Posted by Tommy Hackett on 31st May 2009
A couple of weekends ago, I had a ton of fun at a “Modified MMA” tournament hosted by the good people of Warrior-One, an MMA retailer and training center just north of Seattle. The event offered an opportunity for a hopeful fighter to begin to bridge the gap between jiu-jitsu matches and MMA, by beginning to mix strikes with grappling in a controlled setting. It’s the kind of community event that I hope to see more of.
While at Warrior-One, I picked up our sport’s newest full-length documentary, Renzo Gracie: Legacy. Similarly, Legacy attempts to bridge that gap between the personal side of one of our greatest figures, and his achievements in the sport.
It’s mainly successful, although it also left me wanting more. Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted by Tommy Hackett on 20th December 2008
This MMA documentary came out a few years back to a hint of fanfare, reportedly having a nice showing at some domestic film festivals. My hope watching it was to catch a bit of quality film making and maybe a bit of quality MMA action, or behind the scenes footage, along the way.
Sadly, I didn’t get much of either. Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted by Tommy Hackett on 11th May 2008
I don’t watch many movies. I like to think it’s not because it’s ten bucks that I don’t want to spend, plus a three dollar cup of coffee that isn’t even good. Nah. It’s not because I don’t respect the medium, either. In fact, I’d like to think it’s more because I do respect the medium. I go to a theater with the same full and undivided attention I offer to a jiu-jitsu class where I’ll be choked and armlocked. I don’t mean I actually go in thinking of choking out the pretentious idiots who laugh extra loud and respond audibly to in-jokes, in a vain attempt to impress me and everyone else unfortunate enough to share a theater with them. (But, maybe next time…)
I mean, I give my full focus, and in return I step into a different world, experience some ups and downs, and maybe someone sheds a little light on a piece of life I hadn’t experienced.
I’ve been disappointed more often than not. But you give honor to the art, and maybe you’ll find a little honor for yourself. That’s what I felt tonight when I watched RedBelt, and seeing it was definitely worth the ten bucks.
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Posted by Tommy Hackett on 12th April 2008
Rickson Gracie in Choke: it’s the much loved (and much hated) 1999 documentary which spotlighted the Gracie family champion’s preparation and participation in the 1995 Japan Vale Tudo. What brought this DVD back into my player? Was it all the recent excitement about his 19 year old son Kron Gracie and his gold medal winning performance at the 2008 Pan American games? Was it Rickson’ recent appearance in the (excellent) jiu-jitsu episode of Fight Quest? I don’t know, but like YAMMA it happened… and sadly, I ended up enjoying it a little less than I thought I would…
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