29: Cobra Kai Catch-Up + The Next Karate Kid (1994)

[00:00:00] Karate here. But this time you're too young to understand the true value of karate. You know, for once I wish you could give me an answer I could understand. Answer only important when asked right to question. That's exactly what I'm talking about.

[00:00:38] Hey everybody, welcome to the podcast. I'm Jason. And I'm Richard. And I'm Reema. After a two-year hiatus we're back with Cobra Kai Cast. Two years this week we're covering The Next Karate Kid, the 1994 critically panned fourth installment in the Karate Kid series. Well, why are we covering that?

[00:01:12] Because pain does not exist in this dojo. Get used to it. That's right. Suffer. Well, the final season of Cobra Kai is on the horizon.

[00:01:25] I would think that everyone hearing my voice would know that but just in case you don't it's coming up July 18th just a couple of weeks. And so we wanted to come back and do a little catch up and get ready for it.

[00:01:37] And even though Hillary Swank told an interviewer that she doesn't think she'll be in Cobra Kai, I think maybe there's still a chance she might make a cameo.

[00:01:47] And so I thought it'd be cool to cover this but also we covered the first three and I'm a little OCD so I figured why not talk about the fourth one before it's all over. I need some closure, huh? Yeah, just would feel weird to leave that.

[00:02:01] But then we also have the Jackie Chan one at some point too possibly. But anyway, so on this podcast I figure we'll do the Cobra Kai stuff first and then do Next Karate Kid, right? Does that seem good to you guys? Sure.

[00:02:16] So we'll do just Cobra Kai news, just some of the big things that have come out over the last couple of years. We've got up on where we are in the story leading into the final season here and our hopes and predictions for the final season.

[00:02:29] And then we'll talk about the next Karate Kid. So news about Cobra Kai, first off happy 40th anniversary to the Karate Kid Ralph Maccio recently posted on this day June 22nd, 1984. The world met Daniel LaRuse.

[00:02:44] So happy 40th anniversary to the Karate Kid looking ahead to one of the most exciting years yet just wrapped Cobra Kai and the new Karate Kid movie, Epic Stuff on the Way. 40 years that's crazy. I know.

[00:02:58] Isn't that crazy when that announcement, yeah he had his little Instagram post. Wow. I think we look pretty good still. Yeah. I always feel like 1984 was 20 years ago. It's always been 20 years ago for me. Yeah. Yeah, I'm the same.

[00:03:16] I'm the worst thing time I think of like when I graduated. I'm like that was just like 20 years ago, right? Or 10 15 70 is like 30 years ago. A lot longer. Yeah.

[00:03:25] Okay, next on January 20th 2023 about six months after Cobra Kai season five premiered showrunners, Josh Heel, John Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg put out this letter starts off with a quote from Daniel's mom Lucille paradise at last we made it.

[00:03:42] And it says when Daniel Lucille arrived in the valley with his mother in 1984 little did he know that his life was about to be forever changed. The same went for three young kids from New Jersey who hadn't yet met one another.

[00:03:54] Daniel's journey from bullied teen to underdog hero became an indelible part of our childhoods and something that we would always carry with us in our hearts. Reacquainting the world with the karate kid universe has been our humble honor.

[00:04:06] Making Cobra Kai has allowed us to join the same hallowed dojo once inhabited by the great Robert Mark Cayman, John Almondson Jerry Weintraub and all the amazing original cast members. There's also enabled us to play sensei expanding the original storylines and birthing a new generation of underdogs.

[00:04:23] We've never once taken this opportunity for granted. Our day one goal with Cobra Kai has always been to end it on our terms leaving the valley in the time and place we've always imagined.

[00:04:34] So it is with immense pride and thankfulness that we are able to announce that achievement. The upcoming season six will mark the conclusion of Cobra Kai. While this may be a bittersweet day for fandom, the Miyagi verse has never been stronger.

[00:04:47] This fandom is the best on the planet and we hope to be telling more karate kid stories with you down the line because as we all know Cobra Kai never dies.

[00:04:55] In the meantime strap in for the biggest season of Cobra Kai yet and let today be a celebration of all that's to come as well as all that's still left to be told. We couldn't do it without you. We made it strike first strike hard.

[00:05:07] Oh mercy. Josh Heald, John Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg. So when we were last podcasted they hadn't yet announced that it was the final season but now they have. And it's next month right? First five episodes? Yeah so it's 15 episodes long so five more than usual.

[00:05:28] Usually they're 10. It'll be the first five released on Netflix July 18th. Just coming up here and another five. The Netflix press release says November 24th but all the news sites say the 28th so it's one of those two days. And then the final five. November? Yeah.

[00:05:51] Oh I'm sorry November. Oh okay. Yeah so it's a ways out right? So we were talking about whether we should cover.

[00:05:59] We usually do two at a time but one at a time. If we did one at a time it would just be five right now then you know we'd have a nice long break and then we'd do five more.

[00:06:06] And then it says the final five are sometime in 2025 so probably early like March or something so that'll be the last five. Okay well that's not so bad I was thinking we would have to do like 15 weeks straight. No no I wouldn't want to do that.

[00:06:22] That's a long time. I mean I like over a guy but that's a long time.

[00:06:27] No but I don't know we'll see. I mean I think maybe we'll pull the listeners but I feel like five is short enough that it would be a nice little chunk and then we'll take a break and start missing it again and want to come back.

[00:06:37] Yeah that would be so bad. But I know some people are pissed that they're breaking this up because everyone else except for us three is used to being able to just binge it but we don't care because we watch week to week anyway.

[00:06:52] One to week yeah or two weeks. Yeah I love it. Or two at a time when we were recovering you know two we'd watch two at a time but yeah otherwise we were still kind of week to week.

[00:07:02] That's my life anyway when I cover all of my shows anyway so I'm pretty used to it. You gotta have willpower. Lucy can't do other podcasters in podcast they sneak and watch it sometimes but you.

[00:07:13] Yeah I haven't done it since I mean I've watched something I'll usually watch two or three shows at a time. But anyway I'm happy because this means that more people will be watching a little bit closer to our pace.

[00:07:29] I'm sure that a lot of people binge five at a time but then we can all sort of experience it together and I think that's going to be really fun. Yeah that is cool.

[00:07:37] There's something to be said about it too about the waiting and anticipation what you mean. Yeah if you like the show makes it a little better.

[00:07:45] But they said that you know they approached Netflix and said we're ready ready to bring this in for a landing and they wanted to go out on their own terms and they said we just felt like there's value in not leaving the series bone dry.

[00:08:03] So I love that like I'm glad if you can believe them that it didn't get canceled that they're deciding okay we built everything we want to out of this we're going to take it in for an awesome landing.

[00:08:14] And on their own terms I mean applaud Netflix for that letting them do that that's cool.

[00:08:19] Well and that is probably if I have to if I have to guess and just play the devil's advocate it was probably Netflix's decision then to stretch it out because if they're like oh I mean Cobra Kai is a big money maker for Netflix so if they

[00:08:32] are like this is our final season they're going to want to stretch that out as long as they can keep those subscribers or at least have people sign back up if they cancel in between the breaks or something like that and bring people back in.

[00:08:42] So yeah let's all milk this baby.

[00:08:45] And they've talked about doing spin offs so one concern I have about this season because they also have said they're going to expand the Miagiverse in the season so I hope they don't do too much like Marvel movie let's feature a character that has nothing to do with the plot just so we can set

[00:09:00] them up for some spin off. You know we want a good ending.

[00:09:04] Yeah I want to focus on like the storylines that we have you know if they drop a few seeds then I'm okay with that but I don't want to focus too hard yeah it has to be natural they've done a good job I think of making the story feel really organic and

[00:09:20] natural and I've loved it so far so I think they'll do a good job but yeah I'm with you I hope that they don't focus too hard on any like oh we want to spin off for this character or for this storyline or something I want it to stay focused on you know the reason we got Cobra Kai I want them to stick that landing

[00:09:38] and focus on that. That would be hard though kind of a narrow universe you know.

[00:09:43] Yeah well they've talked about it though I think they're going to try to do something but they just have been such great storytellers that I'm pretty optimistic that they'll give us a good ending.

[00:09:54] Do you know if they have all the episodes filmed already or are they just releasing them as they film them? No he's like you know that tweet I read from Ralph Machio it said he just wrapped Cobra Kai so unless he dies halfway through I think that's all.

[00:10:11] Yeah I briefly thought maybe they're just stretching it out so that they can get some listener feedback and if they need to change some stuff they can go change some stuff. No I don't think so I think it's they've wrapped it.

[00:10:24] So yeah that's a good question but from what I've read they've wrapped it. So there's a trailer out for season six part one it looks awesome I don't want to talk too much about it because people don't like spoilers but I'll put a link in that.

[00:10:36] Spoilers not spoilers. I'll put a link in the show notes if people want to go watch that. One little like more specific piece of news in November of last year deadline announced that C.S. Lee who played detective Vince Masuka on Dexter among other things will be playing

[00:10:52] Master Kim Sung Young the originator of The Way of the Fist which is the ruthless methods and philosophies at the core of Cobra Kai.

[00:11:00] So in Vietnam Crease and Silver were trained by Captain George Turner who was a former student of this guy Master Kim and we saw that in flashbacks in season three but later in according to the wiki anyway in 1980 shortly after Silver increase opened their Cobra Kai dojo they went to South Korea to train director

[00:11:22] and they trained with Kim and that's where all the nastiness of Cobra Kai comes from.

[00:11:29] So given that the show is about the importance of good role models and there's no such things bad students only bad teachers I think it's cool to explore this guy who brought all this Cobra Kai stuff into the world you know.

[00:11:40] So that'd be cool and I'm glad because C.S. Lee he's only 52 so I think his parts will probably either all be in flashback or they'll like age him up if he's still alive somehow. 52 that's younger than me. Yeah he was pretty good on Dexter. I can cool.

[00:12:00] There's so I think we they said just been announced but we didn't know anything about it last time you podcasted but there's new karate kid movie coming out in May of next year.

[00:12:11] It was actually supposed to come out earlier this year but they postponed it because of the strikes and then they postponed it again so that it would come out after Cobra Kai. So I'm glad they're doing some coordination there.

[00:12:26] Now we know that it stars do you know anything about this movie rich. You know you probably do right a little bit.

[00:12:34] Yep it stars Ralph Machio as Daniel or so and Jackie Chan who as Mr. Han so he's reprising his role from the 2010 karate kid movie with Jaden Smith. So they're bringing the two together.

[00:12:48] And there's this young guy Lee who is played by I guess 17 year old actor Ben Wang.

[00:12:56] He landed this role after a global casting search that had thousands of people trying to get it quote his stand out audition demonstrated a deep connection to the character and his fluency and Mandarin and proficiency in various martial arts including karate Wing Chun Kung Fu Kempo and take one dough made him an ideal fit for the role.

[00:13:15] So I guess Daniel and Mr. Han are going to be training this kid. I would be a twist of Daniel was the bad guy huh. Not according to you sometimes. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:13:36] It also has Ming Na Wen in it who played Melinda May and agents of shield and Phoenix Shand on the Mandalorian. And she voiced Mulan and I'm kind of not sure what to think about it because the Cobra Kai writers didn't have anything to do with the movie.

[00:13:54] And I think that's just dumb given how successful Cobra Kai has been. It's written by this guy Robert Lieber who's written kids stuff like goosebumps and Peter Rabbit.

[00:14:05] It's directed by Jonathan Whistle who directed the series The End of the Fucking World which I heard was pretty good and I am not OK which is I guess a teen black comedy with good rating.

[00:14:17] So the director seems good the writer I don't know but I think the fact that Ralph Macio is doing it might be a good sign because we know that he avoided doing anything karate kid even though people can't do it.

[00:14:28] And he came to him with pitches for decades until these got Cobra Kai guys came along and had something good and then he said yeah so hopefully he kept that same value and didn't say yes unless. Yeah. Hopefully he gets to have it taken seriously. Yeah yeah.

