Actor Burt Young (1940)

The American sports comedy-drama film Win Win (2011) was written and directed by Tom McCarthy. Mike Flaherty, a small-town attorney in New Providence, New Jersey, struggles to maintain his law practice while also coaching wrestling. He faces the challenge of keeping his financial problems hidden from his wife Jackie and their two young daughters, Abby and Stella. Mike sees an opportunity when he is assigned to represent Leo Poplar, a client with early dementia who has no known family. He convinces a judge to make him Leo’s guardian, resulting in a monthly stipend of $1,508. However, instead of taking care of Leo ...

The American romantic comedy-drama anthology film, New York, I Love You (2008), showcases 11 short films directed by different filmmakers. Each of the shorts explores the theme of love and is set in one of the five boroughs of New York City. It first premiered at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival in September and was later released in the United States on October 16, 2009. However, during a focus screening in New York, it was decided to cut two novellas from the original version: These Vagabond Shoes by Scarlett Johansson and Apocrypha by Andrei ...

The American sports drama film, Rocky Balboa (2006), was written, directed by, and starred Sylvester Stallone. The protagonist, now 60 years old and retired from boxing, leads a quiet life as a widower. His wife Adrian passed away four years prior after losing her battle to cancer. Rocky now operates a successful Italian restaurant named after her, where he entertains customers with stories from his past. Alongside coping with his grief over Adrian’s death, Rocky also struggles with his strained relationship with his son Robert – now a moderately successful young corporate lawyer. His brother-in-law and best ...

Rocky V (1990), an American sports drama film, is directed by John G. Avildsen and written by and starring Sylvester Stallone. Following his victory over Ivan Drago in Moscow, Rocky experiences mental disabilities from the fight. Upon returning to the United States with his wife Adrian, brother-in-law Paulie, and trainer Tony ‘Duke’ Evers, they are greeted by their now 14-year-old son Robert Jr. At a press conference, boxing promoter George Washington Duke tries to goad Rocky into fighting top-rated challenger Union Cane, but Rocky declines. Back home, they ...

Back to School (1986) is an American comedy film directed by Alan Metter. The protagonist, Thornton Meloni, is an Italian-American whose dream is to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a tailor. However, after receiving a poor report card from school one day, his father warns him about the importance of education: ‘A man with no education has nothing’. Over the years, Thornton changes his last name to ‘Melon’ and becomes a successful businessman, opening a chain of plus-size clothing stores and investing in various other ventures. Through photos, we see his journey of acquiring ...

Rocky IV (1985) is an American sports drama film starring and directed by Sylvester Stallone. That same year, Russian boxer Ivan Drago arrives in the United States with his wife Ludmilla, an Olympic swimmer, and a team of trainers from the Soviet Union and Cuba. His manager Nicolai Koloff seizes every opportunity to tout Drago’s athletic prowess as a symbol of Soviet dominance. Prompted by both patriotism and a personal drive for validation, former heavyweight champion Apollo Creed challenges Drago to an exhibition match. Though hesitant at first, Rocky agrees to help train Apollo for the fight. Tensions escalate ...

Once Upon a Time in America (1984) is an epic crime film co-written and directed by Italian filmmaker Sergio Leone. In 1933, three thugs scour the city for a man known as ‘Noodles’ to extract information from him through violent means. They eventually end up at a wayang theater, where the owners lead them to a secret opium den within the establishment and warn Noodles of their presence. However, Noodles is not bothered by their threats as he is under the influence of drugs and reading a newspaper detailing the deaths of bootleggers Patrick Goldberg, Philip Stein and Maximilian Bercovicz. He remembers ...

Lookin’ to Get Out (1982) is a humorous American movie helmed by Hal Ashby and penned by Al Schwartz and Jon Voight, who also takes on the lead role. While playing poker in New York City, Alex Kovac loses $10,000 to fellow gamblers Joey and Harry. In a desperate attempt to settle the debt, Alex convinces his friend Jerry Feldman to join him on a trip to Las Vegas with the goal of winning the same amount. However, upon their arrival at the casino, they discover another individual by the name of Jerry Feldman who is a ...

The American sports drama film, Rocky III (1982), was written, directed by, and starred Sylvester Stallone. Five years after defeating Apollo Creed for the world heavyweight championship, Rocky Balboa had successfully defended his title ten times and enjoyed a rise in fame, wealth, and celebrity status. However, his manager Mickey Goldmill became concerned when a rising contender named James ‘Clubber’ Lang caught his attention. During a ceremony to unveil his own statue at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Rocky announced his plan to retire but was interrupted by Lang’s public challenge for the title. ...

The sports drama film, Rocky II (1979), was written and directed by Sylvester Stallone, who also starred in the movie. On New Year’s Day of 1976, world heavyweight boxing champion Apollo Creed had defended his title against Rocky Balboa in a split decision. Both men were taken to the same hospital where, despite their previous agreement, Apollo challenged Rocky once again that night. He wanted to prove that Rocky’s ability to go the distance with him was just a fluke. However, Rocky chose to decline the rematch and retire from professional boxing. His girlfriend, Adrian, supported this decision as did his ...

Rocky (1976), anAmerican sports drama film directed by John G. Avildsen and written by and starring Sylvester Stallone, depicts the story of heavyweight boxing world champion, Apollo Creed. As the United States Bicentennial approaches, Creed plans to hold a title bout in Philadelphia. However, just five weeks before the fight, he receives news that his scheduled opponent is unable to compete due to an injured hand. Despite efforts to find another replacement, all potential candidates are either unavailable or unable to prepare in time. In a bold move, Creed decides to ...

Chinatown (1974), an American mystery film, was directed by Roman Polanski and written by Robert Towne. In the story, a woman named Evelyn Mulwray hires private detective Jake Gittes to follow her husband Hollis, who she suspects of being unfaithful. As chief engineer at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Hollis refuses to build a new dam due to safety concerns. Gittes captures photos of Hollis with another woman, which are then published in the Los Angeles Times. The real Evelyn Mulwray confronts Gittes and threatens legal action against him for aiding in the ...