Monday, July 5, 2010
Ilmu dan Keterampilan Bisnis
Kita memulai bisnis karena keinginan kita untuk terbebas dari masalah keuangan dan keterbatasan kemampuan keuangan. Kita ingin mampu memiliki segala sesuatu sesuai dengan keinginan, misalnya ingin membeli rumah bagus, kendaraan, atau baju bagus tanpa harus menunggu saat ada diskon. Atau ingin makan di restaurant favorit bersama keluarga dan bebas memilih makanan kesukaan tanpa harus melihat besaran angka yang ada di sebelah kanan menu yang kita inginkan.
Passive Income, dengan memilili bisnis kita membayangkan akan memiliki penghasilan tanpa harus selalu bekerja untuk mendapatkannya. Kita ingin bisnis yang kita miliki mengirimkan uang secara terus menerus. Ingin memiliki pendapatan yang terus mengalir selagi kita berlibur, selagi kita bepergian, bahkan kalau perlu selagi kita tidur.
More Time, hampir sebagian besar orang yang memulai bisnis membayangkan akan memiliki waktu yang lebih fleksibel. Tidak seperti ketika masih menjadi pekerja yang sangat terikat dengan aturan dan disiplin, harus masuk sesuai jam kerja lima hari dalam seminggu, bahkan kadang - kadang harus masuk di hari libur. Dengan memiliki bisnis sendiri kita berharap bisa berlibur kapan saja, mengantar dan menjemput anak ke sekolah, pulang kampung (buat saya sesuatu yang istimewa), atau mau melakukan apapun kapan saja tanpa harus izin sakit, izin ke ini, izin ke itu yang tidak menyenangkan sama sekali.
Setelah kita memulai berbisnis, hampir semua entrepreneurs yang saya jumpai dan termasuk saya tentunya pada awal - awal saya berbisnis, bukannya mendapatkan tiga hal di atas malah justru semakin jauh dari yang kita harapkan. Bukan Financial Freedom yang kita dapatkan malah semakin hari semakin banyak utang yang kita gali, bisnis seolah-olah tak pernah henti-hentinya membutuhkan tambahan modal.
Bulan lalu kita menyuntik dana, bulan ini tak terhindarkan lagi kita harus mencari utang kesana kemari untuk menutupi cash flow, kalau tidak kita tutupi maka karyawan tidak gajian, maka supplier tidak akan mengirimkan lagi barangnya kepada kita, dan begitulah terus tanpa ada hentinya sehingga hutang semakin dalam.
Passive Income? Kita sudah lupa lagi bahwa kita pernah membayangkan memiliki passive income dari bisnis, karena setiap hari kita selalu disibukkan dengan berbagai persoalan. Bulan lalu penjualan merosot sehingga bulan ini kita harus fokus untuk membenahi penjualan. Ketika penjualan mulai kita tangani dan membaik muncul masalah piutang yang membengkak sehingga cash flow kita terganggu. Besok, inventory kita yang terlalu tinggi dan macet di gudang, dan lagi- lagi cash flow selalu menjadi masalah.
Kita jadi frustasi karena tim kita sangat tergantung dengan kita, tidak bisa memutuskan sendiri, tidak ada inisiatif, harus selalu kita kejar-kejar, bahkan banyak perintah-perintah kita yang tidak berjalan atau tidak dijalankan. Bukannya passive income yang kita dapat tetapi very very very active income yang ada.
Setelah berbisnis, bukan More Time atau waktu berlebih yang kita dapatkan, kita bahkan sudah tidak bisa lagi pulang sore seperti ketika kita menjadi pegawai dulu. Sabtu dan minggu kadang kadang harus mengurusi bisnis, waktu untuk keluarga terganggu, libur menjadi barang mahal bagi kita. Ketika menjadi pegawai, kita senang kalau ada tanggal merah. Namun, setelah jadi entreprenuer justru sebaliknya, sebal kalau ada tanggal merah, karena yang lain libur kita tetap memikirkan pekerjaan sendirian.
Banyak entrepreneur yang kehilangan orientasi dalam berbisnis karena semakin peliknya situasi, semakin dalamnya permasalahan dan semakin kompleksnya proses bisnis yang dihadapi seiring dengan bertumbuhnya bisnis yang dimiliki. Umumnya entrepreneur memulai bisnis dengan bekal semangat dan mimpi besar, dan terus demikian semakin lama bisnisnya bertumbuh tanpa mengimbangi dirinya dengan bekal pengetahuan dan ketrampilan dalam berbisnis secara memadai.
Kalau kita lihat berbagai profesi yang ada dalam kehidupan sehari-hari, hampir semua membutuhkan pengetahuan dan keterampilan, menjadi dokter, pengacara, dosen, guru, bahkan tukang kayu, tukang las, ataupun pengemudi, semuanya memerlukan bekal pengetahuan dan keterampilan. Pengemudi perlu pengetahuan tentang jalan-jalan, pengetahuan tentang kendaraan yang dibawanya, dan juga perlu keterampilan dalam mengemudi, menghadapi kemacetan, melewati jalan menanjak, dan memberhentikan kendaraannya dengan aman.
Demikian juga dengan entrepreneur, kita tidak dapat membangun bisnis sesuai dengan keinginan kita tanpa pengetahuan dan keterampilan, membangun bisnis yang menjadi mesin pencetak uang bagi kita, bisnis yang jalan tanpa setiap saat mengharuskan kehadiran kita, dan bisnis yang bisa mengantarkan kita meraih impian-impian kita.
Pengetahuan dan Keterampilan, itulah kuncinya. Menjadi entrepreneurs dituntut untuk selalu menuntut ilmu dan belajar, tidak hanya belajar dari pengalaman kita sendiri tetapi juga harus belajar dari pengalaman orang lain, dengan membaca buku, majalah, atau mencari mentor dari entrepreneur yang sudah berhasil membangun bisnis. Dengan pengetahuan dan ketrampilan yang kita miliki sebagai entreprenuer kita akan terhindar dari berbagai persoalan yang sebenarnya tidak perlu terjadi.
