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Signed, Hates Kids in Denver
Jun. 10th, 2008 08:05 pmI wasn't exactly STOKED about seeing Kung Fu Panda. I mean, it looked mildly amusing but I couldn't find anyone to go with me -- not that that's stopped me in the past. But it was at IMAX, and I was curious to see the Kung Fu angle in animation. I studied Kung Fu briefly in college, under our dorm-mate Jonas Sanchez. He was also our D&D Dungeon Master -- he had mad leadership skillz. He was Filipino with a third-degree black belt. I've also never once seen him sweat, through many rigorous workouts. I decided to look old Jonas up on the internet, and actually found him. He's still role-playing, but in a different capacity now: O hai sensei. (I'm kidding, we didn't call him sensei)
Sadly Kung Fu, like Marching Band (which took up way too much time for only one credit), was abandoned. I miss them both now. So off to the movie I went.
Well worth it. Sure, it's basically a retelling of Mulan -- Po (Jack Black, who is the only possible choice for this role) is a fat, lazy panda who idolizes the "Furious Five" Kung Fu masters, Tigress, Viper, Crane, Monkey and Mantis (my personal favorite, as that was the style Jonas selected for me). Through an unexpected twist of fate, he is picked to be the Dragon Warrior to defeat the formidable and presumably irredeemably evil Tai Lung (a snow leopard). No one believes he can do it, least of all himself. Like Mulan, it's full of beautiful little philosophies that may or may not actually be Chinese. And of course a happy, heartwarming ending all about finding the truth within yourself that makes you happiest.
Where to begin? The animation is of course first rate. The battle scenes have a fluidity that make you feel like you're flying, effortless, dynamic and very exciting. The emotional scenes pack their punch, and the laughs are all Jack. Only he can pull off a character that's alternately bombastic and humble, brazen and awestruck.
If you go, bring a crib sheet -- the "name that actor" game drove me crazy AGAIN, despite a visit to IMDb prior. Shifu the monk is of course Dustin Hoffman. Tigress is Angelina Jolie, Viper is Lucy Liu, Crane is David Cross (he drove me the craziest), Mantis is Seth Rogen and Monkey is Jackie Chan (explaining why he only had one line). Tai Lung SHOULD have been Rickman, but only because I wish he were in every movie (instead it's Ian McShane, who I do not recognize).
My one complaint is if Po IS the Dragon Warrior, then that style must be characterized by simply repelling your opponent with your gelatinous belly (it isn't. It's based on smooth, reptilian movements and claw-like attacks. But I guess the kiddies don't know that).
Ahhh, the kiddies. Of course I didn't expect to go to a children's movie without seeing my fair share. It actually wasn't too terrible; I had a woman in front of me with two little girls, whose tinkling laughter often inspired my own. To my left were a group of boys, younger accompanied by older, also behaving appropriately.
No, the problem was this woman farther down the rows who had a little boy, 2 or 3 years old. This is too young to bring to a movie, even one rated G. The kid screamed and cried sporadically throughout the first and second acts. Then during the third, he would not be silenced. She carried him up to the back of the theater to quiet him, where I was sitting. My frustration could barely be contained. Lady, does it look like he's getting ANYTHING out of the movie? Yes, she paid her $13.50, plus another $10 for the kid. But you know, I paid for my ticket too.
Speaking of which, why waste an IMAX movie on a 2-year-old? Aren't normal, average movie screens just as enormous when you're that age? And an expensive gamble. Testing your kid's movie behavior in an IMAX theater is like buying beluga caviar and Moet & Chandon to see what he likes for dinner.
But yeah, you should see Kung Fu Panda, and in IMAX if at all possible. Can't wait for the DVD. Skedoosh!
Sadly Kung Fu, like Marching Band (which took up way too much time for only one credit), was abandoned. I miss them both now. So off to the movie I went.
Well worth it. Sure, it's basically a retelling of Mulan -- Po (Jack Black, who is the only possible choice for this role) is a fat, lazy panda who idolizes the "Furious Five" Kung Fu masters, Tigress, Viper, Crane, Monkey and Mantis (my personal favorite, as that was the style Jonas selected for me). Through an unexpected twist of fate, he is picked to be the Dragon Warrior to defeat the formidable and presumably irredeemably evil Tai Lung (a snow leopard). No one believes he can do it, least of all himself. Like Mulan, it's full of beautiful little philosophies that may or may not actually be Chinese. And of course a happy, heartwarming ending all about finding the truth within yourself that makes you happiest.
Where to begin? The animation is of course first rate. The battle scenes have a fluidity that make you feel like you're flying, effortless, dynamic and very exciting. The emotional scenes pack their punch, and the laughs are all Jack. Only he can pull off a character that's alternately bombastic and humble, brazen and awestruck.
If you go, bring a crib sheet -- the "name that actor" game drove me crazy AGAIN, despite a visit to IMDb prior. Shifu the monk is of course Dustin Hoffman. Tigress is Angelina Jolie, Viper is Lucy Liu, Crane is David Cross (he drove me the craziest), Mantis is Seth Rogen and Monkey is Jackie Chan (explaining why he only had one line). Tai Lung SHOULD have been Rickman, but only because I wish he were in every movie (instead it's Ian McShane, who I do not recognize).
My one complaint is if Po IS the Dragon Warrior, then that style must be characterized by simply repelling your opponent with your gelatinous belly (it isn't. It's based on smooth, reptilian movements and claw-like attacks. But I guess the kiddies don't know that).
Ahhh, the kiddies. Of course I didn't expect to go to a children's movie without seeing my fair share. It actually wasn't too terrible; I had a woman in front of me with two little girls, whose tinkling laughter often inspired my own. To my left were a group of boys, younger accompanied by older, also behaving appropriately.
No, the problem was this woman farther down the rows who had a little boy, 2 or 3 years old. This is too young to bring to a movie, even one rated G. The kid screamed and cried sporadically throughout the first and second acts. Then during the third, he would not be silenced. She carried him up to the back of the theater to quiet him, where I was sitting. My frustration could barely be contained. Lady, does it look like he's getting ANYTHING out of the movie? Yes, she paid her $13.50, plus another $10 for the kid. But you know, I paid for my ticket too.
Speaking of which, why waste an IMAX movie on a 2-year-old? Aren't normal, average movie screens just as enormous when you're that age? And an expensive gamble. Testing your kid's movie behavior in an IMAX theater is like buying beluga caviar and Moet & Chandon to see what he likes for dinner.
But yeah, you should see Kung Fu Panda, and in IMAX if at all possible. Can't wait for the DVD. Skedoosh!
