The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Live from San Fransisco, CAAttendance 12,620Commentators are Tony Schiavone, Mike Tenay & Bobby HeenanTelevision TitleRick Martel (C) Vs Booker TThe crowd LOVES Booker T. He gets a huge pop coming out. Booker T wins the title after nailing Martel in mid-air with the Harlem Side Kick. Sick finish. Unfortunately, Martel was forced to retire because of a botched hip toss from Booker T. Nobodies fault. Things happen. Good match.***1/4 out of 5Television TitleBooker T (C) Vs SaturnBooker T hits the Harlem Side Kick and retains. This match wasn't as good as the previous one, but it was still above average and had some good moments. Booker was really getting a substantial push and looked like a stud here. **3/4 out of 5La Parka Vs Disco InfernoDisco wins with the Chart Buster (Stunner) This was a LONG match. It felt like it was gonna go on forever. Pretty boring for the most part, aside from a couple of things here and there. Always glad to see my man, Disco get a win, though. I'm a Disco mark.*1/2 out of 5J.J Dillon reinstate Nick Patrick as a referee, but he won't officiate the main event tonight.Goldberg Vs Brad ArmstrongGoldberg squashes Armstrong and the crowd goes wild.3/4* out of 5Mask Vs TitleChris Jericho (C) Vs Juventud GuerreraJuvi initially wins the title, but it's revealed Jericho had his hand on the ropes just before the three count. Jericho retains by making Juvi tap out. Jericho is such a jerk LOL. Juvi unmasks. This was a good match. They told a really good story and delivered, aside from a couple of botches.*** out of 5Steve McMichael Vs The British BulldogThe Bulldog wins by submission. The controversy is that McMichael never gave up. What a stupid finish to a crappy match. Both are babyfaces, which makes it even sillier. McMichael tried his hardest, bless him. But he was terrible.* out of 5United States ChampionshipDDP (C) Vs Chris BenoitBoth are babyfaces here as well. Wow. I think it's unprecedented to have two face vs face matches back to back. DDP wins with the Diamond Cutter. DDP wasn't too over here for some odd reason. The fans didn't seem to care for him or seemed rather indifferent. Benoit was the sentimental favorite here, I think. Fans booed heavily during a close near fall during a triple German suplex from Benoit. All that aside, this was a fun match. Both worked really hard. Good psychology as well.***1/4 out of 5No DQ'Macho Man' Randy Savage (W/Miss Elizabeth) Vs Lex LugerLuger is getting booed lmao, despite being the face here. Savage is in the process of turning face and is way over. WOW! Loud Luger sucks chants. Luger wins with the Rack, thanks to the nWo. Hogan says Savage is a piece of trash and deserved to get beat. Savage turns face. Crowd HATED Luger. Bad match as usual between these two.*1/4 out of 5Tag Team TitlesThe Steiner Brothers (C) (W/Ted Dibiase) Vs The OutsidersYAY!!!! The 9 millionth match between these two. I know what happens, but if I have to watch another match between these two, I might smash my coffee mug over my head. Scott Steiner turns on his brother and joins the nWo, allowing The Outsiders to win the tag team titles. I was never a big Big Papa Pump fan, so as memorable as this heel turn may be, it didn't really resonate with me at the time.*3/4 out of 5World Heavyweight Title'Hollywood' Hulk Hogan Vs StingThis crowd is obnoxiously pro-nWo. I love the nWo, but holy crap, don't boo Sting. Nick Patrick runs out and redeems himself...AGAIN. The nWo tries to interfere, but Randy Savage runs out and drills Hogan with a foreign object. Sting covers and wins the title. Sting spraypaints WCW on Hogan's chest. This was a mediocre match, but it had great storytelling to get it over the hump. You have to feel happy for Sting, who in reality, should have won clean at Starrcade. This was an awesome PPV. Really, one of the best ones WCW produced in quite a while up to this point. Highly recommended from yours truly.7.5/10