Ir. H. Heppy Trenggono
“Ternyata Bisnis Setrum Itu Tidak Mudah Lho...”
Bekas Menakertrans ini punya anggapan istimewa pada angka 11. Namun, mengapa angka 11 begitu istimewa buatnya?
Dia menceritakan, angka 11 memiliki makna istimewa dalam kariernya, tepatnya ketika bergabung di perusahaan yang bergerak di bidang power plant PT Truba Jaya Engenering. Usai mengakhiri jabatannya sebagai menteri sejak 2004-2009, Erman langsung dipinang mengisi posisi presiden direktur (Presdir) di Truba. Uniknya, tawaran Truba Engenering itu terjadi pada tanggal 11, bulan 11 dan jam 11. Hal inilah yang menjadikan angka 11 begitu istimewa buat dirinya. “Makanya, angka 11 istimewa buat saya,” ujarnya.
Dia mengatakan, pilihannya masuk ke dunia pembangunan power plant karena dipandang beda dari yang lain. “Bangun gedung tinggi atau apa, itu sudah biasa. Ternyata bikin setrum itu tidak mudah lho,” ujarnya.
Dengan santai dan jenaka, Erman pun menceritakan pengalamannya usai menjadi menteri. Saat menjadi pejabat pemerintah, Erman melakukan pekerjaan berdasarkan peraturan-peraturan yang ada.
“Peraturan-peraturan dibuat kadang-kadang parsial dan tidak sistemik. Maka birokrasi itu terkesan bertele-tele. Tapi kalau profesional membuat segala sesuatunya secara sistemik sehingga perjalannya, tahapan-tahapannya dan accountability-nya juga jelas,” papar Erman.
Waktu Erman memegang jabatan di Depnakertrans, sebetulnya tidak berbeda. Segala sesuatunya harus berjalan sesuai sistem. Birokrasi di departemen itu bisa dibenahi asal sistem dibangun dulu. Ketika jadi menteri, tahun pertama bangun sistem, sehingga perjalanan itu bisa dikhususkan ke pelayanan publik.
“Tapi jabatan saya sama lho kayak Pak SBY. Sama-sama presiden. Bedanya, Pak SBY Presiden RI, saya presiden direktur,” canda politisi PKB itu.
Menurut Erman, pekerjaan dan posisinya dulu dengan sekarang sama-sama penting. Bahkan, dia bersyukur, dirinya kini tidak masuk dalam ke pemerintahan lagi. “Saya bersyukur tidak ikut ribut-ribut seperti saat ini,” ujarnya sambil tertawa.
Sebagai bekas menteri, Erman terlihat santai saat kembali bertemu dengan para wartawan. Dari dulu, Erman memang selalu akrab dengan para kuli tinta.
Erman Suparno
Heinrich Böll Foundation Scholarships
Heinrich Böll Foundation Bachelor, Master and PhD Scholarships for International Students, Germany
The Heinrich Böll Foundation awards scholarships to German and foreign students in keeping with the guidelines provided by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Federal Foreign Office (AA). The scholarship covers Bachelors, Masters, and PhD studies.
Host Institution(s):
State or state-recognized institution of higher education (university, college or equivalent) in Germany, Switzerland or in a member state of the EU.
Fields of study:
Selected priority fields of study. In addition to their current focus on Humanities and Social Science as well as Fine Arts and Cultural Studies, the Foundation, in the future, be extending their scholarship to as yet under-represented specialist subjects such as Economics, Law, Engineering, Media Science and Natural Science.
Target group:
International students and Germans. The foundation especially supports young people from countries in the South as well as from Eastern Europe. The foundation also especially supports young women in those subjects where, to date, they have been under-represented.
Scholarship value/inclusions:
Not specified. Inquire with the scholarship provider for more information.
Eligibility:
The following general requirements apply to foreign applicants (except EU citizens) who wish to study in Germany:
1. You must be enrolled at a state-recognized university or college (e.g. Fachhochschule) in Germany at the time the scholarship payments begin.
2. You should provide proof that you have already graduated with an initial professional qualification. This programme mainly supports students aiming for a Masters degree.
3. You need a good knowledge of German, and we kindly ask you to provide proof of your proficiency. Please note that the selection workshop (interviews, group discussions) will normally be in German. Exceptions (interview in English) are, however, possible.
4. Unfortunately, the current guidelines specify that we can not support foreign scholarship holders for stays abroad in third countries for more than four weeks.
The following requirements apply to all German and non-German students wishing to pursue a Masters degree or postgraduate studies:
1. You should definitely apply for a scholarship before the start of your studies, in order to ensure long-term support and cooperation.
2. The Heinrich Böll Foundation cannot award you a scholarship, if you are studying for a one-year Masters degree and were not previously supported by the foundation.
3. Tuition fees for fee-paying courses in Germany cannot be financed by the Heinrich Böll Foundation.
The following requirements apply to PhD-students from outside the EU:
Applicants must hold a Master`s degree or equivalent and must have been accepted as a doctoral student by a German institution of higher education.
Deadline: September 1, 2010 (date on postal stamp)
Contact information:
Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung
Studienwerk
Schumannstr. 8
10117 Berlin
E-Mail: studienwerk@boell.de
Fax: 030/285 34-409
Website: http://www.boell.de/scholarships/scholarships.html
Email: studienwerk@boell.de
Sukses Tangkap Peluang Pasar Buku Fiksi
Berbisnis di kedua bidang ini sangat menguntungkan. Tidak hanya dari sudut pandang ekonomi, tapi lebih jauh lagi dari sudut pandang sosial dan budaya. Fungsi buku sebagai alat pencerdas bangsa sepertinya menjadi penarik utama minat pengagum Mahathir Muhammad ini menekuni bisnis penerbitan buku.
Dari sisi bisnis, penerbit yang mulai berkiprah pada 2000 itu telah sukses memperluas pasarnya dengan ikut masuk ke pasar buku fiksi. Peminat buku fiksi serius ini cukup tinggi. Kedua tema itu tengah digandrungi masyarakat pembaca.
