#225. Like Mike (2002)

 

 

Prior Viewings: 1

 

Saw this one with my cousins back when it was new, and the only stuff I really held on to was the fantastical premise, the scarring scene where Crispin Glover burns a photo of Jonathan Lipnicki's mom in order to get information, and that godforsaken theme song, which has played in my head every single time I've seen a basketball (or should I say, bas-ket-ball) court ever since.

 

Literally nothing about the central relationship between Calvin and Tracy left an impression (in fact, I had no memory of the Tracy character in general), which is funny because, as an adult, this was the aspect I liked most. It's a simple and predictable little arc, but it's also a sound and resonant one, and Lil' Bow Wow and Morris Chestnut have enough chemistry with one another that you completely buy the relationship.

 

Otherwise, the movie's basically what you'd expect: a cute little children's power fantasy. And even if the sugary energy and schmaltzy tone can feel a bit juvenile to an adult viewer, there's still enough in the way of humour, innocence, and fun appearances (the cameos in this one frankly blow Space Jam out of the water) that I don't regret not leaving it in the past.

 

Grade: B

 

#191. Marty Supreme (2025)

 

 

Very few filmmakers give me more hope for the future than Josh Safdie does (sorry, Benny). Between the casting, the camerawork, the music, the humour, and the manic, unyielding energy, I find everything about his style exhilarating. And while I'm sure there will eventually come a day when I set the bar too high for him to clear, that day isn't today.

 

Goddamn, what an spectacular ride. From the sperm opening to the moving ending (both of which are punctuated by sublime needle drops), I adored every second of this movie. It's heartfelt, it's explosive, it's extremely sweaty, and it somehow finds a way to function as both a sports story and a Safdie-esque comedy of errors. Plus, it blends its 1952 setting with an '80s aesthetic and a modern-day mindset in a manner that feels harmonious and fresh. It's all so dazzling that even the presence of Kevin O'Leary couldn't ruin it for me.

 

When I watched One Battle After Another a few months ago, I was pretty sure that nothing else from 2025 would top it. That may still be the case, but the throne's finally got some competition now (I'll rank the ten nominees when I get through all of them, so check back then). And if I do end up giving this one the edge, it'll probably be due to its passion and power, and because it's the year's only movie, at least as far as I'm aware, that contains a shootout between Abel Ferrara and Penn Jillette.

 

Grade: A+

 

#187. F1 (2025)

 

 

The surprise Best Picture nominee of the year, F1 probably isn't going to blow too many people away on a story level. It's basically your typical "Older guy plays by his own rules and shows the youngsters how it's done" narrative, with cookie cutter arcs and spelled-out dialogue. But the execution's ultimately strong enough that none of this really impaired my enjoyment all that much.

 

For example, the races are immaculate. They're exciting and suspenseful, and you always know what's going on (possibly to a fault; the announcer exposition felt a little condescending at times). And everything around them is mostly well-plotted and solidly structured, even if a few of the detours don't go anywhere or add a whole lot. Plus, with names like Pitt, Condon, and Bardem in the cast, adjectives like "cool" and "charismatic" are pretty much a given. 

 

So, yes, the movie's formulaic, to the point where Joseph Kosinski essentially just remade Top Gun: Maverick with cars instead of planes. But I'm certainly not immune to a superficial crowd-pleaser, and this one kept me invested and enthralled enough that I can't pretend to have any issue with the nomination.

 

Grade: A-

 

#173. Gentleman Jim (1942)

 

 

Boxing movies tend to be either dark and depressing melodramas or high-stakes underdog stories, so it's kinda refreshing to see one that's so laid-back and easygoing, while still being full of life.

 

Much of that can be credited to the lighthearted, almost screwball nature of the screenplay, as well as Raoul Walsh's sturdy-yet-dynamic direction (both the bouts and the montages have some genuine energy to them), but the key ingredient here is clearly our leading man. I'm told that this was one of Errol Flynn's favourite roles, and you can easily see why. It plays to all of his strengths: charm, wit, physicality, attractiveness. Jim's a cocky fella, but Flynn plays it off so effortlessly and charmingly that you're always in his corner.

