Nikhil Burman

Video: 4
Audio: 4
Extras: 4
Forget the two-dimensional superhero that Rocky became in the sequels. The guy we meet in this first installment is a highly sympathetic character—an aging, likable loner with nothing going for him. He gets a title shot out of the blue and, in a touching moment, ultimately decides that all he can hope to do is go the distance. Then there’s the great supporting cast, highlighted by Burgess Meredith’s inimitable Mickey the trainer, Talia Shire’s sensitive Adrian, and the always underrated Carl Weathers as the larger-than-life but self-absorbed champ, Action Jackson...er, Apollo Creed.

Video: 5
Audio: 3
Extras: 4
Watching March of the Penguins, it's hard not to feel as though the cast, fleets of emperor penguins, is imbued with human nature. I kept catching myself thinking of the penguins as people—I kept searching for humanlike motivations to understand their behavior. But perhaps this is unfair of me to say, if not a little arrogant. After all, we humans are all animals (some of us more untamed than others), and this documentary essentially focuses on the central function of all mammals—procreation and the successful nurturing of offspring into self-sufficient beings. I guess what I'm trying to say is that this movie beautifully demonstrates that even something as complex as love is not reserved for humans.

Video: 4
Audio: 4
Extras: 2
In this biopic of Bobby Darin, Kevin Spacey accomplishes quite a surprising feat: In addition to writing and directing the film and playing the role of Darin, he provides the vocals for all of the musical numbers featuring the entertainer. And he does a fine job. But, outside of this, the film sinks from the sky like a flaming zeppelin.