Karena itu, pihaknya serius menggarap peluang pasar ini. Dan secara mengejutkan, Serambi mampu menerbitkan buku The Da Vinci Code dan Malaikat dan Iblis karya Dan Brown. Buku fiksi yang laris itu membuat nama Serambi menjadi semakin dikenal di kalangan pembaca.
Di samping mencerdaskan bangsa, buku juga mengajak masyarakat Indonesia untuk terus belajar.
“Bukankah Allah juga berfirman dalam ayat pertama Al-Qur’an dengan perintah membaca?” ungkapnya sambil menyebutkan satu ayat dalam wahyu pertama yang diterima Nabi Muhammad.
Selain memimpin sebuah perusahaan penerbit buku, aktivitas keseharian pria kelahiran Pasuruan, Jatim, 3 September 1959 ini juga sangat sibuk. Salah satunya, mengelola sebuah restoran ala Timur Tengah bernama Restoran Little Baghdad.
Di tengah kesibukannya dalam mengelola bisnis, Bahalwan menggemari beberapa aktivitas yang menjadu hobinya.
“Dulu saya sangat senang berburu. Sekarang senang jalan-jalan naik Harley,” kisah pria yang tercatat sebagai pendiri Harley Owners Group (HOG) Jakarta Chapter ini.
Abdul Azies Bahalwan
Inspirasi Bisnisnya Didapat Dari Buku
Ketertarikanya bergabung di Honeywell, menurut Denny, karena di perusahaannya tersebut ada kesempatan karier, termasuk mengembangkan pengetahuannya IT-nya.
“Kebetulan ada kesempatan di Honeywell, jadi saya join. Dulu sebelum bergabung, saya sudah sedikit banyak merintis karier di industri security. Makanya saya lebih banyak fokus ke karier tuh di industri security karena value saya kan lebih banyak kalau fokus d satu industri. Saya pindah-pindah, loncat-loncat ke industri yang lain mungkin value saya agak kurang,” tutur pria kelahiran 20 Oktober 1980 itu.
Lima tahun berkarier di perusahaan tersebut, banyak prestasi yang dilakukan. Salah satunya sebagai sales terbaik di Asia Selatan dan Timur. Bahkan hal itu diraihnya selama tiga tahun berturut-turut. “Sales saya achieve yang tertinggi di Asia Tenggara,’’ kisahnya bangga.
Dia menilai, Indonesia cukup prospektif untuk bisnis security dibanding Singapura, Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei, dan Vietnam. “Indonesia untuk Honeywell growth-nya termasuk yang tinggi,” ucapnya seraya menambahkan bahwa untuk mencapai posisi penting dalam usia relatif muda, dia punya banyak inspirator.
“Inspirator saya banyak, karena saya suka baca banyak buku. Banyak sekali, siapapun yang leading di industri, saya senang mempelajari apa yang sudah mereka lakukan,’’ imbuhnya.
Bagi Denny, bisa menjadi seperti saat ini bukan kebetulan. Kesuksesan yang diperolehnya dikarenakan kerja kerasnya dan selalu mematuhi peraturan. Catatan peraturan tersebut jangan dianggap sebagai sebuah tekanan. “Memang semua company business ada aturannya. Aturan tersebut harus dipatuhi, tanpa ada rasa tertekan. Kalau kita membuat sesuatu sesuai peraturan, kita hanya akan menjadi mesin saja,’’ ungkapnya.
TERNYATA ADA YANG LEBIH BAIK DARIPADA SEKADAR BERSYUKUR...
Padahal, jalan itu ada !
Di beberapa sudut dunia, terdapat orang-orang istimewa yang telah menemukan kesadaran, bahwa alih-alih dari sekadar ikhlas dan berpasrah diri, akan lebih baik bila mereka justru menikmati (enjoy) setiap kesulitan dan penderitaan hidup yang terjadi. Mereka tidak saja “kuat bertahan”, tapi mereka bahkan berani meninggalkan kenyamanan yang sudah ada untuk mencari, mengakrabi serta menikmati penderitaan! Sudah tak waraskah mereka ?
No way! Sama sekali tidak. Coba lihat.
Sementara rakyat banyak begitu tergiur dengan kemewahan dan kemegahan di kerajaan Kapilawastu, India, Pangeran Sidharta Gautama justru meninggalkan istana untuk masuk ke hutan dan bermeditasi di bawah kerindangan pohon Bodhi. Keresahan karena melihat penderitaan masyarakat yang bergelimang dengan kemiskinan, kelaparan serta penyakit, telah membuat Sang Pangeran berkesimpulan bahwa tidak cukup ia bersyukur atas kesenangannya sendiri, sementara banyak orang di luar sana menderita. Ia harus ikut mengalami bagaimana rasanya penderitaan dan mencari makna di balik itu semua. Untuk itulah ia rela masuk ke dalam rimba, bersemedi, mengajar, berbagi dengan banyak orang sebelum mencapai “moksha” (kesempurnaan), dan wafat dalam kebahagiaan hakiki.
Ketika tidak terhitung banyaknya orang berlomba-lomba memburu uang dan harta benda dengan berbagai cara, Michael Rockefeller, putra Gubernur New York City yang kaya raya justru pergi mengembara ke pedalaman Papua (Irian Barat). Kekayaan diri dan keluarganya, tidak hanya disyukuri dengan berleha-leha di kenyamanan kota metropolitan di Amerika. Sebaliknya, ia ingin berbuat sesuatu untuk orang banyak, teristimewa untuk mereka yang berdiam di daerah-daerah miskin dan terkebelakang. Maka ia pun pergi keluar masuk hutan pedalaman guna berpartisipasi mengenalkan budaya suku Asmat ke dunia luar. Ia bahkan sampai kehilangan nyawa di tanah Papua demi perburuannya akan sesuatu yang lebih membahagiakan daripada sekadar merasakan manisnya uang dan materi semata.
Itu hanya 2 contoh dari ratusan kejadian lain yang bernuansa sama. Bukankah ini seharusnya menimbulkan tanda tanya, mengapa mereka yang sudah begitu kaya raya justru meninggalkan kekayaannya demi menjalani kehidupan yang lebih sulit, sederhana, serta menderita?
