Creed II

In creating of series of films, books or videogames you must know not only a beginning and, perhaps, the end, but the every detail of whole story, because without it you can get trapped for your lines and characters. This is my principle. However, can be exclusions as it has films about Rocky Balboa. These movies are telling a life of a man and, as in reality, here you can’t predict the future. As I wrote once, every new part is a meeting with old good friend. When I’m watching previous movies – for me, it’s a holding a photo album and memorize past days. Interesting live with appearing of new chapter and get to know what happened with him for that time and what’s going now. By the way, an hour ago, I met Rocky Balboa again.

How changed this world! Money infected all structures of life. What talking about modern boxing, which doesn’t look as a sport anymore? Creed II perfectly describes this degradation with anything straight or indirectly connected with boxing. Values of main heroes of Creed is far from honorable motifs in Rocky. I haven’t like to Adonis Creed who’s thinking about put his name in history, his passion Bianca with aspire to make a career on his boyfriend’s glory, Duke Evers Jr., who is, I write only, absolutely differ from his great father. Characters have a good prescription, but didn’t developed in right way with screenplay and directing made by inexperienced people. In this time, I felt a weak influence of Sylvester Stallone. In series never was before made for audience comedian scenes or allowance to overdramatize and it’s a first time when I had a wish to look on watch. The screenplay was walking in forthright way. I saw it not only in action, but in spoken words by characters. I always knew when Rocky lied. And this is not from my own experience. This is from the screenplay.

Every story line is strained. Dragos live in exile is unrealistic. Ivan Drago’s lose from Rocky Balboa ruined his career. It happened on the edge of the Soviet Empire, in time, when it more than impossible could happen. Ivan’s career could even survive after grab of Politburo representative and words to Gorbachyov “I will gain victory FOR MYSELF!” I always thought these actions launched the Soviet Union to collapse. Without doubt, Ivan would be find his place in eventuated Russian Federation. Victor Drago, after his wins, still live in misery with his father is one more about fiction. Absurdity of Lyudmilla Drago (or what is her surname now?) line excellent showed in disgusting director’s staging when she was introduced. Rocky, who can talk in wisdom form only, can’t call to his son. I don’t see a reason in this break and his sages were transforming to bothers.

Two hours and ten minutes I was watching a feeble drama where most part played by awful actors. Tessa Thompson since total horrible in previous part sometimes can give a good acting and more native in singing of lifeless modern songs, but she doesn’t life her characters as same with ongoing absolutely stay in hopeless has Michael B. Jordan. No one of these youngsters can’t hold even a scene. Florian Munteanu, who has a face and physically matches for role of Viktor Drago, wasn’t perform before and it’s good, that his possibilities for serious acting is very rare, because he’s bad in it. However, he doesn’t impresses on the ring. When I memorize Dolph Lundgren in Rocky IV, who had before only an episode appearance in A View to a Kill, I every time felt mighty in all senses of his character even he doesn’t make a move. And his rare coming from mouth words impresses. Munteanu, despite massive body and skills of real boxer, gives nothing for feel. Unlike to his screenplay’s father Ivan Drago played again by Dolph Lundgren. He made an astonishing performance of his prefers less talk character. Lundgren disclosed for me his talent in total drama. Ivan Drago doesn’t allow to be liberate in acting and I would like to see actor’s full performance as, for example, Arnie made in brilliant “Maggie” and “Aftermath”. I saw living characters only in aged (beyond forty.) actors, but this is wrong film for all of them.

Sylvester Stallone lost his sight when unleashed his control to whom he entrusted and himself personally. When in film TV shows an amateur match where Adonis lost his Ford Mustang, I want to ask, “Who so well filmed it?” Also, I don’t remember, that tombs of Adrian and Paulie had a beautiful view on river. Maybe I take much attention to details and in the screenplay Rocky just reburied them. However, Sly made a deadly wrong mistake when chose Steven Caple Jr. for directing. He can’t work with group of cameras, droningly tell the story and often fails in scene building. Adonis enters in mother’s house and call owner of it. Nobody answers. He searches her and soon meets Rocky, whose appearance for audience must be unexpected, but it was obvious for me, that he will return for training of Creed. Another example, Adonis stays on grave of his father and audience is thinking he’s alone. However, no. Right behind of him situates his wife with newborn child. When Rocky comes to his son a door unexpectedly opens son of his son – grandson, but soon comes his son whom again performs Milo Ventimiglia.