[00:14:44] He doesn't just do a stinker. Because of the so there's karate kid one two and three there's the next karate kid which we're going to talk about and then there's the karate kid movie from 2010. I'd say in my opinion only the first two are really good.

[00:15:02] I don't know the 2010 was OK. I haven't seen in a while but anyway let's move on to Cobra Kai catch up so we're heading into the final season. We thought give you guys a reminder of where we are in the story.

[00:15:14] I'm going to give a summary season four.

[00:15:17] You know the one so we're on six four ended with Tori beating Sam in the All Valley tournament but only because Terry Silver had bribed the ref to make bad calls and then also Terry had creased sent to jail framed for something and sent to jail.

[00:15:32] So here's a summary of season five. It's a mishmash of chat GBT in Wikipedia. That's that's Cobra Kai season five picks up after the dramatic events of the All Valley tournament Terry Silver now the sole owner of karate.

[00:15:46] Cobra Kai is determined to expand his dojo empire across the valley promoting his ruthless no mercy philosophy with John Crease behind bars framed by Silver and Johnny Lawrence stepping away from karate to focus on mending his relationships.

[00:16:01] Daniel Aruso feels the pressure to stop Silver's growing influence to combat this Daniel enlist the help of his old friend and former rival chosen to Gucci. Meanwhile Johnny and his son Robbie traveled to Mexico to find Miguel who has run away to search for his biological father Hector.

[00:16:17] Miguel's journey is fraught with danger but he eventually finds Hector who remains unaware of Miguel's true identity back in the Valley chosen infiltrates Cobra Kai as a sensei gathering intelligence on Silver's operations.

[00:16:29] As Silver's tactics become increasingly aggressive Daniel's obsession with stopping him begins to strain his family life. Amanda Daniel's wife struggles with the impact of Daniel's vendetta on their family while their daughter Sam deals with her own emotional turmoil following a breakup with Miguel.

[00:16:47] Johnny and Carmen Miguel's mother navigate their evolving relationship especially after discovering that Carmen is preggers. The season sees Miyagi Do and Eagle Fang students facing new challenges and intense training under chosen's guidance.

[00:17:03] They prepare for the Sakai Taikai and an international karate tournament that could elevate their dojo status. However Silver's manipulations and introduction of new sensei is including the formidable Kim Dae Yoon granddaughter of Silver increases sensei Kim Sung Young make the path to victory treacherous.

[00:17:20] Daniel loses heart after a series of setbacks including a brutal public altercation with Silver however chosen and Johnny managed to reignite Daniel's passion for karate convincing him to continue to fight against Silver.

[00:17:33] This renewed determination leads them to seek out old allies including Mike Barnes who now runs a furniture store. Initially reluctant Barnes eventually joins their cause adding his own expertise to their efforts.

[00:17:43] A significant subplot involves Stingray a former Kroberkai student who gets severely beaten by Silver as part of his manipulative schemes. This incident becomes a pivotal moment highlighting Silver's ruthlessness and further motivating Daniel and his allies to take him down.

[00:17:58] In a dramatic twist Mike Barnes kidnaps Daniel, Johnny and Chozen hijacking their limo and confronting them about the destruction of his furniture store which Silver had burned down. Barnes initially seeking revenge on Daniel eventually realizes that Silver is the true enemy.

[00:18:13] Barnes enlists Johnny and Chozen in an effort to get revenge on Silver where the three face down his army of senseis. This is juxtaposed with the Miyagi fang students who alongside a reformed Tori break into the Kroberkai dojo to download footage of Silver beating up Stingray.

[00:18:28] I forgot about that. Where they face the entire Kroberkai dojo as well as Kim Dae Yoon. They ultimately upload video footage of Silver revealing to Tori that he bribed the referee. Silver arrives at the Kroberkai dojo and challenges Daniel to a fight.

[00:18:41] Daniel incorporates Miyagi Do, Eagle Fang, Kroberkai with the quick Silver method he learned back in the Karate Kid Part 3. In the end the two-time All-Valley champion uses the crane kick to defeat Silver.

[00:18:51] Kenny and the rest of the Kroberkai quit, Silver is arrested and the dojo is shut down. In the aftermath Miguel and Sam as well as Robbie and Tori rekindle their relationships in jail however Kreese fakes his death and escapes. I don't remember what happened to the Kroberkai dojo.

[00:19:08] There was a lot going on. I didn't remember most of that so, right? Didn't that bring back a lot of memories? Yeah, now that you've said it. Tell me what you will about AI. It's pretty good at summarizing all my views.

[00:19:21] I pulled the summary from Wikipedia and started reading it and I'm like this is very poorly written so then I asked chattpn and he gave me that poetry. Nice.

[00:19:31] But I mixed it up a little bit and I had to keep like, I'm like what about this part and chattpn he's like oh let me give you another version that expands on that a little bit. So now we'll move into our hopes and predictions for season 6.

[00:19:48] The Netflix synopsis says picking up with Kroberkai eliminated from the valley our senseis and students must decide if and how they will complete in the Sekai Taikai, the world championships of karate. So that's probably where it's going to end, right? The world championship.

[00:20:07] These things tend to push towards tournaments and this is like the biggest one. Yeah, I wouldn't be disappointed if that was the case. And also going to a world championship I think would be great.

[00:20:17] I just said a few minutes ago that this universe was kind of narrow taking place in the San Fernando Valley but if we take it to a global stage that'd be pretty badass. Yeah.

[00:20:28] That seems like a good and who will be the best karate person in the whole world. Right. The world champion. Combining the team. If I had to guess, let's say there's going to be just one kid who's going to stand tall at the end.

[00:20:45] I kind of would hope that it would be Miguel. I think he's my favorite. Me too but he's been injured hasn't he been injured enough? I don't know. Yeah they don't care about that on these shows. I would mind seeing any of them honestly. He can hawk. Yeah.

[00:21:02] He got injured but he was walking after injuring his back and remember the whole thing at the school when he went over that. I thought it was good. I never walk again and now he's up and fighting again.

[00:21:13] Miguel is always my favorite male fighter so I hope it's Miguel that comes out on top but I mean surely they're going to have a girls. Yeah. I'd like if they had a girls division and boys so we could see the girls too.

[00:21:29] I'm kind of rooting for Tori. I'm hoping for a redemptive arc for Tori and I'd love to see her come out on top and then Miguel win. Yeah that would be cool.

[00:21:39] Also plenty of space for drama and how you're going to teach them, who's style is the best. You know the teen drama of course and if they go to a world site early in the season then they can have interactions with other cultures. Field trip.

[00:22:00] People and yeah it sells on all kinds of trouble. It'd be great. Cause international incidents. You know if Johnny was going to be there, there would be an international incident. He just always likes some house stirs up trouble everywhere. Johnny and your dreamy or something.

[00:22:16] So it's funny cause a lot of the people, this series just has all these rivalries but a lot of them have kind of made up, mended their fences, become friends.

[00:22:27] You know like Daniel and Chosen, Daniel and Johnny, some of the kids, Hawk you know used to be a bad guy, Robbie and Miguel I think have made up right. So you wonder if they're going to try to force conflicts again like between Johnny and Daniel for instance.

[00:22:44] There's a part of me that doesn't want that cause I feel like that story has already been told but also it'd be kind of boring if they just got along for the whole final season. Right. They got to introduce like a common denominator for an enemy. Yeah.

[00:22:59] It's kind of like when Daniel went to Okinawa right? Right. Those were new scenes, new fresh breath of air I guess for the series.

[00:23:07] Yeah and I forget. I think the tournament is probably in an Asian country maybe Korea but I don't remember for sure or yeah I don't know Japan. North Korea trying to get over the border. Don't go that way. There's the conflict.

[00:23:24] Chris he's on the run from the law but I'm sure he's going to be involved. The poster is really cool it shows them all in their karate poses. It's kind of like one of those Star Wars style posters with everybody on it.

[00:23:43] Daniel and Johnny are the biggest and Johnny is actually in front of Daniel which I actually think is kind of appropriate. I do feel like Johnny is the heart of this series but they're both pretty big and then the kids are all there in their karate poses

[00:23:58] and they all have white geese so they look unified and it looks more Miyagi-do than anything else. And then in the background, oh actually there's this like big black cobra that's surrounding them which is kind of cool, a little scaly giant cobra.

[00:24:12] And then in the background in the shadows that you can barely see even bigger than everybody else is Kim Dae Yoon and Chris like lurking. No silver huh? Yeah I don't know if he's going to be in it or not. Yeah he's pretty done.

[00:24:29] Yeah I mean I like that character so much but they pretty much wrapped up his story it seems like. Yeah he would mess everything up if they're going to go that direction that we're thinking. What else?

[00:24:43] Cobra Kai itself you know they were disgraced because what's his name? Silver Cheated and Cobra Kai and Eagle Fang and Miyagi-do I think had qualified for the Sake Kai Tai Kai but it was doubtful.

[00:25:02] There was doubt about whether Cobra Kai would be able to do it because they were disgraced. And also all the Cobra Kai students that we know quit I think.

[00:25:12] I don't know if Kyler did he seems like the only kid that's still bad but I think he quit too.

[00:25:16] So I sort of wonder like the series is called Cobra Kai you got to think Cobra Kai is going to still be involved and Kim Dae Yoon I think controls Cobra Kai now and I think she owns half of it.

[00:25:28] And Mike Barnes was supposed to be owed half because he helped Silver way back in karate kid three so I feel like that might be part of it where Mike Barnes tries to claim his part or something you know.

[00:25:39] And by the end but it's a big like Silver expanded it into a chain right of franchise so I hope by the end that either Johnny or Daniel and Johnny are both in charge of Cobra Kai.

[00:25:57] Good point yeah I can't yeah well now that you say that be hard to get rid of Cobra Kai national chain. Yeah and it would be silly to brand it huh so maybe yeah.

[00:26:09] Yeah and I just think this series has been all about turning things on their head and roller reversal and redemption so it was named after the bad guys at first but turning Cobra Kai into a symbol of good things you know and maybe getting a new slogan besides strike hard and kill your enemies.

[00:26:31] Yeah no mercy. Yeah I'm really bad at predictions so I definitely am not going there especially because like you just said they definitely like turn things and kind of twist things different directions that I would never have expected in a good way.

[00:26:49] It's all worked out so no complaints but I'm really really bad at predictions but the only thing that I really hoped for this being the final season because they.

[00:26:59] The heart like you were saying is of Cobra Kai is Johnny and that was like what got the show runners interested in starting the series to begin with was Johnny and Cobra Kai and what happened at the end of cry to kid and that's what inspired them to do this and that was kind of how the story started was like with Johnny

[00:27:18] and I really hope that Johnny gets a really good story I hope that they don't lose focus on Johnny I feel like you know I don't want to take like a backseat or to not be present I wouldn't be a part of the story and I want really hit a good satisfying end to his story especially because I feel like it began with him and I really wanted to kind of end with him.

[00:27:37] I would be shocked if that didn't happen because I think they know that he's the star or you know that he's yeah he's a standout character and I think also one of the show runners at some point during this break had tweeted that this season will start I think a year after where we left off which means that Johnny is going to be a daddy when this.

[00:28:03] When we come back I didn't realize they were going to have a little bit of a jump so that's interesting so it's gonna be fun to see Johnny being a dad.

[00:28:12] Because he missed the opportunity I think with Robbie and so that's gonna be fun Johnny changing diapers teaching all the 80s stuff and I forgot you know I was thinking like whether I'd rather it be a girl or a boy and I was thinking.

[00:28:32] Both would have pluses like a boy would be interesting because he didn't have Johnny didn't have a good parenting and so being a good parent to a boy could almost be like parenting his own inner child in some way although maybe that's I don't know if you should approach parenting that way but anyway he already has a boy so.

[00:28:51] I think being a girl would be good for Johnny because he's kind of sexist sometimes and it would be good for him to have a relationship with a girl that where he could learn not to be that way.