Padahal, ada berjuta-juta orang lain yang berjuang mati-matian untuk mendapatkan sejumlah uang ?
Inilah apa yang oleh kaum sufi diklaim sebagai “Kesadaran Kosmik” yang mengacu pada falsafah dualisme. Bahwa segala sesuatu ditentukan oleh dua keadaan yang berlawanan. Untuk mengerti adanya siang, orang harus mengerti adanya malam. Untuk mengetahui sesuatu yang tinggi, orang harus mengetahui sesuatu yang rendah. Untuk mengetahui seberapa jauh kita berjalan, kita harus mengetahui di mana kita memulai titik start. Untuk mengerti yang namanya “kenikmatan”, orang harus mengerti apa itu “penderitaan”.
Sidharta Gautama dan Michael Rockefeller telah melakukannya. Mereka terlanjur kaya raya, tapi karena belum benar-benar menjiwai makna kekayaan, mereka rela mengulang perjalanan hidup dari taraf mengalami penderitaan terlebih dahulu. Mereka berdedikasi, menikmati serta menjiwai penderitaan, dan bahkan menjadi martir demi mewujudkan aspirasinya.
Bagaimana dengan kita?
Kalau sekarang kita sudah terlanjur kaya, mungkin tidak semua dari kita mampu meninggalkan kekayaan itu guna mengulang perjalanan hidup dari tingkat yang penuh derita. Tapi kalau belum, dan sedang dalam masa perjuangan mencapai kesuksesan, inilah saatnya untuk introspeksi. Sudahkah kita mau dan mampu menikmati serta menjiwai penderitaan? Seberapa besar totalitas yang kita dedikasikan untuk aspirasi kita? Siapkah kita untuk menjadi martir, demi sebuah aspirasi?
Semoga dengan cerminan seperi ini, ke depan kita tidak lagi terlalu “cengeng” memaknai perjuangan sebagai penderitaan yang teramat berat. Berpasrah diri dan rasa bersyukur adalah sikap bijaksana, tapi akan lebih sempurna kalau kita mampu menikmati serta menjiwai penderitaan. Karena tanpa merasakan penderitaan, kita pun tidak akan merasakan makna yang paling dalam dari sebuah kesuksesan dan kekayaan. Enjoy !
Rusman Hakim
Pengamat Kewirausahaan
Penulis Buku “BREAKTHROUGH - Bisnis Itu Permainan, Bukan Ilmu Pengetahuan”
(PT Elex Media Komputindo – Juni 2010)
Shrek Forever After
Shrek Forever After is a 2010 animated fantasy-family film, and it is the fourth and final film in the Shrek series. It was released in theaters on May 21, 2010 in the United States, Canada, India, on May 20 in Russia and on May 28 in Vietnam. It is scheduled to be released on July 2, 2010 in the United Kingdom. It was released in 3-D and IMAX 3-D theaters. Like the first three Shrek films, the movie is based on fairy tale themes. The trailer was attached with Avatar. The second trailer was released online on March 12, 2010 and then attached with 3D showings of Alice in Wonderland and then with How to Train Your Dragon. The third and final trailer was attached to Iron Man.
Just before Princess Fiona’s rescue by Shrek in the first film, King Harold and Queen Lillian seek out the magic deal-maker Rumpelstiltskin for help breaking Fiona’s curse. Harold is about to sign a contract to break the curse in exchange for Rumpelstiltskin becoming king of Far Far Away when word comes that Fiona has been rescued. In the present, a disgruntled Rumpelstiltskin wishes that Shrek was never born.Shrek has grown tired of being a celebrity and his overwhelming family and friends, as well as feeling that he is not a “real ogre” anymore. When they arrive at Far Far Away for the ogre babies’ first birthday, fans ask Shrek to autograph pitch forks and torches, a boy asks him to roar, and the three pigs eat the birthday cake. Coupled with the growing frustration of his repetitive home life, Shrek roars in frustration and everyone applauds. Moments later, he then smashes a new cake and angrily leaves. Fiona talks to Shrek about his anger and his wish to be a real ogre, overheard by Rumpelstiltskin. Fiona tells Shrek he has everything, but does not see it, and returns to the party.
While out in the woods, Shrek encounters Rumpelstiltskin, who offers him a day when none of his adventures ever happened, a day to feel like a real ogre again, in exchange for a day from Shrek’s childhood which he couldn’t remember. Suspicious but happy at the prospect of a relaxing vacation, Shrek signs the contract, and abruptly lands in a world where he is still feared by villagers. Shrek enjoys casuing ogreish mischief before he sees wanted signs for him and Fiona and discovers that his home has become a deserted tree stump. Shrek is attacked by a group of witches and knocked unconscious. Shrek wakes up in a cage being hauled by Donkey, who does not recognize Shrek. Shrek is brought to Rumpelstiltskin, king of Far Far Away. Because Queen Lilian and King Harold signed the contract to make “all of their problems disappear”, both of them disappeared. Rumpelstiltskin tells Shrek that he will disappear in one day because he took the day of Shrek’s birth. Shrek steals a broom and escapes with Donkey. Though Donkey is initially afraid of Shrek, he returns when he finds Shrek crying over his baby’s toy. They become friends.
Donkey helps Shrek to determine that the escape clause of Rumpelstiltskin’s contract is true love’s first kiss. After not finding Fiona in the tower, the two discover a secret community of ogres led by Fiona. Fiona has never met Shrek and dismisses his attempts to reconcile with her. Shrek also finds Puss in Boots, now Fiona’s pet who retired from swordsmanship and is fat and lazy. Puss befriends him and realizes there is romantic interest between Shrek and Fiona.Rumpelstiltskin is to lead the nightly ogre hunt throughout the kingdom, and Fiona plans to ambush him. However, Rumpelstiltskin has hired the Pied Piper, who entrances the army of ogres to dance themselves to the castle. Puss and Donkey save Fiona and Shrek. Shrek and Fiona kiss, but since Fiona does not love him their kiss is ineffective. Fiona leaves to save the other ogres.
