Ignore who the Oscar committee considered the Best Actor of this year’s Academy Awards. Mickey Rourke’s portrayal of Randy “The Ram” Robinson, a wrestler passed his prime and coping with the harsh reality of retirement, was the greatest acting performance we’ve experienced since Deniro’s work in Raging Bull. The wrestling matches define extreme brutality and Marisa Tomei’s performance as an aging stripper who sympathizes with her battered and bruised comrade is nothing short of spectacular.
With a supporting cast that strangely resembles the figures of Biggie Smalls life and a standout performance from Jamaal Woolard as Christopher “Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace, Notorious is a surprisingly entertaining depiction of the Brooklyn rapper. Packed with never before seen footage and deleted scenes, this is one film that all Biggie fans will find enjoyment value from.
In preparation for the new Wolverine spin-off, it doesn’t hurt to revisit the franchise that is spawning origin stories from the X-Men Universe. The perfectly casted ensemble lives up to the hype and Hugh Jackman’s performances as the rabid Wolverine make the trilogy worth owning.
