FilmMattic

      Review: The Fighter      Seldom does a film that is constrained by a hackneyed premise leave one with an indelible feeling of jubilation once the end credits roll.  The cumulative result of a highly gifted actor's performance and age-old storytelling with the hero overcoming insurmountable odds style-pathos, The Fighter creates this jubilant effect and positively sends a euphoric tingle down just about anyone with a warm heart's spine.

MVP of Sports Acting        I was recently watching the Knicks/Celtics game on ESPN and the camera panned across the arena highlighting a Murderer' Row of celebrity actors attending the game.  I got to thinking.  What happens when celebrity actors and sports collide?  Generally, a simple premise for a sports film.  And no, I'm not going to drop a Kardashian Sister's name here because none of them can act.  So other than an inane premise, where am I going with this? I asked the question and started furiously pondering in my head for answers: Who is the best sports movie actor of all time? Here are my nominees, in no particular order: 1).  Mark Wahlberg 2).  Dennis Quaid 3).  Wesley Snipes 4).  Kevin Costner 5).  Denzel Washington 6).  Paul Newman 7).  Chelcie Ross 8).  Robert De Niro 9).  Sylvester "Sly" Stallone 10).  Woody Harrelson *Just missed the cut: Robert Redford ( The...

            The follow-up victor to my Person of the Week segment follows in theme with the rationale behind selecting my inaugural winner—a film actor.        In lieu of his highly acclaimed new film, The Fighter— playing the lead role of real life junior welterweight Boxer, "Irish" Micky Ward—Mark Wahlberg will be taking the reigns from James Franco as the Person of the Week.  In a close race, Wahlberg nudged out the sagacious James L. Brooks, award winning Director of the upcoming film, How Do You Know.       As he was pejoratively once known, Marky Mark has managed to successfully carve out a career that has brokered two competing feats.  Not only has Wahlberg trumped most of his fan's wildest expectations, but he has also defied the wry eye of some of his most cynical of haters.         After a short lived but pronounced singing and mod...