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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
I Like All Of The Karate Kid Movies, But The 2010 One Is My Favorite. Here's Why
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. When I ranked all five Karate Kid movies, I put the original at number one because, you know, I like to give the people what they want. Even though The Karate Kid Part II and III each have their fans, and The Next Karate Kid…is a film that exists, I know that everybody loves the original. Inversely, I also know that pretty much nobody thinks the 2010 The Karate Kid, starring Jaden Smith, is the best movie in the franchise. But, do you want to know a little secret that the above headline kind of already spoiled? I think it's the best. And, with the upcoming Karate Kid Legends (which looked awesome at CinemaCon) bridging the gap between the old Karate Kid, and the more recent one, I thought that now was as good a time as any to sing the 2010 movie's praises. We once ranked the most vicious villains of The Karate Kid franchise, and many of the characters that you might expect made the list, such as John Kreese, Johnny Lawrence, and Terry Silver. However, while I'm not completely on board with the whole 'Daniel LaRusso is the REAL villain theory' that's been floating around the internet for awhile, what I will say is that Daniel isn't the most likeable protagonist. For example, in The Karate Kid Part II, he asks mentor,Mr. Miyagi why he doesn't just kill John Kreese when given the chance. I'll repeat that. Daniel asks his mentor, who is a man of peace, why he doesn't KILL another human being. So, yeah. I'm not sure if Daniel has the best motives when it comes to the fine art of karate. That said, do you know what character doesn't have murderous intent? Dre Parker, played by Castle headpiece-wearing aficionado Jaden Smith. You see, Dre, just like Daniel, finds himself being a stranger in a strange land (But this time, in China rather than California). And, like Daniel, Dre finds himself in trouble because he likes a girl. That said, Dre's worst behavior in the movie involves throwing dirty water on some punks, and convincing the girl he likes to play hooky from school for one day. He doesn't throw the first punch when facing his bully, nor does he seem like the kind of person who can't accept that people can change in the future. In truth, Dre seems like the kind of kid who avoids seeking out trouble, but is willing to stand his ground if it finds him, and I really like that about him. I'm not sure if I can say the same for Daniel-san, however. Jackie Chan is a legend. Everybody knows that. In fact, I grew up watching all of the best Jackie Chan movies when I was little, and I share a lot of those movies with my own children. Like I said, the man's a legend. So, it's been interesting to watch one of the greatest action heroes of all time transition into becoming the wise old man character. And, no offense to Pat Morita, as he carried all four of those Karate Kid movies, but I just don't see him as being the kind of guy who could kick everybody's butt in a room if he had the opportunity. But Jackie Chan? Well, I've seen him do it. In other movies, sure, but that's how I know him. Plus, I just like Jackie Chan's performance as Mr. Han better than Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi. Both Miyagi and Han have a dark past, and both of them act as father figures to Daniel and Dre, respectively. However, I just have more of a connection with Jackie Chan, given my history watching so many of his movies. It's almost like, similar to Dre, I grew up with Jackie Chan as well, so I just like him better. It's a personal thing, I know, but this is a personal article. I kind of brought this up with the first entry on why I prefer Dre over Daniel, but Daniel seems like he causes a lot of his own problems. Yes, he shouldn't be bullied by the members of Cobra Kai, but he should also kind of mind his own business, especially when moving to a new area. Daniel is also a teenager, and even turns 18 in the movie. So, in a lot of ways, I feel like Daniel could possibly make better decisions, or at least know not to spray water at Johnny as payback. Because in a lot of ways, I kind of don't feel bad when Daniel gets the snot beaten out of him in the first movie. He kind of deserves it. I don't feel that way about Dre though. For one thing, Dre is only 12, so I'm more okay with him making bad decisions (like throwing dirty water on his bully). I also feel like Dre has more to deal with in his life, what with moving to a different continent, and the fact that his mentor, Mr. Han has a lot of trauma, as exhibited by the part where he's wrecking the car that he killed his wife and child in, and that's a lot for a 12-year-old to witness. Finally, I think the tournament itself seems more important for Dre, even though the set-up is similar to the original The Karate Kid. Dre, being a foreigner, really only has this opportunity to find happiness in China, whereas I think Daniel would get by, even