Rocky (1976)

The most romantic date in Rocky happens at a closed ice rink, where he slips the janitor some cash so a shy pet store clerk can skate while he talks her ear off. That’s this movie. It’s slow, it’s scruffy, and a lot of it is a lonely guy wandering Philadelphia talking to whoever will listen. The early stretch drags if you showed up for boxing, and one scene in his apartment where Rocky won’t take no for an answer hasn’t aged well. But Sylvester Stallone plays a big guy with a soft heart so honestly that you’d follow him anywhere. Talia Shire turns Adrian’s shyness into the bravest arc in the movie. Burgess Meredith is a grump hiding a heart of gold. Then the music kicks in, Rocky hits the steps, and you’re ready to run through a wall. It made $117.2 million in the US. An 8.9 because it’s a love story wearing boxing gloves. $4,048 says you take the stairs two at a time this week and throw both arms up at the top.

What works: Stallone and Talia Shire make two awkward, lonely people feel completely real, and the training montage still gets your heart pumping.

What doesn’t: The first half moves slowly for a boxing movie, and one pushy apartment scene with Adrian plays badly today.

Who it’s for: Underdogs, early risers, and anyone who needs a push to start something hard.