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Grave of the Fireflies is the first film in Studio Ghibli to be directed by Isao Takahata, and also the first film to be grounded in reality, meaning that it has no fantasy or wonder. But do not let that dissuade you from watching this film, because this one is so good. Roger Ebert put this film on his "Great Movies" list. That's really no surprise, but then again, Princess Mononoke was not on it, so, . Grave of the Fireflies tells the story of Seita and Setsuko, brother and sister, whose mother is killed during the fire bombings of Tokyo. For a while, they live with an aunt who is pretty haughty and rude to them, and after a few months, they leave and live in a cave. What I like about this film is that it is not afraid to throw a punch at you, and has deep emotional weight. But that is also one of its downfalls. This film is a tearjerker, and has many sad moments. It has a few tender and sweet ones, but is really morbid. The best scene in the film shows Setsuko burying fireflies. Seita asks what she is doing, and she replies, "I'm putting them in a grave, just like Mother." Then Seita cries, because he did not know that Setsuko knew, and he wasn't planning on telling her. I will not spoil the ending. I urge you all to watch it for yourselves. The score is soft and quiet, never building up. Its subtleness adds to the drama. The animation is great, and has a color scheme centered around a sunset orange. Fireflies, of course, are a theme in the story, and a really good metaphor. One of the misconceptions about this film is that it is an anti-war film. Takahata has denied this, and I agree with him. On the surface, it may seem that way, but it really just shows the hardships of life during that time period. It's kind of like Schindler's List, though less somber, because there are light-hearted moments in this film. I was both pleased and shocked with the weight of this film, and I really appreciate its history. I'm going to give Grave of the Fireflies an A-.

Alright, I'm doing another one today, because I doubt I will remember to do it tomorrow. The Wind Rises is directed by Hayao Miyazaki, and is sort of his tribute to aviation and flight. Miyazaki has always been a fan of aviation, and it is present in many of his films. But I really connected with The Wind Rises. This film is a biopic of Jiro Horikoshi, a real-life aeronautical engineer who designed airplanes for Japan. The film fictionalizing many things, but it brings its own message to the table. Jiro is a great protagonist. You really connect with him as he works to create his dream. I really like him, because he reminds me of myself in a way. His dedication to his work is amazing. The only thing stronger is the bond between him and the love of his life, Naroko. Their chemistry is electrifying, and she is a joy to see as she supports her husband. But she is also dying of tuberculosis, which puts a somber atmosphere into the mix. Another great character is Kurokawa, Jiro's boss. He's hilarious and loud, yet understanding. He was definitely a highlight. I really loved the dream sequences as well. Here, Jiro talks with his idol, Caproni, an Italian engineer. These scenes are beautifully animated, and give us poignancy as the story progresses. The animation is great. Every scene is detailed with care and love. (That's in part to it being Miyazaki's last film, until he decided to come out of retirement for the fiftieth time) The score by, of course, Joe Hisaishi, is very different, but wonderfully composed and timed with the film. There are very few problems with the film. In fact, I only had two. I think Naroko does not get as much screen time as she deserved, but that's a nitpick. The other is a character named Castorp, a German. I found that he ruined the pacing. He doesn't fit in at all with the mood, and he ruins the moment sometime. Needless to say, The Wind Rises is one of my favorite Ghibli films, and I give it an A.

Porco Rosso is yet another film by Hayao Miyazaki, and it's a great one. It focuses on a man named Marco, who has been cursed with the face of a pig. He flies through the Mediterranean Sea taking down pirates, and when a new American pilot comes around, things get tense. I feel that Porco Rosso is more whimsical than most Ghibli films, but balances out nicely with some great action and adventure. This film could have been super campy and cheesy and dumb, but Miyazaki proves his craft once again by making us really connect with the characters. Porco is a tired man, sick of having to deal with idiots like the American, Curtis. Curtis is so easy to hate, because he's super flashy and arrogant. It gets him nowhere, but he himself doesn't think that. The other standout is Fio Piccolo, a young girl who accompanies Porco halfway through the film to make sure his plane is in proper working order. She has a great atmosphere of enthusiasm and bounce that it clashes hilariously with Porco's personality, leading to some great scenes. The animation is slightly different. You can tell they are trying some new techniques, but it works for the most part. The score, of course, is awesome, once again composed by Joe Hisaishi. Are there problems with this film? Yes. But there not huge. I feel that there's less character development than there could have been. Gina, Porco's love interest, is not a major player in this film, and she gets shifted to the side for the most part. There are a couple of great scenes with her, but I felt like there could have been more. But this film is very light-hearted, very fun, and an overall blast to watch. I'm going to give Porco Rosso a B+.