Rumpelstiltskin announces that whoever brings him Shrek will get whatever they want with no strings attached. Shrek turns himself in in return for “all ogres going free”. Shrek is imprisoned with Fiona; since Fiona is a human by day, she was not released, but is moved by Shrek’s sacrifice. The two are to be fed to Dragon, but Puss, Donkey and the ogres arrive and battle Rumpelstiltskin’s forces.As Shrek and Fiona escape and the day is almost over, Fiona kisses Shrek, but he disappears. Fiona remains an ogre as the sun rises, and realizes that was true love’s kiss. The contract is destroyed and Shrek is sent back in time to when he roared during his kids’ birthday. Shrek embraces Fiona, his family and friends, and remarks that Fiona saved him when they met.During the credits, Shrek, his family & friends, including the ogre army celebrate the baby ogre’s 1st birthday. In a larger party with Rumplestiltskin being held prisoner & being tormented by the piper, and his pet goose exploded due to Fiona’s singing, Then a curtain calls on the credits with images from Shrek, Shrek 2, & Shrek the Third.
The Karate Kid
The Karate Kid, known as The Kung Fu Kid in China and Japan, and Best Kid in South Korea, is a 2010 martial arts film remake of the 1984 film of the same name. Directed by Harald Zwart, produced by Will Smith, the remake stars Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith. Principal photography for the film took place in Beijing, China; filming began around July 2009 and ended on October 16, 2009. The Karate Kid was released theatrically in the United States on June 11, 2010.The plot concerns a 12-year-old boy from Detroit who moves to China with his mother and incurs the wrath of the class bully at his new school. He makes an unlikely ally in the form of his aging maintenance man, a kung fu master who teaches him the secrets to self-defense.
Upon arriving at his new school in Beijing from Detroit, 12-year-old Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) develops a crush on pretty classmate Mei Ying (Wen Wen Han), who reciprocates his attention. But, the neighborhood bully Cheng (Zhenwei Wang), a kung fu prodigy whose family is close to Mei Ying’s, attempts to keep them apart by beating up Dre, and later harassing and humiliating him in and around school. During a particularly brutal beating by Cheng and his friends, the kindly maintenance man of Dre’s building, Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), comes to Dre’s aid, revealing himself as a kung fu master who adeptly dispatches Dre’s tormentors.After Han mends Dre’s injuries using fire cupping, a form of Chinese medicine, they go to Cheng’s teacher, Master Li (Yu Rongguang), to attempt to make peace, but the brutal Li, who teaches his students to show no mercy to their enemies, challenges Dre to a fight with Cheng. When Han declines, Li threatens him, saying that they will not be allowed to leave his school unless either Dre or Han himself fights. Han acquiesces, but insists the fight take place at an upcoming tounament, and that Li’s students leave Dre alone until the tournament. The amused Li agrees.
Han begins training Dre, but Dre is frustrated that instead teaching him how to punch or kick, Han has Dre spend hours taking off his jacket, hanging it up, dropping it, and then putting it back on again. After days of this, Dre refuses to continue, until Han explains to him that the repetitive arm movements in question were Han’s method of teaching Dre defensive block and strike techniques, which Dre is now able to display instinctively when prompted by Han’s mock attacks.As Han’s lessons continue at his home, and in the Chinese countryside, he teaches Dre that the movements he is learning apply to life in general, and that serenity and maturity, not punches and power, are the true keys to mastering the martial arts. During one lesson in the mountains, Dre notices a Kung Fu practitioner copying the movements of a cobra before him, but Han informs him that it was the cobra that was imitating the martial artist, an ability that Dre wishes Han to teach him. Dre subsequently attempts to use this technique on his mother, without success.
Dre’s friendship with Mei Ying also continues. Mei Ying agrees to attend Dre’s tournament, while Dre promises to attend her upcoming violin recital. They also attend, along with Dre’s mother, Sherry (Taraji P. Henson), and Mr. Han, an outdoor festival, during which Mei Ying teaches Dre about the mythological meaning behind a classical puppet theater show, as a prelude to a shared kiss between them. Subsequently, Dre takes Mei Ying on an excursion in which they skip school for a day of fun and video games, but when she is nearly late for her violin recital, which has been rescheduled for that day, Mei relates to Dre that her parents have deemed him a bad influence, and have forbidden her from spending any more time with him.
When Dre finds a drunk and despondent Han smashing the car he has been repairing, he learns that it is the anniversary of his wife and son’s deaths, which occurred many years ago when Han lost control of the very car in question during an argument with his wife while driving up a steep hillside. Dre reminds Han that one of Han’s lessons to Dre was in perseverance, and that Han needs to heal from his loss in order to move on in life. Han then assists Dre in writing a note that he reads when he goes to apologize to Mei Ying’s father, promising never again to bring dishonor to their family. Impressed, Mei Ying’s father tells Dre that his daughter told him that she promised to be present at Dre’s Kung Fu tournament, and that as he does not wish a member of his family to break a promise, he accepts Dre’s apology.
Top 10 Scariest Movies Ever
10. Bug (2007)
Thirty-five years after cementing his name in the horror world with The Exorcist, William Friedkin showed he can still tingle the spine with his film Bug, an unrelenting, inexorable crawl into madness. The story follows a down-on-her-luck waitress at a desolate motel who meets quiet and polite (though possibly delusional) drifter. As they get to know each other, he shares a terrifying secret: he is the victim of horrible military experiments, and believes he is being watched. Soon he starts scratching himself, complaining about bugs in their room. As usual, scratching only makes things worse...
9. Martin (1977)
Martin is probably one of the best, yet least-known, vampire films of the past thirty years. Written and directed George "Day of the Dead" Romero, it follows a young man named Martin who lives in a small Pennsylvania town and believes he is a vampire. He attacks women with syringes of sedatives, then cuts their wrists to drink their blood. The troubled youth goes to live with his immigrant uncle, who believes Martin is a real, Old World vampire and tries to control him with garlic and crosses. Martin gives a creepy look at what a real-world vampire--or just a troubled teen with vampire delusions--might look like.
