The Karate Kid Strikes like a Cobra

Reviewed by Jason Gregg

I was hesitant when I saw the trailer for “The Karate Kid” a month ago.  I thought, “Here we go again.”  When I see a potential rehash or remake or a reboot of something from my childhood I can usually hear cash registers cha-chinging in the background.  That sound typically means that somewhere Hollywood executives are getting their wings and are about to make a down payment on a house in the hills or buy yet another Rolex to add to their collection.  Like most Gen-Xers I am apprehensive and cynical when it comes to these matters. 

I also know that I can be wrong from time to time.  And, on the rare occasion that I am wrong I will admit it. I first had a feeling that I was wrong once the opening credits of “The Karate Kid” were rolling and I saw that two of the producers were Will and Jada Pinkett Smith.  These are two people in Hollywood that probably aren’t out to make a quick buck.  Considering their kid is in the lead role, they probably are going to treat the film with a little more care.   

The story begins with the main character, Dre Parker (Jaden Smith, son of the aforementioned producers) leaving Detroit with his mom to relocate to China.  It is immediately established that there is no dad and that he is an only child.  Once in China Dre has trouble adapting to the culture and the language (however, every person in China seems to be able to speak English).  He makes a few friends and quickly finds a love interest all within an hour or two of landing.  Much of this story is going to sound familiar because the writers didn’t deviate from the original “Karate Kid” too much.

As soon as Dre finds love he finds bitter enemies.  He is involved in his first fight where he tries out his amateur fighting skills resulting in a black eye.  It only gets worse for him at his new school.  He tries to find a way to defend himself but discovers that the only kung fu class in town also teaches his enemies.  Dre eventually retaliates and is once again finding himself outnumbered and on the losing end of a brawl.  Enter the maintenance man, Mr. Han (played by Jackie Chan), who comes to save the day in a humorous fight scene.  If you have seen previous Chan movies you will most likely appreciate the fight sequence here.  I didn’t think it would be too funny to see an older man beat up on a bunch of young punks, but again I was wrong.  I enjoyed watching Chan deviate from playing the fighting comic; his role here is much more somber than what he has previously done.

Mr. Han tries to reason with the instructor at the kung fu school about the behaviors of his students and enrolls Dre in to a kung fu tournament.  Mr. Han takes Dre in and teaches him the ancient art of how to pick up his jacket (think wax on, wax off and you will get the idea).  Through the course of the rest of the movie the audience is given some breathtaking views of China while also following Dre’s kung fu training.  It is never really explained why Mr. Han has to teach Dre kung fu on top of the Great Wall of China other than the fact that it is really cool to see in a movie. 

As in the original movie the story climaxes at a championship tournament, where as in the original, the protagonist defeats everyone in the tournament to make it to the final round therefore facing his bitter enemy.  The movie is over two hours long but that final scene at the tournament made it seem well worth it.  I can’t remember the last time I was in a theater where the audience was cheering and clapping. 

Should you see this movie?  Quite simply, yes.  It gives you a solid story line that has been holding up for the last 25 years along with a mix of age appropriate humor and some action.  The real difference between the original and this movie is the improved fight sequences.  If you are a Gen-Xer, leave your cynicisms at the door, take your kids and enjoy a good family movie.        

The A-Team

Film Review by Alexander Morales

All right, let’s just cut to the chase. “The A-Team” is a ridiculous, over-the-top, exploding hand grenade of fun with which you will roll your eyes with err, smile with nostalgia, laugh where it’s funny and find yourself completely lost in the mayhem that writer/director Joe Carnahan (“Narc,” “Smoking Aces”) has captured on screen.

Oh, and I liked almost every minute of it. Almost.

In 1983, the world was given a new type of soldier to root for. Five season later, three Emmy nominations (1983, 1984 and 1987), a People’s Choice Award (1984) and a Stuntman Award (1985) earned the names Hannibal, Murdock, B.A. Baracus and Faceman a regular helping of TV dinner in homes across the United States. Now, like everything else that has been dusted off from my childhood, “The A-Team” has been given the Hollywood treatment and that’s where we find ourselves today.

Just a warning, I may not be able to stop myself from making a “pity the fool” joke. I can feel it coming on, but I will do my best to refrain.

(Clearing throat) … OK.

The films starts with a punch (literally) and immediately throws us into the action as the four above mentioned characters meet, bond and beat up on the bad guys. Seemingly never stopping to take a break, the plot and “plans” weave themselves into this complex web that never really allows the audience to rest. In most situations, I would say that this is a bad thing, but not here. In fact, I would say that this is perfect for this kind of film. Any slow down in the pace would allow the audience to think too much about what’s happening allowing flaws to be more apparent on the surface.

