Rocky V (1990)

To conclude our special Halloween series, the spooky Three Men and a Retrospective Podcast takes a long look at 2019’s It Chapter 2. Even by the time 2017’s It came to theaters, executives knew that the concluding cinematic chapter was inevitable. The film’s trailer shattered records, and the movie itself almost cracked 3/4 of $1 billion at the box office. On the surface, you’d think it would be a slam dunk. And yet, anyone who knows the It property knows that the second half of the book (and our already reviewed 1990 miniseries) were not well received at all. So the challenge in returning director Andy Muchietti and his sister/producer Barbara was to make a concluding chapter that was more satisfying than either the original 1986 novel or miniseries. Join Garrett, Adam, and Matt as they dissect It Chapter 2 and decide whether its more mature cast (featuring Old Spice guy Isaiah Mustafa) are able to make a film that is at least on par with 2017’s It. Or, is it a flailing mess?? Also, what are the guys going to review next?? All discussed in the two plus hour podcast available below!! So finish up those final few fun size chocolate bars in your child’s trick or treat bag and let us guide you through a film that finished once again putting Stephen King back in the cinematic stratosphere!

Happy Halloween Percolated Media listeners! To help bring in the scary holiday, the guys return to the It universe and review the most successful horror film of all time. After many years in limbo following the 1990 miniseries, producers decided they wanted to bring Pennywise the Dancing Clown out of the sewers and into the nightmares of a new generation. But the creative process proved to be an arduous one. Cary Fukunaga, coming off directing the much praised first season of True Detective, worked on the script for the film for years and was all set to direct it. Until, he shockingly departed the project in May of 2015. Enter Andy Muschietti. Having only one full length horror film to his credit (Mama), Muschietti and his sister Barbara came in and finally made It, which was released in September of 2017 and turned the film based on Stephen King’s mammoth 1986 novel into a 3/4 of $1 billion franchise. What do Garrett, Matt, and Adam think of the film? Does Bill Skaarsgard do well in the clown shoes of Tim Curry? So much to answer, which the Three Men and a Retrospective Podcast does in this much anticipated review! Next week, It Chapter 2 takes center stage!

Rocky is currently seeing his corner man before we dive into the Creed trilogy. Thankfully, it's almost Halloween and we have a new "mini" retrospective to tide you all over. Listeners of ours know that we have made it our intent to tackle everything associated with Stephen King. We've slowly but surely been working our way through piece by piece during the years. However, if you're knowledgeable of how we are breaking our order down, you are scratching your head is to how we arrived here. Rest assured that there are circumstances we divulge in this recording to explain why we jumped a bit further ahead than expected. That brings us to this three-week chunk exploring one of King's most well-known properties. It's a story of friendship, changing chronologies, killer interdimensional beings and more red balloons than a county fair! In 1986, King released a 1200-page behomoth to the masses and development on an adaptation began immediately. IT (no pun intended) arrived on ABC over two nights to massive viewership and memorable recollections all these years later. With a big budget adaptation set across two films, how does the miniseries work as an adaptation of such a colossal novel? Is it worth dusting off your copy or going on streaming to revisit? Take the trip back to Derry with us as we discuss all things Pennywise for the next three weeks! Be sure to float with us to 2017's IT next week and we really hope you enjoy the discussion as much as we did recording it.

After the dust had settled on Rocky V and it was deemed a failure, writer/star Sylvester Stallone started making noise about wanting to end the series in another way. But she was starting to catch up to him, and soon it would just look silly for a 50 plus Stallone to once again step into the ring against yet another new contender. And then the most unexpected of all unexpected things happened. At the ripe old age of 45, George Foreman scored an unexpected knockout of heavyweight champion Michael Moorer to become the new WBO heavyweight champion of the world. As Rocky Jr says at the end of this film, now people weren’t laughing. Now Stallone had his starting point. Yet, after fights with original Rocky producer Irwin Winkler, who refused to do another Rocky movie due to Winkler not seeing a way the character could connect anymore (a fight that would cost the two their friendship), it would take another 12 years for Stallone to finally get backing and distribution for a brand new Rocky film to be produced. And after once again stepping behind the camera to direct, Stallone would prove Winkler and all naysayers wrong when in December of 2006, Rocky Balboa finally hit theater screens to massive box office and critical success. Here, the Three Men and a Retrospective Podcast hosts close out the Stallone starring leg of the Rocky series. And at a time when legacy sequels are still front and center -anyone see the Gremlins 3 trailer?- Rocky Balboa could be seen as the start of that trend. Is it worth your time? And what are the guys reviewing for this Halloween season? The answers to both those questions might surprise you!

Where else can you go after turning your title character into a comic book character? If you’re Sylvester Stallone, it’s take him back to his roots. Bring back original director John G Avildsen. Put Adrian right back in that pet store. Move right back into that Rocky II apartment. And wax nostalgic about clothes you wore in the previous entries.