8. Jacob's Ladder (1990)
It's 1971 and Jacob Singer, a soldier in Vietnam, is wounded. He survives but returns to civilian life back home in New York. Yet soon Jacob has horrific hallucinations of hell. He eventually meets up with other veterans from his unit, who confide that they also have been seeing demons. Perhaps they are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Or maybe they were, as some conspiracy theorists among them suggest, unknowing guinea pigs in a military mind-altering experiment. Or possibly something even more sinister is afoot.
7. The Stepfather (1987)
Long before he played Locke on the TV series Lost, Terry O'Quinn scared filmgoers as a serial-killing stepfather with a fractured idea of the perfect family. When his new wife and children disappoint him, a seemingly perfect family man kills them and moves on, seeking yet another white picket fence house, beautiful wife, and perfect kids. The Stepfather, like the brilliant film Falling Down, is ultimately about one man's psychological breakdown and his failure to realize his idealized version of the American Dream. A remake of The Stepfather is being filmed, scheduled for release next year.
6. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
The infamous Texas Chainsaw Massacre tells the story of a murderous clan living in rural Texas who prey on lost passerby. The main villain is Leatherface, a big brute with the subpar dental work and a chainsaw who wears a mask of human skin. It is considered by many to be one of the scariest films of all time, and much of the terror comes from the psychologically relentless chase scenes. Though the low-budget film is often criticized for gore and violence, it actually has much less blood than people imagine, with many of the killings occurring off camera. Texas Chainsaw Massacre spawned sequels and dozens of imitators featuring murderous, masked psychos who kill teens with sharp hardware. The "true story" that The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was inspired by has little to do with the film. It didn't take place in Texas, didn't involve a chainsaw, and wasn't really a massacre.
5. The Shining (1980)
Stephen King's imagination combined with Stanley Kubrick's filmmaking to create The Shining, the story of a writer, Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson, in one of his most memorable performances). Torrance takes a job as a winter caretaker at a huge, remote resort, along with his waifish wife and their psychic son, who has the ability to sense the dead (a gift called "the shining"). Isolated from the world for a winter and trying to finish a novel, Torrance is slowly driven insane by the hotel's resident evil spirits, who urge him to kill his family.
4. Frailty (2002)
Frailty is a spectacularly creepy gothic thriller that tells the story of an East Texas serial killer who calls himself the Hand of God. An FBI agent, desperate for information, listens when a young man named Fenton comes in offering a suspect. Fenton believes he knows who the killer is: his brother Adam. Fenton tells of their strange childhood, beginning when their father (Bill Paxton) had a religious vision one night. God told him he must kill people--well, not people but demons that look like ordinary people. He is given a list of names and two tools to do the job, including a double-edged axe. Faced with an assured and threatening father and nowhere to go, the boys reluctantly help carry out a murder. The film works because of a sharp script and Paxton's engrossing performance as the demon-driven father, hitting exactly the right balance between earnestness and psychosis. Like Martin and Bug, Frailty shows that everyday horrors can sometimes be the worst.
3. The Exorcist (1973)
When Regan, a cute 12-year-old, experiences odd behavior, her mother Chris believes she's just sick. Regan goes to doctors, who attribute the disturbances to nerves or a brain dysfunction. At first, Regan's cherubic complexion gets worse and she curses, perhaps signifying nothing more sinister than puberty. But as the incidents become more common, horrific, and violent (including projectile vomiting and of course masturbating with a crucifix), Chris suspects her daughter is possessed. Finally she turns to Father Damien Karras, who himself is struggling with an ailing mother and a loss of faith. With help from the infirm Father Merrin, Karras confronts the evil in the little girl during an exorcism. The film was directed by William Friedkin from William Peter Blatty's script, based on his 1971 bestselling book of the same name. The film was supposedly based on a true story of a 1949 exorcism case in Maryland, though writer Mark Opsasnick showed that Blatty's account was heavily fictionalized, and the boy in the "real" case showed no evidence of demonic possession.
2. Seven (1995)
The title Seven refers to the Seven Deadly Sins, which is the blueprint followed by a serial killer who dispatches his victims according to the Bible. The idea of a mad killer working from such a list is in itself nothing new; 1971's The Abominable Dr. Phibes, with Vincent Price, had this plot device. Seven manages to rise above serial killer chase cliches to provide a scary, absorbing plot with moody, decaying atmosphere. In a film genre overpopulated by serial killers, writer Andrew Walker and director David Fincher manage to bring new twists and surprises to the screen.
1. Psycho (1960)
In Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece Psycho, an embezzling secretary is on the run from the police. She hides out in a small motel in Arizona, run by a peculiar but unassuming young man named Norman Bates. The Bates Motel is in the shadow of a sinister-looking house on a nearby hill, where Norman lives and looks after his frail, disturbed mother. Bad things happen to bad people, and soon the secretary is stabbed to death while taking a shower. Psycho, written by Robert Bloch, is brilliantly shot, acted, and edited, resulting in a masterpiece of suspense and macabre. Both Psycho and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre were inspired by rural Wisconsin serial killer Ed Gein, who killed at least two people and dug up the graves of many more in the 1940s and 1950s. Psycho is much truer to the facts than Chainsaw is, though neither film really tells Gein's story. If you want that, you can rent Deranged a slightly fictionalized film based on his case.
The 65 Most Romantic Movie Couples
65. Mickey Knox (Woody Harrelson) and Mallory Knox (Juliette Lewis)
Natural Born Killers (1994)
“I do. 'Til you and I die, and die, and die again. 'Til death do us part.”
64. Harry Burns (Billy Crystal) and Sally Albright (Meg Ryan)
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
“I love that you get cold when it's 71 degrees out. I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich...I love that after I spend the day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes.”
63. Lucy Eleanor Moderatz (Sandra Bullock) and Jack Callaghan (Bill Pullman)
While You Were Sleeping (1995)
“Peter once asked me when I fell in love with Jack. And I told him, ‘It was while you were sleeping.’”
62. Scott Wormer (Devon Sawa) and Roberta Martin (Christina Ricci)
Now and Then (1995)
“Why do you think we fight all the time?”
“Just something to do, I guess. Why?”
“'Cause... 'cause I think you are a real nice girl.”
