Best Matinee

Saturday I saw the Karate Kid, the semi-controversial remake of 2008's Kung-Fu Panda. While I enjoyed it, (no, really, I enjoyed it) the whole time I was wondering about the original (before I was kidding, I know Karate Kid 2010 is a remake of Karate Kid 1984). It's been a while I'm sure whatever 2010 did well, 1984 did better. More than anything: watching 1984, I was afraid of those Cobra Kai--that's a bully I could relate to. The bullies in 2010, they just reminded me of the Asian friends I knew in junior high. But those kids took their licks, or is there an abundance of five foot tall stuntmen?

Favorite part of the movie? Probably when I left the theater and passed all the people waiting for the next showing. Lots of fathers and young sons, out on a Saturday to check out this Karate Kid movie. I remember my dad taking me to see the original (very crowded, I think there was a complication--sold out the first time we tried to see it?--we wound up in a front row, I believe. Before the movie there was a long commercial or just a music video or something featuring the Police) do you?

Also, I probably wouldn't have gone so willingly if Ebert didn't like it a whole, whole lot.

Oh, and this young Smith: he looks just like his dad and he's going to be huge. I don't like movie star dynasties . . . while I'm aggravated by estate taxes, I do believe in the redistribution of fame.