 

As much as I liked the buoyancy of this one, though, I have to admit that I found the narrative only occasionally gripping. What few subplots there are grew kinda repetitive to me after a while (it doesn't exactly help that the conflicts and arcs are so basic), and I think the movie largely runs out of steam before we get to the final fight. Fortunately, that belt scene wraps everything up quite nicely, while also providing some necessary heart.

 

Grade: B+

 

#142. Ali (2001)

 

 

I think what I like most about this movie is that it knows how the boilerplate biopic formula should be presented.

 

When you stretch a narrative over the course of ten years, it tends not to work especially well as drama. And that's arguably the case here: we don't get much insight into Ali's state of mind, most of the subplots (especially the ones involving Drew Brown and Malcolm X) are extremely underdeveloped, and it all starts to feel very connect-the-dots after a while.

 

But what Michael Mann gets is that this episodic structure lends itself much better to montage than it ever could to realism. So he instead turns the whole thing into a hazy, impressionistic spectacle, using music and vivid imagery and a feverish blend of film and digital cinematography (those nighttime workout scenes really anticipate Collateral and Miami Vice) to create a brooding, soulful, myth-making whirlwind. We may not learn a whole lot about this man, but it's incredibly easy to see why he was bigger and more legendary than any of us could ever hope to be.

 

Bit of a shame that this style peaks so early in the movie, though. Those first fifteen minutes are so striking and stimulating that the remainder really has nowhere to go but down.

 

Grade: A-

#122. Fat City (1972)

 

 

Gotta give John Huston some credit: he knew how to keep up with the times. This movie is so aggressively '70s that you can practically smell the cigarettes and body odor.

 

Fat City is essentially the un-Rocky. It's bleak, it's unsentimental, and it never once makes you want to stand up and cheer (unless you're a big fan of alcoholism). Doesn't make for an especially lively or likeable movie, but it reeks of legitimacy. Every frame feels incredibly authentic and lived-in, and you really get the sense that these people are going to be stuck in their shitty situations forever, regardless of what they do.

 

I just wish the whole thing was a bit more focused. Despite the realism, it's all kinda soft and episodic for my liking, to the point where the material doesn't quite leave the impact that it probably should. As a domestic drama, I don't find any of these dynamics interesting or developed enough to care about (and it doesn't help that I think most of the characters are either bland or annoying), and, as a boxing movie, the bouts are almost laughably unconvincing. So a good chunk of it falls a bit flat for me.

 

Still, I can see why many people consider this to be among Huston's best work. The tone's unique, the point of view is distinct, and Stacy Keach gives a great performance. It's just too bad that there's a vaguely aimless vibe to the presentation that makes it difficult for me to latch onto anything.

 

Grade: B-

 

#53. The Champ (1931)

 

 

I kinda like it when older movies are a little on the sentimental side. Those heavy-yet-basic emotions just seem to fit right in with a more primitive style of filmmaking. And I think that's why I was able to appreciate The Champ: it's a simple family drama about the relationship between a father and his son, but it's that simplicity that allows the story to pack such an emotional punch.

 

Of course, being that the movie's almost a hundred years old, you're bound to notice a few cliches in the conflict. The father's past his prime, he's now a drinker and a gambler (though, as this was from the pre-Code era, the movie's refreshingly direct about both), and he's at risk of losing custody of his boy. It's not the most original story ever written, and there's some outdated hokiness at times, but the heart is undeniable. You can feel the love between these two characters, and it makes both the journey and its conclusion incredibly moving.

 

What elevates everything to true tearjerker status, though, is Jackie Cooper. This adorable little guy gives one of the most heartbreaking performances I've ever seen from a child actor.

 

Grade: A-