1. WCW T.V. Title Match: Champ-Booker T. Vs. Rick Martel - Better match than at Souled out. 8/10 2. WCW T.V. Title Match: Champ-Booker T. Vs. Saturn - Booker retained again. 8/10 3. Disco Inferno Vs. La Parka - A little bit sheepish match. Disco won. 8/10 4. Brad Armstrong Vs. Goldberg Quick push match. Goldberg DESTROYED Armostrong. 8.5/10 5. WCW Cruiserweight Hair vs. Title Match: Juventud Guerrera Vs. Champ-Chris Jericho - Best match of the night. Incredible moves, and Jericho was Soooo funny. But it was black day for Juvi either he lost his mask. 10/10 6. Steve McMichael Vs. British Bulldog - Mongo proved in that match that he isn't good wrestler, maybe he isn't wrestler anyway... First bad match (6th - great:))5.5/10 7. WCW U.S: Heavyweight Title match: Chris Benoit Vs. Champ-Diamond Dallas Page - Another Top match - like them, really like them both. DDP retained. 10/10 8. Lex Luger Vs. Randy Savage - Macho: punch, kick, head-first, punch, kick, head first, choke, kick, punch. Over and over.. And DQ ending.. Totally pointless match. 4/10 9. WCW World Heavyweight tag Team Title Match: Kevin Nash/Scot Hall Vs. Champs-The Steiner Brothers - Finally Scotty turned completely heel by attacking Rick. Match sucked, new champs 5.5/10 10. WCW World Heavyweight Title Match: Sting Vs. Hulk Hogan - Bad rematch, but after Starrcade match... Sting ran-in the ring and Hogan schooled him IMMEDIATELY for first 10 minutes. Sting needed help again (this time from Savage). It should look like Hogan was unbeatable. Hate him for that. 7/10

To start off SuperBrawl VIII, the former TV Champ, Booker T., confronted Rick Martel, for his title. Martel was beaten, and that's when Perry Saturn came in. But Booker T. pinned him with the 1 2 3! It was over.Next, the Disco Inferno fought La Parka. The Disco Inferno won when La Parka hit his head on his own chair.Then, there was a special added match unadvertised. This is between Brad Armstrong with a one-loss record against undefeated wrestler Goldberg! Goldberg won with his trademark maneuvers, the Spear and the Jackhammer!!After that was a Title Vs. Mask Match for the WCW World Cruiserweight Championship between Juventud Guerrera and Cruiserweight Champion, Chris Jericho. Guerrera would've won the title and kept his mask on his face, if Jericho hadn't grabbed the rope from the 450 Splash while the referee wasn't looking. Then Jericho grabbed him in his Lion Tamer submission hold. He ripped the mask from Guerrera, revealing his face.The next match was between the now deceased British Bulldog and Steve "Mongo" McMichael. The Bulldog won by submission, but Mongo said he didn't give up.Then, SuperBrawl VIII continued with a contest for the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship between the "Canadian Crippler" Chris Benoit and US Champion, "Diamond" Dallas Page. Page had achieved victory, thanks to the Diamond Cutter.The next match was a non-disqualification match between Randy "Macho Man" Savage, representing the New World Order (nWo), and the "Total Package" Lex Luger. When Luger had done the Torture Rack on the Macho Man, the now dead Miss Elizabeth attacked him in the eyes. Just then, the entire nWo attacked BOTH men. Then when Luger did the Torture Rack a second time, "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan, the leader, pulled back his henchmen and said he was glad that Savage lost.The following bout was for the unified WCW World Tag Team Championship between the Outsiders, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall with Dusty Rhodes, and the Steiner Bros., Rick and Scott with Ted DiBiase. During the match, when the Steiners were doing their trademark pose, Scott had DOUBLE-AX-HANDLED HIS OWN BROTHER, RICK!!! That was one of the most horrible moments in the history of professional wrestling. Mercifully, it was over when Scott Hall used the Outsider's Edge on Rick.The next bout was the Main Event of SuperBrawl VIII for the vacant, undisputed WCW World Heavyweight Championship between Sting and Hulk Hogan. When Sting used his Stinger Splash on Hogan, he accidentally creamed Referee Charles Robinson, replacing him with Nick Patrick. Later, when Sting used the Scorpion Death Drop, Hogan kicked the ref in the gut. The whole nWo attacked Sting, but the Macho Man Randy Savage attacked Hulk Hogan with a spray can, knocking him unconscious. Sting had pinned Hogan! At that moment, Sting was the undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World!!