The Karate Kid, Part II (1986)

Posted on August 6, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

There’s something about the follow up to “Karate Kid” that just gets the formula right. It doesn’t feel like a cheap cash grab like “Ghostbusters II,” and acts like an extension of the narrative from the first film like “Aliens.” The original “Karate Kid” was about the underdog Daniel overcoming his bullies through the art and discipline of karate. The writers now turn the coin to Mr. Miyagi to explore his enigmatic origins. It’s a smart move and a very clever turn to add pathos and a really complex sense of humanity to Pat Morita’s iconic character. “The Karate Kid” sequel is Miyagi’s film. We learn a lot about the character in the sequel, prompting sensei and student to feel like two very complete individuals with their own demons to battle.

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The Karate Kid (1984)

Posted on August 5, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

Even as a kid, I was constantly replaying my parents’ VHS copy of “The Karate Kid” and never quite found it to be a masterpiece. Not that it’s a bad movie, in fact “The Karate Kid” is a very good under dog action drama with director Roger Avildsen taming the tale of “Rocky” for a younger more diverse audience. It’s a film for an audience that can identify with the slim Daniel who has to learn how to defend himself, or suffer endless torment by the violent Cobra Kai dojo and their ring leader Johnny.

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The Mighty Ducks (1992)

Posted on August 2, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

“The Mighty Ducks” is just one in a long line of “Bad News Bears” wannabes that pits a crotchety man with a bunch of misfit athletes to use sports as a form of self realization. Thankfully “The Mighty Ducks” is one of the best of the bunch, choosing hockey this time to help a group of smart aleck kids come of age. There’s also Emilio Estevez who is a cynical businessman with the heart of a hockey player, who finds that he still loves the game despite his regrets.

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)

Posted on August 1, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

It’s surprising that for a movie about anthropomorphic talking turtles that director Steve Barron takes the premise with as much seriousness as possible. Director Barron just seems to get the appeal of the Ninja Turtles, walking the line between the mainstream versions and the original Eastman and Laird R rated comic book. The turtles here have a hard edge, but are entertaining sympathetic heroes, and they’re the center of what is still a damn good action film about family, revenge, unity.

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Transcendence (2014) [Blu-ray/DVD/Ultraviolet)

Posted on July 31, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

It’s interesting to see that Johnny Depp is at a point in his career where he can just film himself with the cast for twenty minutes worth of a two hour movie, and then just rely on special effects for the rest of the film. I imagine Depp was in a bungalow vacationing, and would interrupt his getaway to film his footage for a few days with green screen. For a film that revolves around demonizing technology to emphasize how it destroys humanity and human contact, it’s inadvertently comical to see most of Depp’s performance rely solely on him having zero contact with anyone in the cast. And even when Depp is on screen, you’d swear he was being played by a robotic double still figuring out that tricky concept called emotions.

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S.E.R.P. (2013)

Posted on July 31, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

Director Mark Schwab’s “S.E.R.P.” is thought provoking science fiction, but along the lines of “Primer.” Its considerable low budget confines it to one room where it’s very similar to a stage play, but opts to tell a very interesting story about the evolution of technology and the concept of consciousness and morality. While it’s by no means a perfect indie film, it has aspirations to do more than show off flashy effects and action. It’s based more around how scary cognizant technology is, and how it can be the undoing of pure evil in humanity.

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TV Guide Spotlight – Cop Shows of the ’70s (DVD)

Posted on July 29, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

For folks that like to collect these kinds of compilations, they’re really cheap best of DVD’s from select Mill Creek series comprised of various subjects. “Cop Shows of the 70’s” is definitely one of the better sets from Mill Creek, featuring various episodes from some of the best cop shows of the decade. I would have loved to see some “Hill Street Blues,” but all things considered this is a fun mixed bag with nine hours of mostly Aaron Spelling led crime thrillers.

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