Movie Review: The Karate Kid

It has been a little over a month since I have written a movie review and while I have seen two summer blockbusters since the last review, those being Iron Man 2 and Get Him to the Greek, they were hardly worth writing about. In short, Iron Man 2 was a poor excuse of a sequel that deviated more from a weak story line then Tiger Woods cared to deviate from his marriage while Get Him to the Greek was a funny at times film that felt somewhat incomplete in its composition but has the potential to grow on you like it’s predecessor, Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

When I first heard of The Karate Kid remake I groaned in agony as I anticipated Hollywood to yet again butcher a classic and personal favorite. In my opinion, the original Karate Kid movie is a near perfect film; it has your classic underdog protagonist, the douchey and hated villain in Johnny and the Cobra Kai, the wise Mr. Miyagi as the mentor, a challenge for the hero to overcome, a final showdown between the two entities and a love interest in the form of a young and rotund Elizabeth Shue, whom is a direct link to Kevin Bacon in the film Hollow Man, therefore adding to your repertoire of Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon knowledge. I cannot stress how important a direct link to Kevin Bacon is as one would be stumped without such trivial knowledge. If only such wisdom was acceptable to put on a resume; maybe I would have at least gotten a call back by now! But I digress from a weak movie review more then Tiger Woods... wait, I used that metaphor already.

Dre is the new Karate Kid and finds his life in Detroit ripped apart when his mother accepts a new position in Beijing, China. As expected, Dre has a hard time fitting in, not only because the Chinese seem mystified with African American hair styles, but because he has a bit of a salty attitude. Immediately, Dre makes enemies with the neighbourhood assholes and finds himself beat up on the pavement more often then one would care to be. Thank goodness the maintenance man, Mr. Han, can kick some serious pre-pubescent butt! Reluctantly, Han takes Dre under his aged wing and teaches Dre the mysteries of Eastern Philosophy and facial modulation through the use of Kung Fu. Did I just say Kung Fu? Why the hell isn't this movie called the Kung Fu Kid?!

What the poor movie summary above shows is that the remake follows the original very closely. Almost exactly actually, which I am extremely ecstatic about. The new Karate Kid is a near perfect re-application of the original's story line. Almost every scene from the original is recreated and infused with its own Eastern influence. I hate how some remakes try to re-invent the original. The new Karate Kid doesn't pretend to be something new and amazing. In true Confuciast and Taoist fashion, The new Karate Kid sticks close to the game plan and did a great job of keeping hardcore purists like myself happy.

Now, on to my gripes about the film, besides the film being called The Karate Kid and not the Kung Fu kid: (a) I don't like how the hero, Dre, was so young. No diss to Jaden Smith, the kid is going to have a long and successful career, but I just feel that the youth of Dre is too much of a departure from the O.G. K.K. (b) I find it hard to believe that Jackie Chan is an old man. I'm a huge fan, and I know he can still jump off buildings and climb 5 story walls. Seeing him limp around on screen isn't fooling anyone! (c) the villians voice sounds like a little girls. Not very intimidating.

One thing that I find especially exciting about the film is that it is one of the first major alliances of Hollywood and Chinese film studios. Yup, get used to it folks because whether you like it or not, the West will have to meet the East in even larger arenas then the film industries. Soon, there will be more chinese brands on North American soil then you could shake a leg at. Anything from motor vehicles, electronics and furniture will be flooding our markets. Hell, Jason Kidd and Ron Artest are sponsered by Chinese sneaker manufactuer, Peak. What the devil is Peak?! Anyways, could this film just be a larger allegory for how our society will evolve in the following generations. Will the older, wiser East be taking the younger, cocky West under it's weathered yet mighty wing? Only time will tell; but don't take my word for it, I can't even get a call back!

