Kung Fu Panda 3

Within the past few years, Dreamworks animation has managed to improve itself, after the period of time where they’ve had some duds. Part of that bounce back came from the release of their 2008 film, “Kung Fu Panda.” The original film featured a panda named Po, who runs a noodle shop with his dad (a goose) but aspires to be a kung fu master. That chance comes to him, when the criminal Tai Lung escapes, and Po is chosen by Master Oogway to be the Dragon Warrior to fend him off. What seemed like a silly concept, turned out to be a very entertaining coming of age story, with a lot of it working to its advantage. The characters were really likable and got a moment to shine, the action scenes were awesome, and the animation was at the time the best we had seen from Dreamworks…that is, until “How to Train Your Dragon.”

“Kung Fu Panda 2” was a massive improvement. The animation was better, the new villain was both funny and menacing, and it felt like a true continuation of the story. We see these characters evolve from what they learned and how they’ve grown attached since then. One of the major elements that stuck with people the best was that of Po’s backstory, which left a majority of people teary-eyed. If a film is strong enough to hit you at that kind of emotional level, that’s pretty impressive. With the praise it was at, it took its place as the best sequel that Dreamworks produced…that is, until again, “How to Train Your Dragon 2”…starting to see a pattern here.

After the success of the second film, along with the ending of it giving a hint at another one, “Kung Fu Panda 3” went into production. It was originally planned to come out during the holiday season, but because of the presale tickets of “The Force Awakens,” Dreamworks pushed the release date to a month later, just so it could make some sort of profit. And considering January is the dumping ground for movies, it gives it that kind of advantage.

“Kung Fu Panda 3” features the return of Kai, the former ally of Master Oogway, set to rule the lands and erase Oogway’s legacy completely. It’s then that Po must learn the art of chi from his long lost father and the hidden panda village, if he’s to defeat Kai and save the land.

So what did I think of “Kung Fu Panda 3?” Exactly as I was hoping for, in the best possible way! And I’d say it’s the first and best third film in any of their franchises (“Shrek the Third” and “Madagascar 3” sucked).

The animation is gorgeous to look at, easily the best of the entire trilogy. It’s quick, fast paced, and stylized like it was something out of “Samurai Jack,” but still stands out as its own thing. The strongest aspect that Dreamworks has with their animated films is how they animate their action scenes, and this film is one of the many examples that showcase that. I also love how there’s a specific color put to each of the films, with the first film having a yellow feel to it, the second film with red, and this one being green. It makes sense, since the third film takes place at a mountain top with lots of grass and the villain having jade abilities.

With the story focusing on Po getting used to the panda culture, the chemistry between him and his father, Li, is nicely put. You grow to like the two bonding together, whether it’d be for shenanigans or catching up on old times, and it’s made believable by the performances the two give. Over the span of three films, Jack Black has made the character of Po his. The tone he brings in sections when he’s geeking out about former masters, showing his moves off, or taunting his enemies, all have very good timing and still keep in touch with the character. He’s gone from being a simple fanboy, to a warrior that has conquered odds unlike any other. Even when he may seem unprepared for what’s to come, he’s confident enough to not go down without a fight and will try anything to win. Bryan Cranston as Li was also a delightful approach, having the same kind of qualities Po has, but one that was off in another direction. Instead of being a panda obsessed with action, he’s a coward, worried about the safety of his people, not wanting to see any kind of negativity come about them. And with the film being about Po becoming a teacher, he takes the progression he’s learned and applies it to his father in the film. I think that’s a pretty good moral to teach to kids, if you ask me.

The villain, Kai, is very enjoyable to watch, and part of that may come the voicing of J.K. Simmons. He adds this sense of annoyance whenever he tries to add reassurance about himself, and each inflection of his lines always makes you giggle. But he balances that out with a good deal of intimidation, especially during the climax.

Returning cast members like Lucy Liu, Jackie Chan, David Cross, Seth Rogen, and Angelina Jolie as the Fearsome Five have always done the job right; Dustin Hoffman and Randall Duk Kim as Shifu and Oogway do brilliantly well; and even James Hong as Mr. Ping managed to bring more humor to the film than ever, even with a quick innuendo. The only casting I wasn’t fully on board with was Kate Hudson as a young female panda. Don’t get me wrong, she wasn’t bad, but the way the character was portrayed, you’d think she’d be Po’s love interest from her introduction…not so much. It just makes you wonder, what was the point of her character?

Other than that slight nit-pick, everything else about the film is solid. I have to give props to the director, Jennifer Yuh Nelson, who had previously directed the second film. She definitely stands as one of the best animation directors of the past decade, and I hope that she gets rewarded for her work on this film. Now is it my favorite film of the trilogy? No, that would be “Kung Fu Panda 2,” but the third film is still really damn solid. Would I like to see a fourth film in the series? Probably not, I’d prefer it to be a trilogy on its own. But if a fourth film comes out and catches my attention, I’ll be there on opening day to see it.

Overall, “Kung Fu Panda 3” was a damn good time, and I’m looking forward to buying it on the blu-ray trilogy pack. If you haven’t seen any of the other films, you’re missing out on some highly made stuff. It may not be the best animated film from Dreamworks, but it’s among the top 5 for sure, if you ask me.