61. Doug Dorsey (D.B. Sweeney) and Kate Moseley (Moira Kelly)
The Cutting Edge (1992)
“Somewhere in the middle of this I have fallen in love with you. I’m saying I love you. I’m saying it out loud.”
60. Landon Carter (Shane West) and Jamie Sullivan (Mandy Moore)
A Walk to Remember (2002)
“Maybe God has a bigger plan for me than I had for myself. Like this journey never ends. Like you were sent to me because I'm sick. To help me through all this. You're my angel.”
59. Jonathan Trager (John Cusack) and Sara Thomas (Kate Beckinsale)
Serendipity (2001)
“You don't have to understand. You just have to have faith.”
“Faith in what?”
“Destiny.”
58. Kat Ellis (Debra Messing) and Nick Mercer (Dermot Mulroney)
The Wedding Date (2004)
Close your eyes. Close your eyes. Close... your... eyes. You're safe. You can relax. I'm not going to kiss you. He's gonna be so sorry he lost you, so stop worrying. Forget the past. Forget the pain. And remember what an incredible woman you are.”
57. Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) and Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman)
Casablanca (1942)
“Here's looking at you, kid.”
56. Henry Roth (Adam Sandler) and Lucy Whitmore (Drew Barrymore)
50 First Dates (2004)
“Being with you is the only way I could have a full and happy life. You're the girl of my dreams... and apparently, I'm the man of yours.”
55. Cliff Poncier (Matt Dillon) and Janet Livermore (Bridget Fonda)
Singles (1992)
“Bless you.”
54. Viola De Lesseps (Gwyneth Paltrow) and Will Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes)
Shakespeare in Love (1998)
“I love you, Will, beyond poetry.”
53. Melanie Smooter (Reese Witherspoon) and Jake Perry (Josh Lucas)
Sweet Home Alabama (2002)
“The truth is I gave my heart away a long time ago, my whole heart, and I never really got it back.”
52. Amanda Woods (Cameron Diaz) and Graham Simpkins (Jude Law)
The Holiday (2006)
“I can't figure out the mathematics of this, I just know I love you.”
51. Satine (Nicole Kidman) and Christian (Ewan McGregor)
Moulin Rogue! (2001)
“Love is a many splendor thing. Love lifts us up where we belong. All you need is love!”
50. Gray (Jennifer Garner) and Fritz (Timothy Olyphant)
Catch and Release (2006)
“I left out the complicated stuff, like how it took losing you forever for me to truly find you. I told them I loved you and that's the truth.”
49. John Smith (Brad Pitt) and Jane Smith (Angelina Jolie)
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)
“Tell me the first thing you thought, the first time we met. Because I'll tell you what I thought. I thought ... That is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life.”
48. Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone) and Josh (Paul Rudd)
Clueless (1995)
“Some people are not lucky enough to be as naturally adorable as you are.”
“Stop it, you're making me blush.”
47. Samantha Andrews (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and Ian Wyndham (Paul Nicholls)
If Only (2004)
“I have to tell you this and you need to hear it. I loved you since I met you, but I wouldn't allow myself to truly feel it until today.”
46. Danielle De Barbarac (Drew Barrymore) and Prince Henry (Dougray Scott)
Ever After (1998) A Cinderella Story
“I kneel before you not as a prince, but as a man in love. But I would feel like a king if you, Danielle De Barbarac, would be my wife.”
45. Ali MacGraw (Jennifer Cavalleri) and Oliver Barrett IV (Ryan O'Neal)
Love Story (1970)
“Love means never having to say you're sorry.”
44. Prince Akeem (Eddie Murphy) and Lisa McDowell (Shari Headley)
Coming to America (1988)
“I have a date with Lisa! Isn’t that wonderful?”
43. Alvy Singer (Woody Allen) and Annie Hall (Diane Keaton)
Annie Hall (1977)
“Love is too weak a word for what I feel - I luurve you, you know, I loave you, I luff you, two F's.”
42. Jenna Rink (Jennifer Garner) and Matt Flamhaff (Mark Ruffalo)
13 Going on 30 (2004)
“I love you, Matt. You're my best friend.”
“I love you too, Jenna. I've always loved you.”
41. Andy Stitzer (Steve Carell) and Trish (Catherine Keener)
40 Year Old Virgin (2005)
“I just didn't think it would be good.”
“Of course it'll be good. We love each other.”
40. Harry Tasker (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Helen Tasker (Jamie Lee Curtis)
True Lies (1994)
“You know, the sand is running out of the hourglass, so I want to look back and say: ‘See, I did that, that was me, I was reckless and I was wild, and I fucking did it.’”
39. Nick (Michael Cera) and Norah (Kat Dennings)
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008)
“This is amazing! You are literally like my musical soul mate.”
38. Stella Payne (Angela Bassett) and Winston Shakespeare (Taye Diggs)
How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998)
“And how old are you, young lady?”
“40.”
“No, truthfully.”
37. Lelaina Pierce (Winona Ryder) and Troy Dyer (Ethan Hawke)
Reality Bites (1994)
“You have no idea how much I wish that I could go back to that morning after we made love and do everything different. But I know that I can't, so I thought that I would come here and tell you something. And what I wanted to tell you was that I love you.”
36. Toula Portokalos (Nia Vardalos) and Ian Miller (John Corbett)
My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
“Why do you love me?”
“Because I came alive when I met you.”
35. Zack Mayo (Richard Gere) and Paula Pokrifki (Debra Winger)
Officer and a Gentlemen (1982)
“I dare you not to fall in love with me. How can you resist? I'm like candy.”
“You're better than candy.”
34. Anna Scott (Julia Roberts) and William Thacker (Hugh Grant)
Notting Hill (1999)
“I'm also just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.”
33. Charlie Lang (Nicolas Cage) and Yvonne Biasi (Bridget Fonda)
It Could Happen To You (1994)
“I told you I'd share my ticket. I never planned on sharing my heart. Maybe I could get lucky twice today.”
32. Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger) and Kat Stratford (Julia Stiles)
10 Things I hate about You (1999)
“I hate it when you make me laugh, even worse when you make me cry. I hate it when you're not around, and the fact that you didn't call. But mostly I hate the way I don't hate you. Not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all.”