Alright, the next one is The Tale of the Princess Kaguya. This film was directed by Isao Takahata, who is the other main guy at Ghibli. He has less films than Miyazaki, but his films always pack an emotional punch. The Tale of the Princess Kaguya is no different. I love this film. This tale shows us a wood cutter, who finds a tiny girl in a bamboo shoot. He and his wife decide to raise the girl as their own. She grows rapidly to adulthood, and becomes a beautiful woman. The bamboo cutter decides to present her as a princess. This film wisely never deviates away from the titular character, Kaguya. There are times where it could have spiraled away, but thankfully, it stayed on the person that I connected with. She's a character we can root for, and as we learn about her past, we feel a sense of isolation that surrounds her. The other great character in this film is the bamboo cutter, her adopted father. He wants to raise her as a princess, and make her a perfect person, but realizes you can never stop time, nor stop the real world. The animation in this movie is spectacular. The particular art style they use emulates the art in that time period. It is beautiful. The score is great, and I think it's the only Takahata film scored by Hisaishi. That being said, there are problems with the movie. I found it slightly difficult to follow, but that's really just me. I also think it's too long. If they shaved off some scenes here and there, the film would be better. I also never emotionally connected with Kaguya's love interest, who only shows up, like, three times in the film. But overall, I loved watching this film, and I had a great experience. I'm going to give The Tale of the Princess Kaguya an A-.

You know, the typical thing here on this topic is that I start something but never finish it. Oh, well. But, this next thing, I will do, and I will be dedicated to, because Studio Ghibli has made some of my favorite films of all time. I will review every single one. Every film. Let's start. So I'm going to do this in the order of the Ghibli Theory (see signature), but it doesn't really matter, if you want to see that, go ahead. So we start with Princess Mononoke! (Which I've already reviewed once, but who cares?) I will also be giving a letter grading. When I first watched Princess Mononoke I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. I don't know what was up. Something about the film felt.....off. I tried to see differently, but it wasn't working. Something wasn't clicking. A month later, I watched it again. This time, it finally clicked. It made me realize Princess Mononoke is a masterpiece. Everything in it is. The art, the animation. The characters, the score. It all fits. This film is a "second round". This means you should watch it twice to fully understand it. You have one of the best protagonists ever in the form of Ashitaka, who desires to lift the curse that ails him, and wishes for the forest and the humans to live in peace. But obstacles continue to bar his path and stop him, but he moves forward. San and Lady Eboshi are opposites of each other, yet the same. San protects the forest, while Eboshi seeks to expand and build. They are both violent and unforgiving, but are only trying to protect the things they have cared for. The animation is amazing in this film, and even today, some new films and other Ghibli films don't even come close to the same intensity as Princess Mononoke. Somebody had to draw that corrupted being in the beginning! Somebody did that! And it looks amazing! The backgrounds and the settings are vibrant, giving us a beautiful film to look at. The score is magnificent. Joe Hisaishi is a genius and a master. If you haven't seen this film, do it right now. Right now. Hayao Miyazaki, this is your crown jewel. I'm going to give Princess Mononoke an A+.

Okay, I am probably going to make so many fans mad by creating this, but who cares? I think this is hilarious. Before the garbage dumpster that was Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was released, I made some paragraphs detailing what might've happened to several Harry Potter characters following Deathly Hallows. I found these recently, and now I'm transcribing them here. I am not sorry for any rage you may feel. And to clear some thing up, THE WAR OF GIANTS: The War of Giants is an event that I created. I always wondered what had happened to the giants that aided Voldemort, so I made a battle where they return to besiege Hogwarts some years later, during James Potter's first year. Many key characters are involved in this battle, and this will be mentioned several times in the following bios. (Note: I am not including all bios in this post. I'll add more later.) Harry Potter: Ron Weasley: Hermione Granger: Ginny Weasley: Luna Lovegood: Neville Longbottom: Draco Malfoy: Dudley Dursley: More bios later.

