Kung Fu Panda

I am finding that its really a treat to have kids and toddles at home because I have a valid excuse to sit in front of the television and watch cartoons with them.

 

Some of the cartoons that I have watched... and watched... and watched... are the Complete Land Before Time series, this is actually a "watch in progress" (as in work in progress, hehehe) since they are still coming up with new additional to the series, the latest is Land Before Time - The Wisdom of Friends, which I haven't got the chance to buy yet; there's Cars, which I love so much; A few season of the The Simpsons, love this too; Dora The Explorer, Spongebob Squarepants, and even Barbie.

 

 

The latest that I was able to watch was Kung Fu Panda, a movie that, at first watch, I did not approve of. But I later realize what the movie was really all about and it is highly recommended.

 

 

The story is about Po, a panda, that loves kung fu. Hence the title Kung Fu Panda, hehehe. He was picked to be the dragon warrior over the "Furious Five" (Monkey, Tigress, Crane, Mantis and Viper) by Master Oogway. The dragon warrior must battle the rogue Tai Lung to bring peace to the valley. Master Shifu thinks that this was an accident, as Po's kung fu skills, with his admission, was level zero. But as Master Oogway is fond of saying "There are no accidents" and he begs Shifu to believe that they finally found the dragon master.

 

The scripts and dialogues are very good and memorable, although full of cliches. What I like about Kung Fu Panda is that, unlike other movies, it did not resort to spoofing another movie or a song and dance number. It was funny and deep all its own.

 

I said that I did not approve of it at the beginning, because of what Po or Panda said not wanting to be himself. What's wrong about being oneself? I asked myself. But when I heard Mr. Ping, Panda's father, confide to him that there are no secret ingredients, that something does not need a secret ingredient to be special as long as you believe, I finally realized that this movie teaches a very basic, but important lesson: "There is no need to change what you are, just believe that you are special, believe that you can do it and you are all set for success."

 

One really cute thing that I like about Po was when he wiggle his nose whenever he was upset or in a state of self-pity. I like it best when he did the nose-wiggling after falling down on a chair that he rigged with fireworks and he shouted "I love kung fu!"

 

 

There are a lot of memorable quotes that I love from the movie, here are some of them:

 

 "You are too concerned with what was and with what will be.

Yesterday is history... tomorrow is mystery...
but today is a gift.. that is why it's called present"
- Master Oogway

 

"Yeah, I stayed. I stayed because every time you threw a brick at my head or said I smelled; it hurt, but it couldnever hurt more than everyday of my life just being me. I stayed because I thought if anyone can change me, can make me not me, it was you! The greatest kung fu teacher in all of China!"

- Po

 

There are no accidents.

- Master Oogway

 

One often meets his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it.

- Master Oogway

 

There is no secret ingrredient.

- Mr. Ping

 

The mind is like this water, my friend.  When it is agitated, it becomes difficult to see.  But if you allow it to settle, the answer becomes clear.

- Master Oogway

 

The mark of a true hero is humility

- Master Shifu