I remember every training montage of any film and after them fight. Creed II holds style “an absence in inventiveness and no experiments”. Rocky, who told before, how is dangerous Viktor Drago, brings Adonis to the outskirt of the world, where in this specially hideous conditions (Viktor Drago, of course, tranings in well-equipped gym.) he learns what his coach for unexplained reason was silent before. Only liked here a dialog about “hell” and tire training. The whole film holds in this far-fetchedness. Little bit changed Drago’s epic phrases and knowing moments looks more a repeat than esteem. From what I’ve got an one more pleasure was a music job of Ludwig Goransson, who still fabulously shows a modern generation. Only fail was in fight scenes, where I can’t a mention a funny fairy-tale scene of scream “CREED”.

Some time ago, Stallone made a statement that it’s his last performance of Rocky Balboa. Not a first time he says about it. I can sure on six times less. However, it haven’t a mean. He made this last for me. Rocky Balboa was a great ending, but I was ready for a new part and liked appeared Creed. Eighth round from Creed II became a knockout. Despite, I have more thoughts now, that I will watch Creed III and absolutely know it willn’t happen in cinema, but I have no interests to young characters if even put outside the story and all technical. Maybe Rocky VI was the best final point. Will see. What only I wish (goes in deep Russian pronunciation.) “I want to drink” and full or some of it rewatch and relisten from Rocky IV.         

P.S. He must called her Kate.

Black on Red: My 44 Years Inside the Soviet Union

The story of Robert Robinson is about a multi-talented man who was living in unhappy times for Negroes in the United States and when those circumstances led him to use a job opportunity in the Soviet Union, which slyly allured. Robinson's fatal mistake to stay was made him a prisoner for more of four decades where he became a witness of different moments: bloody purges, which interrupted Second World War and after then Cold War with many fantastic stories about life and people in one of the most closest countries in the world, which, what the most important, were told from non-Russian view. When I was reading this book, Robert Robinson was a kindred soul for me. I haven't same color of skin, but I purely have same alienation. Everything, what he described, I've experienced similar. Robinson was a genius in many sciences, fluently spoke on main foreign languages and some of his inventions made easier job of his specialty, but it doesn't play any part when you an outsider for Soviets. Without race origin, Robinson was an individuality, despite harsh times taught him to stay neutral.
The author of "Black on Red" is telling a lot of interesting stories about people whom he met. There were, of course, Soviet citizens, Russians from Tsarist period, which wasn't a far time then, spectacular tales on people with same skin as Robinson whence I still again saw a confirmation how will end those who tries to fit into totalitarian/authoritarian system. For all years Robinson never gave up in find a way to leave the Soviet Union. He didn't betrayed his ideals, principles and the dream even in any worst of days. Robinson wasn't a brave war hero and open dissident (I'm thinking in the last, in post-Dzhugashvili times, it could helped him to fly away earlier, but doesn't mean.). He wasn't born for these things, but he never lost his humanity. How he was surviving, when Second World War entered in the Soviet Union, is the greatest example of the man.
Robinson understood what many inhabitants of the one-sixth of the world still don't try - Russian nation. I read no one book from people who were there beginning from the end of Mongol rule and these foreign visitors were taking off a mystery. When Robinson left the Soviet Union in Brezhnev time, he clearly knew on posted Gorbachyov on whom still in the West and in the East a totally different, but both wrong conversance on his personality.
Robinson writes he could tell a lot of stories which will make the book beyond of thousand pages and, by his words, it will exceed format. Strange for me, because I never heard about standards. It's so sad that Robinson didn't include all of his tales in this or didn't make an another book, because I was ready to read it all about the man with unlucky and unbelievable fate together and who is my hero.

Fahrenheit 11/9

I with pleasure was watching Michael Moore’s films where he was telling about corporations (Roger & Me and my favorite Big One.) and their everywhere influence (as in health care system in Sicko.) in the United States, was looking for reasons in often happening shootings in his homeland country (Bowling for Columbine.) and observed George W. Bush presidency (his famous, but somewhere controversial from my side, Fahrenheit 9/11.). Usually I agree with him, but sometimes my opinion was differ. It were until Capitalism: A Love Story where Moore surprised me in his view on Barack Obama where he was shown as independent and incorruptible from any man and corporation. In this moment, a director preferred his political tastes than be an objective. I’m not against Moore’s passion to socialism… yeah, in the Western European’s form, not in the Soviet and their allied countries meanings as the director says in this film, but never tell about what you don’t know or maybe you tried to misinform us, Mister Moore? I missed Where to Invade Next, but perhaps I should have watched for in what form the director made film about how socialism is great. Nothing good I was expecting from Michael Moore in TrumpLand and was right. In this flick, where much time looked as stand-up comedy, Moore couldn’t proof his position and even did the worst thing. He used intimidate method for audience in hall when showed a video of news program on variation “If Trump will win the election”: it will a dark day for the United States, Trump will be the last president of this country and he will start a war with Mexico. This propaganda style reminds the Soviet Union and their socialistic allies, which comes from modern Russia now. This kind of socialism choosing Michael Moore.

