John Woo Films

Now I understand what it feels like to be in a John Woo film. This weekend I was in Miami visiting a friend and I must say, South Beach is incredible!

Picture the scene in any John Woo film where the main actor walks into a club with the electronic music blaring and the white curtains flaring in artificial wind. The low to the ground camera with the wide angle lens sweeps across the floor in front of the actor in slow motion, following the actor as he passes then swoops quickly upward and around the actor in a spiral. See "A Better Tomorrow", "Face/Off", or any other Woo film to understand what I'm talking about. Bruckheimer's crew of directors tends to copy it too: See Michael Bay's Bad Boys II. In fact the club in question might actually be in that movie.

We walked into the Delano Hotel/Rose Bar and this is exactly what it felt like. First of all, outside you'll find several Italian vehicles worth more that the GNP of many countries. Then, as you walk into the soft yellow light with the ginormous bouncer greeting you, your sences are accousted by the tremendous number of women wearing next to nothing.

The entrance to the bar is a good 100 yards long. Silk white curtains are softly flaring in the light breeze coming from the rear of the bar leads out to the beach. Along the way, the entrance is lined with beds complete with white sheets and goose down pillows.

Above are chandeleirs worth more than my yearly salary. The ceiling is probably a good 100 feet off the ground.

At the bar, Absolut is considered rail vodka, and will still cost you $10 for a drink. The bar, off to the right side has a pool table and grand piano. Beyond the bar, there are several tables and chairs set up for meals that I'm sure start at $50 a head. This leads to the outdoor seating area, which overlooks a 100 yard reflecting pool, lit from beneath.

As you travel down past the reflecting pool, both sides are lined with more beds. To the other side of the beds, are more private bungalows. Which I'm sure, you can rent for something like $200 an hour to seat 10-15 of your closest friends while watching the plasma tv in each.

Finally to the other side of the pool is yet another bar, that is teeming with more beautiful women. Image is big in Miami, so everyone looks good.

"This is why the world hates America," said my friend Jose. Because of excess like this, I agree, this is one reason why many do hate America.