if he lost the tournament and continued to get bullied (I mean, he got a car, right? He could drive away from his troubles). So, in every way, I just think the stakes are higher for Dre, and I like that about the 2010 film. I prefer it, even. I've never been to China, and I don't see myself ever going there, unfortunately. So, that's where movies come in (Inversely, the Chinese audience seems to like our movies, too…though, some of the movies they like might be questionable). Since I won't travel there, I enjoy seeing characters go there, and that's where 2010's The Karate Kid takes place–Right in Beijing, China. This is a great setting, because again, Dre is a kid out of his element. He originally lived in Detroit, Michigan, but once the auto industry went belly up, his mother had to move them. And, I love this element about the film. In the original movie, Daniel moved from Newark (Whoop whoop. New Jersey, representing!) to Los Angeles, California. But, I'm sorry. As somebody who has been to both Newark and Los Angeles, I don't feel anything is exotic about either location. Daniel moving there changes the locale, sure, but not in a way like Detroit does to China. In fact, this adds to a lot of the conflict in 2010's The Karate Kid. Because while yes, The Karate Kid Part II takes place in Japan, Daniel is with Mr. Miyagi. But, Dre is all alone in China, for the most part, and trying to navigate this new setting while his mother's at work really adds to the tension. In that way, I think China is the most interesting setting this series has ever had. But, that also adds to another reason why this is my favorite 'The Karate Kid' movie. I put 'The Karate Kid' in quotes before because it's a complete misnomer, as this movie is not about karate, which is Japanese in origin (Which is why Part II takes place in Okinawa). Instead, it's about kung fu, which is from China. In fact, 2010's The Karate Kid wasn't even titled that in China. Instead, it was titled, Kung Fu Dream, which makes sense, since the 2010 movie was only called The Karate Kid in America since people already know the title, and it loosely followed the same events from the first film. But, I much prefer kung fu to karate. No disrespect to Japan (I mean, I LOVE Japan…and Godzilla), but I've always found karate to be kind of boring. In fact, I even find it boring in the original Karate Kid movies, as the actual fighting has always been the least interesting part to me about those first four films. However, the combat in the 2010 film is awesome. I love all of the fluid movements and martial arts that take place, and that alone makes this movie superior in my eyes, since I genuinely enjoy watching the fight scenes. I think they're all great. I think I've waxed on enough here, but what do you think? Does anyone else out there also love the 2010 film as much as I do? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Geek Dad
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Dad
Review – Mr. Terrific: Year One #1
Mr. Terrific: Year One #1 cover, via DC Comics. Ray: Mr. Terrific has been at the core of much of what's going on in the DCU, as the self-proclaimed third-smartest man in the world has been key to investigating the Omega energy spread around the world by Darkseid's death and the anomalies it's causing. But even he's running into some dead ends with the mystery, and that causes him to reflect back on the early days of his superhero career – which was the last time he saw something like this. We know the broad strokes of his early days, when he lost his wife and unborn child, but we haven't seen much of him from that period – and it's not a pretty picture. When we meet him, he's spent years in a stupor, sold his company to the shady tech magnate Athena Prescott, and mainly only talks to his AI. The only person still checking in on him is his best friend Dre – and Dre also has some serious concerns about what Prescott is doing to the city. Beyond the veil. Via DC Comics. Using Holt and Paula's technology, Prescott has built a powerful engine that promises to bring clean energy to Gateway City – but it's causing odd health side effects to everyone around it. Prescott is shutting down any debate and the city is all too willing to roll over for her, so it falls to Dre and his allies to investigate – by breaking into the tower. This leads to a tense escape segment as the assassin Comorant is dispatched to track them down – followed by a tense cliffhanger that leaves Holt with no choice to get back into the field and rediscover the grit and genius that makes him a hero. This first issue has a lot of strong moments, even if the ending does rely on a trope that's all too common in superhero comics. But I'm particularly interested in it because it looks to be one of the most honest portrayals of depression and grief in a superhero comic. Very impressive start by the creative team. To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week. GeekDad received this comic for review purposes. Liked it? Take a second to support GeekDad and GeekMom on Patreon!
