Raging Bull. I liked it more this time around than the first time I watched it. Something about seeing it on the big screen and with a crowd, it seemed much funnier. I still think the last half-hour or so is a trudge, but most biopics seem to be that way.
Raging Bull. I expected that boxing would be much more central to this film, but it’s more of a story of jealousy and self-loathing punctuated with fights professional and domestic. Maybe the coolest thing is the use of slow-motion every now and then to emphasize a particular moment or emotional state. Maybe the most annoying thing is Italian-American tough guy/gangster talk – which maybe I’ve just been saturated with before. I wasn’t blown away with this movie – but, then again, I’m really curious how I’d feel if I saw it a second time. Make of that what you will.
Mark Larson 