I won’t go too much into the story and how it curves because, as I was sitting in the theater, a few of us got to talking and it seems one member of the audience had never seen an episode of the original series before. After the shock, I realized how much I “pitied the …” wait, no, not going to do it. Sorry, almost let it slip.

Ahem.

After the shock, I realized that he was a part of a whole generation of newbie’s that would experience the team with fresh new eyes, so I’ll keep my commentary on the actual plotlines of the story to myself.

However, in terms of my commentary on the team, that is a completely different story. The originals of George Peppard, Dwight Schultz, Mr. T and Dirk Benedict have been upgraded to the newer models of Liam Neeson (Hannibal), Sharlto Copley (Murdock), Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (B.A. Baracus) and Hollywood “It-boy” Bradley Cooper (Face). Needless to say, these four stars are dynamite together. Confidence, a true sense of camaraderie and fun spew off the screen and the combination of them together is a true recipe of success. It’s hard to say if they do the original portrayals of the characters justice, especially in the case of Baracus since Mr. T’s overall brand was built around a lot of the of the character’s traits, but I was not disappointed.

And yet, even with all that team goodness, there are two characters that dominate the screen each time they’re on. Patrick Wilson (“Watchmen”) and Copley (“District 9”) are the two firing pins for this film. Wilson, as the CIA mastermind and badass Lynch, is having so much fun playing his role that you can’t help but like him. Every time he’s onscreen he oozes authority and wields his power like a kid with a pocketful of money in a candy store. On the flipside, Copley as Murdock is bat-with-rabies crazy and just mesmerizing to try and follow his stream of consciousness method. Both are integral to the overall story and both add a lot of depth to roles that could have become silly caricatures in the hands of lesser actors.

Of course, everything is a little flawed and this film is no exception. With a running time of an hour and 57 minutes, this film is way too long. To be fair, it never felt like it dragged, but there were a few montages of “git-r-done” moments that could have been slimmed down. At the same time, for a fun action film, this film starts to get way over-complex pretty quickly and it starts to stumble a little. Carnahan is getting known for his unique style of storytelling and while a little complexity is good, too much makes the silly-meter rise very quickly. Also, Jessica Biel is Jessica Biel, no more no less. In theory her role could have been given to anyone who looks hot in a uniform and it would have worked. Nothing special there.

But, the real issue I have is with some of the action. Not in terms of the over-the-top stuff, even though at times the stuff they do is laughable, but in terms of how the hand-to-hand fighting is shot. It is way too close and you just can’t make out what’s happening. For example, the first time you meet Baracus, he has to flex his muscles and show some people how he earned his name. Great. Love it. Nothing cooler. Yet, the camera is so close, everything looks like blurs and you can’t really see anything. It’s distracting, a little annoying and could have been done much better.

Overall, go see this movie. While not a contender for the big acting awards, “The A-Team” knows exactly what it is – an over-the-top roller coaster of action that, while confident in itself, knows that it is a purely fun retreat into nostalgia. So sit down, grab your popcorn and just enjoy the ride.

And I “pity the fool” who says otherwise!

Heh.

3.5 out 5 High Caliber Bullets

The Gladstone Amphitheatre at 76th and Troost is the stage for city events and festivals. While the big players such as the Gladstone Theatre in the Park and Bluesfest are well known, other groups are getting some time on the stage. Here are three more June concerts to round out the month. These concerts are at 7 p.m. Uncle Ezra’s Chiropractic Brass plays June 15. The UMKC Jazz Quintet performs June 22 and Cherry Bomb takes the stage June 29.

The city also offers movies in the park. The June 18 show, “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,” starts at 9 p.m.

Splice

A film review by Alexander Morales

When I originally saw the trailer for this sci-fi horror flick called “Splice,” I was not impressed. In fact, I thought it was pretty silly. I remember my eyes rolling a little and then, as the trailer ended, immediately opening another tab in my browser to post the link on my Facebook page with some snarky comment about silliness and stupidity. Like I said … unimpressed.

And yet, here I am, basking in the afterbirth of this new film by writer and director Vincenzo Natali (“Cube,” “Paris, Je t’aime”) wishing I could go back, smack the snobby snarkiness off my face that day and make myself realize the potential that this film holds. Well, since I don’t own a DeLorean with a flux capacitor … (clearing throat) … I guess I can just admit I made a mistake.

