Kung Fu Panda 2: The Kaboom Of Doom [Archive]

GeneChing

03-12-2010, 10:38 AM

I edited out the other 5 new series. You can follow the link if you're interested.

Kung Fu Panda Series Part of Nick's 2010-11 Slate (http://www.awn.com/news/films/kung-fu-panda-series-part-nicks-2010-11-slate)
By Rick DeMott | Thursday, March 11, 2010 at 12:06 pm

Press Release from Nickelodeon

NEW YORK--March 11, 2010--At its 2010 annual upfront presentation which featured top talent across the worlds of television, music and film, Nickelodeon today announced a slate of new programming that will be added to the network’s 2010-11 schedule, including: six new series and new seasons of 16 returning hits such as top-ranked iCarly, SpongeBob SquarePants and Team Umizoomi. Additionally, five brand-new series will bow across Nick’s digital nets, which include TeenNick, Nick Jr. and Nicktoons, during the 2010-11 season. Nickelodeon, the top-ranked basic cable network in total day for almost 16 years, is poised to close 1Q10 as its most-watched quarter ever in its 30-year history and just celebrated January as its most-watched month ever.

Held this morning at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, Nickelodeon’s upfront presentation featured special guest appearances and contributions from: M. Night Shyamalan, director of Paramount Pictures’ and Nickelodeon Movies’ upcoming feature film The Last Airbender; Miranda Cosgrove, star of iCarly, basic cable’s top kid and tween series; Victoria Justice, from the upcoming Nickelodeon live-action series Victorious; and Jamie Kennedy, star of the animated hit Fanboy and Chum Chum. The event was capped by musical performances from Nick’s Big Time Rush, and pop singing sensation Justin Bieber, who sang his hit songs, “One Time” and “Baby.”

Six new series will be added to Nickelodeon’s programming line-up this season, including:

* Kung Fu Panda: The Series, Nickelodeon’s second collaboration with DreamWorks Animation, chronicles the further adventures of Po, the energetic, enthusiastic, always hungry martial arts panda as he protects the Valley of Peace from threats of all kind. Based on DreamWorks Animation’s hit feature film Kung Fu Panda, the Nick animated series is executive produced by Cheryl Holliday (King of the Hill, Still Standing, Father of the Pride) and produced at Nickelodeon’s Burbank, Calif. Animation Studios.

GeneChing

04-15-2010, 09:44 AM

I think there's more on the KFP thread, but that's so 2008 now.

Late to the Game, DreamWorks Is Bringing Kung Fu Panda World to the Web (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/12/business/media/12panda.html)
By BROOKS BARNES
Published: April 11, 2010

LOS ANGELES — Can DreamWorks Animation revitalize the cooling business of virtual worlds?

On Monday, DreamWorks will formally enter this crowded realm with Kung Fu Panda World, a $10 million Web site that will allow children to play elaborate games, chat with friends, learn kung fu styles and get a pet.

The site, which has taken two years to develop, is centered on the company’s hit movie “Kung Fu Panda,” which had $632 million in global ticket sales in 2008.

Membership will cost $5.95 a month — on par with other virtual worlds for children — although DreamWorks has also devised a free option: children can play free for one day if they watch a 15-second ad. A player can come back day after day with this option, but membership is required to unlock more advanced settings. Kung Fu Panda World is aimed at children age 8 to 12.

DreamWorks has been notably absent from virtual worlds for children, a business that has expanded rapidly in recent years by serving as part online role-playing game and part social scene.

The Walt Disney Company, which bought ClubPenguin.com in 2007 for $700 million, has pumped out sister sites; toy companies like Build-A-Bear Workshop, the retail chain, have flooded the Web with their own offerings.

But oversaturation and the faddish nature of children’s entertainment is starting to batter the once-booming business. About 6.7 million unique visitors logged on to Club Penguin in March, a 7 percent decline from March 2009, according to the research company comScore.

Webkinz.com, where children care for stuffed animals that come to life, registered about 2.7 million, a 58 percent drop. Neopets.com, owned by Viacom, suffered a 25 percent decline, to about 2.1 million.