Asharq Al-Awsat
02-05-2025
- General
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Sudanese Return to their Homeland, Hoping for Stability but Finding it Still Wrecked by War
Ahmed Abdalla sat on a sidewalk in downtown Cairo, waiting for a bus that will start him on his journey back to Sudan. He doesn't know what he'll find in his homeland, wrecked and still embroiled in a 2-year-old war. His wife and son, who weren't going with him, sat next to him to bid him goodbye. Abdalla plans to go back for a year, then decide whether it's safe to bring his family. 'There is no clear vision. Until when do we have to wait?' Abdalla said, holding two bags of clothes. 'These moments I'm separating from my family are really hard,' he said, as his wife broke down in tears. Abdullah is among tens of thousands of Sudanese who were driven from their homes and are now going back. They are hoping for some stability after the military in recent months recaptured the capital, Khartoum, and other areas from its rival, the Rapid Support Forces. But the war still rages in some parts of the country. In areas recaptured by the military, people are returning to find their neighborhoods shattered, often with no electricity and scarce food, water and services. The battle for power between the military and the RSF has caused one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. Famine is spreading. At least 20,000 people have been killed, according to the UN, though the figure is likely higher. Nearly 13 million people fled their homes, some 4 million of whom streamed into neighboring countries while the rest sought shelter elsewhere in Sudan. Those returning find few services A relatively small portion of the displaced are returning so far, but the numbers are accelerating. Some 400,000 internally displaced Sudanese have gone back to homes in the Khartoum area, neighboring Gezira province and southeast Sennar province, the International Organization for Migration estimates. Since Jan. 1, about 123,000 Sudanese returned from Egypt, including nearly 50,000 so far in April, double the month before, the IOM said. Some 1.5 million Sudanese fled to Egypt during the war, according to UNHCR. Nfa Dre, who had fled to northern Sudan, moved back with his family to Khartoum North, a sister city of the capital, right after the military retook it in March. They found decomposing bodies and unexploded ordnance in the streets. Their home had been looted. 'Thank God, we had no loss of lives, just material losses, which matter nothing compared to lives,' Dre said. Three days of work made their home inhabitable. But conditions are hard. Not all markets have reopened and few medical services are available. Dre said residents rely on charity kitchens operated by a community activist group called the Emergency Response Rooms, or ERR. They haul water from the Nile River for cooking and drinking. His home has no electricity, so he charges his phone at a mosque with solar panels. 'We asked the authorities for generators, but they replied that they don't have the budget to provide them,' Dre said. 'There was nothing we could say.' Aid is lacking Salah Semsaya, an ERR volunteer, said he knew of displaced people who tried returning to Wad Madani, the capital of Gezira province, but found the basics of life so lacking that they went back to their displacement shelters. Others are too wary to try. 'They're worried about services for their children. They're worrying about their livelihoods,' said Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative to Sudan. Throughout the war, there has been no functional government. A military-backed transitional administration was based in Port Sudan, on the Red Sea coast, but had little reach or resources. After retaking Khartoum, the military said it will establish a new interim government. The UN is providing cash assistance to some. UNICEF managed to bring several trucks of supplies into Khartoum. But aid remains limited, 'and the scale of needs far exceeds available resources,' said Assadullah Nasrullah, communications officer at UNHCR Sudan. Darfur and other areas remain violent Sudanese in Egypt wrestle with the question of whether to return. Mohamed Karaka, who has been in Cairo with his family for nearly two years, told The Associated Press he was packing up to head back to the Khartoum area. But at the last minute, his elder brother, also in Egypt, decided it was not yet safe and Karaka canceled the trip. 'I miss my house and the dreams I had about building a life in Sudan. My biggest problem are my children. I didn't want to raise them outside Sudan, in a foreign country,' said Karaka. Hundreds of Sudanese take the two or three buses each day for southern Egypt, the first leg in the journey home. Abdalla was among a number of families waiting for the midnight bus earlier this month. He's going back to Sudan but not to his hometown of el-Fasher in North Darfur province. That area has been and remains a brutal war zone between RSF fighters and army troops. Abdalla and his family fled early in the war as fighting raged around them. 'We miss every corner of our house. We took nothing with us when we left except two changes of clothes, thinking that the war would be short,' Abdalla's wife, Majda, said. 'We hear bad news about our area every single day," she said. "It's all death and starvation.' Abdalla and his family first moved to el-Gadarif in southeast Sudan before moving to Egypt in June. He was heading back to el-Gadarif to see if it's livable. Many of the schools there are closed, sheltering displaced people. If stability doesn't take hold and schooling doesn't resume, he said, his children will remain in Egypt. 'This is an absurd war,' Abdalla said. He pointed out how the RSF and military were once allies who together repressed Sudan's pro-democracy movement before they turned on each other. 'Both sides were unified at some point and hit us. When they started to differ, they still hit us,' he said. 'We only want peace and security and stability.'