“Splice,” the newest film by the above mentioned Natali is a scientific, horror gem that has much more to offer than meets the eye. Focusing on two brilliant scientists, Elsa (Sarah Polley of “Dawn of the Dead”) and Clive (Academy Award winner Adrien Brody), “Splice” is a film that defies the borders of morality showing the implications of our actions when we disobey the ethics of our society and thus, the ugliness of what we allow in an environment without rules. Simply put, Elsa and Clive have made new life by splicing together the genes of different animals in the pursuit of finding pharmaceuticals. However, like all scientists, the next step is too enticing and it is only a matter of time before they try mixing their new creation with human DNA.

By the previews and movie poster, I think it’s no spoiler that the two actually do create a humanoid being named Dren, so I’ll spare you the guessing games. Dren, played by Delphine Chanéac is the true star of the film and amazing to watch. As a character, the filmmakers have done an excellent job developing her and making her more than just the hidden, ugly creature. Dren is a complete learning, curious, complex being and watching her move and interact with the actors and the sets is like watching a beautiful interpretive dance on stage. Whenever Dren is in a scene, you cannot take your eyes off of her because she is so interesting to watch. From her birth and as her development is documented, you really do feel like you are watching the maturation of a new, living being and you can’t help but start to feel the connection that occurs.

At the same time, more than half her body throughout the film is computer-generated and save a few moments when she is first born, Dren’s animation is flawless. I remember back to older sci-fi, horror films that make you wait and wait and wait to see the beastie and when the big reveal happens, you are so disappointed because the computer generation was crap. Well not here. Dren is integral to the story and the digital team does an excellent job integrating her into the entire environment.

It terms of the other key actors, Polley and Brody are excellent. As more than just scientific partners in the film, the duo joke, verbally skewer and show affection to one another in a way that seems believable. You actually do feel like they are a couple with a long shared history and, in the end, your heart breaks even more as you watch them allow this experiment to spiral out of control. At the same time, these are not your stereotypical nerds. These are two brilliant, up and coming rock stars of science and they show the confidence that their work produces. They have style, they have personality and above all, they are just like you and me … save the massive amount of data they seem to comprehend and the scientific knowledge they wield … but you get the point.

In the end, though, I think the controversy of this film will be in the story. In my opinion, it is hard to classify this film with other sci-fi horrors for a few reasons. First, it is just too damn smart (in a good way.) The filmmakers clearly are not waiting for the audience to catch up with the science in a few parts and I think that is just fine. Too many times, films slow themselves down to explain details and here, Natali does the right thing and allows the story to just keep going regardless of the jargon that Polley or Brody are spewing out. So I guess intelligent horror is the best way to describe the genre of this film.

Second, smartly, Natali did not go for the old, quick scare tactics or overblown gore that so many films have taken lately. If you’ve read some of my past reviews, I think you can tell that I am not a big fan of that method of horror. Instead, the scares are paced with tension and, save for a few medical moments of bodily fluid and blood, gore is almost nonexistent in the film.

Lastly (and here is the controversial part), I am even going as far to say that the horror in this film has little or nothing to do with Dren. It has more to do with the lack of morals and the spiral down that Elsa and Clive allow as the experiment continues. I’m not sure if this is what was intended, but for me, I saw the personal horror that we as humans will allow to happen if we continue to blur the lines of morality. Don’t take this the wrong way. I’m not trying to preach a particular doctrine or belief system, but once you see what these two allow in the sake of breaking the rules of science, you will be horrified, engaged and on the fence of how you enjoy this film. Like a horrible car accident, this film is hard to take your eyes away from because you can’t believe what you are seeing. I even had to laugh out loud a few times in shock because of what was happening in front of me.

I will share a little warning. Well two actually. First, this is not a kid’s film. There were a lot of kids in the audience when I saw it and this film is rated “R” for a reason. Second, some friends of mine were so disgusted after the screening they could not put into words accurately how they were feeling or if they even liked the movie at all. Personally, I liked it, but I completely understand why they did not. This is not a feel good film or a “quick one and done” kind of horror film. It makes you feel a little gross after seeing it. I sometimes like feeling that way, but if you don’t, just be aware.

Of course this movie is not perfect. At a certain point, the film does have to go a little down the stereotypical route of horror film. Luckily, it doesn’t stray too long but if you pay attention, you can see it unfold pretty early on.