“The market is shaking out — there is only room for so many of these worlds in a child’s life and a parent’s wallet,” said Christopher Byrne, a toy consultant and content director for Time To Play magazine.

DreamWorks is betting that there is a window of opportunity when it comes to slightly older children — after growing out of Club Penguin, where children dress and groom penguin characters, but before becoming interested in more mature online offerings like World of Warcraft, MySpace and Facebook.

It’s not an easy road. A lavish “Pirates of the Caribbean” world, an attempt by Disney to attract children 10 and older, has been a failure. (Disney is expected to introduce another entry into this market in the coming months, a world built around “Cars.”)

John Batter, a former executive at the video game giant Electronic Arts, managed the Kung Fu Panda World project for DreamWorks, where he is co-president of production for feature animation. He is confident in his site’s chances in part because DreamWorks took its time.

“With ‘Kung Fu Panda’ we actually had a property that lent itself very well to this medium,” he said. For those unfamiliar with the film — a sequel is on the way — an underdog kung fu fighter, Po the Panda, finds his inner hero with the help of some oddball friends.

Mr. Batter said it took time to work out how to make the world intricate while keeping it technologically easy, or at least apparently easy. “Most worlds are pretty shallow — we wanted ours to be the exact opposite,” he said.

Another sign of his confidence in the market: DreamWorks is already at work on a follow-up world built around “How to Train Your Dragon.”

The decision to include advertising will undoubtedly draw scrutiny from child advocacy groups. Aside from the commercials children can watch to gain free access, DreamWorks has teamed with McDonald’s on a Happy Meal promotion.

Parents may also have concerns about a decision by DreamWorks not to restrict the chat function to a menu of words and phrases. There is also bullying potential as children roam around the site and form cliques.

“As you can imagine, kids get together and figure it out,” said Rick Rekedal, head of production for DreamWorks Animation Online. He said the company was one step ahead.

Moderators will constantly monitor activity, and software has been added to flag questionable behavior. Mr. Rekedal added that filters would prevent players from entering addresses while chatting, among other things. Personal information is banned, and there are also controls where parents can disable certain features and oversee play.

Kung Fu Panda World is built around the concept of sash levels; players start as a white belt and try to work up through 21 colors. A map shows where your friends are playing within the game — no need to call each other on the phone to figure it out, as many children do when playing in virtual worlds. There is shopping (with coins earned by winning arcade-style games) and players can send gifts to one another.

Mr. Byrne, the toy consultant, said he had high expectations. “Kids have become very sophisticated online, and I think this site meets the challenge,” he said. “It’s very rich, very fast and you don’t have to know the movie to play.”

GeneChing

05-14-2010, 11:40 AM

I loved Being John Malkovich. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind didn't quite work for me. Never saw Adaptation.

May 13, 2010
Charlie Kaufman polishing 'Kung Fu Panda' sequel (exclusive) (http://www.heatvisionblog.com/2010/05/charlie-kaufman-writing-kung-fu-panda-sequel.html)

Charlie Kaufman, the Oscar-winning writer behind “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and films such as “Adaptation” and “Being John Malkovich,” has headed off into an unexpected direction: animation.

The scribe is coming off of less than two weeks worth of work on DreamWorks Animation’s “Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom,” the sequel to the fun 2008 movie that had the voice talent of Jack Black, Angelina Jolie and Dustin Hoffman.

His work on “Kaboom” falls under the polish category, and animated movies tend to be worked on by multiple writers, so it’s not fair to say this will be a Kaufman cartoon. But it will be interesting to see, when the movie is released in 2011, how much of the Kaufman stamp it will bear.

And it’s also interesting to think about the potentially other secret assignments the UTA-repped Kaufman may have taken over the years in order to be keep working on his unique projects. (There was a four-year gap in between “Spotless Mind” and “Synecdoche, New York,” which he also directed.”)