[00:29:02] Especially raising him from the infancy yeah I learned a lot when I raised my kid. But yeah that'd be great I hope they have him as in front and center and Daniel too you know you don't want them to go take a back seat for any reason.

[00:29:20] Yeah that's what I love about this show there their story together it's so great how they've become sort of reluctant but respectful partners you know yeah it's been so fun. It's been very satisfying to see for sure.

[00:29:38] Remember when they fought and they decided to do a rematch in the ring and they both knocked each other out. Keep the who would win thing a mystery right.

[00:29:51] So there was a rumor that there would be at least one more big cameo from the movies and if it's not Hillary Swank then I hope that it's the one Cobra Kai guy that we didn't get to see Dutch played by Steve McQueen's nephew Chad McQueen who was the most vicious of the Cobra Kai.

[00:30:10] Well if it isn't our little friend Daniel you know points are no points you're dead meat like he would just get right up in his face. Yeah he was nasty.

[00:30:21] Yeah that's right I remember that well actually because I remember actually Jason you were talking about how the reason he wasn't in it is because he quit acting like what 30 years ago or something like that and he's like the head of a race car team now.

[00:30:33] That's right I forgot about that yeah yeah yeah so. Yeah but get him back for a cameo come on. Yeah it sounds like it'd be hard to do but that would be totally awesome.

[00:30:44] I hope the new karate kid movie doesn't ignore Cobra Kai it takes place in New York and and so I'm like where's Daniel's family. Did he get a divorce what happened. I don't know he could be separated. That would be a good ending.

[00:31:05] But maybe that's why they were coordinating the whole let's get Cobra Kai out before that movie is released there's going to be something that happened. Yeah I don't want anything I want them to be happy. More than one occasion where his wife sounded fed up you know.

[00:31:20] And I'm hoping Daniel's son has developed even more and can be an interesting character to have a more bigger role. Oh God remember how annoying he was in the first season. He was so annoying. He's gotten better.

[00:31:36] Yeah he got better but oh that was rough in the beginning. It was yeah he was bad. And it was funny because Daniel would just like oh God look at him with disgust. Yeah Daniel was all of us.

[00:31:52] They have no guilty I mean it's kind of unwarranted it's like same thing happened to the kid on Star Trek the next generation you know people didn't like him because he was a know it all he gets booted up.

[00:32:02] Wesley show yeah Wesley pressure it's like come on now everyone regrets it like 30 years later. Oh yeah we were dumb. I never minded Wesley I just thought they did too many stories with them. Well Wheaton's awesome. A lot of people didn't like him yeah well he was great.

[00:32:18] What else yeah. Yeah. Her wit said season six expands the karate kid Cobra Kai universe more than the first five seasons combined the world building has been truly exhilarating exciting for everyone to see the diversity of scenes we've been filming episode episode.

[00:32:33] We're going to so many new places in the Miyagi verse.

[00:32:37] So yeah that's just sort of what I was gonna say about being a little nervous that they focus too much on trying to do spin offs or something without giving it a good satisfying and I hope they don't do that.

[00:32:47] God this happens every time now I want to see it come on start the show. You don't have to wait too long. Anything else.

[00:32:58] No I just hope it's good really yeah I just hope they keep their hope there can just stay on the same path that they're consistent as they have been and they have thus far so I don't have like concerns but that's all I care about just keep turning out the good stuff.

[00:33:16] Yeah do you want to see Chris make peace with Johnny. Hmm I don't know Chris Johnny increases relationship is kind of a source for Johnny and what drives him.

[00:33:31] I don't I guess I don't know I don't know I'm not good with that kind of stuff personal relationships Jesus. You just want to see him kick each other's ass again. Yeah have some conflict for God's sake.

[00:34:18] All right we're back and it's time to talk about the next karate kid as I mentioned is the fourth karate kid movie first one not to have Daniel in it came out in 1994 directed by Chris Kane who also directed among other things young guns with Amelia West of it as in keep her son Dillon all those guys Charlie sheen.

[00:34:54] It was near universally considered to be the worst of the five karate kid movies with the Rotten Tomatoes score of 7% and I think the problem is the writing it was written by Mark Lee who wrote a couple other movies that are also low rated and it's the first one not written by Robert Mark Cayman.

[00:35:14] It had music by Bill Conte who did the music for the other movies and also Rocky and it was Hillary Swanks breakout role.

[00:35:22] The movie was planned but critics praised her performance and Pat Merida to and she debuted in the Buffy the vampire Slayer movie and then this was her next movie next karate kid but then if you don't remember she's mostly known for two things 1999 boys don't cry where she played trans man Brandon Tina who falls victim to a boy.

[00:35:43] Brutal hate crime was based on true story and I saw that that was intense and then in 2004 she starred as aspiring boxer Maggie Fitzgerald alongside Clint Eastwood and million dollar baby.

[00:35:55] Right and that movie won all the awards best picture director which was Eastwood best supporting actor Morgan Freeman and she won best actress for it. Did you see that one? I did I thought it's pretty good. I haven't seen that one yet. I didn't realize that was her.

[00:36:10] It sounds like a pretty good movie. Yeah I think you did good. It is good. Boxing movie. So in general guys how did you feel about this this one? Be honest.

[00:36:23] Well you know what I don't want to say I'm going to go out on a limb but it wasn't as bad as I was expecting it having known that it's been universally pan I didn't realize I only got a 7% on rotten tomatoes but it wasn't as bad as I was expecting so I don't know maybe knowing maybe having my expectation.

[00:36:41] Yeah it makes a big difference. Having my expectations surpassed was total positive and but having said that I think the biggest downside for me was that the pacing was pretty damn slow and there's a horrendous lack of action in this movie.

[00:36:58] It's just slow and boring and mostly there's just one fight the boss fight at the end that was pretty much it. Yeah I didn't even think about that. Those are my two biggest complaints I mean for a karate movie wasn't a whole lot of karate. Wow.

[00:37:13] Yeah that's such a good point. That was a very good point what about you Rima? I mean just just my general thoughts is you know I was trying to appreciate the movie for what it was.

[00:37:26] I don't recall having ever seen this before so this is pretty much my first watch.

[00:37:31] I think I've seen a few clips just sprinkled throughout the years but never took the time to watch the entire thing but obviously had heard that it was at least one of the lowest rated.

[00:37:44] So like Rich kind of went in with my you know kind of low expectations but I found it interesting though and one thing that I tried to appreciate about this movie was that

[00:37:56] this was a movie where Julie our main character she trains with Miyagi to find inner peace and not so much to like fight against bullies. And I kind of appreciate that they tried a different kind of formula for this movie regardless of the final product.

[00:38:21] I mean it I'm not saying it was great by any means there were some issues that I had with the film and I'll talk about them.

[00:38:29] So I'm not saying this is a cinematic masterpiece by any means but you know I appreciated where they at least tried to go a different direction. You know with this movie versus that same you know that same thing that we saw in one two and three.

[00:38:42] And we know three you know we look back at three and you know at the time that one was pretty bad.

[00:38:51] You know everybody just it has a 15 just toward a part yeah but over time it's kind of become a little bit more popular a little campy and then with like maybe also the reintroduction of Terry Silver in Cobra Kai.

[00:39:04] You know it's brought a new appreciation for three but it's like well if you remember that one was pretty bad and they follow the same formula as they did in one and two and it didn't do well.

[00:39:16] So I appreciate that they at least try to do something different with this one maybe not succeeded but I think there were some good things too so yeah yeah I have similar feelings also yeah.

[00:39:27] Yeah me too I see why most people don't love it and I have a lot of I guess nitpicks or complaints about it but I think it's greater than the sum of its parts it has its charm.

[00:39:42] It's I felt moved at certain points by things that happened you know and yeah so it's not the worst thing ever I've seen a lot worse.

[00:39:53] I would put it probably right at the same level as Karate Kid 3 about how good it is and I agree with you Rima I mean I like that movie I mean part of this is we're doing a freaking Cobra Kai podcast so we're fans at this point I think we're all fans at this point maybe I'm more than you guys but we're all fans so we're going to appreciate it.

[00:40:11] More than most people you know but yeah I think I enjoyed watching it even though I was cringing sometimes or just like what the fuck but I still enjoyed it you know it was still laughing out loud.

[00:40:25] I'm going to watch yeah but not when you're supposed to be laughing. Is this appropriate? Yeah so we're going to talk about that but before we get into spoilers do we think that people should go and see it would you recommend people see it?

[00:40:40] I think enough time has passed and especially if you're a Cobra Kai fan.

[00:40:45] I'll tell you one of the main well I'll save that for later but yeah there's a couple of things that I think you would find like you said charming and nostalgic you know and it is like it's not something you're going to want to turn off let's just say that you know what I mean.

[00:41:01] It holds your attention enough and is interesting enough and nostalgic enough to keep you watching to the end.

[00:41:08] Yeah I agree I think if you're either a fan of the karate kid franchise Cobra Kai Mr. Miyagi in general I mean what's not to love about Mr. Miyagi so you know if you haven't seen it then you should.

[00:41:24] Yeah yeah I feel the same way I would say if you're not a fan which nobody listening to this podcast falls into that category we're all fans who are listening to it but anyone else I would say. No hell no don't watch this movie.

[00:41:41] Yeah they'd probably find it too boring.

[00:41:45] Yeah it's bad it's not a good movie but and I want to apologize to Nathan Eshelman and anyone else who loves this movie because I'm about to say a lot of things that I think are wrong with it but some that I think I like.

[00:41:58] Yeah but it's you know we did we did have things that we liked about it so let's get in the prize that the writer got to write three more movies after this jeez.

[00:42:08] He did oh I don't know if yeah one one might have been before and one after.

[00:42:13] Oh I'm curious before we get into our points what were you gonna say what you were gonna so we're getting into spoiler territory here if you don't want to hear spoilers you should stop listening and go watch the movie so Rich what were you gonna say that you thought people would enjoy.

[00:42:27] Well you just want me to go to my first point.

[00:42:30] Sure the acting was good as it could be especially for Pat Maria you know Mr. Miyagi I was one of the highlights in this film and sure you know you guys are gonna say something too about it but seeing Mr. Miyagi again was great especially after so many seasons Cobra cry where he's just in the background as a memory and you know it you know but he's ever present you get to see him again and.

[00:42:53] In this case I think the script like you were talking about is probably worse than the acting was they did the best they could with a have a dialogue.

[00:43:04] You know it was cliche for Mr. Miyagi but him there and having him say his thing and be himself was great. The dialogue for Julia I thought was rather annoying but to the point where it was making me laugh out loud.

[00:43:21] And then one of my favorite actor one of my favorite actor but I really have a soft spot for Michael Ironside who was yes because you know he's been in tons of sci-fi which is my favorite that reptile alien.

[00:43:34] Yeah he was he was fellow against character was going after thought it was his redoculous. Yes but he did a great job acting those.

[00:43:42] Yeah what he does yeah and the story has a few problems because we already know Mr. Miyagi we know how he does the aha moments and you know the moments that built the his relationship with Daniel in the first two movies or whatever.

[00:44:00] Are just basically repackaged here in the script is only so much you can do with that I think but I'm actually glad like rainbow was saying that 90% of the movie focused on Miyagi and Julie because it was good to see.

[00:44:13] Miyagi do this thing and the bad and beyond that the bad guys were just awful. Every time they cut to them I was like hey get back to the Miyagi Julie thing you know. Yeah they're so bad. Total evil for no reason. Yeah I was like an afterthought.

[00:44:32] It's like they forgot oh shit we forgot to put the alpha league. Oh wait we have to write something about a bad guy. Okay evil guy. All right I'm done. Hey what should we do let's put them. Let's let them repel out of the rafters at the end.

[00:44:49] Why? Because it would be cool. I think that was probably someone's complaint maybe a producer or something Rich like you were talking lack of action. There's a real lack of action let's have them drop bungee jump into the gym.

