Going the Distance

Perseverance- steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc. especially in spite of difficulties, or discouragement.

Tales about perseverance, the will to succeed despite the odds, not only permeate storytelling the world over, but are in essence an intrinsic part of the abstract concept that is the indomitable human spirit. Regardless of personal circumstances, practically everyone can relate to the idea of having to struggle to achieve something. We tell these stories to inspire not only ourselves, but to instill the notion within future generations, that with enough gumption and effort, they too can accomplish whatever it is they set their hearts and minds to. 

While I am a self-described action/sci-fi/fantasy movie geek, I'm also a sucker for the inspirational film drama, and nowhere are these types of films more prevalent than in the boxer/fighter genre. For years it has been a tradition of mine to indulge in watching and celebrating these highly encouraging pieces of cinema, if only because viewing them reminds me to work harder to complete my own goals.

November has always been the month I have on reserve for this celebration, so while I'm currently in the thick of it, I figured I'd share with you my list of personal favorite flicks dealing with those most determined combatants. These stimulating celluloid marvels are in no certain order (beyond my top pick) as I feel any of the films mentioned here could easily stand as a testament to lighting a blazing fire within one's own blood. Having said that, let us now chomp down on our mouth guards, hop in the squared circle, and ring that bell!

Fearless

To truly win, one must fight without fear.

The 2006 film Fearless tells the (somewhat exaggerated) tale of real life wushu competitor Huo Yuanjia. It is a time when Chinese sovereignty is being eroded by foreign imperialist nations at the turn of the 20th century, and Huo Yuanjia stands defiant in the face of those changes. By challenging foreign combatants in highly publicized matches, and upon winning each and every bout, Huo goes on to become a national hero.

Being regarded as one of the few people responsible for bringing back national pride to China, he's also seen as representing the true spirit of martial arts competition itself. Before his death, Huo would establish the Jin Wu Sports Federation, a school that stands to this very day, dedicated to teaching the essence of wushu.

Despite Fearless telling a highly fictionalized account of Huo Yuanjia's life, I honestly feel that every aspect of Fearless' production shines through with incredible polish, and passion. From the scale of the fights, to the intensity of the choreography itself, few martial arts flicks have ever created the enormity of combat in such an elegant, yet visceral way, while simultaneously embodying the core values of what martial arts are ultimately meant to be.

I have no issues in admitting that the ending of Fearless almost brings tears to my eyes every time I watch it. Without going too deep into spoiler territory, I'll simply say that during the last moments of Huo's life, he encapsulates everything that one would think of when the term "honor" is uttered. It's because of how galvanizing this ending is that I consider Fearless to be one of the greatest pieces out of Jet Li's sizable film catalogue, and it comes highly recommended to anyone looking for where the heart of a true champion resides.

Ip Man

The master who would inspire a generation.

The 2008 dramatization of the real-life wing chun grand master Yip Man, is set during the early 1930's in the city of Foshan China, a central hub for martial arts training. Schools are formed all over, and actively compete against one another for fame and glory. Although Ip Man is considered to be the most skilled of all the local masters, he never takes on any students. Instead, he seems content to lead a humble life, dedicated mostly to honing his wing chun skills, along with spending time among his family and friends.

All of that changes though when the Japanese invasion of 1937 occurs. Stripped of his home, his wealth, and even his dignity, Ip Man is forced to work as a coal miner for small daily bags of rice while under the Japanese occupation. Holding on to a mere thread of hope, Ip Man learns to find strength in not only his fellow masters, but with the common people of Foshan itself. Upon discovering a new purpose to his life, Ip Man dedicates himself to spreading wing chun the world over, teaching students until the day he dies.

Ip Man exists almost as the exact opposite of Fearless in many ways. While Fearless tells a noticeably hyperbolic story that somewhat aggrandizes its lead character, Ip Man hunkers down and weaves a far more grounded narrative that's more so meant to provide perspective. While there are several liberties taken in order to facilitate the parameters of a movie plot, for the most part, Ip Man is a fairly accurate retelling of historical events. The area where I consider Ip Man and Fearless to be similar though is in the area of their leading actors. Much like how I feel Fearless is one of Jet Li's very best films, the same goes for Donnie Yen's performance in Ip Man. This may be the defining work of his career, as nothing before, or since (not even the Ip Man sequels) have lived up to this master stroke of martial arts extravagance. Equal parts entertaining, emotional, and empowering, Ip Man is a work of art.

Cinderella Man

One of the original underdog stories.