GeneChing

05-25-2010, 09:00 AM

I'm so glad this will be in 3D. :cool:

May 20, 2010
Gary Oldman to strut his stuff in 'Kung Fu Panda 2' (exclusive) (http://www.heatvisionblog.com/2010/05/gary-oldman-kung-fu-panda-kaboom-of-doom-exclusive.html)

Gary Oldman has joined the voice cast of DreamWorks Animation’s “Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom.” Jennifer Yuh Nelson is directing the film, slated for a summer 2011 release.

“Kaboom” is a 3D sequel to the successful 2008 film about Po, a panda voiced by Jack Black. The story centres on Po's search for other pandas and his run-in with a group of bandits.

Oldman voices a character named Pea**** who helps Po find the bandits but is more than he seems.

The actor most recently lended his voice to the animated alien comedy “Planet 51” and Disney’s retelling of “A Christmas Carol,” both of which were released in the fall.

Oldman, repped by Paradigm and Douglas Management Group, most recently appeared onscreen in “The Book of Eli.” He next will reprise his role as Sirius Black in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II,” due in July 2011.

GeneChing

05-25-2010, 09:03 AM

Not only Oldman, add our fav Bond Girl and JCVD.

Gary Oldman, Michelle Yeoh, Jean Claude Van Damme and Victor Garber Join Cast of DreamWorks Animation's 'Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom' (http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gary-oldman-michelle-yeoh-jean-claude-van-damme-and-victor-garber-join-cast-of-dreamworks-animations-kung-fu-panda-the-kaboom-of-doom-94817774.html)

Release Date Moved Up To Memorial Day Weekend, May 27, 2011

GLENDALE, Calif., May 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (Nasdaq: DWA) today announced that Gary Oldman, Michelle Yeoh, Jean Claude Van Damme and Victor Garber will join Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross and James Hong in its upcoming film, "Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom," which is now scheduled to be released on May 27, 2011 (Memorial Day weekend). The previously announced release date was June 3, 2011.

Oldman voices the character of Lord Shen (a pea****), the film's formidable new villain while Yeoh brings to life the mystical character of The Soothsayer (a goat). Van Damme and Garber round out the cast as Master Croc and Master Thundering Rhino, respectively.

"In the sequel, Po goes on an amazing personal journey and we are thrilled to have assembled such a talented and well-respected group of actors to bring to life our new characters, who – alongside our returning cast – play such a critical role in Po's quest and his ultimate triumph over the forces of evil," said Melissa Cobb, Producer of both "Kung Fu Panda" and its sequel.

During its theatrical run in 2008, "Kung Fu Panda" – DreamWorks Animation's most successful original film ever – reached over $631 million in worldwide box office. The sequel will follow Po, the world's biggest kung fu fan, as he continues his journey as the chosen one who fulfills an ancient prophesy while mastering the art of kung fu. "Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom" is directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson and produced by Melissa Cobb. Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger, who wrote and co-produced the original film, also return.

About DreamWorks Animation SKG

DreamWorks Animation creates high-quality entertainment, including CG animated feature films, television specials and series, live entertainment properties and online virtual worlds, meant for audiences around the world. The Company has world-class creative talent, a strong and experienced management team and advanced filmmaking technology and techniques. DreamWorks Animation has been named one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For" by FORTUNE® Magazine for two 2 consecutive years. In 2010, DreamWorks Animation ranks #6 on the list. All of DreamWorks Animation's feature films are now being produced in 3D. The Company has theatrically released a total of 20 animated feature films, including the franchise properties of Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon. DreamWorks Animation's next feature film is Megamind, scheduled to be released in 3D on November 5, 2010.

Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This document includes certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company's plans, prospects, strategies, proposals and our beliefs and expectations concerning performance of our current and future releases and anticipated talent, directors and storyline for our upcoming films and other projects, constitute forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about the industry in which we operate and management's beliefs and assumptions. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions which are difficult to predict. Actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied by the statements herein due to changes in economic, business, competitive, technological and/or regulatory factors, and other risks and uncertainties affecting the operation of the business of DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. These risks and uncertainties include: audience acceptance of our films, our dependence on the success of a limited number of releases each year, the increasing cost of producing and marketing feature films, piracy of motion pictures, the effect of rapid technological change or alternative forms of entertainment and our need to protect our proprietary technology and enhance or develop new technology. In addition, due to the uncertainties and risks involved in the development and production of animated feature projects, the release dates for the projects described in this document may be delayed. For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties, see the reports filed by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and our most recent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. DreamWorks Animation is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions or otherwise.

