4) Rocky IV
Forget that the Rocky series started out as a kind of gritty, On The Waterfront-esque tale of a boxer down-and-out on the streets of Philadelphia: Rocky IV is a boxing film for true Americans. Taking place largely in Russia at the end of the Cold War, Rocky IV finds the titular meat-puncher standing up for America and taking the fight to Ivan Drago, a colossal fighter representing the might of the USSR.
[zergpaid]After Drago kills Rocky’s pal Apollo Creed in the ring, the stage is set for a showdown, between the champ and the contender from the Eastern Bloc, between West and East, between America and no-good commie scum. Obviously Rocky is victorious, and of course he also wins over the freedom-starved Russian crowd, with his “if I can change, and you can change, everybody can change” speech somehow getting even Russian state ministers on their feet applauding his mumbled patter.