8.5/10

stv

Taking it Back

Excuse me folks, but I took a little time off from the blog last week. I officially graduated on the 7th, which was certainly a long time coming. I can't help but feel proud about what I accomplished and proved to myself. I learned more useful lessons about life then anything that I have learned from an over-priced text book or inflated professor. While the years in post-secondary have been the most personally challenging, they were also the most rewarding. I just want to give a quick slow jam shout out to all the people who were there with me along the way. Some of you I may have lost touch with, others I may have gotten closer to; either way, you're influence, no matter how long or short it has been (that's what she said) has made me into the individual I am today. You are appreciated, so Thank you.

High Flyin': Washington Square Park, NYC. Pigeon

Lately I've been throwing it back to the old school. I dusted off my dad's Pentax/Asahi K1000 SLR and have been shooting some film. For christmas, my parents gifted me some dark room supplies to develop B&W film, 100 ft. of Ilford FP4+ film, a day light film loader and empty canisters. They've been sitting dormant for 6 months but I decided to dust them off and give them a go. I now load my own film canisters and develop my film in the basement bathroom with the lights completely off and the door seems covered in masking tape. I decided to shoot more film as an exercise in the science and technique of photography. You can't cheat with film, and what you get through the lens is what you're stuck with, but through experimentation one can alter the overall effect of the image. These are things I feel every photographer should experiment with. I've grown up in the digital age, so while film appears completely dated, it doesn't get any purer. As you can imagine, it will take a lot longer to get anything posted from these exercises, but I'll keep you in the loop.

loves,

stv

Times are a Changin'

When I first saw Times Square, I was flabbergasted at the sheer supremacy it exudes. It is seriously something out of this world. To me, Times Square represents capitalism to it's most extreme limit. It's evident in all the billboards, big screen televisions running ads and the scrolling stock market ticker. Times Square is the worlds largest spam email. The worlds largest pop-up ad. The worlds largest alter to free-market economies. Surprisingly, Times Square was not my favorite place to be. The stores are generic, the resturaunts were crowded and the atmosphere is like a circus. I'm happy we decided to stay in SOHO and Union Square rather then here.

Just days prior to these shots being taken, a terrorist attempt at demolishing Times Square was foiled by a humble t-shirt vendor. It's no wonder why Times Square would be a target, but it's kind of ironic that a t-shirt vendor saved the Times and not a police officer or Spiderman. The place is insane and has to be seen to believed. These photos were chosen because they present Times Square in the grand manner for which I perceived during my visit. Yes, I did another selective colour but I couldn't help it! So please, enjoy.

stv

Noel Crisostomo

This one here is for all my fashion lovers..

My Tito Noel has been a figure in the Canadian Fashion Industry long before you started wearing high heels, sheer silk tops and jeggings. He worked with some of the more familiar fashion outlets in the world, but more recently, he decided to settle down (for the time being) in Manila. There, my Tito Noel developed his own high fashion label which he named after himself. Designing dresses for some of the Philippines hottest celebrities quickly helped him gain mainstream popularity, eventually earning him recognition as one of the hottest up and coming designers in the Philippines.

The past year and a half has been monumental for my now famous Uncle. He has been featured in numerous fashion magazines, created seasonal collections to rave reviews and has even opened up his own shop in the super trendy business district of Manila, Makati (think the Manhattan of Manila).

Just last week, my Tito Noel hosted his first full collection fashion show for the Premiere B Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2010. When asked about his collection Noel Crisostomo says, "I was inspired by postmodern architecture, particularly the works of Frank Gehry, the Guggenheim Museum and the Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. Pieces are sleek, clean and modern, with a sense of deconstruction. Using fabrics like pinstripe wool, wool crepe and leather, I intend to show the contrast between rigid[ity and softness], soft matte and shine, as well as masculinity and femininity." I have to say, and call be biased but, his designs are absolutely breath taking and are pieces you can expect to see from the big fashion houses in Europe and North America. I'm so proud of my uncle and I want to wish him all the luck in the future of his label.

Click the image below and you'll be linked to the photos of my Tito Noels collection.

*please note that the photos above were not taken by myself, so credit is owed to an unknown photographer.