GeneChing

09-15-2010, 09:23 AM

Ape Entertainment Publishes "Megamind" and "Kung Fu Panda 2" Comics (http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=28320)
by CBR News Team, Editor
Posted: 20 hours ago
Official Press Release

Ape Entertainment will publish comic books inspired by the upcoming DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc (Nasdaq: DWA) films, Megamind, which is due in theaters on November 5th and features the voice talents of Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Jonah Hill, David Cross and Brad Pitt, and Kung Fu Panda 2, which is due in theaters on May 27, 2011 and features the voice talents of Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, Gary Oldman and Michelle Yeoh.

Published under the company’s all-ages imprint, Kizoic, Megamind and Kung Fu Panda 2 will be the third and fourth DreamWorks Animation properties to be given the comic book treatment by Ape Entertainment. The San Diego-based publisher is also producing comics based on the studio’s popular franchises, Shrek® and The Penguins of Madagascar™.

“As soon as we caught a glimpse of Megamind, we knew we wanted to be involved in the comic book adaptation,” says founder and co-publisher David Hedge****. “And Kung Fu Panda is a personal favorite of everyone at Ape Entertainment, so being able to work with the sequel has us all feeling like kids in a candy store.”

Kizoic will release a four issue Megamind mini series beginning in November, with a 48-page prequel in October prior to the film’s release and a four issue Kung Fu Panda 2 mini series beginning in May 2011, with a 48-page prequel in April prior to the film’s release.

For more information on Ape Entertainment, visit www.ape-entertainment.com. To download artwork for this pr visit the downloads section of www.sphinxgroup.com.
I also started a thread for the KFP Holiday Special (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=58151)

GeneChing

11-08-2010, 10:48 AM

Kung Fu Panda 2 Trailer (HD) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONl5vCpp7lE)

GeneChing

11-08-2010, 11:08 AM

The Panda is on the march... for next May.

Kung Fu Panda 2 Movie Poster
Movies | Lainey DeeKay | November 8, 2010 at 1:50 pm
http://www.bsckids.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Kung-Fu-Panda-2-Movie-Poster.jpg

Check out the new poster for the upcoming Kung Fu Panda 2 the animated movie and set to be in 3-D. The movie titled ‘Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom’ is scheduled to be released to theaters nationwide on May 27 2011 and will bring together the cast from the first movie as well as several new actors. The sequel was announced on 2009 Nickelodeon Kid’s Choice Awards. Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Angelina Jolie, Lucy Lui, Seth Rogen David Cross and James Hong are going to be joined by Victor Garber, Michelle Yeoh, Gary Oldman, James Woods, and Jean-Claude Van Damme.

The sequel to the movie will focus on Po (Jack Black), Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman), Master Tigress (Angelina Jolie) and the rest of the Furious Five will join forces with The Soothsayer (Michelle Yeoh), Master Skunkman (James Woods), Master Croc (Jean-Claude Van Damme), and Master Thunder Rhino (Victor Garber) on their quest defeat Lord Shen (Gary Oldman). Lord Shen possesses a deadly weapon that can destroy Kung Fu forever and it will be up to Po, and the Furious Five, and their new friends to stop this new weapon. But first Po will have to confront his long-last past.

This is the most anticipated sequel, are you going to go see it?

GeneChing

11-15-2010, 01:45 PM

I saw it preceding Megamind. It drew a lot of laughs from the audience, more than I thought it should have.

GeneChing

12-06-2010, 10:51 AM

Five 'Kung Fu Panda' And Two 'How To Train Your Dragon' Sequels Are On The Way! (http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2010/12/03/five-kung-fu-panda-and-two-how-to-train-your-dragon-sequels-are-on-the-way/)
Posted 12/3/10 3:19 pm ET by Josh Wigler in News

Are you a fan of "Kung Fu Panda" and "How To Train Your Dragon"? We sure hope so, because you're about to get a whole lot more from both franchises!