[00:45:06] But when you were saying like how the dialogue was bad but then you know it's just great to see Miyagi and yeah like I'm like this is so cliche this is so cliche and then I would get caught off guard like the moment where she puts on the gun.

[00:45:22] That dress and he says you're a beautiful woman and she and it's a that could be a creepy thing for an older man to say but I thought it was just touching you know and there's a tear coming down and she says thank you and all of a sudden I'm like this movie so silly and I'm like oh my god I'm so moved right now.

[00:45:40] You know I just I'm a sucker for that parental relationship kind of thing. Yeah me too now I mean.

[00:45:47] And then also in that same vein that was was it close to the same scene she said something like you know Mr. Maggie and stupidity enough kid you made a great parent. Yeah I was like oh yeah because his family died. Yeah she had no idea.

[00:46:06] No but she didn't know but it's just like that was a good one. Yeah he's like screw you. No beautiful no more. All right. What do you got. Well I decided to start off with the issues that I did have.

[00:46:27] Like I said I tried to you know I know this is not great for all the things that you said Rich I totally agree the dialogue was just weird. You know and I'm like how you'd really would you really say that you know people really talk that way.

[00:46:42] Yeah. So I agree with all of that my biggest issue I think was the alpha elite this weird school security thing that that they had that it seemed like all the boys were all freaking sociopaths. Yeah.

[00:47:01] I'm like are there really that many guys that are that like bad and they all you know there's a group made just for them. Plus the crew down at the convenience store also psychos.

[00:47:10] Yeah a lot of a lot of very bad guys in this film but it was like do they actually go to any classes they just seem to always be lurking about in the halls they even say after school to catch Julie when she's sneaking around like is that really like what you're into you have nothing else better to do than be these you know psycho hall monitors.

[00:47:36] And why like he just keeps saying you're my you should be mine like I felt like he was going to rape her or something.

[00:47:43] There was a lot wrong with their his interactions with Julie for sure and yeah I'll have I think more to say about that too but you know with Cobra Kai what makes it fun is the villains are always a little over the top you know crease was a little over the top and then it kind of went a little bit further.

[00:48:05] And cry to get to and then of course in three we got Terry Silver which was about as over the top as you could get but they were pretty darn lousy I mean this was just too far over the top in my opinion.

[00:48:17] I didn't it didn't make sense to me why they were needed this this alpha elite group you know this seemed like a really good school in a good neighborhood it wasn't like they were in a bad neighborhood where they needed some extra security or something like that.

[00:48:32] It just seemed like your worst problem is somebody littering in the hallway and you know if someone drops a piece of paper you're going to make him eat it like it just it was like no sense to the level of you know that they took things it was like everything was so extreme with them and then like you pointed out like the bungee jumping up prom like.

[00:48:54] What why are we doing this it made zero sense so I had a huge issue with with this alpha elite look this bunch of brads and chads.

[00:49:04] You know down the hallway in their matching black t shirts you know and all eating lunch together and it just it was absolutely over the top so that was one of my biggest issues with that and then those the group there at the gas station to was yeah you know they were pretty over the top and also pretty length.

[00:49:23] And yeah I mean it's so just like they're like.

[00:49:28] Our dog is freaking out this girl that's so cool and then Miyagi comes in just with the right attitude like that dog whisper guy that used to be on TV and the dogs all docile and they're like hey you made a dog come.

[00:49:41] I'm gonna beat you up like what. Yeah it's like it's like a lame excuse for a Miyagi fight. Yeah you know we gotta see me.

[00:49:49] That's where one of the big falling down points of this movie is is the reason for conflict they just clearly were like we need somebody for Julie and fight it doesn't matter why just stick these assholes in there that are harassing them for no reason.

[00:50:05] Yeah exactly it's like on the script it says insert conflict here is like. And it makes you feel like it's lazy writing I you know that's an insult but it seems well deserved for this movie and it's kind of insulting to our intelligence.

[00:50:22] Yeah I agree I was actually I kind of when I watch movies there's not a whole lot of thinking you know in reflection on my part I just watching it I just do that my mind is blank I'm soaking in and but then in this one afterwards I was like really.

[00:50:40] I was like what the hell is that all about. But Alphalink Jesus Christ why are we even in the movie you know.

[00:50:47] Well when the first the guy Ned I think his name is the main bad guy he comes in and when Julie's just by herself and he rips her earbuds out he's getting up in her face grabbing or shouting in her in a face and telling her that she should be with him.

[00:51:01] I'm like have you ever has anyone ever gotten to date that way right like what the fuck and it almost felt like I probably reading into it but Hillary Swank was like chill out dude like just a movie.

[00:51:19] I'm glad she was she was as angry and as defined as she was at that point I'm glad she rejected him the way she did. Yeah.

[00:51:27] Yeah absolutely yeah that was just over the top and gross I'm like gosh if you think that that's how you get girls to like date you than the ones that are actually going out with you or meeting you at the docks which I guess was like the cool thing to do there.

[00:51:43] What do they do go down there and get it on on the right on the dock or what. It doesn't sound very consensual like if they're doing it because they're afraid of you. You know it's just not good.

[00:51:55] It's so it's just over the top that it's just ridiculous and it's not entertaining it's just dumb. Thank you Rima you just said over the top and gross that was perfect. So my I'll do a new point.

[00:52:10] Mr. Miyagi deciding to take Julie on so this woman so he's there for it's like a remembrance because of his army troop back in World War II and he's with the widow of his commanding officer Louise and Julie's her granddaughter and it's clear as soon as he goes over to her

[00:52:21] house that Louise and Julie aren't getting along and Julie's just angry and yelling at her and won't listen to her and everything and he's kind of rude to Miyagi to which actually reminded me a little bit of how Miyagi was with Daniel at first just kind of dismissive.

[00:52:35] But I love that he just right away is like oh I'm going to get him and then I'm going to get him and I'm going to get him and then I'm going to get him.

[00:52:41] So he's just kind of rude to Miyagi to which actually reminded me a little bit of how Miyagi was with Daniel at first just kind of dismissive. But I love that he just right away is like oh you go stay at my house I'll take care of this.

[00:52:55] Like because he was reluctant to take on Daniel you know at first and but now he's like I'm really good at this now I just jump in and and you know Dan he resisted with Daniel but his compassion overcame him but now he's just like

[00:53:10] you know he started a service like substitute father service or something. Life coach for teens. Wax cards.

[00:53:21] So it's another Daniel Miyagi dynamic with the two of them but it was interesting how they well I wouldn't say interesting but they really wanted to focus on it's different because she's a girl which is why they had him walk in on her

[00:53:36] and then be really embarrassed and it's like usually with Daniel we just walk in on each other naked all the time and it doesn't matter. What. What's going on in that dojo.

[00:53:53] And the tagline for the movie is who says the good guy has to be a guy so back then it was like more of a marketing thing to say look it's a girl in a movie. Yeah well I mean wasn't that kind of rare back in the 90s.

[00:54:06] I think so yeah. They have a female lead like that be strong I guess maybe not I don't know Disney did it a lot huh. Yeah it was rarer than it is now.

[00:54:18] But I think I was just trying to think how the story was different because it was a girl maybe what you're saying Rima about the focus being more on what did you say not on learning to fight but learning. Like on her journey to like find peace.

[00:54:43] Yeah actually that doesn't have any gender it was just her situation that she was really upset about her parents dying that could have been any gender but anyway it did have a different vibe I think Miyagi was actually harsher with Daniel you know he would jab at him and tease him

[00:54:56] and push him and dismiss him you know and force him to do a lot of work without telling him why and stuff like that he just had a little bit more of a vibe with Julie like trying to be more gentle for the most part not always I mean they did he did have monks throw big sand bags out of stuff like that.

[00:55:16] He did say at 1.2 that girls are harder than boys but yeah I don't in my experience I didn't know being the opposite I don't know.

[00:55:23] My girls are a lot easier and I think the boys were and saying that I just think they were just that line was in there because they were like we need to find some justification why it's interesting that it's a girl but he had just as much of a hard time with Daniel as you would Julie I would say.

[00:55:40] If not harder especially in three when Daniel was like coked up and angry. So I was a short one what do you got rich. So I gotta say some more about Julie son.

[00:55:53] By the end of the movie you know I felt like I saw a positive journey with a character of Julie son to expand on what Rima was saying you know her and Miyagi's Odyssey which was like most of what the movie was about is to find that inner peace.

[00:56:13] As you said and and balance in her life after her parents were killed which is pretty serious you know our parents were killed in a crash car in a car accident. I thought they did a pretty good job of fully hashing that out.

[00:56:28] Yeah I got a little boring at times they took their time with that story but I feel like it worked you know she went from always angry to happy and smiley which actually resonates with me because in my in my case.

[00:56:43] I had a great experience in my career with teens that doesn't really happen that often usually the kids that are you know I've had shit happen and just get angry or angry or early they ever actually find someone to help make them happy but.

[00:56:57] So I thought that was actually great it kind of resonated with me and she was.

[00:57:02] And then her character also was the only one that made me laugh out loud a couple of times in this in this movie it was mostly just how she decided or chose to deliver on you know you being her debut.

[00:57:16] Major motion picture you know she I don't know maybe it was an experience but she delivered lines like I feel like a normal teenager would deliver her lines that made me crack up there was a couple of maybe really laugh like one was.

[00:57:31] He and his cliche dialogue was always saying doing his ism says philosophy and his ideology you know and then she'd be like you know I wish he would just give me an answer I could understand. Yeah right.

[00:57:44] I mean I think people saw her in this and we're like wow that was not a great movie but she's great let's give her some good roles.

[00:57:52] Yeah she was good she was good cracked me this is not I think Reema you said earlier too that's not the kind of dialogue you'd normally hear in movies though that's like that's like a real talk you don't normally hear real talking

[00:58:04] movies easily say something else you know but another one was when they were in the monastery and she was going to smash the bug and they were like no no no you don't smash bug every life is you know sacred and she's like well that's a stupid role.

[00:58:23] Like yeah.

[00:58:25] But her character she did is about I think the maximum and as best as you could do with that character and she delivered lines about as well as you could deliver those kinds of lines and in the end I felt that you know she had a beginning and an end and we went on a journey with them and it ended up being okay.

[00:58:48] Yeah I liked it. Yeah and I don't think I fully consciously thought of it but the way that her mood evolved throughout the movie it did feel good to just to witness it you know. Yeah look at her in the beginning.

[00:59:03] Yeah as compared to the end you know she's like pissed off at the beginning. And in pain. Yeah and she's free like the bird you know that's the obvious metaphor the hawk is like her wounded but then free at the end. Yeah she has a pretty smile.

[00:59:18] She got some choppers. She had a pretty smile and she at the end had a you know the classic prom you know perfect prom or almost perfect prom and everything was funky Doria you're happy for her.

[00:59:32] I mean honestly if our prom had bungee jumpers that would have just made it better. Yeah tie schoolers it doesn't matter how stupid and random that is. Oh that is cool. I want to do that. Yep. Rima. That was all great. It really took me back.

[00:59:57] My prom is in 94 so definitely live in you know a moment there. Yeah we did not have bungee jumpers. Your prom is boring. It was it was lame compared to that.

[01:00:10] Well my second point you know I started off with things that had issues with and you know like I said it wasn't all bad.

[01:00:18] There were some really great things that happened and there were some scenes that had some heart so that's what I wanted to focus on for my second point.

[01:00:26] And one of those scenes was you know when she's training at the monastery at night and she turns on her boom box and cranberries come on.

[01:00:36] And you know so she's she's practicing and then all of a sudden the monks open the door and they start to join her and.

[01:00:43] She's like oh my gosh oh my gosh I'm so sorry you know thinking that she's committed another faux pas you know we've already had the bug incident and she's thinking she's offended them or done something wrong and she takes off and then they turn around and turn it on and they start doing their little dance and she's like what's going on and.

[01:01:01] I love when Miyagi tells her never trust a spiritual leader who cannot dance. It was really sweet.