31. Josie Geller (Drew Barrymore) and Sam Coulson (Michael Vartan)
Never Been Kissed (1999)
“Sorry I’m late. It took me forever to get here.”
“I know what you mean.”
30. Jamie Bennett (Colin Firth) and Aurelia (Lúcia Moniz)
Love Actually (2003)
[in English] “It's my favorite time of day, driving you.”
[In Portuguese] “It's the saddest part of my day, leaving you.”
[Neither understands the other's language]
29. Giselle (Amy Adams) and Robert Philip (Patrick Dempsey)
Enchanted (2007)
“Is this a habit of yours? Falling off of stuff?”
“Only when you're there to catch me.”
28. Mike Shea / Elmo Barnett (Timothy Hutton) and Annie Packert / Ally Chandler (Kelly McGillis)
Made in Heaven (1987)
“Annie... I'd like to marry you.”
“According to heaven, we already are.”
27. Jack Foley (George Clooney) and Karen Sisco (Jennifer Lopez)
Out of Sight (1998)
“Why would you trust me?”
“It would be worth the risk.”
“You like taking risks.”
“So do you.”
26. Randy 'The Ram' Robinson (Mickey Rourke) and Cassidy (Marisa Tomei)
The Wrestler (2008)
“I'm an old broken down piece of meat and I deserve to be all alone, I just don't want you to hate me.”
25. C.D. 'Charlie' Bales (Steve Martin) and Roxanne Kowalski (Daryl Hannah)
Roxanne (1987)
“I love you. I have breathed you in and I am suffocating.”
24. Frances 'Baby' Houseman (Jennifer Grey) and Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze)
Dirty Dancing (1987)
“No one puts Baby in the corner.”
23. Allen Bauer (Tom Hanks) and Madison (Daryl Hannah)
Splash (1984)
“Oh, Madison. All the time we were together, you always knew how I was feeling. Can't you tell now?”
22. Honey Bunny - Yolanda (Amanda Plummer) and Pumpkin - Ringo (Tim Roth)
Pulp Fiction (1994)
“I love you too, Honey Bunny.”
21. President Andrew Shepherd (Michael Douglas) and Sydney Ellen Wade (Annette Bening)
The American President (1995)
“Two hundred pairs of eyes are focused on you with two questions on their minds: who's this girl and why is the President dancing with her?”
“Well, first of all, the 200 pairs of eyes aren't focused on me. They're focused on you. And the answers are Sydney Ellen Wade, and because she said yes.”
20. Gary 'Gal' Dove (Ray Winstone) and Deedee Dove (Amanda Redman)
Sexy Beast
“I love you like a rose loves rainwater, like a leopard loves its partner in the jungle, like... I don't know what like.”
19. Crash Davis (Kevin Costner) and Annie Savoy (Susan Sarandon)
Bull Durham (1988)
“Come on, Annie, think of something clever to say, huh? Something full of magic, religion, bullshit. Come on, dazzle me.”
“I want you.”
18. Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy)
Before Sunrise (1995)
“So listen, so here's the deal. This is what we should do. You should get off the train with me here in
17. Samantha Baker (Molly Ringwald) and Jake Ryan (Michael Schoeffling)
16 Candles (1984)
“Happy Birthday, Samantha. Make a wish.”
“It already came true.”
16. Loretta Castorini (Cher) and Ronny Cammareri (Nicolas Cage)
Moonstruck (1987)
“We are here to ruin ourselves and to break our hearts and love the wrong people and die. The storybooks are bullshit. Now I want you to come upstairs with me and get in my bed!”
15. Sam Baldwin (Tom Hanks) and Annie Reed (Meg Ryan)
Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
“Now that was when people knew how to be in love. They knew it! Time, distance... nothing could separate them because they knew. It was right. It was real.”
14. Edward Lewis (Richard Gere) and Vivian Ward (Julia Roberts)
Pretty Woman (1990)
“So what happens after he climbs up and rescues her?
“She rescues him right back.”
13. Clarence Worley (Christian Slater) and Alabama Whitman (Patricia Arquette)
True Romance (1993)
“You just said that you love me and if I say it back and just throw caution to the wind and let the chips fall where they may and you were lying then I am just going to fucking die.”
12. Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack) and Diane Court (Ione Skye)
Say Anything (1989)
“Then why are you shaking?”
“I don’t know. I think I’m happy.”
11. Lady and Tramp
Lady and the Tramp (1955)
Premiere.com’s interpretation of what was going through the dog’s mind: “Here’s a meatball. Enjoy! <3)”
10. Robbie (Adam Sandler) and Julia (Drew Barrymore)
The Wedding Singer (1998)
“I wanna grow old with you.”
9. Robert Kincaid (Clint Eastwood) and Francesca Johnson (Meryl Streep)
Bridges of Madison County (1995)
“If you want me to stop, tell me now.”
“No one's asking you to.”
8. Marcee Tidwell (Regina King) and Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr.)
Jerry Maguire (1996)
"I hate you going to movies alone without me."
7. Harold (Bud Cort) and Maude (Ruth Gordon)
Harold and Maude (1971)
“’Harold loves Maude... and Maude loves Harold.’ This is the nicest gift I've received in years.”
6. Sam Wheat (Patrick Swayze) and Molly Jensen (Demi Moore)
Ghost (1990)
“Ditto.”
5. Noah Calhoun (Ryan Gosling) and Allie Hamilton (Rachel McAdams)
The Notebook (2004)
“Yes... it wasn't over, it still isn't over.”
4. Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet)
Titanic (1997)
“Winning that ticket, Rose, was the best thing that ever happened to me... it brought me to you. And I'm thankful for that, Rose.”
3. Adrian (Talia Shire) and Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone)
Rocky/Rocky II (1976/1979)
“I just got one thing to say... to my wife at
“I love you. I love you...”
2. WALL•E (voice) (Ben Burtt) and EVE (voice) (Elissa Knight)
Wall-E (2008)
“Eeeee...va.”
1. Buttercup / The Princess Bride (Robin Wright Penn) and Westley (Cary Elwes)
The Princess Bride (1987)
“Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a while.”