Loves,

stv

Late Night

Chloe and I acquired tickets to be the audience for a recording of Late Night with David Letterman. I've always been a bit of a fan for Letterman because he kind of looked like my friends dad. Letterman is pretty funny too and his goofball skits always manage to make me laugh. In order to get tickets, one would have to sign up online and wait for a phone call from a CBS rep who will then ask you a trivia question which you must answer correctly to win the tickets. Chloe happened to sign up my phone number because she claimed to not know anything about the show. Here's how my experience went:

It's around lunch time and I head upstairs to make myself a little something. I can't really recall what it was, but I'm going to guess it was something like lobster and fillet Mignon seasoned with gold flake and diamonds. When I head back to my room I notice a missed call with a 212 designation. Manhattan? Hmm, better check the voicemail.

Caller: Hi this is Jamie calling from the Late Show with David Letterman looking for Stephen. I'm calling because you requested tickets for the week of May 3-7. Please give me a call back and only leave one message clearly stating your name, phone number and your message. I will have to ask you a skill testing question.

I couldn't believe my luck! I thought those fools at CBS forgot about me already, so in a frantic rage I redial and call Jamie up to leave her a message. I pace around the room in anticipation of her call back, but then it occurs on me; I forgot to leave a call back number! Awww, just my luck! She seemed pretty adamant about the only one message comment on her voicemail. But I figure what the hell, how will she contact me without a phone number?! So I call back, speaking and acting like it was the first time I called, mirroring the previous message I left but including that all important call back number.

A few hours roll by now. I'm growing more and more concerned that Jamie isn't going to call back and my opportunity is gone. But alas, Jamie does call back! I feel like I'm in Jr. High again when the girl you like says she'll call you at home but makes you sweat until the final hour.

Caller: "Hi, this is Jamie from the Late Show with David Letterman. Is this Stephen?
Me:: "Oh hi! This is Stephen speaking. I didn't think you would call me back!"
Caller: "Well I received your messages and I would still like to give you the opportunity to win tickets to see a recording of the show. Now I will have to ask you a trivia question about the show before I can reward you the tickets. Are you ready?
Me: As ready as I'll ever be!
Caller: Alright, you tool. David often visits Rupert Gee at the store around the corner. What is the name of the store?
Me: Ohh I know that one!
Caller: Then please, humor me and give me your answer, you douche.
Me: It's the Hello Deli!
Caller: That is correct, congratulations. Now before I give you the tickets I need a few pieces of information from you..................................

And that's when the line went dead. My phone battery died! Can you believe it?!?! Of all times for my phone to die, it had to be now! So again, I leave Jamie another message; I swear, she must hate the sound of my voice by now. Again, I wait an hour or so and she actually calls me back! In the end we get the tickets and she was a lot more pleasant then I made her sound.

The experience was amazing, but the standing and waiting sucks. There are these 'fluffer' type guys that hype the crowd up for David and eventually make you susceptible to laugh at even the most ridiculously unfunny jokes. The show featured Russell Crowe and the musical guest was Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings, of which I am a huge fan. But the shining light was the CBS Orchestra headed by Paul Schafer! They are so talented, playing U2's Beautiful Day and Curtis Mayfield's Move On Up during commercial breaks. We were fortunate enough to sit in the second row right in front of the orchestra, so I was grooving in my seat the entire time.

If you have about 40 minutes to kill, below I linked the entire show. I suggest you at least watch the first 3 videos and the last one for the musical performance.









Musical Performance @ 4:30


stv

What I Saw at the MoMA

The Museum of Modern Art was un-be-freakin-lievable! To simply say that it blew my mind would be a monumental understatement. On the other hand, to say that it potentially changed my life would be a bit of an overstatement but it certainly is the most memorable trip to a museum I have ever taken. I'm a big fan of museums but the only art museum that I have gone to prior that is worth mentioning is the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. Not the Louvre in Paris or the Rijksmuseum in the Netherlands. You could say that I'm a bit of a museum n00b, but what can you expect when your home museum is the Glenbow¹.