30-04-2025
- General
Sudanese return to their homeland, hoping for stability but finding it still wrecked by war
CAIRO -- Ahmed Abdalla sat on a sidewalk in downtown Cairo, waiting for a bus that will start him on his journey back to Sudan. He doesn't know what he'll find in his homeland, wrecked and still embroiled in a 2-year-old war. His wife and son, who weren't going with him, sat next to him to bid him goodbye. Abdalla plans to go back for a year, then decide whether it's safe to bring his family. 'There is no clear vision. Until when do we have to wait?' Abdalla said, holding two bags of clothes. 'These moments I'm separating from my family are really hard,' he said, as his wife broke down in tears. Abdullah is among tens of thousands of Sudanese who were driven from their homes and are now going back. They are hoping for some stability after the military in recent months recaptured the capital, Khartoum, and other areas from its rival, the Rapid Support Forces. But the war still rages in some parts of the country. In areas recaptured by the military, people are returning to find their neighborhoods shattered, often with no electricity and scarce food, water and services. The battle for power between the military and the RSF has caused one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. Famine is spreading. At least 20,000 people have been killed, according to the U.N., though the figure is likely higher. Nearly 13 million people fled their homes, some 4 million of whom streamed into neighboring countries while the rest sought shelter elsewhere in Sudan. A relatively small portion of the displaced are returning so far, but the numbers are accelerating. Some 400,000 internally displaced Sudanese have gone back to homes in the Khartoum area, neighboring Gezira province and southeast Sennar province, the International Organization for Migration estimates. Since Jan. 1, about 123,000 Sudanese returned from Egypt, including nearly 50,000 so far in April, double the month before, the IOM said. Some 1.5 million Sudanese fled to Egypt during the war, according to UNHCR. Nfa Dre, who had fled to northern Sudan, moved back with his family to Khartoum North, a sister city of the capital, right after the military retook it in March. They found decomposing bodies and unexploded ordnance in the streets. Their home had been looted. 'Thank God, we had no loss of lives, just material losses, which matter nothing compared to lives,' Dre said. Three days of work made their home inhabitable. But conditions are hard. Not all markets have reopened and few medical services are available. Dre said residents rely on charity kitchens operated by a community activist group called the Emergency Response Rooms, or ERR. They haul water from the Nile River for cooking and drinking. His home has no electricity, so he charges his phone at a mosque with solar panels. 'We asked the authorities for generators, but they replied that they don't have the budget to provide them,' Dre said. 'There was nothing we could say.' Salah Semsaya, an ERR volunteer, said he knew of displaced people who tried returning to Wad Madani, the capital of Gezira province, but found the basics of life so lacking that they went back to their displacement shelters. Others are too wary to try. 'They're worried about services for their children. They're worrying about their livelihoods,' said Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative to Sudan. Throughout the war, there has been no functional government. A military-backed transitional administration was based in Port Sudan, on the Red Sea coast, but had little reach or resources. After retaking Khartoum, the military said it will establish a new interim government. The U.N. is providing cash assistance to some. UNICEF managed to bring several trucks of supplies into Khartoum. But aid remains limited, 'and the scale of needs far exceeds available resources,' said Assadullah Nasrullah, communications officer at UNHCR Sudan. Sudanese in Egypt wrestle with the question of whether to return. Mohamed Karaka, who has been in Cairo with his family for nearly two years, told The Associated Press he was packing up to head back to the Khartoum area. But at the last minute, his elder brother, also in Egypt, decided it was not yet safe and Karaka canceled the trip. 'I miss my house and the dreams I had about building a life in Sudan. My biggest problem are my children. I didn't want to raise them outside Sudan, in a foreign country,' said Karaka. Hundreds of Sudanese take the two or three buses each day for southern Egypt, the first leg in the journey home. Abdalla was among a number of families waiting for the midnight bus earlier this month. He's going back to Sudan but not to his hometown of el-Fasher in North Darfur province. That area has been and remains a brutal war zone between RSF fighters and army troops. Abdalla and his family fled early in the war as fighting raged around them. 'We miss every corner of our house. We took nothing with us when we left except two changes of clothes, thinking that the war would be short,' Abdalla's wife, Majda, said. 'We hear bad news about our area every single day," she said. "It's all death and starvation.' Abdalla and his family first moved to el-Gadarif in southeast Sudan before moving to Egypt in June. He was heading back to el-Gadarif to see if it's livable. Many of the schools there are closed, sheltering displaced people. If stability doesn't take hold and schooling doesn't resume, he said, his children will remain in Egypt. 'This is an absurd war,' Abdalla said. He pointed out how the RSF and military were once allies who together repressed Sudan's pro-democracy movement before they turned on each other. 'Both sides were unified at some point and hit us. When they started to differ, they still hit us,' he said. 'We only want peace and security and stability.'
