Once again a morning screening, no impressions. No stories. I woke up, and went to the theater without so much as breakfast.
I wanted to like this movie. I want to like every Stallone movie. When I was a wee little one, Rocky brainwashed me to love Stallone. As a 5 or 6 year old kid, I recognized him as a "Good guy". I happen to love all the Rocky movies (save #5), Victory (that kick Pele does lived in my dreams for a decade), Rambo 1 & 2, Cliffhanger, and even NightHawks. I like these films. I saw Rocky 3 about a dozen times at the Fox theater here in Austin, till one day a poster for a film starring Han Solo driving a flying car appeared, then I switched to Blade Runner. However, Survivor's EYE OF THE TIGER still beats in my noggin from time to time.
The problem. Stallone hasn't done much in recent years to make me go "Wowza" over. The projects were there. I mean, Jesus, Judge Dredd could have been awesome minus the goofy humor, play that one straight hard core action sci fi, and I'd of been foaming at the mouth. His films have all been "just" missing.
Then I heard about COPLAND. For a full year now I have followed this film. Keeping careful track of what was going on. I wanted this to be a comeback for Stallone. Actually screw the comeback, how about just another good film for me to watch. I see all his films anyway, so how about a good one?
Well I got it. Once again this was at the Arbor. And guess what? This time it was in one of the big ol screens. I can't remember what trailers were there, but they were all, "okay".
I had been getting good reviews, but that doesn't necessarily mean it would be any good at all. The film started and I was hooked.
This film had two actors that have never been as good as their first major performance. Stallone for Rocky and Ray Liotta for Goodfellas. Amazingly, they out shine every other actor in the film in my opinion.
First let me do my Stallone bit.
Watch Sly's eyes in this film. They do all the work. As the film plays out, his quiet "seemingly" dim character blossums. My favorite acting, is the work in the eyes. The looks that make you see the character's thoughts. Stallone does that in this film. When he has that BB gun, you will see what I'm talking about, or when he sees Annabella's character, or when he looks at "real" cops. Plus with that extra 40lbs, he looks alot better. I mean look at him. He looks fantastic. It is my opinion that he should have kept the weight on, instead of dropping it. It adds a vulnerability to him, that he hasn't had. Let's face it, one of the reasons Rocky was our hero was because he had a dumpy stocky physique, and Apollo Creed had a... well... "Apollo" like physique. He was the underdog. As Stallone, the human vercrose vein, nothing can harm him or hurt him. Stallone eat like me, get fat, it suits you.
Ray Liotta. Well, wow, he rocks in this film. Back in that full paranoid "the chopper is following me" mode. Very cool. Really is nice to see an actor turn it on. And he sure does. Pure joy to watch.
The rest of the cast is almost as good as these two. Every role, no matter how small is played to noticeable coolness. Jeanine Garafolo, Robert Patrick, Harvey Keitel are all cool. This is a good movie.
