Saturday, October 29, 2005
Ending of Rocky: Good or Bad?
(Short description for those who haven't seen the movie - warning, this describes the ending.)
From IMDB.com (unbiased source)
"A small time boxer gets a once in a lifetime chance to fight the heavyweight champ in a bout in which he strives to go the distance for his self-respect. "
How it ends: Rocky gets knocked down in the first round, but recovers to go the distance and finishes the brutal fight along with the champ (Apollo Creed.) After fifteen rounds in boxing, the judges must declare a winner, and they pick Apollo.
So was that a good ending? Without further ado... Fight!
Matthew (Pro): This issue is so much bigger than Rocky’s ending. It's a battle between philosophies - between people who can be realistic and people who live in a dream world where they get everything they want, like California boy over there. People who think Rocky should have won aren't focusing on the movie. They're visualizing a hundred other movies where the hero does the impossible to achieve an ending that isn't fair or reasonable, but manages to put some ooey-gooey warmth in naïve hearts. Look, I think happy endings are terrific – as long as they’re realistic. An amateur Rocky knocking out the heavyweight champion of the world would be deus ex machina - God from the machine - a form used in ancient plays where when all hope was lost, a spirit descended and fixed everything. Deus ex Rockina would have taken the movie's strength and turned it to sap.
Kevin (Con): Think with me for a moment. Ponder Sylvester Stallone. While you are doing that – oh. You’re done? You mean he is a one-dimensional actor who does triumph and nothing else well? Sure, he is inspiring as Rambo (for further scrutiny check out UHF) and that guy that hangs on cliffs. But when Rockina (an excellent feminine choice, thank you Mr. Phoenix) falls like a little girl in the first round, only to mount an awe-desiring non-comeback, does anyone else besides me feel gypped? For my part, pulling out an Uzi or a bow with fiery arrows was not entirely out of the question for him in order to win the round at that point. Rockina may have been knocked down early, but why drag us out for another twenty minutes, only to drop us like rocks and lose by decision? The Arizona sun is getting to your well-surfaced head, Matt.
Matthew (Pro): Kevin, you’re missing the point – the movie DOES end with Rocky triumphing.
Rocky himself states that his goal is NOT to beat Apollo, but to "go da distance" and finish the fight. He's not the fighter that he is in the sequels. He's a local hero who wants to prove that he can hang with the national champ, even when no one else ever had. The point of the extended fight is to see if Rocky can do it - and he does. Apollo is the better fighter, but Rocky goes the distance. Happy and realistic. What's wrong with that?
Kevin (Con): Matt, I’m surprised at you. After railing in your opening salvo against ooey-gooey warmth and naïve hearts, you were broadsided by some guy that don’t speak good English who claimed to have an admirable goal. Now, I can study for four years of college, and when the verdict is handed down and I see a 3.3 GPA, I can say that’s what I was hoping for all along. But don’t you think that I would be happier with a 3.9? Our culture doesn’t want to
endorse average endings and mediocre people. We want the sensational, the win, the KO.
Matthew (Pro): A run-of-the-mill "average ending" is what you would give Rocky. Instead, we got a great ending where the better fighter won. Whew - like Rocky, I now know what it’s like to battle an opponent who dramatically outweighs me. But it won’t help you here! Readers, give me your vote.
Kevin (Con): I must protest the statement, "the better fighter won." Rocky pummeled Apollo for the last fourteen rounds, only to fall short in score because of round #1. If the fight had gone longer, Rocky would have won. A better fighter is not necessarily determined simply by experience in the ring.
Well, these two have gone the distance. Who would you judge to be the winner? Vote below - every vote counts!
From IMDB.com (unbiased source)
"A small time boxer gets a once in a lifetime chance to fight the heavyweight champ in a bout in which he strives to go the distance for his self-respect. "
How it ends: Rocky gets knocked down in the first round, but recovers to go the distance and finishes the brutal fight along with the champ (Apollo Creed.) After fifteen rounds in boxing, the judges must declare a winner, and they pick Apollo.
So was that a good ending? Without further ado... Fight!
Matthew (Pro): This issue is so much bigger than Rocky’s ending. It's a battle between philosophies - between people who can be realistic and people who live in a dream world where they get everything they want, like California boy over there. People who think Rocky should have won aren't focusing on the movie. They're visualizing a hundred other movies where the hero does the impossible to achieve an ending that isn't fair or reasonable, but manages to put some ooey-gooey warmth in naïve hearts. Look, I think happy endings are terrific – as long as they’re realistic. An amateur Rocky knocking out the heavyweight champion of the world would be deus ex machina - God from the machine - a form used in ancient plays where when all hope was lost, a spirit descended and fixed everything. Deus ex Rockina would have taken the movie's strength and turned it to sap.
Kevin (Con): Think with me for a moment. Ponder Sylvester Stallone. While you are doing that – oh. You’re done? You mean he is a one-dimensional actor who does triumph and nothing else well? Sure, he is inspiring as Rambo (for further scrutiny check out UHF) and that guy that hangs on cliffs. But when Rockina (an excellent feminine choice, thank you Mr. Phoenix) falls like a little girl in the first round, only to mount an awe-desiring non-comeback, does anyone else besides me feel gypped? For my part, pulling out an Uzi or a bow with fiery arrows was not entirely out of the question for him in order to win the round at that point. Rockina may have been knocked down early, but why drag us out for another twenty minutes, only to drop us like rocks and lose by decision? The Arizona sun is getting to your well-surfaced head, Matt.
Matthew (Pro): Kevin, you’re missing the point – the movie DOES end with Rocky triumphing.