Hamilton Spectator
30-04-2025
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Sudanese return to their homeland, hoping for stability but finding it still wrecked by war
CAIRO (AP) — Ahmed Abdalla sat on a sidewalk in downtown Cairo, waiting for a bus that will start him on his journey back to Sudan. He doesn't know what he'll find in his homeland, wrecked and still embroiled in a 2-year-old war. His wife and son, who weren't going with him, sat next to him to bid him goodbye. Abdalla plans to go back for a year, then decide whether it's safe to bring his family. 'There is no clear vision. Until when do we have to wait?' Abdalla said, holding two bags of clothes. 'These moments I'm separating from my family are really hard,' he said, as his wife broke down in tears. Abdullah is among tens of thousands of Sudanese who were driven from their homes and are now going back. They are hoping for some stability after the military in recent months recaptured the capital, Khartoum, and other areas from its rival, the Rapid Support Forces. But the war still rages in some parts of the country. In areas recaptured by the military, people are returning to find their neighborhoods shattered, often with no electricity and scarce food, water and services. The battle for power between the military and the RSF has caused one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. Famine is spreading. At least 20,000 people have been killed, according to the U.N., though the figure is likely higher. Nearly 13 million people fled their homes, some 4 million of whom streamed into neighboring countries while the rest sought shelter elsewhere in Sudan. Those returning find few services A relatively small portion of the displaced are returning so far, but the numbers are accelerating. Some 400,000 internally displaced Sudanese have gone back to homes in the Khartoum area, neighboring Gezira province and southeast Sennar province, the International Organization for Migration estimates. Since Jan. 1, about 123,000 Sudanese returned from Egypt, including nearly 50,000 so far in April, double the month before, the IOM said. Some 1.5 million Sudanese fled to Egypt during the war, according to UNHCR . Nfa Dre, who had fled to northern Sudan, moved back with his family to Khartoum North, a sister city of the capital, right after the military retook it in March. They found decomposing bodies and unexploded ordnance in the streets. Their home had been looted. 'Thank God, we had no loss of lives, just material losses, which matter nothing compared to lives,' Dre said. Three days of work made their home inhabitable. But conditions are hard. Not all markets have reopened and few medical services are available. Dre said residents rely on charity kitchens operated by a community activist group called the Emergency Response Rooms, or ERR. They haul water from the Nile River for cooking and drinking. His home has no electricity, so he charges his phone at a mosque with solar panels. 'We asked the authorities for generators, but they replied that they don't have the budget to provide them,' Dre said. 'There was nothing we could say.' Aid is lacking Salah Semsaya, an ERR volunteer, said he knew of displaced people who tried returning to Wad Madani, the capital of Gezira province, but found the basics of life so lacking that they went back to their displacement shelters. Others are too wary to try. 'They're worried about services for their children. They're worrying about their livelihoods,' said Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative to Sudan. Throughout the war, there has been no functional government. A military-backed transitional administration was based in Port Sudan, on the Red Sea coast, but had little reach or resources. After retaking Khartoum, the military said it will establish a new interim government. The U.N. is providing cash assistance to some. UNICEF managed to bring several trucks of supplies into Khartoum. But aid remains limited, 'and the scale of needs far exceeds available resources,' said Assadullah Nasrullah, communications officer at UNHCR Sudan. Darfur and other areas remain violent Sudanese in Egypt wrestle with the question of whether to return. Mohamed Karaka, who has been in Cairo with his family for nearly two years, told The Associated Press he was packing up to head back to the Khartoum area. But at the last minute, his elder brother, also in Egypt, decided it was not yet safe and Karaka canceled the trip. 'I miss my house and the dreams I had about building a life in Sudan. My biggest problem are my children. I didn't want to raise them outside Sudan, in a foreign country,' said Karaka. Hundreds of Sudanese take the two or three buses each day for southern Egypt, the first leg in the journey home. Abdalla was among a number of families waiting for the midnight bus earlier this month. He's going back to Sudan but not to his hometown of el-Fasher in North Darfur province. That area has been and remains a brutal war zone between RSF fighters and army troops. Abdalla and his family fled early in the war as fighting raged around them. 'We miss every corner of our house. We took nothing with us when we left except two changes of clothes, thinking that the war would be short,' Abdalla's wife, Majda, said. 'We hear bad news about our area every single day,' she said. 'It's all death and starvation.' Abdalla and his family first moved to el-Gadarif in southeast Sudan before moving to Egypt in June. He was heading back to el-Gadarif to see if it's livable. Many of the schools there are closed, sheltering displaced people. If stability doesn't take hold and schooling doesn't resume, he said, his children will remain in Egypt. 'This is an absurd war,' Abdalla said. He pointed out how the RSF and military were once allies who together repressed Sudan's pro-democracy movement before they turned on each other. 'Both sides were unified at some point and hit us. When they started to differ, they still hit us,' he said. 'We only want peace and security and stability.'