 

Of course, I didn’t expect any good from “Fahrenheit 11/9”. From a title, on what author tried to repeat his success, but, fortunately, it didn’t happen. Moore promised exposing film about Donald Trump where he will also tell about secret of his winning, any survival and why he is so dangerous.

The director stays only on merciless position to the acting US president. Often appearance of Trump comes with music of classical tragedy. The director allows to give a characteristic as “It looked like a perp walk” and his facts to theory, that Trump didn’t planned to be a president, Moore corroborates own conspiracy addition about Gwen Stefani, which got more money as a judge on The Voice, than Trump earned on The Apprentice, of what the director reasons in form that businessman had thoughts “Fuck Gwen Stefani. Fuck NBC. I’m going to be king of the world”. This’s not serious! I don’t see facts. Only superficial express of own hatred. I wrote before in one article why Trump won and I’ll repeat it. I willn’t touch his try to be a candidate from Reform Party in 2000. He seriously planned it in 2012, but did wise, because it’s too risky fight against man who’s going on second term. In 2016, Trump originally planned to run as independent candidate, but he didn’t repeat Ross Perot’s mistake in 1992. If you want to have big chances – you must represent one of two main US parties, which he did. About money I want to remind – he is a billionaire. He lost hundred millions in time of his campaign and relinquished from president’s salary. In some things Moore didn’t try proof, but seeds, that audience had a suspicious as, for example, Trump can go on incest. Also Moore calls racist the man who supported accused in rape Mike Tyson and pardoned Jack Johnson, when his predecessor with same color of skin Barack Obama didn’t approve this request. Michael Moore’s approach in telling was taking out words from context and was editing materials in his way.

Not whole film content about Moore’s attack on Donald Trump. Very fast the director goes to other topics: surprisingly happened in him hometown Flint water crisis, school shooting in Parkland with emerged by students gun control question, doubts in Clinton’s victory on primaries, teachers’ strikes around of country. Moore devotes much time on every on them and film was starting to look more about water crisis than expose of Donald Trump. Moore blames some Republican governors as a whole party. Also he gives his booing to capitalism. I’m very glad, that Hillary Clinton lost election, but I still not see confirmation on stolen voices. Moore’s arguments lies in woman with poster and results on simple paper, which I can print myself. I prefer more serious things for proofs. Once Moore was making his bases on social polls. I can’t rely on this thing, because you can ask thousand men in one district, do same in other and get totally different results. I understand if ask all workers on factory – here you will get results and representation. Pre-election polls always gave high percent to Hillary. Talking about missis Clinton, Moore gave some criticize to her and, of course this his choice, but I would be tale about Clinton Foundation and uranium dial with Russian…oops, that’s right!

The Democratic Party gets Moore’s attack on members, which haven’t socialist views. Moore’s acclaim to Obama in “Capitalism: A Love Story” changes here on criticism that he’s same capitalist. A filmmaker has an one-side look on things. He doesn’t criticize behavior of screaming women on Trump’s speech, because they’re sharing his views.

In the last part, Moore returns to the US president. I unlucky tried to find a source of quote “I am the Storm”, because the filmmaker restricted on “Once he said”. I felt too fiction in text. Then Moore goes to intimidating expressed in senseless comparison Donald Trump with Adolf Hitler. Moore was trying to find common facts. I will also successful if retrieve common elements between Nazism and socialism. The director turns all president Trump’s actions to catastrophe. Not about successes in economic, jobless and doesn’t go further why president against, for example, Obamacare – when any man, even healthy, must pay 500 dollars and how hard to find a doctor accepting this insurance. Moore didn’t rise and discuss any alternative, which has Trump to those cancels. No, the director gives a feel, that school shooting is president’s guilty and it didn’t happen before. In the end, Moore again calls to revolution.

No far time ago, it was the 80th Anniversary, I’ve listened famous Orson Welles’s reading of “The War of the Worlds”. I imagined this time, where I sitting in one-story home and listening radio somewhere in Middle, and I felt of how shown in news form story frightened America. In “Bowling for Columbine” Moore called the television as a reason in gun shootings, because it creates atmosphere of fear. Last years he makes same by his films and interviews. He’s misinforming people and his “Fahrenheit 11/9” is product of disinformation.