There are times when we want to institute a “Gene Hackman Rule” which basically means if you see his name in the opening credits, you know the movie won’t stink (or at least he will give it a redeeming quality).   This isn’t to say that Hoosiers would not have worked with someone else cast as Coach Norman Dale, but don’t you buy Hackman as a sage sports authority figure before he even utters a word? Norman Dale was a lot more than just a coach. He was a student himself, learning from past mistakes (he was fired from Ithaca after…

We enjoyed watching Paulie Pennino in the Rocky Films, but we are happy that he is not our friend. Actually, you have to wonder why Rocky Balboa was ever friends with the guy in the first place, as he was always spouting off negative comments, drank too much, treated his sister like crap, tried to break Rocky’s arms, and signed over power of attorney which bankrupted Balboa. Even appearing as a corner man for Rocky, he was five shades of useless; only offering up the advice to “hit the one in the middle” in Rocky IV as a moment of…