2005's Cinderella Man is based off the life events of heavyweight boxing champion James J. Braddock. During the Great Depression of the 1930's, James Braddock is an Irish-American boxer who's simply out of luck. He isn't strong enough to win any of his fights, he can barely afford to keep the lights on for his family, and any injury he takes in the ring hurts his chances of finding work somewhere outside of it.

Just as Braddock is about to lose his boxing license, his manager and long time friend, Joe Gould manages to get him one last fight. What was supposed to be Braddock's last bout turns into a surprise victory, as Braddock wins the match, and begins to quickly climb the ranks. He isn't just on the way to having a possible heavyweight title shot, but perhaps a second chance at making good for his family.

There must be something about the early twentieth century, because this was where a metric ton of real-world, inspirational material seems to come from. Much like the other two movies on this list, Cinderella Man is a semi-loose retelling of actual events, but is perhaps the most grounded on the entire list, as it lovingly recreates not only the aesthetics of 1930's America, but fundamentally embodies it in tone from start to finish.

While I'm not the biggest fan of the leading actors Russel Crowe and Renee Zellwegger (or director Ron Howard for that matter) I cannot deny the sheer overall quality of this flick. Crowe and Zellwegger have fantastic on-screen chemistry together, giving what's easily the best performances either of them have done to date, while Howard's direction compliments all the action in just the right way. Cinderella Man takes us back to an era, where the strength of your heart was more important than the strength of your punches.

Warrior

The bonds of family run deep.

The 2011 sports-drama Warrior is the fictional tale of two estranged brothers who are set to face off in the fight of a lifetime, within the brutal high-stakes world of mixed martial arts.

When former marine Tommy Riordan returns to his hometown of Pittsburgh, it's only because he's enlisting the aid of his formerly alcoholic father, Patty Conlon, to train him for an upcoming MMA tournament. The grand prize of one million dollars is too great to ignore though as several other prominent fighters from all over the globe are set to enter as well.

As Tommy begins cutting through the competition to the title prize, his brother Brendan, a former MMA fighter himself, returns to the ring after failing to make ends meet as a public school teacher. Rising in the ranks as an underdog entry to the tournament, both Tommy and Brendan are set on a path that will not only force them to confront the very things that tore their family apart, but to do it in a winner takes all cage match.   

As much as I'd like to, I really don't want to delve into too much of the plot of Warrior, as this is a densely packed, highly emotional film to parse. Tackling such issues as abuse, neglect, and alcoholism, Warrior is not an easy watch, but one that feels ultimately life affirming come the end. Despite all the hardships the characters endure, redemption is the one thing no one is beyond in this narrative.

Out of all the movies I have on this list, Warrior may be the one that speaks to me the most, if only because of how it deals with a tale regarding brothers. From our two main leads in Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton, to the supporting role of Nick Nolte, every character in Warrior feels expertly cast, and downright fantastic in their performances.

And now for my #1 pick!

The Rocky Franchise

Before them all, there was the Italian Stallion.

It should probably come as no surprise that this would be my number one pick on the list. Granted, I am cheating a bit by listing the entire franchise, but it's all just too damn good to simply pick one. If I had to say which was the objectively best of them all, it would more than likely be the first Rocky film, as that movie's success is quite frankly one of the most profound turning points in cinema history. Honestly I don't know if I should bother going over the plot to Rocky, seeing how it's so effectively ingrained into pop-culture on the whole.

Had Rocky not been the runaway hit it was, Martin Scorsese would never have been able to get his unarguable classic Raging Bull off the ground. Every film that was like Rocky and came out in the wake of Rocky (and yes, that even includes the sequels) wouldn't have had a leg to stand on if Stallone didn't change the game. Suddenly every sports flick had a chance to be made, provided it had enough heart to carry it through to the audiences at large.

What's so great about Rocky is how much it transcended its medium. How many times can you name a film character who had an actual statue errected in their honor? How many fictional characters do you know of who have been inducted into a sporting hall of fame?

Before Rocky, Sylvester Stallone was much like his own character, a no name who no one took seriously, until he changed cinema history forever with this highly enduring piece. Whenever someone thinks of the iconic inspirational film, even sans the sport/fighting element, they're more than likely thinking of Rocky, or something like it. This movie is without a doubt the quintessential example of why I even have a love for this genre to begin with. I grew up watching the Rocky franchise, and to this very day the series continues to inspire me to run hard, to take that shot, and most importantly, to be willing go the distance for my dreams.





That about does it for this entry. I know this one was a bit of a short list, but quite frankly I could gush on and on for hours about each of these films and why they're all important to me as a creator and simply as a person. If anything else, I hope this list helps you to find something you may like that can help motivate you to achieve a long held goal in your life. Til next time folks, run hard for that gold!