The Next Karate Kid (1994)
If the Karate Kid, Part III was an unnecessary coda, this film is an even more egregious sin: a reboot no one asked for.
Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) travels to Boston and finds himself once again mentoring a troubled youth: the granddaughter of one of his old war buddies, Julie Pierce (Hilary Swank).
After she learned the nature and value of karate at a Buddhist monastery, the film ends with an uninspired metaphor, Julie’s injured hawk flies free, symbolizing her new-found self-confidence.
Pat Morita earned an Academy Award nomination for his work in the first film, but he didn’t know when to walk away. I’m sure the films provided a comfortable income, which is the point of any career, but it doesn’t command respect.
The main reason to watch is to see Hilary Swank before she became a two-time Oscar winner. If she can go on to a critically successful career after starring in a this glorified TV movie, there’s hope for struggling actors everywhere.
The other reason to watch is Michael Ironside, who continues the series’ laudable tradition of comically evil bad guys as Colonel Dugan, the leader of an exclusive security fraternity at Julie’s school. Supposedly, Mr. Ironside is a method actor; the thought of him in character as Colonel Dugan between takes cracks me up.
Side note, what the hell is a security fraternity? Why is a paramilitary organization allowed to roam this high school?
The first film in the series is a classic, but this is classically bad.
Battle of the Year (2013)
Speaking of bad movies, this film by Benson Lee is a fictionalized retelling of his earlier documentary, Planet B-Boy (2007).
Since 1990, b-boys teams from around the world compete in an annual competition known as The Battle of the Year. Teams from around the world compete in the choreographed competition. The United States has not won since 1998.
Jason Blake (Josh Holloway) is recruited to coach a Dream Team of b-boyers to reclaim the title for the United States. How did Holloway not parlay his success on Lost into more lucrative and respectable work. Three years after starring in a sensation, he’s co-starring with rapper Chris Brown in a film about the modern equivalent of breakdancing?
Perhaps one day, b-boying will become a favorite pastime of millions of Americans and the annual Battle of the Year will rival the Super Bowl as a premiere sporting event. Maybe then, someone can make a decent film about it.
Summer Stock (1950)
Jane Falbury (Judy Garland) is engaged to the stiff Orville (Eddie Bracken) and lives a quiet, idyllic life on her farm in the Midwest, until her sister Abigail arrives looking for a place to rehearse with her theater friends, including her fiancee, the director of the troupe, Joe Ross (Gene Kelly). While they use her barn as a rehearsal space, Jane falls in love with Joe, and discovers her inner chanteuse.
This “putting on a show” musical in the tradition of Babes in Arms (1939) was a transition for MGM. Garland was on her way out, Kelly was on the rise. In a few years, he’d be headlining the Oscar-winning An American in Paris (1951) and starring in the definitive musical from the studio, Singin’ in the Rain (1952).
It features several delightful musical numbers by Kelly, including one with a newspaper and creaky board, and a wonderful number by Garland: ““Get Happy.”
Eddie Bracken was comic perfection in The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek (1944) and Hail the Conquering Hero (1944) and he’s very funny as Jane’s uptight fiancée, but, sadly, he’s best remembered as Roy Walley in National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983) and the owner of Duncan’s Toy Chest in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992).
One of the better MGM musicals, this is a great source of exposure to Judy Garland’s career outside of The Wizard of Oz (1939) and a good introduction to Gene Kelly.