Something I love to do, but often I must do myself, is watch two movies on a row. This trakes some stamina, a lot of free-FREE time and a couple of good movies you really want to watch. To find a mate to do these sprints isn't easy, since the both ot you, or all of you must have the same stamina, the same passion, the same amount of unattached time and like the same movies. So, when you are into double-takes at the movies, you better like going alone or you'll be fixing and trying to bring together more things than time and two good movies.
This weekend was perfect for a double-take and that's what I did, watching "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" and "Karate Kid". It had been a while since the movie theatres had shown something good, but now two pictures came that picked up my interest.
The first one, "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" truth to be told, fell short on my expectations. Pulling from a picture of Disney of the same title, strong in the musical content of it, as well as the animation experiments, the story by Jon Turteltaub pulls the scientific nerd into the magical, playing with a lot of elements of this subculture, including fake posters of Magic The Gathering, and elements that pull in magic movies of the 80's and why not? some Harry Potter too. Effects and powers were pieced up from other movies, including "power balls" and such spells that were excecuted exactly in the Dragon Ball fashion, conjuring even a power shield - ball of void - that looks quite like a shield I believe Son Gohan used protection against Cell, or was it Goku protecting Gohan? The concept, either way, was the same.
It was refreshing to see magic explained as a series of phisical and electronical reactions, also where the heroe was this unseeming boney guy with highpitched voice and sorry attitude, too awkward to stand in the shade of today's hot stuff Zac Effron and Co. Magic doesn't change the guy, and though he gets the girl, he never changes his ways: he continues being this nerdy, awkward kid. The message is nice: be truthful to yourself and keep going.
I recommend this movie with loads of caution.
The other one,"Karate Kid", totally stole my heart. This movie ket the plot close to the original one, yet with a twist that fitted it marvelously into today's world. Single mother, surroundings of economical struggle, where it isn't money what makes the day and solves problems, but attitude. A motion picture filled with such simple things, reachable things in a rich environment.
The human aspect of the story is present quite strongly, particularly in the character played by Jaden Smith, Dre Parker. At first glance some of the characters might seem flat, basically as stretched thin by the effort of the performer to pull it, with an almost theatrical flair that does not come right on the silver screen. The picture, however, comes together beautifully as it unfolds. The photography, scenery turns magical and fitting to the emotional plane of both the story and the characters. Synchrony, in this sense is impecable.
The greatest feature, however, is Jaden himself. Either the character was written and fitted for him or not, he comes out with incredible naturality, owning both the part as well as the picture in a strong, engaging way. It's almost as if he weren't acting, as if he were really Dre Parker and he were pulling all this entirely by his own. When he cries you cry, when he laughs you laugh with him, and when he struggles you grind your teeth. His fear leeks thick from the screen and infects you with such intensity you wish to run away from the theatre and not look back. The chemistry with Jackie Chan is amazingly strong and honest.
Usually remakes are flat and boring, often even insulting, as an attempt to milk a cow that has been milked dry already. Attempts usually relay on the memory and the feelings of those who saw the first one, and bets on the improving and covering up a generous memory can pull. This time, the remake was an after thought as the story was fresh and fitted to a new reality, to fabulous actors and actresses and a completely new frame.
I wholeheartedly recommend this picture, but caution you also: take a handkerchief with you.
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