Who would have ever thought a prize fighter from Philadelphia would have been able to go to America’s number one Cold War enemy the Soviet Union, cause peace between the two bitter sides, and defeat those commie bastards once and for all? In 1985, that’s exactly where screenwriter/star/director Sylvester Stallone took his Oscar winning character of Rocky Balboa. Oh, and let’s not forget that same year’s Rambo First Blood Part II, but maybe we’ll get to talk about that one another day. Hear all about Garrett’s first Rocky theatrical experience, as well as Adam talk about how his mom and dad were both drawn to the film for different reasons. As for Matt? After not liking last week’s cinematic WWF upstart film Rocky III, is there any chance at all that he’ll be able to go through this blockbuster $300 million box office smash and actually like it? Listen and find out! Next week, a review of the so called black sheep of the Rocky franchise, 1990’s Rocky V!

Rocky 3 marked a turn for the franchise. Not just for its lead star. But it marked the first time the series went from full on human drama emphasized by boxing. To a boxing movie with hints of drama here and there. We also see a changing of the guard as Burgess Meredith’s Micky is killed off, and Apollo steps in, as he goes from Rocky’s arch nemesis to his boxing trainer. Oh, and did we mention two people by the names of Hulk Hogan and Mr T?? Join Garrett, Matt, and Adam as they dissect 1982’s Rocky 3. A film that not only helped the studio’s box office receipts. It also planted seeds for what would become the Golden Era of WWF wrestling. The results of which are still being carried on today. So what are you waiting for suckas?? Download the new Three Men and a Retrospective Podcast now!! Or maybe you’re too busy ducking us for those setup podcasts!

At the very end of 1976’s Rocky, our title character makes it clear that he doesn’t want a rematch. But, Hollywood and boxing are extremely similar in that if something is successful, people will clamor for more. But writer/star Sylvester Stallone found himself ignoring those calls. Instead, he wanted to to prove that he wasn’t a one trick pony. But after his directorial debut Paradise Alley and the Norman Jewison directed F.I.S.T. were both critical and box office failures, Stallone and United Artists couldn’t ignore the calls for a rematch any longer. For 1979’s Rocky II, it would seem that the deck is stacked even more against Stallone than ever. He is now behind the camera. He needs to follow up the Oscar winning underdog story that defies all underdog stories. And, he needs to prove like his lovable title character, he isn’t a one and done chump. Join Garrett, Matt, and Adam as they dissect whether Stallone proves all three things listed above, and more. After 2 perfect 10s and a ‘high 9’ last week, will Rocky II defy its so-so reputation and be a highlight of this Rocky retrospective? Listen below to find out!!

After taking Toy Story to task and having each hosts’ list of favorites of that series be different from one another, how do you follow a series like that up?? How about stepping outside and finding out! Here is yet another series Garrett has done in the past. But while Adam and him had plenty of Rocky marathons together as teenagers, they haven’t spoken about these films on the air. As for Matt, he came into the series around the time the first Creed was being released. The Rocky series is going to be rolled out gradually. The first six films are going to be posted, with a break for a huge horror series for Halloween, before finally finishing up with the three Creed films. As for this 1976 original? Garrett and Matt have said countless times that it’s scary taking on films like this because what else can be said about them? But in this case, we think there is a ton said that hasn’t been said about Rocky before. The three of us all give our backgrounds on the series, and then dive into the 1976 Best Picture winner, Rocky. Does this what some have called populist catering film ‘ring’ true for the three podcast hosts?? Download below to find out!! We’re super excited for what should be one of the most confrontational series on the calendar. Time to ring the bell! Let’s go!!

After going through the entire Toy Story franchise, the Three Men and a Retrospective Podcast has decided to do a little house cleaning. The Odyssey will come in due time. But until then (and the end of the first leg of their next series), they review the latest film in one of the site’s most acrimonious series. The DC series. After being released to huge fanfare last year (and despite Garrett’s negative review of it) James Gunn’s highly successful Superman film ended with a scene that immediately set up this summer’s Supergirl film. A prospect that excited Adam, and left Garrett in despair. All that anticipation was cultivated in the latest DC film that was released and…dropped with a thud. To say the box office take of the Milly Alcock starring superhero film was a disappointment would be an understatement. But did it live up to all of Adam’s expectations? What about Garrett, whose only exposure to Supergirl consisted of Helen Slater, Laura Vandervoort, Melissa Benoist, and a three minute appearance in 2023’s Flash movie? And how about Matt, who is just looking for something different in all these DC movies? This podcast, may be the most surprising Three Men and a Retrospective Podcast of the year. And be sure to listen to it until the end, where they reveal the latest series they are going to tackle. Hint: Be sure to have your boxing gloves ready!