Jaa Rule

The thing about kung-fu pictures is, you either get them or you don't. Or, perhaps it should be put that you either love watching people kick ass or you don't. Me? I love watching people kick ass.

And few people kick ass like Tony Jaa. I recently got around to watching Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior, and the feeling is like the first time I saw Jackie Chan in Rumble in the Bronx. Like Chan, Jaa does things with his body that have to be seen to be believed - all without wires or stuntmen.

In addition to Jaa's superb athleticism, the physicality is striking because Jaa practices Muay Thai. I'm far from an expert in the martial arts, so I'll sum up Muay Thai by simply saying it involves a lot of knee and elbow strikes and is stunning to watch.

Ong-Bak does the genre right by framing the spectacular fight sequences with a simple, straight-ahead folk tale. A valuable object is stolen from a small village. The villagers are forced to send their best fighter to the city to retrieve it, etc., etc. The characters are all familiar archetypes, but they all do just enough to keep the story moving and the focus on the action.

It's not an "important film" or something that will resonate in your soul days after, but for a graceful and fresh martial arts film, you'd be hard pressed to find its equal.

Even if the Saints go marching in

I love metaphor as much as the next guy, but I am convinced that even if the New Orleans Saints win the Super Bowl, the city will not magically emerge from rubble and wipe away all memory of Hurricane Katrina.

Most sportscasters do not seem to share my view. From one side of their mouth, they muse how insignificant sports seem in the wake of human tragedy. But from the other side, they suggest that a win by the Saints or the LSU Tigers could inspire the huddling masses yearning to be dry. I don’t doubt that a Saints win could boost the spirit of a displaced Saints fan, but the sentiment seems too close to sending Rambo back to Vietnam so that "this time we can win."

The same thing happened in the wake of 9/11, with many suggesting that a New York Yankee win in the World Series would be good for America. But it belies the tragedy of these events to try to cast a rematch as Yankees vs. Terrorists or Saints vs. Hurricane. Recovering from these events is complex and impossible to quantify. But that doesn’t mean we should throw our hands in the air and be satisfied with "Saints win."

I guess it shows that even in times of national crisis, we can find a reason to throw our unqualified support behind enormous corporate interests. I don’t find that comforting.

Bio

Ben is a filmmaker, freelance writer and Professor of Theater & English. Born and raised in Iowa, he earned a BA from Iowa State University and later an MFA from the School of Film & Television at Chapman University.

His short films have been screened at independent festivals and on television, while his screenplay Cooking Live won the Cecil B. DeMille Award from Chapman University. As a columnist and film reviewer, his work has appeared in such publications as Television Week and Film Threat. He has also worked as a staff writer for daily newspapers including the Los Angeles Times.

Since 2005, Ben has taught courses in film, theater and English at several colleges. He currently lives with his wife Naura in the Los Angeles area.

Personal (2006)

HD video
Color
5:13

George spends his days alone in the house he shared with his mother. He tries to reach out through a personal ad, but when a real woman comes into his life, will he be able to respond?

Written & Directed by Ben Godar

Cast: Alex Fernandez, Melody Doyle

The Persecution of Al Kida

2004

16mm
Color
4:30


Al always lived a normal life. Now he can't leave the house without causing a commotion. After learning he's not alone, Al tries to regain control of his life.

Cast: Dan Cole, Maximilian Mastrangelo, Di Burbano, Sean Kehoe

Screenings:

New York Short Short Festival, 2006

Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival, 2005

Aired on statewide television as part of Iowa Independent Filmmaker Showcase, 2006

The Persecution of Al Kida on IMDB