The ending of A Silent Voice When John Wick's dog died FNAF 2 The experience of Breath of the Wild and Journey games The first Force Awakens teaser Lightsong's sacrifice

This morning, the world lost one of its brightest minds, perhaps its brightest in this day and age. Stephen Hawking died this morning on March 14. If you don't know who Stephen Hawking, then I suggest you go and look him up right now. Or rent the film The Theory of Everything, a great film about him. Stephen Hawking made many achievements during his lifetime, despite his tremendous disability. He confirmed the existence of singularities, studied black holes with a passion, and wrote the excellent book, A Brief History of Time. His determination was incredible. He refused to back down, and continued to work, despite hindrance. A great example is of how he found his "voice". He frequently worked at Cambridge. It is quite fitting that he passed on March 14, because today is Albert Einstein's birthday. It is also Pi Day. Knowing that he died on a more "scientific" day gives me comfort. Mr. Hawking, the world will miss you. Adieu.

"Back away! I have the power of God and anime on my side!" "Listen, Hippo! You may be big, but you ain't bad! The Boulder is going to win this round...by a landslide!" "You will tell me where the woman is, or I will hurt people."

It created the rating of PG-13.

Steven Spielberg:

Markiplier, PewDiePie, Chris Stuckmann, PBG, and Screen Junkies

I almost forgot about the deluxe list I started about animated films, but luckily, I didn't! 9. The Secret of NIMH I love this film. I grew up with it. It is a beautiful film, animated with dark and vibrant colors. If you have not watched this film, then what are you doing? This is a cult classic! The reason I love this film so much is because it feels like a breath of fresh air. It's not Disney. To see something that was not Disney come out and be this good was awesome. It is definitely a film I will show my children.

PART TWO! I'm going to skip Best Foreign Language Film, Short Films, and such. I will be focusing on the Oscars for production today. Best Original Score: It's always fun to see John Williams nominated, but the Oscar this year should really go to Hans Zimmer for Dunkirk. I LOVE THIS SCORE. It's so riveting. Should've been recognized: Dario Marianelli for Darkest Hour, West Dylan Thordson for Split, Mark Mothersbaugh for Thor: Ragnarok, Kensuke Ushio for A Silent Voice, and Clint Mansell for Ghost in the Shell. Best Original Song: I really adore the soundtrack for The Greatest Showman, however, "Remember Me" from Coco was by far more emotionally satisfying. Other than that, I don't really pay attention to original songs. Best Sound Editing: I think it's a tight race for this one. I have it between Baby Driver and Dunkirk. Close behind is The Last Jedi. Should've been recognized: John Wick: Chapter 2, Logan, and Spider-Man: Homecoming. Best Sound Mixing: Honestly, I think The Last Jedi has a good shot for this one, but Dunkirk and Baby Driver won't be forgotten. Should've been recognized: John Wick: Chapter 2, The Lost City of Z, Good Time, and Alien: Covenant. Best Production Design: The Shape of Water will definitely win this one. Should've been recognized: The Last Jedi, Ingrid Goes West, and Brawl in Cell Block 99. Best Cinematography: Dunkirk has amazing cinematography, but I'd like to take this time to talk about someone. This is Roger Deakins. He has been nominated fourteen times for Best Cinematography. For films including The Shawshank Redemption, True Grit, Skyfall, Prisoners, Sicario, and this year, Blade Runner 2049. OSCARS!!! WHAT THE #@*&$!!!!! THIS MAN HAS SHOT SOME OF THE GREATEST FILMS OF OUR TIME, AND CONTINUES TO DO SO! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOUR MINDS??! THIS YEAR, YOU FINALLY RECOGNIZE CHRISTOPHER NOLAN, POUND SOME SENSE INTO YOUR HEAD BY NOMINATING GET OUT, BUT THEN NOMINATE #*$&#@-ING MERYL STREEP AGAIN, AND THE BOSS BABY!!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING??? SO PLEASE, PLEASE, DO SOMETHING RIGHT FOR ONCE, AND GIVE ROGER DEAKINS THE OSCAR HE DESERVES!!!! *Sigh* Alright, I'm done. Should've been recognized: Mike Gioulakis for Split, John Mathieson for Logan, and Chung-hoon Chung for It. Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Darkest Hour is going to win this one too. No contest. (Sorry, Wonder.) Who gives a crap about makeup? Best Costume Design: I think Phantom Thread will win this one, but Beauty and the Beast may sneak up. Should've been recognized: The Last Jedi, Thor: Ragnarok, Dunkirk, and Wonder Woman. Best Film Editing: Baby Driver deserves this one. But Dunkirk and The Shape of Water could beat it out. Should've been recognized: The Last Jedi, The Disaster Artist, and All the Money in the World. and last, but not least.... Best Visual Effects: Here's another thing the Oscars have done. In 2011, we saw the beginning of one of the most incredible film trilogies in history, beginning with Rise of the Planet of the Apes. This film was nominated, but lost to Hugo which is about a boy hanging from a clock! Yes, Hugo is a good movie, and Martin Scorsese is a great director, but OSCARS! HUGO OVER RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES??? NO!! Then in 2014, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes was released. Accordingly, you nominated it, but it lost again. To Interstellar. Now I won't complain too much about that, but still. C'mon Oscars. Now this year, War for the Planet of the Apes is released, and has been one of the most emotional experiences I have ever watched. So, OSCARS, YOU BETTER GET YOUR &$%# TOGETHER AND GIVE THIS TRILOGY THE OSCAR IT MOST DEFINITELY DESERVES!!!!! Should've been recognized: Thor: Ragnarok, It, Dunkirk, and Ghost in the Shell.

