s a fallacy. In most stories, the good guys do wins. There might be twists and all that, but the bulk of stories end with the unspoken fairy tale climax of, And they lived happily ever after. But for the sake of our enjoyment, we entertain the prospect that they might not. After all, a predictable plot where we know what’s going to happen isn’t going to compel, excite, and tantalise us. We’ll grow disinterested – just as we would seeing the same repeat for the umpteenth time. Now the problem arises that some stories are…