Movie Review: *** The Karate Kid (2010)

 This is a remake movie of the Original Karate Kid but this time the action takes place in China.  Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) moves to China with his mother (Sherry Parker).  He quickly gets on the bad side of a gang of Kung Fu students and gets beat up a couple times, until Han (Jackie Chan) intervenes.  Meiying (Wenwen Han) is the girl interest.  The coach of the bullies is Master Li (Rongguang Yu) who is intent on showing no weakness, no mercy, no pain.  They confront them at Master Li's dojo, and agree to fight at a tournament.  In the meantime Han trains Parker, very much like in the original.  We see much of China including a tall mountain and the Wall of China.  

Smith does very good with handling the emotion, and reacted to the pain inflicted on him during the tournament.   It is also very well done when the students of the Li Dojo pay respect to Master Han.  

More Christmas/Holiday Movies

***Kung Fu Panda Holidays (2010)  This is a made-for-tv short animated feature about the importance of family and friends for the holidays.  It concludes with those dignitaries joining the family celebration and learning something in turn.  This show includes the voice talents of all the Kung Fu Panda regulars including, Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Lucy Liu and Jackie Chan.  This is available on Netflix

***Journey Back to Christmas (2016)  In this movie a WWII nurse gets sent back in time somehow by a comet.  She helps people in the modern era remember some of the things about Christmas, like caroling.  She does meet a couple old acquaintances, who give her hope.  This movie would have been better if the plot had been more believable.  Hallmark

**** Christmas Harmony (2018)  This easily is one of my favorite in this genre because of the music.  Harmony (Kelley Jakle) returns home after a bad breakup.  She has been pursuing music, writing for someone else (her jerk boyfriend) but in returning home she reacquaints with her father (she hadn’t been home since her mother passed away) and a new man in town, Luke (Adam Mayfield).  Together they make some beautiful music, with only one momentary fly in the ointment.  These shows always have that fly someplace.  I really enjoyed this film. 

***^ Sons of Mistletoe  (2001)  This is a story about a man (George Newbern) who grew up in a boys home, and has taken over the running of the home.  However their benefactor, and landlord passes away.  Everything passes to his daughter (Roma Downey), who is more interested in getting away than continuing the family interest in the home, and the family mercantile business.  A large conglomerate from “the city” is willing to pay big bucks.  So while the young man is struggling to save the home, it seems his benefactress is sabotaging his efforts.  But what is she were to become attached to the boys? BYUtv

Movie Review: ***Kung Fu Panda II.

Movie Review: ***Kung Fu Panda II.  I don't remember being very impressed with the first Kung Fu, but this is a case of me liking the sequel more than the original.  I was actually entertained.  There was a good deal of character development, and explaining where the Panda came from and to be raised by a goose.  There was action throughout, and my only complaint is maybe there was too much going on.  The peacock was so rotten, he made a good bad guy.  Bad to the end.  I really like the way the Panda took the fire being shot at them, and throwing it back at the shooters.  Such is the Kung Fu way.  The relationship between the panda and his adoptive father was very nice.  Tony really enjoyed this movie, and he could relate to the Panda being raised by an adoptive father.