The Oscars are coming! And I'm here to predict wins, and also performances that should have been recognized. Best Picture: The Shape of Water is most likely going to win, but why? Just because it has the most nominations doesn't mean it will win. Honestly, Get Out should. Should have been recognized for Best Picture: The Florida Project, Wind River, and The Big Sick Best Director: Guillermo del Toro has a very good chance of winning this. But seriously, OSCARS GET IT TOGETHER!!!! CHRISTOPHER NOLAN HAS BEEN MAKING INCREDIBLE MOVIES EVER SINCE 1998, AND YOU FINALLY GET A CLUE AND NOMINATE HIM FOR DIRECTING!!!! FINALLY!!! IF HE DOESN'T WIN, I WILL SET FIRE TO THE HOLLYWOOD SIGN!!! Should've been recognized: The Safdi Brothers for Good Time, Denis Villenueve for Blade Runner 2049, Joe Wright for Darkest Hour and James Mangold for Logan. Best Actor: It's going to Gary Oldman. There is no contest. Should've been recognized: James McAvoy for Split, Mark Hamill for The Last Jedi, Bill Skarsgard for It, Hugh Jackman for Logan, and Andy Serkis for War for the Planet of the Apes. Best Actress: This one's a little tricky. A lot of the performances are really good. I have it between Sally Hawkins, Frances McDormand, and Saoirse Ronan. (If Meryl Streep wins, I'm gonna throw something. Honestly, she gets nominated all the time, and that's getting old. She's not a bad actress, but not all of those performances are Oscar-worthy.) Should've been recognized: Gal Gadot for Wonder Woman, Aubrey Plaza for Ingrid Goes West and Jessica Chastain for Molly's Game. Best Supporting Actor: It is most likely Sam Rockwell, and I'm not complaining. He deserves it. But Willem Dafoe was amazing in The Florida Project. Christopher Plummer is also a contender. Should've been recognized: Patrick Stewart for Logan, Jacob Batalon for Spider-Man: Homecoming, Taika Waititi for Thor: Ragnarok, Cillian Murphy for Dunkirk and Bob Odenkirk for The Post. Best Supporting Actress: Like Best Actress, this one is close to call, but my money is on Laurie Metcalf for Lady Bird. Should've been recognized: Allison Williams for Get Out, Holly Hunter for The Big Sick, and Michelle Pfeiffer for mother! Best Original Screenplay: It is between The Big Sick and Get Out. That is unless the Oscars decides to give it to The Shape of Water. Should've been recognized: Wind River, Logan Lucky, Blade Runner 2049, and Dunkirk Best Adapted Screenplay: It might be Molly's Game or The Disaster Artist. But my mind is just yelling, "LOGAN! LOGAN! LOGAN! LOGAN MUST WIN, LOGAN MUST WIN, LOGAN, LOGAN LOGAN!!!!!!!" I don't really pay attention to screenplays so I don't know who should've been recognized. Best Animated Feature Film: Why in the heck was The Boss Baby nominated?? Oscars, if you're going to go that route, you might as well nominate The Emoji Movie too. I can tolerate Ferdinand, but The Boss Baby???? No. Loving Vincent needs to win but the Oscars really likes Pixar, so it will probably be Coco. Should've been nominated: The LEGO Batman Movie, Mary and the Witch's Flower, and A Silent Voice. PART TWO TOMORROW.