[01:01:08] I thought it was a really nice little moment that I think you know Miyagi is like trying to demonstrate maybe the monks are also because they're I feel like they're also teaching her.

[01:01:19] I'm not just Miyagi but I think that they were you know trying to you know let her know that it's like OK to express her emotion.

[01:01:27] I feel like she wasn't I mean she was angry yes but you know that it was OK to you know be emotionally expressive in that way.

[01:01:35] The second scene that really I thought was really touching was when Miyagi was teaching Julie the waltz you know he kind of folder into thinking it was a new guitar combination but instead it was really just a waltz and you know just how.

[01:01:54] Just the expression on her face when she realized like I'm dancing and I can dance and I thought it was really cute because you know Miyagi was kind of stepping in is this like grandfather Lee figure for her.

[01:02:07] And you know it was just a sweet moment and I really saw the chemistry between Hillary Swank and Pat Merida there and I just and I thought man.

[01:02:20] You know if the movie was written a little bit differently if the dialogue was written just a little differently they make some tweaks and changes think of how great.

[01:02:28] The movie could have really been I mean Hillary Swank is a great she won two Oscars she's had a really great career she was I mean obviously a lot of raw talent in this movie.

[01:02:37] She was really great Pat Merida long time actor he's really great they had really great chemistry in these scenes and it's unfortunate that we only got little pieces of it instead you know of the entire movie.

[01:02:49] And yeah so I thought that was definitely lost opportunity there but I thought that was really really sweet.

[01:02:55] And then Jason seen that you called out whenever you know he sees her all dressed up for the problem and he goes up and sees her and you know they're both really emotional and you know they're kind of at this point where she's.

[01:03:10] Kind of allowing herself to experience this milestone and she's kind of getting back to her life she seemed kind of stuck and frozen there at the beginning of the movie she was stuck in her emotions.

[01:03:19] She couldn't move forward she was stuck in grief and everything that she had been through with Mr. Miyagi him you know all these things he was teaching her you know she was allowed to like.

[01:03:28] Like free to move on and like live her life I thought was just beautiful and again another moment where we got to see that chemistry between the two and yeah I was in tears.

[01:03:41] That's a great point yeah she really did hey Luria Swank seemed like she was real genuine huh like she was really in the moment. It felt like it really enjoyed me yeah.

[01:03:51] She was angry she was like really angry but she was enjoying herself she was really enjoying herself. Yeah that maybe that's why I thought she was genuinely offended by the actor who played Ned because she just acted so well I believed it.

[01:04:06] But I had a 30 year old playing a 16 year old. Gosh I know classic 90s yeah you're making me like it a little bit more because I think you're right that he was trying to just get her to enjoy life again you know.

[01:04:25] She's in this place where she's talking about being aimless and and I do recognize that feeling of when things aren't going well and you start falling behind like she is in school and you're just like oh God I don't even care anymore like.

[01:04:38] And then the more you don't care the more you fall behind and it just seems like a bigger weight on you and you just want to say I don't know what to do fuck it all or whatever it just that's a dark dark place to be and that's where she is and he's just trying to bring back her spirit right and so dancing and I guess.

[01:04:55] I thought it was I thought it was kind of silly that the nuns monks just broke out in this choreographed routine to this song that she just happened to be playing but the point of it the good side is that yeah it's just bringing her back into this place of play.

[01:05:09] And I also didn't quite understand why all of a sudden she's babysitting all of a sudden and kids are throwing shit at her and then she goes back to me agi and she's like you plan that and I'm like planned what like yeah he planned for you to go babysit so you could make some money.

[01:05:23] But I guess maybe the point is just to get her playing you know yeah.

[01:05:29] She's a teen too she's not really up to speed on how things really work but yeah the monks the monk thing and the alpha league thing all of that is just like I don't know this is so disjointed it was so compartmentalizing now it's like oh wait we got to put in some bad guys away we got to put in some comic relief you know.

[01:05:48] Right yeah. It could if it was blended a little better we got a little more backstory about stuff it would have been much better. Yeah it felt scattered and unfocused. Yeah. I don't I don't disagree with that at all but I think because.

[01:06:06] I think me agi realizes pretty early on that Julie is not Daniel and he cannot take the same approach to teaching Julie the same as he did Daniel you know.

[01:06:21] Daniel and girls and boys are different but still they're still two different people yeah she needs something different she's having a different problem.

[01:06:30] Yeah so when he tries to like when he tried to do the whole wax on wax off thing with her that didn't quite work and I think he realized he had to take a different approach and I think that the babysitting.

[01:06:42] I think was a little bit of part of that he had to I think bring in new techniques while he was still trying to train her and I think that you know he was trying to teach your patients.

[01:06:52] You know and I think that part of that was having her babysit those kids was you know she had to kind of hold her own against these three crazy boys you know that she had to.

[01:07:05] That she had to take care of and I think he had to keep changing his teaching style to meet her needs and what was going to work for her versus what worked for Daniel and I think it was that was one cool thing about the movie was that he was like oh this is a great idea.

[01:07:21] This isn't going to work I have to change what I do and he was modifying his training to help guide her toward success because not every student learns in the same way you can't.

[01:07:29] You know teaching and rich you probably speak to this way better than I can you know it's not a carbon copy for all kids kids learn you know in different ways.

[01:07:37] There are different problems like I said she was feeling so angry and overwhelmed and aimless and Daniel was a new person in a new place and being bullied you know and feeling like he didn't know how he fit in there and he needed some kind of a foundation where she needed to feel like the joy of life again.

[01:08:07] You know and to calm down that anger like you said be find some peace I mean they both have similarities they both have missing parents and that's where one of the themes of karate kid does come out here to just missing parents needing a role models like that.

[01:08:24] Yeah. So my next point is people not talking or acting like real people.

[01:08:31] I thought the first sign that it was going to be not so great in that regard as when grandma Louise says you know where are you going Susan and Julie says my name is Julie my mother's name was Susan she was killed in a car accident with my father and they're both dead so stop trying to bring them back I'm like that's exposition.

[01:08:51] That's corn.

[01:08:55] And then when Julie is like a costing or just not a costing but she's like what's his name Eric sees the Hawk and she keeps following around what are you going to do what are you going to do and and then you know she's threatening him if he tells all have 48 pizzas delivered to your house and all this stuff and I'm like this just doesn't seem like an interaction that two people would really have.

[01:09:20] I thought it was smart of him not to answer her because he's into her and she seems clearly to want an answer so a good way to keep her sort of interested in him is to be mysterious about that for a little while.

[01:09:33] And then she gets in his car. Fine I'm going to get in your car okay and then he drives her to work in the train yard and she's just like cool with it whatever. Yeah.

[01:09:45] A little bit of pause to him like you probably shouldn't be getting his car.

[01:09:50] And then and then they get there and he's like come up on the train you can see the top of the world up here and really on a train and then the sappy music plays and he gives us a backstory about his absent father and being dreams of being a fighter pilot it was like after school special cliche vibes.

[01:10:10] In Boston the flattest city on earth. And then and you're like six feet up though.

[01:10:18] And then Julie's been pretty clammed up but then suddenly with me agi she's like my mother was a beautiful woman whenever I watched her get dressed for a party I thought she looked like a magical princess my father loved her he was wise and funny and kind it wasn't right that they were killed it wasn't fair.

[01:10:33] That reminds me of people who listen to me talk about fear the walking dead where they just sort of read out their characteristics it just doesn't feel like somebody something that someone would say I used to see them so bright in my mind so clear now I have these photographs it just feels very very cliche to me maybe I'm heartless but I wasn't feeling it when people just start being really explicit about those kinds of things.

[01:11:00] The babysitting I thought was weird. The monks when one they go to see the monks and one of the monks starts ringing the big bell and Julie freaks out goes running Mr. Miyagi there's a bell.

[01:11:18] Like what why do you care what why are you running around running into little confused too like what maybe she just got woken up it too quickly.

[01:11:29] She was in the middle of a night terror or something and then she catches him meditating and I did like that he kind of ignored her for a bit meditating but then he broke broke it and said good morning. That was cute.

[01:11:43] When the school at the school all the guys are lined up again for torture class or whatever and someone comes up and says that Eric has a call for his mom so he breaks formation even though.

[01:11:55] What's the actor's name Michael Ironside he says he'll take away I'll take away your whole reason for being here if you break formation you know of the recommendation for the Air Force and he just goes and then at the office you see him get grab the phone mom what's wrong and it's Julie Eric it's me Julie and he goes oh hey what's up like.

[01:12:14] It doesn't care that he just like ruined his whole life to take this phone call. Through my chances to get into the Air Force man. Thanks a lot.

[01:12:27] Miyagi has a monk shoot an arrow at him and catches it in front of his chest and I'm like what movie are we watching now like is this some Marvel movie or something. Yeah that was another thing huh it's like what it was cool but it's like.

[01:12:39] It doesn't really fit in this movie it's over the top.

[01:12:43] Julie goes back home and she after the whole monastery thing and then Eric's like where were you and she's like I can't tell you why not because you never believe me I'm like just tell him you were at a monastery why would he not believe that.

[01:12:59] Probably wouldn't even know what that is. What's a monastery. There's monks. Yeah maybe she should have said I don't think you would understand it because you're not worldly.

[01:13:11] There's a lot of goofy humor that I feel like undermines character because they're going for a joke but it's not really what someone would say like when.

[01:13:19] When Dougan is first threatening and kind of beating up Eric out on the field at school and Miyagi's there and so he steps in and tells him the story of the angry bull.

[01:13:32] And then they had a festival and it became soup and I'm like he threatened him you know Miyagi doesn't threaten people so. Also I would have curled doing understood that whole story. Yeah he's just sitting over where you get to the point.

[01:13:49] And then when Miyagi goes to the dress store to get a dress from Julie first off why is Julie not there to help pick out her freaking prom dress.

[01:14:02] That's dumb and then the saleswoman says what kind of girl is she trendy conservative and he's all girl have good spitting back kick but need work on swordhand I'm like hardy har har. Yeah. Also a while I'm picking I didn't think the dress was all that great.

[01:14:20] And also it would not be the perfect fit. I can tell you that. I only have a couple more Eric going the wrong way down to one way street because he can't stop looking at her dress.

[01:14:33] So dumb or or when they get to the dance floor and she starts doing your punch moves. I'm just like picturing the right or go home this is going to be really funny. But hey man you talk about classic 90s stuff. I don't know.

[01:14:53] See because my memory of this movie I loved karate kid was probably my favorite movie at the time. I this one came out. I got Eric to come my friend with Richard Eric to come and see it with me.

[01:15:09] And he was just sort of smirking the whole way through. And I was like wanting to like it because I loved karate kid. And when it was over you know I'm like well I had some moments and he's like whatever.

[01:15:21] And then he was just laughing the most at Julie jumping up on that car when she was out in the street. And I'm like why she had good reflexes. And he was just like whatever dude.

[01:15:32] And then about I don't know when in 2011 when my when Jenny was pregnant with Nico I was taking a walk by myself and I walked across this wide street and this car coming at me didn't see the light his light was red.

[01:15:51] And he screeches on his brakes and he comes right through the crosswalk and I jumped up and I didn't land on the hood my the front of the car hit my legs and I fell over the hood.

[01:16:04] But I jumped up enough if I would have just been standing there it would have just crashed right into me and I thought about Julie.

[01:16:11] I thought about Hillary Swank in that moment you know and I was laying on the road with my coffee spilled and the guy gets out of the car. Are you OK? Are you OK? And you're like see? See Eric I called him up on my cell phone.

[01:16:25] That's awesome dude I had a similar situation but it was my own brother.

[01:16:30] We were around and he backed up out of the we were just screwing around and he was like I was like come on come on like this through his rearview mirror because he was in his car trying to I was blocking him from backing up out of the driveway so he just like throws it in reverse and just floors it.

[01:16:45] And I jumped up just like you're you're saying right but instead of landing on the hood I just went through the back windshield landed in the back seat in the back. Broken glass everywhere but I'm like well it didn't work out like I thought was going to.

