Karate Kid

Daniel’s scrubbing a fence in the hot sun, thinking this old man is crazy or just slave-driving him. Wax on, wax off. Small board, right hand, big board, left hand. And somewhere in there, it’s karate. That’s the whole film for me—a kid learning from an old man who actually cares.

The movie’s dated as hell. The clothes, the music, all of it screams 80s. Doesn’t bother me. I even liked the fourth one with the girl, which maybe says something about my taste I’d rather not think about.

There’s an honesty to it. No winking, no irony, just a story about learning something real from someone who knows it. Mr. Miyagi forever.