Alright, so I consider myself a hardcore Ghibli fan. I mean, heck, I came up with this theoretical timeline. But I discovered and subsequently watched a Ghibli movie I had never heard of. Ocean Waves. This film is the only Ghibli made purposely for television, and was intended to give the new animators at Studio Ghibli something to work on. The result of their hard work was Ocean Waves. It is definitely one of the weaker Ghibli films, but it is impressive for what it is. So the big question is, where does it take place, and what does it signify? Ocean Waves is about three people. Taku Morisaki, Yutaka Matsuno, and Rikako Muto. Taku and Yutaka are good friends, and both have an interest in Rikako, a new girl from Tokyo. The conflict between these three escalate, and the drama begins. Go watch it. But at first glance, Ocean Waves doesn't seem very significant, does it? That's where I was wrong. 8.5. Ocean Waves (1991-1993) This film takes place in the early 90's, which is pretty obvious when you watch it. But Ocean Waves is actually a metaphor representing the worlds that Studio Ghibli created: the physical, the spirit, and the dream world. Taku Morisaki, the main protagonist, symbolizes the physical world. The physical world of Ghibli has always been represented as a misguided, yet meaningful place. It tries to do right, but ends up being destroyed. (See Nausicaa) Taku is just that. He is a confused young man. He does like Rikako, but does not want to interfere with Yutaka. And like the physical world, he looks out for himself, but tries his best. Yutaka Matsuno represents the dream world. The dream world and the physical world interconnect very tightly. Yutaka is always looking out to the future, just like the mind. He is always first to act, with Taku(the physical) close behind. But sometimes, the dream world will disagree with the physical world, leading to confrontations, like when Yutaka punches Taku. (Also, see Whisper of the Heart) But in the end, the balance between reality and imagination settles. Rikako Muto is a perfect embodiment of the spirit world. Her mood shifts wildly from civil, to vicious, to tragedy. The spirit world is one of orderly chaos. Rikako knows what she wants, but has difficulty communicating with Taku and Yutaka. The spirit world also has this connection with the other worlds. But no matter what the connection, the spirit world always is there in the physical somewhere. (See Totoro, Spirited Away, and many others) Taku and Yutaka even believe she was at the class reunion, even though she wasn't. Her presence is always there, just like the spirit world. This metaphor is a powerful one, and does a very good job of bringing it to us.

Whoa, the TV movie? You're digging deep. Jared Harris.

I'm back. And in celebration, I will be doing another deluxe list. But it's a little different, because I will be posting a review of each movie, once a week so we will start at Number 10 of the best animated films of all time. 10. Shrek Okay, so I confess, the only reason Shrek is on this list is because I think it's hilarious. And it wasn't easy either. I almost put Shrek 2 on here instead, but I ultimately went with the first one, because it's the original. I like Shrek because it dared to be different. It's appropriate enough for kids, but not inappropriate enough that kids will understand. The jokes are hilarious, and until I watched it again, I had no idea that The Pina Colada Song was in it. The pop culture references in this are definitely the best thing about this film. After that, I don't have much else to say. So, see you guys later.

What would happen if you flared gold? Or atium? I am asking for a friend. He also asked what would happen if you flared copper, so I told him that it would just extend the coppercloud. Any thoughts, insoght, anything?