Overall, “Splice” is an excellent addition out in theaters this weekend. Probably better suited for a winter release where it would not have to battle the summer adventure blockbusters that seem to attack us this season, but nevertheless, a smart, sometimes funny, very engaging and horribly icky intelligent horror film that is sure to please the horror elite.

4 out of 5 Genomes

URBAN CULTURE PROJECT PRESENTS:
EVENT HORIZONS

A TOURING PROGRAM OF NEW WORK BY THOMAS COMERFORD, SABINE GRUFFAT & BILL BROWN 

Film, video, and new media artists Thomas Comerford (Chicago), and Sabine Gruffat & Bill Brown (Madison, Wisconsin) present a program of work that follows shimmering paths of desire across space and time

FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 8PM
URBAN CULTURE PROJECT SPACE / 21 East 12^th Street, KC MO 64105
816.221.5115 / www.charlottestreet.org
$5 suggested donation

 
Featuring:

• The Indian Boundary Line by Thomas Comerford 41 mins.,16mm/8mm/S8mm on digital betacam, color, sound
• Time Machine by Sabine Gruffat & Bill Brown 40 mins., multiple channel, multimedia live performance

 
Over the last eight years, Chicago musician and filmmaker Thomas Comerford has been at work on a series of quietly-observed films that contemplate the entwined social, political, and environmental histories of Chicago (Figures in the Landscape, 2002; Land Marked/Marquette, 2005). The Indian Boundary Line (2010) follows a road in Chicago, Rogers Avenue, that traces the 1816 Treaty of St. Louis boundary between the United States and “Indian Territory.” In doing so, it examines the collision between the vernacular landscape, with its storefronts, short-cut footpaths and picnic tables, and the symbolic one, replete with historical markers, statues, and fences. Through its observations and audio-visual juxtapositions, The Indian Boundary Line meditates on a span of land in Chicago about 12 miles long, but suggests how this land and its history are an index for the shifting inhabitants, relationships, boundaries and ideas of landscape -- as well as the consequences -- which have accompanied the transformation of the “New World.”
 
Time Machine is a live, multimedia performance in which Sabine Gruffat and Bill Brown explore new way of telling stories with technologies that are both cutting edge and obsolete. Our Time Machine is built from a variety of machines: a slide projector, an analog video switcher, a record player, a digital video projector, and a computer. Analog and digital signals are combined or rerouted, audio signals are patched through video inputs, and machines are utilized in ways they were not originally built for. During the performance, the stage becomes the control panel for an immense ship and the screen becomes a window through which we visualize different spaces and times. Sometimes we are aboard a transatlantic freighter; sometimes we are whisked into the future amid a constellation of unknown stars; other times we are driving down an American highway peeking into old motels. In all of these locales, we are space-time tourists driven by an exploratory urge.
 
Biographies:
 
Thomas Comerford (b. 1970, Richmond, VA) is a media artist, musician, and educator residing in Chicago. Trained in sculpture, performance, and the classics, he began making films in the early 1990s. In 1997, he embarked on an influential series of films, made with a pinhole motion picture camera and home-made microphone, under the title, Cinema Obscura (1997-2002). His recent films are site-specific to Chicago and explore the evidence, revision, and erasure of histories in the landscape. His work has screened at many festivals and venues, including the Ann Arbor Film Festival, Anthology Film Archives, San Francisco Cinematheque, and the London Film Festival. Comerford has also toured the United States with his films, screening in spaces ranging from church basements and backyards to regular old movie theatres. As songwriter, singer, and producer for the rock band Kaspar Hauser, Comerford has performed his music around the Midwest and eastern U.S. and released three LP records. He currently teaches film production, DIY exhibition, and punk rock history at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Sabine Gruffat is a French-American artist and Assistant Professor of Digital Media at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her performance, photography, and video work deals with the language and cultural significance of both old and new technologies. Her work has been exhibited and screened at venues worldwide including PS1/MOMA, Art in General, and Zolla Lieberman gallery.
 