We started at the top floor of the MoMA and decided to work our way down. The special exhibition featured the performance art of Marina Abramović. Now, a little fish such as myself has never experienced performance art on this scale and to be honest, it scared the crap out of me!² The performances were both twisted and perverse, seeming as a narcissistic attempt to gain attention; but the performances were also intriguing and captivating, often narrating humanity better then any university professor could. The performances were deeply moving, invoking a mixture of emotions that I never knew art could.

In a short 4 hours, I was only able to see 3 floors of the MoMA. It was surreal to admire famous pieces that I have only previously seen in posters and jpgs. Needless to say, we need to go back! What I found to be most interesting, however, is to take a piece of art out of it's frame by considering it in its surroundings; admiring those who admire the piece. It's funny how some people react around a famous piece of art. Some take photos of it, others with it while most just stare in awe. So, here are some spy shots³ in the contemporary art floors of who I saw at the museum.


___________
1. No disrespect to the Glenbow, it's actually a cool museum. In a heritage class I took in the fall I got to tour the museum archives which is an entire floor that stretches two city blocks. I've never seen so many locally recorded mid- 70's folk/country records in my life.
2. There were at least 8 completely nude 'actors' in the exhibit, performing Abramović's art. In one, the audience is asked to step between a completely nude couple as they stand inches from each other(NSFW). When I came up, I was so nervous that I think I stepped on the dudes toe. I faced the girl.
3. It was extremely difficult to take these photos without seeming like a complete creep. I figure a better method for this collection would be to install a small camera or webcam just above the piece so you can capture a photo or stream a video online of the person's face as they view a piece of art. I wonder if there are museums willing to participate. Hmmm..

Roy Lichtenstein - Drowning Girl

Andy Warhol - Gold Marilyn Monroe

Andy Warhol - 32 Campbell's Soup Cans

Jasper Johns - Flag

Jackson Pollock - One: Number 31

Marina Abramović - The Artist is Present

Chloe Pagalilauan - I <3 H.K.

stv

An Engagement in New York City

As most of you may or may not know (I use this phrase way too much), my friends got engaged during our trip to New York City. Trevor dropped down to one knee atop the Empire State Building, which, according to Chloe, was where Chuck Bass from the deplorable television series Gossip Girl was going to propose to Blair Waldorf before he was shot and left to die in the streets; but I digress. The day had already been a major adventure for Trevor and the boys, but we arrived unscathed so that Trevor could execute the "Will You?" knee drop on Lorena to perfection and not end up left for dead on the streets of Manhattan.

To celebrate the momentous occasion, this blog post is dedicated strictly to you two and the moments leading up to the big event! I hope you guys love it. Again, congratulations; I'm really proud of you guys.

This photo was taken in Bryant Park, just blocks from Charlie Palmer's restaurant, Aureole. You don't want to know the stress that some of us went through to get dinner plans nailed down. Lorena originally expressed her interest in this joint so we had to make it happen. Little did Lorena know that it was a pre-engagement party! It was an excellent meal and a great way to kick off the evening. This is the before photo.

I know that Chloe took this picture because her hand always blocks the flash when she is focusing the lens. But it actually turned into a great photo, because it feels like it separates Trevor from that moment in time; a sort of contemplation piece focusing on what the guy is feeling and thinking before he proposes to his lady. This was taken moments before we started to head to the Empire State Building. No Pressure, Tre.

This photo is not good. It's blurry and the lighting is bad. BUT, it is the last photo taken of the couple before they became engaged! This was on the elevator on the way up to the observation deck.

Dude was sweating on top of the Empire State Building. Not only was he going to propose to Lorena, but he is also afraid of heights and there were some gale force winds! Pretty good form on the knee drop, but I think you're leaning too far forward on the left knee. It should be a perfect right angle. Just Playin'.

She said no.

But then reconsidered and said yes.

I'm messin'. Of course she said yes right away! She was so surprised and had no idea what was going to go down that evening. It was really cute actually. This is definitely my favorite photo from the bunch.

Whoa, take it easy you two! This is definitely the most bonerific photo from the bunch.

And this is the after photo.

Loves,

stv