The top ten best actors ever. 10. Matt Damon Matt Damon is most famous for being Jason Bourne, and starring in The Martian. But he brings an intensity to the roles that he plays unlike most actors I’ve seen. Plus, he’s a great guy and I think he’s hilarious. Best Film: The Bourne Ultimatum 9. John Wayne The man’s a legend. John Wayne is the cowboy. The characters that he portrays are sometimes similar to one another, but Wayne gives them a quirk that ultimately sets them apart from each other. If you have ever seen a Western, you need to see John Wayne. Best Film: The Shootist 8. Christian Bale I’ve chosen Christian Bale for this list, because of the way he prepares himself for the roles that he takes on. His take on Batman is very different from any we have seen, and his performance in The Fighter was spectacular. Best Film: The Fighter 7. James Stewart James Stewart holds a special place in my heart, and most of everyone who has watched him in any film, be it It’s a Wonderful Life or Vertigo. His calm demeanor and down-to-earth acting sets him apart from others. Best Film: Rear Window 6. Harrison Ford I have Harrison Ford on here just because of pure opinion. He has many iconic characters he has played over the years, and is instantly recognizable. He is much like John Wayne in the perspective of popularity. Best Film: Blade Runner 2049 5. Heath Ledger Heath Ledger was a candle that burned short, but glowed brightly. Every film role he takes is different from the last. That was a goal that Ledger had. He exited the stage with the best performance in film history. Best Film: The Dark Knight 4. Tommy Wiseau No, I am not kidding. Tommy Wiseau is notorious. But he has developed an art form. View his acting however you like, but he conveys a message through his acting. Do what you love no matter what. He is extremely dedicated, and genuinely awesome. Best Film: The Room (duh) 3. Ian McKellen Ian McKellen is most famous for Gandalf and Magneto, but I think his villain roles are magnificent. (Hence Magneto.) His voice is very recognizable, his Shakespearean method of acting is amazing, and he is well loved in pop culture. Best Film: Mr. Holmes 2. Orson Welles Orson Welles is the god of acting. His form is a level that few others have achieved. He has inspired many other actors, including the indubitable Tommy Wiseau. Welles also was considered for the voice of Darth Vader. Best Film: Citizen Kane 1. Hugh Jackman Yes, Orson Welles is a terrific actor. Yes, there are many others that could be here. But this is my own opinion, and I firmly believe that Hugh Jackman is one of the best actors of all time, and he tops my list. I think he reached the form I mentioned, and he recently went past that in Logan. Hugh Jackman is legend. Best Film: Logan

Another deluxe list! Whoo-hoo and Merry Christmas. Today, I'm doing Rocky. Why? Well, because I really enjoy Rocky's character arc as a whole and all the movies have satisfying conclusions(except one of them). Let's go! 7. Rocky V If you've seen the Rocky films, it should come as no surprise that the fifth entry comes out at the bottom. I can see what Sylvester Stallone was trying to envision with Rocky V, but it doesn't work. Rocky inexplicably overcomes brain damage to fight his former protege, and somehow loses his entire fortune in a completely implausible way. (It was Paulie's fault, but what else is new?) The film's only redeeming quality is the development between Rocky and his son, Robert, which is pretty well done. 6. Rocky IV A lot of people put this film at the top of the list, but I don't see why. Several important things happen in this film (*cough* Apollo Creed dies *cough*) but it is longer than it should be. There are too many montages in this film, and that is unforgivable. Two of them are completely pointless. Rocky IV also spits in the face of politics at the time. There is no way a Soviet crowd would be cheering for Rocky by the end of the fight, even if he was kicking Drago's trash. 5. Rocky III Rocky III is on the edge for me. It has a great song (Eye of the Tiger by Survivor), a great antagonist (played to perfection by Mr. T), and finally fully develops the character of Apollo Creed. It's not a bad film whatsoever, it's just that the tone of this one feels.....off. It shouldn't, but it does. There's a sense of campiness in here that makes me feel weird whenever I watch it, but it's still a great movie. 4. Rocky I feel bad for putting the first one this low. Most people would probably have it in the top three, but in terms of enjoyment, there are some that deliver more. Rocky is a classic, and should be the one Rocky film you see, if any. It has a terrific story, great themes, and introduced one of the best theme songs of the century. 3. Rocky II Yes, I believe the sequel is better than the original. Rocky II takes what we loved about the first, and builds upon it. And no, it is not a second chance of a second chance. Rocky is forced to fight. I also believe this one has the best boxing sequence, with Rocky and Apollo. It is actually very suspenseful. While Rocky tells us to press on and go the distance, Rocky II tells us to stand fast and fight back. And that's what I love about this film. 2. Creed While it focuses on Adonis Creed, it continues the story of Rocky without diverging from Adonis. Adonis' journey to move up in the world is much different from Rocky's, and it works. I love the way it connects and references all the other Rocky films, and makes them seem better. (Especially Rocky V and Rocky IV) Even though it is similar to the message that Rocky delivers, Creed also tells us to make our own legacy. 1. Rocky Balboa This is my favorite one. After the campy tones of the last three films and the disappointing conclusion of Rocky V, Sylvester Stallone brought us back to the tones of the first two. We see an older Rocky, trying to hide as the past and the present converge on him. Adding in the death of Adrian was a stroke of genius, adding a depth not yet seen until now in a Rocky film. It also tries to avoid references to Rocky III-V, preferring the first two. However, it continues to develop his relationship with Robert, and does so spectacularly. It has the best ending of a Rocky film as well. Rocky Balboa is Stallone's masterpiece.