Bill Brown has been making first-person experimental documentaries since the mid-1990's. His films explore the landscapes of North America, and have screened in venues across the world, including the Viennale, the Rotterdam Film Festival, the London Film Festival, the Sundance Film Festival, Lincoln Center, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Film and Video Production at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
 
Links:
 
Thomas Comerford:
thomascomerford.net
kasparhausermusic.net
 
Sabine Gruffat:
www.sabinegruffat.com/Timemachine.html
www.sabinegruffat.com/BIKEBOX.html
www.sabinegruffat.com/Arduino-Video-Synth.html

Bill Brown:
www.heybillbrown.com
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqzAv0wc09o
 
Tour Dates:
6/12 Gadabout, Bloomington, Indiana
6/13 Flyover Film Festival, Louisville, Kentucky
6/15 Minicine, Shreveport, Louisiana
6/16 The Groj, Fayetteville, Arkansas
6/17 Spencer Art Museum (Univ. of Kansas), Lawrence, Kansas
6/18 Urban Culture Project, Kansas City, Missouri
 
Urban Culture Project is an initiative of the Charlotte Street Foundation, an organization dedicated to making Kansas City a place where artists and art thrive. Urban Culture Project creates new opportunities for artists of all disciplines and contributes to urban revitalization by transforming spaces in downtown Kansas City into new venues for multi-disciplinary contemporary arts programming. For more information, visit www.charlottestreet.org.

At the Irish Museum and Cultural Center in Kansas City's Union Station (lower level, west wing)

Park in the Parking Garage on the west side of Union Station - may need to go to second level. 

5:30 pm music by Dublin-native Eddie Delahunt

7 pm play Bloomsday Dublin

Free - but donations appreciated

Join us for Bloomsday, a celebration of James Joyce’s Ulysses, one of the greatest novels of the 20th century. The book is set in Dublin on June 16, 1904, and follows the thoughts and actions of Leopold Bloom. Now June 16 is honored as Bloomsday with tributes to Irish arts and literature worldwide.

The play is an adaptation of Ulysses by Professor Lary Opitz of Skidmore College, depicting key sequences in Bloom’s travels through the streets, pubs and bordellos of Dublin. Directed by Sylvia Stoner, it features a cast of some of Kansas City’s finest actors. Stoner is a singer and actor who has performed across the country in opera and theater. 

The event concludes with Molly Bloom’s soliloquy, the famously earthy and erotic musings of Bloom’s wife, which provide the final affirmation of: “And yes, I said, yes, I will, yes!"

This will be a wonderful evening bringing the quintessential Irish story to life. You don’t want to miss it! But note: this is NOT for the kids.

Boulevard provides refreshments; all attending provide the atmosphere. The more the better!

Kansas City’s Bloomsday celebration is sponsored by the William T. Kemper Foundation-Commerce Trust and Boulevard Brewery. The Irish Center is located in the lower level of Union Station; there is convenient parking in the garage immediately west of Union Station.

Tom and Nancy Shawver of Bloomsday Books have hosted Kansas City’s annual celebration for the last 14 years, each year featuring Eddie Delahunt and Sylvia Stoner. This is the first year in which the celebration finds its home at the Irish Center, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting Irish heritage and cultural education, preservation and celebration.

For more information, contact Tom Shawver at 816-523-6712, info@BloomsdayBooks.com or the Irish Center at 816-474-3848, info@irishmuseum.org.

The Irish Center in Union Station is open year-round, free for browsing, genealogy research, and more Wed - Sat 10 - 4 pm, Sun noon - 4 pm.

The Irish Center is available for rent for your private or business function.

Become a member of the Irish Center at http://www.irishmuseum.org/membership/

Visit www.irishmuseum.org for more information, email info@irishmuseum.org, or call 816-474-3848.

The Barn Players To Host Their First Ever “Tony Awards Benefit Watch Party” - Sunday evening June 13th

It’s a real “first-ever” event and the public is invited! The Barn Players will host their first “Tony Awards Watch Party”, a benefit fund raiser for the renowned community theatre, on Sunday evening, June 13th at the Barn Players Theatre, 6219 Martway in Mission, Kansas.

Those attending can view the presentation of the national awards on a giant screen on the theatre stage and can participate in the party’s entertainment and vote on your favorite Tony Award categories for special prizes.

Theatre doors will open at 6:00 p.m. with a light buffet beginning at 6:15 and the national awards telecast starting at 7:00 p.m.

Tickets are $15.00 each and include the light buffet and both soft and adult beverages. For information or for reservations (suggested) call the Barn Players at 913-432-9100 or visit the website www.thebarnplayers.org. – credit cards accepted. The theatre is handicapped accessible and adjacent parking is free. Benefit ticket prices are tax deductible.

Coming up next at the Barn Players --- “THE BOYS NEXT DOOR” --- Friday, June 4th through Sunday, June 20th (Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30; Sunday matinees at 2:00); for tickets and/or information call 913-432-9100 or on line go to www.thebarnplayers.org – credit cards accepted.