boxing

  • Review: TIFF 2019: ‘Jungleland’ is neither road trip nor boxing movie (Includes first-hand account)

    Love is a tricky emotion because even though you love something or someone, you don’t necessarily have to like them too — at least not all of the time. But it’s in those moments of dislike that love is most important because it keeps you tethered, for better or worse. This happens often between family members and on a similar level, professional athletes. The time to worry is when the scales are weighing more heavily on the negative side. In Jungleland, adult siblings cling to their love for each other and boxing, but the ties that bind them aren’t as strong as they used to be.

  • Review: ‘Creed II’ takes what worked and rejigs it for a dual sequel (Includes first-hand account)

    It took time and couple of not great movies for studio execs to realize audiences no longer desired narratives centred on Rocky Balboa. Watching a now much older Sylvester Stallone be pummelled in the ring by a young upstart is more sad than thrilling. Just because the actor is still physically fit enough to do the scenes doesn’t mean he should. Then they decided to reboot the franchise and give Rocky a more fitting role as the coach of a young a boxer with a connection to his past. Now, in Creed II, the past comes knocking and Donny feels an overwhelming need to answer.

  • Review: ‘Southpaw’s grit just isn’t enough (Includes first-hand account)

    There have been several good boxing films made over the years, some based on true stories and others emerging from the imaginations of talented authors and screenwriters. Directors such as Clint Eastwood, Ron Howard, David O. Russell and Martin Scorsese have stepped into the ring and had an impact on the sports film subgenre. But no matter the trajectory of the story, it always comes down to one last fight. That’s part of the movie’s appeal — audiences know they are going to see a well-choreographed match that rivals some of reality’s best. Antoine Fuqua‘s Southpaw follows in its predecessors’ footsteps, which can be considered good and bad.