Haywire - Wires Crossed

 

    Yesterday I watched Haywire. And I really enjoyed it.

But upon perusing the comments section of IMDB I was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of negative criticism the film had, outweighing its praise. I couldn’t understand it. Could it be that filmgoers at large aren’t ready for this kind of film? Not really to do with the story or subject matter of the film but more with HOW it was all put together - the delivery.

Film Roundup - April

   I haven’t done a Film Roundup in a while so I guess it’s catch up time – these here films are on the loose and they need rounding up!

The Raid - Action Art-house

   There has been a fair amount of hype about this film - and for once, it’s actually justified.

The Raid is ‘all that’ and more.

   The reason for this is simple, really. It’s an action film – that’s what it sets out to do right from the beginning and that's what it delivers… in spades!

Electro Fighter vs Chromeo - mixtape

Electro Fighter vs Chromeo by Kinsta on Mixcloud

Download Link: HERE

I’ve wanted to do this mixtape for such a long time now – and this past week I’ve finally got around to doing it.

Anatomy of a Scene - Jackie Chan - The Car Scene - The Karate Kid (2010)

ABOUT

     Although not considered a stone cold classic (and even downright hated by some fans of the original 1984 film), the 2010 version of The Karate Kid not only gave a starring role to a young Jaden Smith, but also (more surprisingly) showcased Jackie Chan's wider acting range.

     In this scene, Jackie Chan's performance brought me to tears as his facade of a seemingly stoic and grumpy old man crumbles away to reveal a man broken by tragedy.

     As well as bringing back elements alluded to earlier in the film (the car, the training nooses on sticks and the shadows in the puppet play), this scene also serves as the turning point for all three characters in it and drives them forward with deeper purpose into the final act of the film. Dre recognises the deeper spiritual impact of his Kung Fu training, Han comes to terms with his guilt by sharing his pain; and Dre’s Mother accepts the commitment that Dre has made to his new hobby and the place he has found for himself in this strange new country.

Why I Don't Watch Trailers

Recently, whilst sitting patiently in a darkened cinema waiting for The Avengers to start, my friend noticed some odd behaviour from me and called it out.

“Hey man, why are you fiddling with your jacket so much?”

I was actually averting my eyes from the screen during two particular trailers – one for The Dark Knight Rises and the other for Prometheus. As soon as I knew they were coming on screen (I can usually tell what film it is within seconds – boasty-boast!) I immediately look down, away from the screen.