Top 10 (Favorite) Sylvester Stallone Films

10.
The Expendables (2010)
Directed by: Sylvester Stallone
Written by: Sylvester Stallone and David Callaham
Lionsgate, Millennium Films, Nu Image

A team of mercenaries who call themselves "Expendable" are a band of highly trained "hired guns." They do the jobs the government needs done but doesn't want to be attached to. During a mission scout (on a South American island), the Expendables team comes across a local rebel woman whom exposes the truth of what's happening on the island. The Expendables must decided to take-on the mission (of which they may not return) or walk away.





9.
Over the Top (1987)
Directed by: Menahem Golan
Written by: Sylvester Stallone and Stirling Silliphant
Warner Bros. The Cannon Group, Inc

Struggling trucker/armwrestler: Lincoln Hawk, is given a final opportunity to get to know his 12-year-old son by driving him across the country to see his sick mother. Along the way, Hawk must answer for why he wasn't around while his son was growing up, and how he could ever be trusted again.






8.
Daylight (1996)
Directed by: Rob Cohen
Written by: Leslie Bohem
Universal Pictures, Davis Entertainment

When a runaway car crashes into trucks carrying toxic waste, the deadly explosion seals the New York Hudson Tunnel at both ends, trapping a dozen people inside. Former EMS Chief: Kit Laura, with a controversial past, comes to grips with the reality that he's the only one that knows the tunnels well enough to attempt a rescue.





7.
Cop Land (1997)
Directed by: James Mangold
Written by: James Mangold
Miramax Films, Woods Entertainment

The Sheriff (Freddy Heflin) of Garrison, New Jersey is living a life stuck in idle. Due to an accident in his youth, Freddy is half-deaf which derailed his ambition to be a New York City detective. When his small town is ground-zero for a massive police cover-up scandal, Freddy must decide if he'll stay neutral or stand for some kind of justice.





6.
Rambo (2008)
Directed by: Sylvester Stallone
Written by: Sylvester Stallone and Art Monterastelli
Lionsgate, Nu Image, Equity Pictures

Living a quiet life in a village near the Burmese border, Vietnam veteran: John Rambo, is completely removed from the United States as a snakewrangler/boatman. When a group of missionaries (from the United States) ask Rambo to take them into Burma (to bring medicine to the sick), he's forced to reconcile his past.





5.
F.I.S.T. (1978)
Directed by: Norman Jewison
Written by: Joe Eszterhas and Sylvester Stallone
United Artists, Chateau Productions, Huron Productions Inc.

Set between 1937-1957, Cleveland warehouse worker: Johnny Kovak, joins a small labor union tasked with recruiting new members. What begins as a noble effort, as the union grows, Kovak and the members battle (not only) corporations but themselves as temptations of greed and corruption creep in.






4.
Creed (2015)
Directed by: Ryan Coogler
Written by: Ryan Coogler & Aaron Covington
Warner Bros. Pictures, MGM Pictures, New Line Cinema, Chartoff-Winkler Productions

Son of famous boxing champion: Apollo Creed, Adonis Johnson, born after the death of his father struggles with identity and worth. In effort to chart a new path, Adonis seeks out longtime friend and opponent of his father (Apollo), Rocky Balboa.






3.
Rocky (1976)
Directed by: John G. Avildsen
Written by: Sylvester Stallone
United Artists, Chartoff-Winkler Productions

A struggling boxer is given a once-in-lifetime opportunity to fight the world heavyweight champion with the title on the line. All he wants is an opportunity (inside and out of the ring) to go the distance.






2.
First Blood (1982)
Directed by: Ted Kotcheff
Written by: Michael Kozoll & William Sackheim and Sylvester Stallone
Orion Pictures, Carolco Pictures, The Wallis Interactive

PTSD-riddled, Green Beret: John Rambo, returns to the United States in search of the last-surviving member of the team he served on in Vietnam. Rambo shortly learns his only friend is passed-away, he's visibly shaken. When he's heckled by the sheriff of a nearby town, Rambo's PTSD is pushed to the breaking point.




1.
Rocky Balboa (2006)
Directed By: Sylvester Stallone
Written By: Sylvester Stallone
MGM/Sony Pictures Releasing, United Artists, Columbia Pictures, Revolution Studios Chartoff/Winkler Productions

Haunted by grief, retired boxer: Rocky Balboa, proves to the entire world and (most importantly) himself, that the last thing to age is the heart. A true "Skill vs Will" spectacle.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Juneteenth - 2021

Image
Juneteenth, commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. About two months after Confederate general Robert E. Lee surrendered, on June 19, 1865, the Emancipation Proclamation was put into effect. In celebration of this momentous achievement towards freedom for all humankind, here are some of my favorite movies and series featuring African-Americans (behind and in front of the scenes). CREED   (Feature - 2015) Directed By:    Ryan Coogler Written By:      Ryan Coogler & Aaron Covington Son of (former boxing champion) Apollo Creed, Adonis Creed fights to create his own legacy, while still trying to embrace his family name. With the help of Rocky Balboa (former friend and rival of Apollo Creed), Adonis sets out on a path of self-discovery, love, and legacy. Being a massive fan of the previous six "Rocky" films (with Sylvester Stallone as the star), I was very skeptical that anyone else could tap into the magic of the "Rocky" story besides Stallone (write
Read more

Favorite Feature Films of 2022

Image
TOP GUN: MAVERICK Directed by: Joseph Kosinski Written by: Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer, Christopher McQuarrie Paramount Pictures, Skydance, TC Productions, Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer Films After thirty plus years of military experience, US Navy Captain Pete "Maverick" Mitchell does what he does best: pushing the envelope in a cockpit. When he's called back to Top Gun Academy, Maverick must confront a past traumatic event while simultaneously training a new class of recruits for a top-secret mission. THE SON Directed by: Florian Zeller Written by: Florian Zeller, Christopher Zeller Sony Pictures Classics, CAA Media Finance, Film4, Ingenious Media, Orange Studio, Cross City Films, Embankment, See-Saw Films, Inthevoid Production After recently dropping out of school, Peter agrees to house his son, Nicholas (of a previous marriage). Oblivious to how the divorce weighs on Nicholas, Peter is pushed to his emotional brink after Nicholas attempts suicide. THE FABELMANS Di
Read more

93rd Academy Awards Selections - 2021

Image
With the 93rd Academy Awards show just a week away (April 25th), the following categories are my favorites. Every category (and then some) with an award attached is pivotal to producing a film. Out of all the art-forms, producing a film is vastly collaborative. "It takes a village" as they say. If I were a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, here is how I'd vote throughout my favorite categories presented during the prestigious evening. Writing (Original Screenplay) --  SOUND OF METAL  Screenplay by Darius Marder & Abraham Marder; Story by Darius Marder & Derek Cianfrance Headlined by Riz Ahmed (Ruben) and Olivia Cooke (Lou), SOUND OF METAL follows the story of a metal band drummer, Ruben, and his girlfriend/lead-singer, Lou. After realizing his hearing is rapidly deteriorating, Ruben and Lou find their lives turned upside-down as they cope with their new reality. The first step of the process, the screenplay. One of the golden rules in scre
Read more