[01:17:00] Whose car is that? His he had an old like 1980s Mustang. I tell you is one of many one of many times my mom comes running out of the house just like. You're grounded by the rap. Hi for boys. Yeah we're dumb memories.

[01:17:18] We're really dumb but it was fun and we're still alive so when we win. All right Richard you got any more. Yeah OK so positive positive positive now. Let's talk about that. Boss fight at the end. Jesus Christ. What the hell was that all about.

[01:17:38] I don't know about you guys but to me it just doesn't seem like they put much effort into that scene. My biggest gripe about that was Colonel Dugan. I mean Michael Ironside look what you got there dude use them utilize them.

[01:17:52] I mean he couldn't have telegraphed his punches. He couldn't have telegraphed his punches. He couldn't have telegraphed his punches. Anymore obviously it was like. It was like it was like he was literally saying OK hold on me I'll get me to punch you now don't move here comes.

[01:18:12] Stay right there. It's like watching a Saturday night live skit about how instructors come at you in a self-defense class is that you know like. Slow and animated is like oh.

[01:18:25] You know I thought I was anti climatic everything was predictable there just seemed like they tried very hard there wasn't even any badass karate moves which was kind of my kind of another major point it's like yeah this is a movie about karate right.

[01:18:40] Well maybe not I don't know now that we've been talking about it maybe it really wasn't but. Well it should have been though it's the next karate kid.

[01:18:48] Yeah it was it was lacking I thought I thought I could have used a lot more you have Michael Ironside you have Hillary's and give him the three best actors in the movie and I don't know it felt like a throw away.

[01:19:05] Yeah and Hillary Swank one of the things I liked about it. Is she clearly was better at this stuff than Ralph Machio was when he was a kid.

[01:19:15] She had good moves and she was limber and everything and so they could have really used her more in that regard had more fun. Yeah it could have been much more choreographed it could have been a much better choreographed yeah. Oh yeah the fight choreography was terrible.

[01:19:32] The one thing I thought they did do is a lot of kicks. I love karate kicks. Watching people get kicked I don't know why but you know that was the majority of the fight they were kicking each other so that was cool. She kicked high.

[01:19:45] Yeah that was my kick she had. Did she she kicked high? She was doing like roundhouse or something. Oh yeah she looked at her. Yeah she looked at her. Yeah karate chop with her leg. That was the big move.

[01:20:00] Every karate kid movie has a special move and hers was a flying kick but just like this kid Eric they bungee down in the prom and then he leaves.

[01:20:13] He's uncomfortable and then the Ned guy says something about Julie meeting at the dock and then Eric says I'm going to go settle this once and for all and I'm like okay so you know that he wants to get a kick.

[01:20:30] And then he wants her to go to the dock which at night no one's going to be around and he's got all his friends with him and you're going to go confront him there right now after like that's really dumb.

[01:20:42] And then he goes there and of course they come out and start beating the shit out of him and I'm like yeah what do you think was going to happen? Yeah it was good.

[01:20:49] And they blow up his car and the teacher's there and I'm like okay yeah like your teacher blew up your car and then and then they're all like what is it?

[01:21:00] They were going, Miyagi yeah he was doing that thing where he's like your advantage here so it was almost like karate kid one where he's trying to set it up as a one on one fight.

[01:21:09] And then Julie says I because the problem seems to be between Eric and Ned at this point but then Julie steps up and goes I want to fight Ned.

[01:21:18] And everyone's like no no no no and she's like if I'm ever going to respect myself I have to do this and Eric's like no she's going to get hurt and Miyagi's like no she's right now is the time.

[01:21:26] And then like really like they just blew up this kid's car the teacher and he told his students basically to kill this kid Eric and you think it's time for a fight? I think you should do what you said a second ago and go call the police.

[01:21:39] So I don't know I guess I'm being nitpicky because it's supposed to be a boss fight at the end and they have to fight but it was just so ridiculous to me.

[01:21:45] Well it just the nonsensical scene as a total you know just amplifies those kind of things and so yeah I think you're right.

[01:21:55] It's like so Miyagi's philosophy and ideology is you should never fight unless you have to but thing is you're always going to have to so let's fight.

[01:22:08] Yeah and I liked at the end when he said he didn't want to celebrate and he's saying fighting is ever good you know and that's always the hypocrisy of this movie that they try to have this philosophy that you should never fight but they know that we want to see.

[01:22:21] Yeah at least I want to see Daniel kick Johnny right in the face at the end.

[01:22:25] Anyway he's saying no fighting no good and then she's like come on in minute we kick some butt and he goes Julie son fighting not good but if must fight win and winks at her and I kind of like that that was.

[01:22:37] The other half of that too though is it is the ending it's like fight fight bad fight bad choreographed bad fight and then just ended. Like what yeah well yeah I did seem kind of an abrupt no.

[01:22:52] So that meant that Julie was free now and then the grandma was never heard from again grandma. Yeah grandma never comes back.

[01:23:00] Come back with it swap houses do Maliki go home what's going on with the boyfriend the teacher get fired I mean it's like right zero closure doesn't matter they won the fight. Yeah. All right. Any more Rima. I'm just a small last point and.

[01:23:24] Wanted to just kind of talk about all the hate that the movie did get and. I'm sure there's a lot of reasons and we've talked about a lot of reasons why.

[01:23:34] There's some not so great things in this movie but I feel like what I was seeing over and over again or at least like when the movie came out if you go back and look.

[01:23:42] I feel like a lot of it just had to do with the fact that it was a girl in a cry to kid movie and.

[01:23:51] That you know Julie's not well like she's rude she's prickly and I hate that I hate that when you know people are just like oh don't like this teen girl she's just unlikeable.

[01:24:03] I hate that because I'm like well Daniel was just as rude and prickly in my opinion in the first cry to kid like he was a bit of a jerk.

[01:24:12] You know multiple times you know he changed I'd like him now but I didn't like Daniel first off either and I mean it's pretty justified why she's so upset you talked about earlier rich you know she's she's got anger issues she's had to adjust to a different way of living she's now living with her grandmother.

[01:24:32] She's in a new city she's at a new school.

[01:24:35] You know she's lost her parents there's there's a lot going on there that's a lot at once and I could find myself relating in certain ways to how she was feeling I went through similar things I had to change schools later in life where it's harder to adjust you know it's it's not ever easy but you know when you're a lot smaller it can be a little easier but when you're older.

[01:24:56] And you've established your friendships and you have to just all of a sudden move in new circumstances kind of sucks I definitely had a chip on my shoulder. When that happened to me.

[01:25:07] I think that was not I'm not saying like a particular you know group of people I just mean I think that was where some of the the. Back. Yeah for the movie I'm sorry. Yeah audience back in when the movie was released.

[01:25:24] And then to add on to everything that she's got going on you know in her personal life all these abrupt changes and losing her parents and she's in pain and when people who are in pain they do act out.

[01:25:36] As she has now she's also got this frickin bully brigade at her school that they're completely tear I mean I was like scared of those guys I mean this wasn't just like a bully like being assholes.

[01:25:50] These guys were like physically and sexually harassing her you know and that's scary so she's also dealing with that. And the teachers don't even think about believing her like when he said that she was smoking and she's no I wasn't he just believes the boy.

[01:26:06] No this this dude Dugan seems to even control the principal because he's like you know this is what you're going to do because he seems to want to give her the benefit of the doubt and he's like no and the principal's like.

[01:26:19] Okay he just kind of puts his head down like okay and I'm like are you kidding me he was running the school seems to be this alpha elite group.

[01:26:29] You know so she's she's got all this antagonism coming from all angles so it's like yeah that might be why you know she has the kind of attitude that she has in the beginning and I think it makes all this going on makes it hard for her to connect with Mr.

[01:26:42] Miyagi and her grandfather and you know and her one solace was taking care of that Hawk.

[01:26:50] You know and that's where where she like felt that peace and I feel like the difference with this I know that there wasn't as much karate in the film but it the difference was is.

[01:27:03] Like with Daniel he was training to fight for a tournament Julie was fighting or learning to fight because she had because of the world she's having to be in this misogynistic world and we're still there I mean women still have to fight misogyny like every single day and I think that's what part of what you know the point of Julie fighting it wasn't fighting for this tournament it was these life skills.

[01:27:33] To be able to put up with that and deal with that in everyday life.

[01:27:38] And that would have been why Daniel needed to fight except the Augie went into the dojo and convinced the teacher to tell his students to stop trying to kill him until the tournament but yeah.

[01:27:49] Yeah and as you know throughout the movie I kept saying to myself where's the karate where's the karate where's the fighting and then but as we've been talking about it really now I'm like they can maybe that.

[01:27:59] Maybe that wasn't what the movie was about you know did she really fight she just had to defend herself like well they kept a costing her. Yeah you know I mean physically.

[01:28:12] That one kid yeah well and I don't think it was so much I do think she didn't need to learn how to like defend herself because the dude was coming at her means like physically grabbing her.

[01:28:22] And the teachers weren't helping yeah that's what she said I want to learn karate in case those kids harass me anymore.

[01:28:28] Yeah so I mean but that's the thing is like she's that's the kind of harassment that she's dealing with it's not so much bullies it's it's this you know physical and sexual harassment like for men I think was a big part of you know helping train her to kind of how to handle herself and how to take up for herself and having some kind of self defense that when she she.

[01:28:49] When something like that does happen then she can take care of it and it's not just like in this circumstance it really does just like prepare her for life because it just doesn't go away it.

[01:28:59] Women it's not just like one incident you deal with it like all the time.

[01:29:03] Yeah I mean it really was yeah because with the guy Ned he there were sexual overtones there for sure he kept trying to get her to be with him and grabbing at her and even at the convenience store it felt like that a little bit too sleazy.

[01:29:18] You know you're not gonna go anywhere to say like that kind of thing maybe that was part of the anticlimactic boss fight at the end you know maybe it would have been better if. Like she just kicked his ass on his on her own.

[01:29:32] Although it's fun to see me I'll get kick the other guy kick kick doogins ass to.

[01:29:38] Oh yeah it's always good to see me like you fight but I don't know that it just it just bothers me anytime I see and again I know that there's probably lots of different reasons why people didn't like the movie whenever it came out or maybe even don't like it today.

[01:29:52] And there's a lot of valid reasons but I always just dislike anytime someone is like you know we've got a girl in like what they consider you know a man's friend franchise and can't see women taking a lead role in a film or franchise and it's like man giving girls something doesn't take anything away from the boys and it's just super annoying and I felt like that's where some of the backlash came from with the movie and to me is always annoying.

[01:30:22] Probably right. I never felt that way about it. I wanted to like it. I liked the character. I don't ever remember being like oh this is annoying character. It made sense that she was mad and I didn't begrudge her for it at all.

[01:30:36] I just thought the writing stunk you know and and I came out of it trying to defend it but over time realize that's not great. Oh no no and I'm certainly not saying that about about y'all. I said it.

[01:30:48] I think it's you know it's just a part of like gosh you see it in like Star Wars.

[01:30:52] Star Wars has gotten so bad now it's gotten to be such a toxic fandom anytime you see you know women coming to lead roles and all of a sudden you've got a minority they're just like don't give it to you.

[01:31:05] And they'll go in and they'll like review bomb it to death and I think that happened with this movie too even way back then this was like one of the first movies that they kind of did that with where it's like just review bombing the crap out of it.

[01:31:17] Before it's even released. Yeah. Stupid.

[01:31:20] It is so dumb it just it bothers crap out of me so that sorry I got on a little bit of a soapbox there but it was like this was back in 94 I mean it's been going on since then this was just you know. Absolutely.

[01:31:34] It has a completely valid point. Yeah. I'm happy to say that I've never been like that personally I've always loved strong dominating women. I've been saying that for years.

[01:31:45] Fancy maybe a little bit of fancy there but also you know every time I play a video game all my characters are girls like tell you that they're badass.

