Boxing Day comes early this year
There is plenty of fight left in Creed,
Big releases on Nov. 21: Creed II; Robin Hood
Big picture: Creed gave us Apollo Creed’s son in a knockout performance from Michael B. Jordan. And, of course, the heartening return of Rocky Balboa to serve as his mentor.
The sequel gives us another fighter living up to his dad’s legacy — Ivan Drago’s son Viktor. And, of course, the dramatic return of Ivan the Terrible himself (Dolph Lundgren) — the same Russian fighter who killed Adonis Creed’s dad in the ring. The return of the boxing baddie allows Rocky to get all protective of his young protégé and say things like: “People like me live in the past; you’ve got people who need you now.”
Creed can’t walk away from the clash. Will it be a case of like father, like son?
Meanwhile, Robin Hood’s snappy action and caped crusading feels more like a superhero movie — Green Arrow meets Hawkeye with a dash of Batman. This Robin of Loxley (Taron Egerton) has been trained by a Moorish commander (Jamie Foxx) — one apparently adept at parkour, fighting in slow motion, superhero antics and breaking/destroying just about everything in sight while robbing from the rich to give to the poor.
Forecast: Creed II wins this punch out. You’ll watch Rocky IV before hitting the theatre. You’ll also wonder why you feel like re-watching Kevin Costner’s version of Robin Hood more than this new edition. (Two words: Alan Rickman.)
TV
Big event: The Final Table (Nov. 20, Netflix); Sick Note (Nov. 23, Netflix)
Big picture: Netflix seems bent on conquering and throwing money at every genre in the broadcast TV recipe book. This new foodie competition series puts the heat on chefs from around the world as they duel over international cuisine.
Meanwhile, two seasons of the dark British comedy Sick Note bow this week — all about a terrible man who pretends he’s still dying (after a false diagnosis) in order to continue with sympathetic treatment from friends and family.
MUSIC
Big releases for Christmas: Walk Off the Earth (Subscribe to the Holidays, released Nov. 16); Serena Ryder (Christmas Kisses, released last month). Big picture: Kanye West was supposed to deliver a gift this week, but has postponed his album Yandhi yet again … so why not pick up a decent Canadian Christmas album for your holiday parties?
Walk Off the Earth delivers new spins on Santa Baby, All I Want for Christmas Is You, Deck the Halls and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas — the latter being performed by the five-yearold son of bandmates Sarah Blackwood and Gianni Luminati. Meanwhile, siren Serena Ryder takes a time out from winning Junos and dominating CBC airplay to put out a holiday album featuring creative covers and one original. You guessed it, Christmas Kisses.
Forecast: Serena will have you puckering up for someone under the mistletoe.