BOXING: million or cinderella?

[moviegroupie]

Million Dollar Baby vs. Cinderella Man.

I'd have to see both again, and both were excellent, but I had more fun with Cinderella Man. My main problem with Million Dollar Baby was that all the characters seemed kind of extreme comic book characters - blind but strong custodian Morgan Freeman, hardass Clint Eastwood, and cameltoe-less Hilary Swank. Cinderella Man many argue has already been done, and seen on screen, but I still enjoyed it more. Especially the cast, Paul Giamatti and Russell Crowe.

[Shockwave]

Million Dollar Baby, easily.

To me it was a better story with much more grit, while CM seems like it was made as a cheap oscar grab.

[bluesbrother965]

I actually liked them about the same.

[thedudeman69]

I like Cinderlla Man alot more because it didn't have the politcal cop-out ending like Millon Dollar Baby did.

[ilovemovies]

Cinderella Man 9/10
Million Dollar Baby 7/10


Cinderella Man is unquestionably the champion. It's got the best boxing scenes and it's the better movie. I liked MDB, but I the movie didn't knock me out of my seat like it did with most people. Some very moving moments and it's splendidly acted, but it didn't knock me out.

I'll also put it this way: MDB only has one scene that made me want to jump up and cheer, it's a scene with Morgan Freeman and anybody who has seen the movie I'm sure they know what I'm talking about. Whereas Cinderella Man has MANY scenes that really got to me and made want to jump up and cheer. Also, even at it's sadest moments, MDB didn't come even close to making me cry. But in Cinderella Man, I got a little teary eyed a bunch of times.

And Ron Howard does an incredible job with the movie. But while there is certainly nothing wrong with the directing in MDB, I felt that that movie was more of a triumph of acting than directing or writing which was solid but nothing special.

And as great as Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman are, I actually liked the performances by Russell Crowe, Renee Zellweger and Paul Giamatti more.

Both movies also contain a somewhat one dimensional "bad guy" and I thought Craig Beirko was far better and definately far more intimidating than the bully in MDB.

[Misanthrope]

Well i havent seen Cinderella Man but i certainly wasnt looking foward to any of the actual fights on Million Dollar Baby at all, Boxing was just a setting for the characters to play around.

[morricone]

Originally posted by Misanthrope
Well i havent seen Cinderella Man but i certainly wasnt looking foward to any of the actual fights on Million Dollar Baby at all, Boxing was just a setting for the characters to play around.

That's right. As a film Million Dollar Baby trumps over Cinderella Man. It's no contest. No fucking contest. Million Dollar Baby is not a boxing movie, Cinderella Man is. Every single facet of MDB is superior to CM. The acting, the direction, the score, the cinematography, everything goes to Million Dollar Baby.

[ilovemovies]

Cinderella Man was much more than just a boxing movie. And I think it's superior to Million Dollar Baby in every way.

[HeavyFknMetal]

I'd have to go with Raging Bull. Wait, that wasnt an option was it, well I pick Raging Bull anyhow.

[LegionX]

Million Dollar Baby: 9/10
Cinderella Man: 8/10

[zeppelin]

Both are about even, as I'd give them both an A-. However, I would more readily watch Cinderella Man again than Million Dollar Baby, so I'll have to give it to Ron Howard on this one. Sorry, Clint.

[Lazy Boy]

Both are about the people outside the ring.

Ron Howard effectively captured the dowtrodden feeling of working-lower class America during the Depression. The fight scenes were a metaphor for the struggle of the human spirit (sounds corny, but it worked).

Clint Eastwood effectively brought us into the lives of three close knit characters, all of whom we cared for. The film steps outside the boxing ring in order to do that.

It's hard to compare when both films are so good. I would say Million Dollar Baby was a better film, but by a slim margin.

[Lazy Boy]

double post

[Lazy Boy]

Edit: dammit, my computer is acting up.

I have to add: I don't think either are the best boxing movies ever. They're not as brutal as Raging Bull -- their power lies elsewhere.

[Brando @$$ Fat]

Originally posted by thedudeman69
I like Cinderlla Man alot more because it didn't have the politcal cop-out ending like Millon Dollar Baby did.

You HAVE to be joking me.......

[wheresdonnie?]

I have no interest in seeing Cinderella Man, because it does seem like a cheap Oscar grab, but I did enjoy Million Dollar Baby. I'm a sucker for Clint, with the exception of Blood Work.

[mrsfuz]

M$B without a doubt.

[Shockwave]

I like Cinderlla Man alot more because it didn't have the politcal cop-out ending like Millon Dollar Baby did.

Switch the movies in question in that sentence and id agree with u.;)