Semi-OT: Kung Fu Panda

[Der Captain]

Obviously I love classic animation and I like a lot of new stuff too, including feature length items. The new one "Kung Fu Panda" has been getting raves. It's probably very good for what it is.

So why can't I get enthused about it? I don't think I've finally gotten tired of cartoons. But there's a sameness about a lot of these features. The all seem to have the same kiddie-show "Be-Yourself!-Find-Your Inner-Hero" moral at the core. Cartoon movies don't seem to be evolving.

Of course I haven't seen "Persepolis" yet.

[J. J. Hunsecker]

Obviously I love classic animation and I like a lot of new stuff too, including feature length items. The new one "Kung Fu Panda" has been getting raves. It's probably very good for what it is.

So why can't I get enthused about it? I don't think I've finally gotten tired of cartoons. But there's a sameness about a lot of these features. The all seem to have the same kiddie-show "Be-Yourself!-Find-Your Inner-Hero" moral at the core. Cartoon movies don't seem to be evolving.

Of course I haven't seen "Persepolis" yet.
I think you hit the nail on the head, with regards to the "Be-Yourself!-Find-Your Inner-Hero" moral. (Another one seems to be the "follow your dreams" message prevalent in not only so many cartoons, but live action features as well.) It does bring a sameness to the cartoons, even if they are well produced and entertaining.

Because of this the parts are greater than the whole: it's usually the set pieces that stand out and are satisfying from an entertainment point of view, rather than the complete story. That's because the stories are usually predictable, and we all know that everything is going to end happily, and that the protagonist is going to get his/her dreams fulfilled.

I have to say though, for a Dreamworks picture, I can't believe how nice the design and art direction look for Kung Fu Panda. I'm sure there will be some great scenes (I already saw one that had some great timing and inventiveness) amid the typical story.

[Thad]

Wow, another smartass talking animal picture. Pass.

[J. J. Hunsecker]

Wow, another smartass talking animal picture. Pass.

Uh, doesn't that also describe nearly every Looney Tune and Tex Avery MGM cartoon?

What bothers me is that, unlike Bugs Bunny or Daffy Duck, the wiseacre comments in the Dreamworks pictures are forced and pandering to the audience. Maybe the film should be called Kung Fu Pander?

[Thad]

OK, smartass talking animal CGI picture.
Good enough reason not to see it. (And I think Jack Black is funny, too!)

[mikematei]

i had never heard of it. But I keep seeing **** about it. First, I was at the mall, and saw a game about it at Gamestop. And thought it was really stupid. I even made a sarcastic comment about it. Then, I went to see indiana jones 4, and there was a preview for it, which I was seething about. And finally today, my **** sister bought her kid a kung fu panda toy from mcdonalds. It's sickening how much they advertise these crappy CG animated barf fests

[Mac]

From the little I've seen of the film so far the character designs, colours and animation have really caught my attention. I think it looks really good. I haven't seen any of them yet, but I think 2008 will be a good year for animation – I'm excited about Wall•e, Kung Fu Panda and the new short Wallace and Gromit film. Also the new Pixar short looks like it will be a winner too.

I agree that the "Be Yourself - Inner Hero - Dreams" type stories are cliché, so we'll have to wait and see how it plays out in this film. Also wise-cracking animals are not just over done, but many have become interchangeable. This overuse dates back to Disney's 90's features so it's not just CGI (besides the design, is Mushu the dragon in Mulan all that different to Donkey in the Shrek films? Other than the voice, is Timon the meerkat very different to those characters?) I'm hoping that Kung Fu Panda will break the mold and have characters that can stand on their own. If not, I'm still hopeful this film will at least be stunning to look at and contain plenty of inventive and exciting action and good humour.

[Brandon Panther]

The dumb thing about the whole "Follw your dreams, be yourself" cliche is it's obviosuly intended for kids, but when kids grow up they are going to find that being themself, or trying to do things their own way WILL get them shunned by society and authorities. And if they ever grow up and want to become animators or filmmakers they'll learn that they probably won't have creative freedom, so they can't "be themself", and "following their dream" lead to a mutual dissapointment.

These types of movies are a waste of time, not to mention self-defeating.

[Der Captain]

I'm excited about Wall•e, Kung Fu Panda and the new short Wallace and Gromit film.


A new Wallace and Gromit? Now that I haven't heard about!

[Matt the Y]

A new Wallace and Gromit? Now that I haven't heard about!

Yup! According to IMDb, its' title is "Wallace and Gromit in 'A Matter of Loaf and Death' ".

[Mac]

Yup! According to IMDb, its' title is "Wallace and Gromit in 'A Matter of Loaf and Death' ".

Aww, they've changed the name, it was going to be called "Trouble at' Mill". I thought that title, with its northern accent, was funnier than this groaner of a pun – I wonder if they thought that anyone outside the UK would be asking "Why isn't it called Trouble at *the* Mill?!"

[Matthew Hunter]

I saw it today. I have been helping my aunt and uncle take care of the young cousins this summer, and they were stoked to see this movie, so I took them to see it. I didn't know what to expect, though I'd read nothing but good things about it. I liked it! Was it the best animated movie I've ever seen? No. But what I liked about it was that the animation was better than I've ever seen in a Dreamworks CGI cartoon feature, and that while they had celebrities in the voice cast, they weren't annoying. I had no idea Dustin Hoffman played the "master" character until I read it in the credits. It was also relatively short, and completely devoid of obnoxious pop culture schtick. It looked cool, the actors did a great job, and it was a fun story. Some nice 2-d stuff during the opening and closing helped, too.

[JPox]

I saw it yesterday! I think it's the best Dreamworks has done so far.
Lots of slapstick action and the action scenes were great!
I had no idea Jackie Chan was the voice of the monkey, he didn't say too much...
It seems that CG movies are turning towards traditional animation more and more. Seeing the two styles in one feature is refreshing.

[geekzapoppin]

I have to agree that, though the story was one I've heard a thousand times, it was put together very well and was quite entertaining. The humor came completely from within the world of the movie, so there was thankfully no Shrek Post-Modernism on display. The animation was lovely and the action scenes were fast-paced, intricate, and suspenseful. I'm not sure how I feel about how Po disposes of the villain, but that's a minor quibble about an otherwise very enjoyable film.

All-in-all, this was surprisingly solid.