Rocky himself states that his goal is NOT to beat Apollo, but to "go da distance" and finish the fight. He's not the fighter that he is in the sequels. He's a local hero who wants to prove that he can hang with the national champ, even when no one else ever had. The point of the extended fight is to see if Rocky can do it - and he does. Apollo is the better fighter, but Rocky goes the distance. Happy and realistic. What's wrong with that?
Kevin (Con): Matt, I’m surprised at you. After railing in your opening salvo against ooey-gooey warmth and naïve hearts, you were broadsided by some guy that don’t speak good English who claimed to have an admirable goal. Now, I can study for four years of college, and when the verdict is handed down and I see a 3.3 GPA, I can say that’s what I was hoping for all along. But don’t you think that I would be happier with a 3.9? Our culture doesn’t want to
endorse average endings and mediocre people. We want the sensational, the win, the KO.
Matthew (Pro): A run-of-the-mill "average ending" is what you would give Rocky. Instead, we got a great ending where the better fighter won. Whew - like Rocky, I now know what it’s like to battle an opponent who dramatically outweighs me. But it won’t help you here! Readers, give me your vote.
Kevin (Con): I must protest the statement, "the better fighter won." Rocky pummeled Apollo for the last fourteen rounds, only to fall short in score because of round #1. If the fight had gone longer, Rocky would have won. A better fighter is not necessarily determined simply by experience in the ring.
Well, these two have gone the distance. Who would you judge to be the winner? Vote below - every vote counts!
Undercard
Here are the rules:
First salvo alternates. This week, Matthew goes first.
Format:
150 words - Pro
150 words - Con
100 words - Pro
100 words - Con
50 words - Pro
50 words - Con
The discussion will be posted all at once. As soon as it is posted, anyone may vote. One vote per person - and Kevin and Matthew aren't allowed to try to force your vote one way or the other. Read, decide, and tell us why in a comment.
The more people that participate, the more fun it will be, so spread the word!
~Kevin and Matthew
First salvo alternates. This week, Matthew goes first.
Format:
150 words - Pro
150 words - Con
100 words - Pro
100 words - Con
50 words - Pro
50 words - Con
The discussion will be posted all at once. As soon as it is posted, anyone may vote. One vote per person - and Kevin and Matthew aren't allowed to try to force your vote one way or the other. Read, decide, and tell us why in a comment.
The more people that participate, the more fun it will be, so spread the word!
~Kevin and Matthew
Thursday, October 27, 2005
Xanga Sister Site
Just so everyone knows (especially those Xanga users out there,) we now have a sister site up that will be identical in content. It is...
www.xanga.com/mattvkevin
Bookmark whichever you prefer! The first war of words is still on for this Saturday night. Stay tuned!
www.xanga.com/mattvkevin
Bookmark whichever you prefer! The first war of words is still on for this Saturday night. Stay tuned!
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
First fight: THIS SATURDAY NIGHT 10/29
Fans and soon-to-be fans,
Welcome to Matt v. Kevin! You've known them as roommates and friends, but now you get an exclusive, entertaining look into what happens when their hyper-competitive natures end up on opposite sides of an argument. In short, they drop the gloves (that was a shout-out to all 4 NHL fans still left out there.)
We'll be posting our online word wars weekly, Saturday nights, at an exact time still to be determined. Then, the decision is left up to you! Let me emphasize this...
This blog depends on its readers!
Why? Because readers get to make the call! After you've read the arguments, weigh in with a comment! In your comment, you can vote for the winner of the fight, much like boxing judges. You can also add your own two cents to the discussion, or suggest a topic that you'd like to see debated in the future by your two lovable fighters.
While this blog will accept comments from people that do not have a Blogger account, you must identify yourself so that we can verify your identity. In other words, this post would not count as a vote:
Kevin rox my sox!!!
~ B
But this comment would count as a vote:
Matthew, you really got hammered this time. I vote Kevin. Don't worry, Matthew, I still like you.
- Christy d.
Of course, those with user accounts on Blogger (and identifiable names) will be counted.
Make sense? If not, we're at a loss to figure out how you got to this blog in the first place.
Scoring the fight will be determined as follows:
Majority vote: Win
Two-thirds majority vote: Knockout
The topic for the first fight is a secret to everyone but us, so check in Saturday night to read the arguments and cast your vote!
~ Matthew and Kevin
Welcome to Matt v. Kevin! You've known them as roommates and friends, but now you get an exclusive, entertaining look into what happens when their hyper-competitive natures end up on opposite sides of an argument. In short, they drop the gloves (that was a shout-out to all 4 NHL fans still left out there.)
We'll be posting our online word wars weekly, Saturday nights, at an exact time still to be determined. Then, the decision is left up to you! Let me emphasize this...
This blog depends on its readers!
Why? Because readers get to make the call! After you've read the arguments, weigh in with a comment! In your comment, you can vote for the winner of the fight, much like boxing judges. You can also add your own two cents to the discussion, or suggest a topic that you'd like to see debated in the future by your two lovable fighters.
While this blog will accept comments from people that do not have a Blogger account, you must identify yourself so that we can verify your identity. In other words, this post would not count as a vote:
Kevin rox my sox!!!
~ B
But this comment would count as a vote:
Matthew, you really got hammered this time. I vote Kevin. Don't worry, Matthew, I still like you.
- Christy d.
Of course, those with user accounts on Blogger (and identifiable names) will be counted.
Make sense? If not, we're at a loss to figure out how you got to this blog in the first place.
Scoring the fight will be determined as follows:
Majority vote: Win
Two-thirds majority vote: Knockout
The topic for the first fight is a secret to everyone but us, so check in Saturday night to read the arguments and cast your vote!
~ Matthew and Kevin