Rating: 10/10

Deadpool

            Out of all the characters that Marvel Comics has brought to us, Deadpool has possibly the biggest cult following behind him. As Marvel’s answer to DC’s Deathstroke, aka Slade Wilson, the Merc with the Mouth, aka Wade Wilson, is somebody who knows that he’s a character in a form of entertainment, whether it’d be comics, video games, and so forth. But what truly makes Deadpool differentiate from other Marvel characters is his style of humor. I’d say he’s less bat-shit insane, and more SHITTING-BATS insane. 4^th wall breaks, making fun of other storylines, chimichangas, smart ass remarks…I can go on.

            When Deadpool first made his film debut, it was in the film “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”…and boy, did it not settle well with anybody. First off, the film itself was terrible, we all know that. Second, the biggest mistake they made with the character was that they sewed his mouth shut and made him look like a reject Baraka from “Mortal Kombat.” Which is sad, because Ryan Reynolds was a pretty good casting choice for the character, and in the scenes before that, he does a pretty good job.

            Rumors of a solo movie starring Deadpool had been floating around ever since the turn of the decade, and even Ryan Reynolds was saying he wanted it to happen soon and make it an R rated action comedy, that was as true to the character as possible. That passion to do something right came even stronger, especially after the abysmal flops that were “The Green Lantern” and “R.I.P.D.” We all thought that they weren’t going to happen…that is until July of 2014, when we saw this:

            This was test footage that Reynolds was a part of, made back in 2012, and it wasn’t until someone got ahold of this two years later and leaked it online. When this popped up, people went NUTS. From what we saw, the footage was decently acted, action packed, and really damn funny. The response was so big, that 20^th Century Fox had no other choice but to finally give it the attention that it so deserved. And as 2015 rolled around, the film was in production, Reynolds was set as both star and producer, and Tim Miller, the man behind the title sequences for “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011)” and “Thor: The Dark World,” was set to direct. Yeah, this was Miller’s full on directorial debut.

            So, was “Deadpool” worth the wait? Is chimichanga a fun word to say? Of COURSE it was! This film was fucking awesome!

            In this film, we are told the origins of former Special Forces Operative, Wade Wilson, working as a mercenary for hire. After he’s diagnosed with cancer, he is recommended to a program that will not only cure his cancer, but make him into a super human. Of course, things go south, as he spends weeks being tortured and ends up with a messed up face. With his new found powers, he dawns the identity of Deadpool and sets out on a mission to find the leader of the program and get his face fixed.

            “Deadpool” not only sells it as an amazing comic book movie, it’s also one of the funniest comedies that I’ve seen in a long time. Hell, the opening credits alone had me laughing my balls off so badly. The writers of this film, Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese who wrote “Zombieland,” are great comedic writers, and this is by far their best effort yet. It isn’t just 4^th wall jokes that poke fun at other superhero films, it also throws in a good chunk of unexpected surprises. One minute you’ll see the punchline coming a mile away, then they’ll throw in something that completely catches you off guard. I really love it when you have a comedy that throws curveballs like to make it feel fresh. The action scenes are super violent, and I love them all for that. Decapitations, shooting three guys with one shot, crushing people with trucks, it’s all so glorious! For a film debut, especially an action film such as this, Tim Miller really knows how to make it seem like it’s his 5^th or 6^th movie. Talk about natural skill there. All I can say is, with the sequel already greenlit, they better have these guys return to write and direct.

            Ryan Reynolds embodies this role so damn much, capturing the smart aleck attitude and sense of humor that Deadpool is known for. This is the kind of performance that can make you laugh, even when he’s just sitting in the back of a taxi cab. Even if the guy is a complete asshole, the way the character acts toward his close ones, whether it’d be Morena Baccarin as his girlfriend or T.J. Miller as his sarcastic best friend, and how it blends in with Reynolds comedic charm and timing makes him one of the most likable schmucks in any comic book film. While it might not be anything new that we’ve seen from Reynolds as an actor, he makes it feel fresh, and I’d definitely say this is his best film yet. This was his passion project, something that took ten years to make a reality, and I hope that dream continues in the sequel.

            Ed Skrein as the villain really shows that “Transporter Refueled” was a terrible representation of his acting. Skrein may play it straight forward, the evil mad scientist that is mutated, but it fits in with him being the butt of Deadpool’s jokes, especially with the character’s name. Morena Baccarin as Vanessa really knows how to keep up with Reynolds’s comedic energy from moment one. And much like Reynolds as Deadpool, she’s not afraid to bring on the pain to those that she deems unworthy. Whenever the two are on camera, it always feels natural and not like their reading off of a script…although, that could be from all of the improvisation that they do. T.J. Miller as Weasel was a character that I thought wouldn’t really be interesting, but Miller proved me wrong. His dry delivery that we see in the trailers is present throughout the film, but much like Baccarin, it feels natural. I also love how he’s just tries to not get involved in brawls and only be there for moral support, which he implies by the last scene he’s in. Other cast members like Leslie Uggams, Gina Carano, Brianna Hildebrand, and Stefan Kapičić, all manage to support the film pretty damn well, and aren’t completely overshadowed by Deadpool.

            Overall, “Deadpool” stands with “Guardians of the Galaxy” as one of my favorite comic book films of the past couple of years, and rightfully so. It’s funny, it’s action packed, it’s chaotic, and it’s a fucking good time. With the box office records the film’s breaking, I’m hoping this means we’ll get Deadpool vs. Wolverine done PROPLERLY. But that also gives Warner Bros. some big competition to follow up, with “Suicide Squad” coming out this summer. If you haven’t seen this film yet, do so. Even if you’re underage, hire a hobo to escort you in or something. Just go and support this movie whatever way you can!

Rating: 10/10