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Countdown to ‘Creed’: Boxer takes on Cold War, inner demons in muscular ‘Rocky IV’ (1985) (Movie review)

With its montages and Eighties arena-rock songs, not to mention the “U.S. versus U.S.S.R.” foundation that begs for the hoariest of subtexts to be added, “Rocky

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Countdown to ‘Creed’: ‘Rocky III’ (1982) regains eye of the tiger with enjoyable friendship yarn (Movie review)

Are the “Rocky” films more spectacle or substance? At first blush, the opening act of “Rocky III”(1982) suggests spectacle. Rocky fights professional wrestler Hulk Hogan –

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Countdown to ‘Creed’: Boxer recovers, finds new challenges in solid ‘Rocky II’ (1979) (Movie review)

Life doesn’t become easy after your first success: Blowing up one Death Star doesn’t mean you’ve defeated the Empire. Dumping Shredder into a garbage truck

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Countdown to ‘Creed’: Boxer’s underdog journey parallels Stallone’s in all-time masterpiece ‘Rocky’ (1976) (Movie review)

The buzz is heating up for the seventh movie in a legendary film franchise that dates back to the 1970s. I’m referring, of course, to

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‘Rocky’ franchise appears to be in good hands with ‘Fruitvale Station’s’ Coogler, Jordan (Movie review)

The seventh “Rocky” film, “Creed” — which comes out on Nov. 25 – is on paper quite a departure from the first six, which were all written

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‘Star Wars’ flashback: ‘The New Jedi Order: Edge of Victory II – Rebirth’ (2001) (Book review)

After his first book, “Edge of Victory I: Conquest,” spent most of its time on Yavin 4 – one of the “home worlds” of “Star

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‘Star Wars’ flashback: ‘The New Jedi Order: Edge of Victory I – Conquest’ (2001) (Book review)

The stories of Jaina, Jacen, Lowbacca and other “next generation” characters’ youthful days were explored in the “Young Jedi Knights” series, written for young adults.

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‘Me and Earl and the Dying Girl’ avoids ‘Fault in Our Stars’ melodrama, but feels too empty (Movie review)

“Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” (now available from Redbox) follows last year’s “The Fault in Our Stars” into the cancersploitation genre – a coming-of-age

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‘Star Wars’ flashback: ‘Crimson Empire III: Empire Lost’ (2011-12) (Comic book review)

A decade after the first two installments of “Crimson Empire” in both real time and on the “Star Wars” timeline, the six-issue “Crimson Empire III: Empire

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‘Star Wars’ flashback: ‘The New Jedi Order: Balance Point’ (2000) (Book review)

In Kathy Tyers’ “Balance Point” (2000), the “New Jedi Order” saga continues to do a remarkable job of previewing George Lucas’ prequel themes and plot points a

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