[01:31:55] And I like how in Cobra Kai they've given at least among the kids some of the girls some good story and made them you know be their own characters and not just function as a girlfriend or something like that. Yeah. Cobra Kai has been really good at that.

[01:32:13] You know it's coming around to you I think there's there's a lot of shows that are getting better at doing that. Yes I do too. Yeah absolutely. It's just that's all the good things just like get these fandoms they're just they get so toxic and that's what bothers.

[01:32:26] Masculinity. Some guys are fragile. I know it's just you know this movie just proves it's like you know a teenage girl can take off a guy one time and they'll carry that forever until the day they die. Yeah like you're gonna have many more experiences you know.

[01:32:47] All right man don't base your life on one experience. Yeah. Okay I have a few more points one is the hawk. Angel. You got shot in the wing and Julie founder in the grass and is nursing your back to health and it's cool.

[01:33:04] It's a cool story but also I'm like how do you know how to handle a hawk. How do you know how to dress a hawk wound.

[01:33:12] Where did you get that leather hawk handling glove and leash and it's just super convenient there's a big spacious bird cage on the roof because the janitor used to keep pigeons up there. Why did he keep pigeon up there. Where are the pigeons.

[01:33:25] How did Julie know about the pigeons then when Ned calls animal control to take the take the hawk you know Eric and Julia up there on the roof and the hawks gone and I thought it was funny that Ned who's this total psycho.

[01:33:38] You know they're like what'd you do with the hawk and he's like oh I called animal control and I'm like that is the responsible thing to do. You did the right thing.

[01:33:46] Then Julie goes to the animal shelter and just walks out with the hawk no problem and the hawks are protected under federal laws.

[01:33:53] And so you know you should call the animal control or like some agency license while life rehabilitation and generally animal shelters won't just release a hawk anyone you have to have a license to be able to handle it. I mean I'm probably being that picky but.

[01:34:09] I did laugh out loud at that one too you're right. I called the animal shelter and they came and took him to the clinic he's fine. Wow OK thank you that was a bit of an exposition there. Yeah it's like oh OK I'll go get him thanks.

[01:34:27] It was a weird cut too like a weird cut from that scene to then they're walking out of. Smile. The collective audience sigh you know it's like oh the hawk is OK. Right yeah.

[01:34:40] At the end you know Miyagi does his magical hand clap healing method on the hawk wing and it flies off and I'm like it's a good thing that worked and it didn't just like nose dive into the lake. That would have been bad.

[01:34:55] And then she goes you healed her Mr. Miyagi. No Angel healed self and I'm like well why did you do the hand thing. But your faith gave her the courage to fly and that's that is nice.

[01:35:05] It's an on the nose metaphor but it's about Miyagi having faith in Julie so she will have space to heal and I like that story and I like the hawk as a metaphor for her feeling. Yeah I get it. It was all symbolism. It was nice.

[01:35:24] Symbolic but yeah again kind of awkwardly and inserted into the whole story. It's like why not just have a tiger or leopard or something. That'd be great. I have this gorilla. Yeah. I got this 500 pound gorilla up here in this cage was made for pigeons. Yeah.

[01:35:45] That's part two. So I have a few more points do you have anything else rich before we move on to notes. No just a few notes I think. Okay let me try to get through these.

[01:35:57] So like I said it feels a little vague scattered and unfocused at times. Like the fact that there is no tournament to drive to and that she's just learning karate. Because it makes it feel a little less focused.

[01:36:13] I mean it's a good reason why she needs to learn it but as far as the plot of the movie that makes it feel like it's not really driving to something. Maybe I'm unfairly comparing it to karate kid. I don't know.

[01:36:25] When she tells Eric she never thinks about the future not even five minutes into the future but she keeps repeating to Miyagi. I know where I'm going in my life and I don't need help to get there.

[01:36:36] I guess it's just a teenager thing right you just say that even though you don't really. And then she's actually aimless and doesn't need help. You mentioned that he's saying all his isms and I just think the isms weren't as pointed or powerful here.

[01:36:52] They were more cryptic in a way that made me feel like they just didn't work as well. Like saying ambition without knowledge is like a boat on dry land.

[01:37:02] You're saying if you don't have knowledge then you won't get anywhere but it's like okay so the water is the knowledge and you have to move through the water.

[01:37:09] It just requires a little bit too much thinking where with Daniel said if you walk in the middle of the road you'll get squished like a great walk on left side safe right side safe karate do or no do.

[01:37:21] Don't maybe or squish just like a great you know that's like okay that will guide me I understand that.

[01:37:28] There were a couple of times or after Miyagi says something I had to like rewind it and we're like what what yeah yeah and it's because they have a different rider. It felt like his accent was heavier too a little trouble understanding him hearing him.

[01:37:42] The monks I didn't love the monks they're okay but when she killed the cockroach and monks believe negative action can cause pain and it's a big dramatic moment with lesson about how it's stupid when gangs kill each other for no reason and I'm like really like it's just a cockroach.

[01:38:03] And then she goes I bet I bet you've killed a cockroach and he goes Miyagi don't live in monastery but still respect all living things now watch me catch a fly with these chopsticks.

[01:38:17] It makes you wonder what's in his food to it and it's also a little bit of a weird story beat to put in that she doesn't respect the life as much as she should when this other part of the story is that she's nursing this.

[01:38:30] Hawk back to life as wounded bird. Oh yeah that's right yeah they never came up on and then she brings this grasshopper to apologize about the cockroach and I thought the monk would be like can you just leave the insects alone like. Put it back in a tree.

[01:38:47] Oh yeah what did I say grasshopper yeah praying this yeah I've seen those things I find them creepy they're beautiful but.

[01:38:55] When her on her birthday she asks her wishes that the monks visit her in Boston and I'm like why you didn't connect really like is that really your wish.

[01:39:09] And then when the monks go bowling that is the scene I remember for some reason because I think I remember in the movie going OK I can't stand up for this movie anymore this is just too silly. Why is this in here.

[01:39:25] They could have just taken that all out I think yeah that that could have been taken out but it was cute. It was cute yeah but it felt like a lot of times. It just devolved into feeling like a goofy sitcom vibe to me.

[01:39:39] I by the way I had a former Thai monk staying at our house this week a friend of Jenny's and he said for 13 days he wasn't allowed to sleep but I'm like dude. Really well. All right and then I had one more point just things I liked.

[01:39:56] I've already talked about some things I liked but I had a point about it that they're in Boston which I love Boston it's beautiful I live there for a while.

[01:40:06] I remember thinking the East Coast it felt weird to have that East Coast vibe when the series had been associated with California before but that's fine and it's back to the side of the country where Daniel came from because he left Jersey in the first one.

[01:40:17] Also nobody had a Boston accent in the movie though. Yeah but you know what the lack of Boston accents. Well in my experience in Boston you only heard it in certain parts of town because it's very cosmopolitan.

[01:40:32] I think most of the acting was not actually all that great but except for Pat Marie to Hilary Swank and Michael Ironside.

[01:40:39] Yeah and I was surprised to see a young Walton Goggins as Charlie he's Boyd Crowder and justified and now in this new fallout he's Cooper Howard slash the ghoul. Have you seen that rich fallout? No not yet it's on my watch list. She watched it it's really good.

[01:40:58] Yeah. I thought it was cool when Julie revealed that her father taught her karate when she was a girl and then Miyagi told her it basically came from him he taught her grandpa and her grandpa called her dad that was a nice little connection.

[01:41:14] I smiled when Eric made Julie say she would miss him when she was away from Miyagi. Is he up on the train?

[01:41:27] Yeah and she's just like asking him to feed the hawk while she's gone and he's like I will if you admit that you miss me and it's a little pushy but it kind of got things rolling with them and she rolled her eyes and smiled you know and I just thought it was cute.

[01:41:44] I liked when Julie said to Miyagi how do you know when to fight and he said when you have full respect for self and respect for others because I think that's kind of about how right now she's coming from a place of anger and she probably shouldn't fight from that place.

[01:41:58] You should only fight when you're feeling calm and centered and you know you can judge the situation correctly not come from a place of emotion. That was nice.

[01:42:10] I like that she seemed to be using the same classic karate blocks that we've seen Daniel and Miyagi use a lot so it seemed like there was consistency there.

[01:42:21] And as I said I liked that Julie just seemed really better at it than Daniel it was Daniel always I always felt like I don't think he would do that well in the tournament but Julie seemed like she could do pretty good if she learned more karate.

[01:42:34] When he was tricking her into learning the waltz I thought it was a little silly that I don't think that would actually work but it was such a nice moment that it won me over and the song that's playing there.

[01:42:48] They play that in almost every karate kid thing it's called Fascination to Waltz by Marchetti for Modonte Marchetti. It's the same song that played when Daniel went to pick up Allie at the country club and she was dancing with Johnny and he got spaghetti all over him.

[01:43:05] And then in Karate Kid 2 when Chosin picks up Miyagi and Daniel from the airport it's playing in the car and then in Cobra Kai season 3 when Daniel, Amanda, Johnny and Allie go back to that country club for the Christmas party it's playing then so I like that they I don't know why they keep bringing back this song but nice little piece of continuity.

[01:43:24] And I liked when Miyagi said that he would drive Julie and Eric to the dance and she said it doesn't exactly work that way and he goes okay then Miyagi waited at home like anxious parent I like that he just came to give it. More like it. Yeah.

[01:43:40] And yeah I already said this but the thing I like the most was I was moved by their relationship especially when Julie started to come around and that old dress scene and it's just pretty emotional and nice and give it a nice heart and it made the movie worthwhile for me like I made me glad I watched it again.

[01:44:02] Yeah. That's all I had how about notes Rich. Yeah so I was amused.

[01:44:11] I kept you know whenever I watched these older movies I go back to that particular decade makes me sound so old but I was like totally classic 90s you know it's like the music was hell allowed every time it came on and totally drowned out the dialogue is like yeah classic 90s.

[01:44:30] Ned all the bad guys looked like they were 30 years old but they're supposed to be playing 16 year olds you know. Yes.

[01:44:38] They did a little dig at the cops and the cops were climbing up the ladder to get Julie in the first scene we see you're going up to see her injured hockey and they were like you know if she doesn't jump down I'm gonna throw her off the damn building.

[01:44:55] It's like. Yeah. Um.

[01:45:01] But you know we kind of killed this already but Julie being mad and mean for good for good first hour of the movie you know I think a lot of reviews were saying like you're saying remember like you know that's ridiculous she's annoying why she mad all the time it's like I don't know I thought that was pretty good I thought that was pretty realistic.

[01:45:22] As far as dealing with trauma you know yeah be mad you convince me I'm mad I'm pissed off the world convinced me that it's not going to be all shit from now on forward you know so.

[01:45:34] I enjoyed that part of it actually which I think goes against the grain.

[01:45:37] She did have a lot of funny dialogue you know when I think Jason you were just mentioning this when they were on the piano and he was looking at all the pictures and telling her how he had taught you know her grandfather and her grandfather taught her father and they made that connection and she was like wow nice.

[01:45:58] And then everybody died everybody died everybody died. I was like whoa where'd that come from holy cow she's still kind of pissed. But it really I.

[01:46:08] It is that feeling where you're thinking about all these people and you just suddenly realize they're gone damn you know I mean we're all familiar with that at this point at this age.

[01:46:21] There was a couple of scenes where Julie was talking with Eric or soon to be prom date and. Yeah he just rolls his eyes. I thought that was pretty funny. It's like two teenage kids talking Jesus. Christ kill me now you know.

[01:46:40] The training I thought that was a little reversal you know they went to the monastery and then. I don't know if I'm remembering this wrong but it's like OK her training starts with jumping off a rock doing a front kick and landing on another rock.

[01:46:55] Like well that's pretty advanced what happened to wax on wax off. I think they skipped a lot of that because we've already seen it so much because she knew a lot of moves that they didn't show her learning.

[01:47:06] At the time that's what I was thinking but then they did the training montage a little later and they showed her doing the wax on wax off. Oh there it is. A little bit of reverse there yeah.

[01:47:18] It reminds me of Johnny having them go inside that cement truck. His version. Yeah that's pretty creative thinking right there. You can train these kids. Yeah that's pretty much it. Overall I don't know it wasn't a horrible movie. It has certainly have its defects and defaults but yeah.

[01:47:48] But I don't know you know now that we've talked about it I'm like yeah it wasn't that bad. I mean your perspective shifts when you talk about these.

[01:47:57] I know it's like OK well it wasn't always about karate fighting maybe there's a little more substance to it than that. There's a rare occasion where talking about it makes me like it less but almost every time it makes me like it more.

[01:48:10] But I've seen karate kid easily 40 times at this point and I don't see myself watching this again maybe one more time or something you know. Like yeah it was nice but I'm not going to be watching it a bunch of times. Maybe in another 20 years. Yeah exactly.

[01:48:28] But I hope Hilary Swink does make a cameo in Cobra Kai that'd be cool and now that we've watched this. That would be cool. Feel more connected to the character. I mean yeah they'd have to be pretty creative and how they put her in but I don't know.

[01:48:45] They've been nailing it so far so I don't see why they couldn't. Maybe Ned can show up. Like in his 80s. Just being all pervy. OK Rima do you have any notes.

[01:49:01] Just one that we haven't talked about already and just the scene and it's so cheesy and cliched.

[01:49:08] I know it but this scene with where Mr. Miyagi is chopping up was it the cucumber or whatever vegetable it was as he's like telling Eric like being all protective mode right. Intimidating.

[01:49:23] You have our home by this time and you treat her with respect and it was so cliched however I really just think Pat Morita he's got great comedy skills.

[01:49:33] I don't know if people recall way back in the day he kind of came from more of a comedy background and I think I think he was having a good time.

[01:49:41] Yeah so I think he was having a good time in that scene and I think his comedy skills kind of came out.

[01:49:46] I think he was just having fun with it and it was fun just to see because I mean Pat Morita he's a beloved actor you know we all love him in this franchise so I think it was just a nice moment where we got to see him have fun in that little scene there.

[01:50:00] So I think it was really great. I just like that scene. Yeah what do you say?

[01:50:05] He said come home at 10 and then the guy's like well the dance ends at midnight so he's hoping to bring her home at one and he said what are you going to do with that extra hour.

[01:50:15] Yeah he said and I'm like that's a good question is that realist. No I really want to know what you're going to do not just treat her with respect like. What you do with extra hours. Why don't you bring her home at 12 15 okay. Good point.

[01:50:35] Alright so we had just a little bit of listener feedback. You want to do the first one Rich? Listener feedback from Jennifer McGinley. The one I've never seen. I have no plans on changing this. I wonder if we'll change your mind I doubt it.

[01:50:53] Maybe we've convinced you otherwise. Maybe listening to the podcast and not watching that was the trend a lot with fear so maybe. Right. I'm going to experience it. Yeah. Nathan Eshelman says I'm going to start with a blazing hot take and say this is my favorite crytikid movie.

[01:51:14] Oh. Yeah that's a statement. If I were to put on my critic hat I would probably say crytikid part two is the best one but I'm definitely a product of my time. As a 90s kid this movie is the one that means the most to me.

[01:51:26] Julie was a crytikid I always identified with the most. I think the hawk is a metaphor for Julie's life. She feels lonely and isolated and I think she saves Angel and takes care of her because she sees a kindred spirit.

[01:51:38] Julie needs someone to take care of her the way she takes care of Angel. When Mr. Miyagi comes into her life and leads her down a path of self empowerment and respect she gets the confidence she needs to live her life instead of letting life happen to her.

[01:51:53] It's only after she gains this confidence that she realizes she can offer the same dignity to the hawk as well. I get a little emotional when she sets Angel free. I did too. I cried so hard. Yeah.

[01:52:07] He goes on this film really shows the influence mentors can have on you. Imagine if Ned had a Miyagi in his life instead of a Dugan.

[01:52:14] I think you can tell some of the alpha elite guys are just in the group for the brotherhood aspect and they feel the pressure, pure pressure to behave terribly for their father figure.

[01:52:22] It doesn't excuse any of their actions but they all go or they all back off when Dugan goes off the deep end. I'm not blind to the flaws of the film.

[01:52:31] I definitely think some of the exposition is heavy handed, but the love I have for the movie gives me rose colored glasses. Also, I know some people roll their eyes at the monks going bowling or dancing to the cranberries, but I thought those scenes were fun.

[01:52:44] My only wish for the final season of Cobra Kai is a Hillary Swank cameo. I don't think it's going to happen and that's a shame. Whether people like the 1994 movie or not, still a piece of Miyagi history. Nice. I'm glad you wrote that, Nathan.

[01:53:01] I hope we didn't make you have a bad day or anything. Yeah. I like what he said about having love for the franchise gives them rose colored glasses. That pretty much sums it up I think. Yeah.

[01:53:15] I mean, when I heard there was going to be a Cobra Kai TV series, I thought it would probably suck, but I was going to watch every episode anyway.

[01:53:21] It is pretty amazing that these movies, starting with the first one has created this fandom of years and it's massive.

[01:53:31] They did a good thing bringing in all these kids for the Cobra Kai series 2 to attract younger crowd and I think they did a pretty good job of it. It's like a whole new generation.

[01:53:39] It's like the people from our generation that were watching the original movies and then you've got all these young kids bringing in this new generation. So we get to have fun with our characters and seeing them from a new adult perspective versus when we were kids.

[01:53:59] Then you got this young generation having this appreciation for the franchise and the characters. Yeah. I wonder how many Cobra Kai viewers go back and watch the original movies. I bet a pretty good number. I bet a lot. We did.

[01:54:17] As much as I'm elated with this whole franchise, part of me is also like, this is like franchise lesson one on one on how to do this. You can understand Star Trek and Star Wars and Marvel. Those are huge universes and so much variety.

[01:54:36] How do you take something smaller and make it into something just as good? It's impressive. Yeah, it's cool. The Oggieverse. We have a call from Alex Kruger who I am guessing just to get you ready based on his email that he didn't like it but we'll see.

[01:54:54] I haven't listened to this yet so we'll see. Hey y'all, Alex Kruger leaving feedback for the next karate kid. The nice thing about having seen this movie is now I have seen all Mr. Miyagi content. The great thing about seeing this movie is I never have to again.

[01:55:09] I came in with ultra low expectations and usually that means I'll find something enjoyable but that was not the case. This movie blew right away.

[01:55:18] The beginning music reminded me of that scene in the Family Guy Star Wars parody when they had to switch from John Williams to Danny Elfman music. Very similar tone. I like when they introduced Julie and within her first seven lines she delivered every ounce of exposition we needed.

[01:55:33] Angry kid, parents dead in a car crash, lives with posh well-off grandmother. Alright, good work now on to plot points. Having said that, okay so Miyagi taught Julie's grandfather karate who taught it to his son who taught it to Julie.

[01:55:50] So how often was Julie's grandmother yelling at her daughter-in-law that she would mix up their names in a force of habit manner? Is this the rabiest karate kid of all time?

[01:56:01] From the Brunette Aryan Brotherhood leader Ned to the gas station Weirdos, this movie is just chock full of guys who seem to find consent to be a pain in the ass. Dugan was a terrible bad guy. In a franchise with guys like Chosen, Crease and Terry Silver,

[01:56:15] they really dropped a bag on this shell of a character with zero depth, zero intrigue and zero charisma. Say what you will about the other three series villains. They all had a panache that the Colonel was lacking.

[01:56:26] The Hawke's story line, like I get it, but it's pretty lame metaphor and it's clumsy at best. Does make me miss Eli Moskowitz though. This is some of the worst dialogue I've ever seen in a film. And I grew up with 90s kids movies.

[01:56:40] Seriously it was a complete head scratcher as to why Pat Maria even agreed to do this. Now what exactly was the purpose of the Brunette Aryan Brotherhood? Were they a Cobra Kai style dojo? Were they some sort of junior special forces or ROTC?

[01:56:55] Why did the Colonel have so much power in this town? Was he really a Colonel? Or was he a Colonel like John Locke was a Colonel during his D&D campaigns at work?

[01:57:03] This might be the worst school in karate kid history to let these blatant alpha douchebags practically run things. Maybe the administration was being threatened by the Colonel or something, but we never saw that part of the story.

[01:57:13] Thankfully we got monks dancing to the cranberries and solving cultural tension through bowling instead. But if there is one saving grace to this movie, it's seeing the amazing and immaculate Walter Goggins at such a young age.

[01:57:27] And yet still with a hairline that provides him a five head instead of a four head. Alright before you groan let's be honest that pun fit perfectly with the cheesy dialogue here.

[01:57:37] In summary I couldn't stand this but my nine and six year old daughters loved it and want more karate kid culture. So now I get to show them the proper trilogy and Cobra Kai. July 18th can't come soon enough.

[01:57:49] That's it for me folks keep up the phenomenal work and as always Kix get chicks. Kix get chicks yeah. He had asked me if, I think he'd ask me if I thought his daughters would like it because he and I hadn't seen it in a long time.

[01:58:04] I didn't really remember and I said I thought they would because little kids don't know what bad script you know dialogue is. And so now I found out they actually did like it but now I wonder if this is going to be their favorite one too.

[01:58:20] I think it might be. Yeah so something good came out of it for Alex. It felt like it was written by an eighth grader so you know. That's right. Absolutely.

[01:58:32] Alex also wrote that this will be the first time since I became a podcast fan that new episodes are being released of Cobra Kai. So I'm so excited to go along with all of you and we'll try to watch one episode a week that'll last 45 minutes tops.

[01:58:45] Well I'm glad to hear that Alex and I hope you call it right in and stuff that'd be great. Yeah right on. Yep.

[01:58:58] All right that is our show thanks so much for listening everybody excited to be back at it and I really am I was so just preparing for this. I was getting all hyped up for Cobra Kai coming up here so glad to be back.

[01:59:11] Yeah this is a helipad not not you know with guarding the movie we watched that it was cool. Pretty cool yeah. Yeah even the movie turned out better than I thought it was. At this point right. Yeah so next episode is Cobra Kai season 6 episode one.

[01:59:29] If you want to write in or send us a voice message about it you can find all our contact information at podcastic.com And while you're there please check out our other podcasts. You're covering Sweet Tooth right? You still working on that?

[01:59:47] Yeah we're going to be recording tomorrow on episode 4 so we'll be at the halfway mark there's 8 episodes total in this last and final season so yeah. Change indeed. What's that about? It is based on DC comic it's a post apocalyptic world and there are hybrid kids.

[02:00:15] Half animal half human and there's so much more it's not just about that but it's a very heartwarming coming of age story. It is it's on Netflix so it's readily like available out there.

[02:00:30] But yeah season 3 just started and it's the final season so that's what we're covering right now. Really great.

[02:00:40] Yeah this last episode too talking about the heartwarming you know talking about like this movie there were heartwarming pieces that got me crying and got me all emotional and then had to watch episode 4 to get ready for tomorrow and I was just bawling.

[02:00:54] I'm such an emotional mess from watching that when I'm like I don't know if I can keep doing this it's too much in a short period of time. But anyway side rant.

[02:01:05] Cool we also right now we have Lucy and Peter started a podcast on The Bear which just came back for its third season.

[02:01:13] We have House of the Dragon going on on Dragon cast and Lucy and I are in the middle of well sort of at the beginning of a walking dead rewatch we went all the way back to the beginning and now we're up to season 3.

[02:01:26] Right on you're on the Scotland right you to you're gonna podcast there. Yeah only yeah I'm gonna podcast with Lucy I'm there for two weeks but we decided to skip a week so we'll just be doing one in person that'll be fun. Yeah. Yeah. My co-host is Scottish.

[02:01:44] Yeah fun. Alright that is our show. Thanks for listening. The sun is warm the grass is green. The sun is warm the grass is green. The sun is warm the grass is green.