DreamWorks Animation chief Jeffrey Katzenberg spoke with Empire about the developing sequels to some of the studio's most important properties. During the interview, Katzenberg revealed that there are five more "Kung Fu Panda" movies on the way — the forthcoming "Kaboom of Doom" included, presumably — as well as at least two more installments of "How To Train Your Dragon."

"'Kung Fu Panda' actually has 6 chapters to it, and we’ve mapped that out over the years," he said. "'How To Train Your Dragon' is at least three: maybe more, but we know there are a least three chapters to that story."

Elaborating on "Dragon," Katzenberg said that the next two chapters in the series would serve to further flesh out the world of Berk. "As you know, there are many islands in the world of Berk, and different things there, so we'll see," he said. "But right now, today, we know that there are three for sure that we want to tell and there may be more. We haven't thought, you know, how do we continue beyond that."

Beyond "Dragon" and "Panda," Katzenberg said there would likely be two more installments in the "Madagascar" series.

"I can tell you pretty succinctly where 'Madagascar' goes," he said. "Ultimately they will come back to New York, and they will come to terms with that, which they will do in this next chapter. Because of the way that movie concludes there’s probably one more for them."
With the holiday special (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=58151) and the live show (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=59099), this has exploded into quite the franchise.

GeneChing

12-29-2010, 10:34 AM

Whoever is repping KFP2, don't forget KFM! ;)

December 27, 2010
Insane movie swag department: 'Kung Fu Panda 2' (http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/movies/blog/2010/12/insane_movie_swag_department_k.html)

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/movies/blog/KungFuPanda.JPG
A giant Chinese-restaurant take-out box arrived today. It featured the Kung Fu Panda himself karate-kicking his way into the new year -- that is, "2011: The Year of Awesomeness."

Promoting the forthcoming "Kung Fu Panda 2" (set to open in May), the box contained an East-meets-West New Year's Party table setting for four, including wooden mats, plastic champagne glasses, ceramic soup bowls, a dumpling steamer and a dumpling recipe.

Is it the most outlandish swag that I've received on the movie beat?

No, that would have to be the talking "Donnie Brasco" tissue-box that said "Fuhgedaboutit" every time you pulled out a tissue.

But this comes in a close second. It also has a fortune-cookie kind of logic to it. "Yesterday is history/tomorrow is a mystery/but today is a gift/that's why it's called the present," says the "Kung Fu Panda" quote accompanying the package.

And all good "Kung Fu Panda" fans know that the high point of the first film was a fight over a dumpling.

GeneChing

01-03-2011, 11:02 AM

2011 - year of Pandamonium.

Must Watch: Year of Awesomeness TV Spot for 'Kung Fu Panda 2' (http://www.firstshowing.net/2010/12/31/must-watch-year-of-awesomeness-tv-spot-for-kung-fu-panda-2/)
December 31, 2010
by Alex Billington
Kung Fu Panda 2 TV Spot

2011 - The Year of Awesomeness! It seems a little early to see a TV spot for a movie that doesn't come out until May next summer, but it's New Years EVE, so why the heck not put out a New Years-themed spot? DreamWorks Animation has started airing a new 15-second TV spot (found first at SlashFilm) for their upcoming animated sequel Kung Fu Panda 2. We already saw a hilarious teaser trailer for this back in November, but this is a good little tease as well. I guess they're trying to own the whole year with some huge marketing - it might work, this is a sequel I'm actually looking forward to. It's short so check it out. Enjoy!

Watch the first TV spot for DreamWorks Animation's Kung Fu Panda 2:

Po & the Furious Five head to China to battle a villain and uncover the secrets of Po's mysterious origins.

Kung Fu Panda 2, officially known as Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom, is directed by Jennifer Yuh, a former storyboard artist and the head of story on Kung Fu Panda, whose only past directing experience was on the Spawn animated TV series. The script for this sequel was written by Jonathan Aibel & Glenn Berger (both of MADtv, King of the Hill, Kung Fu Panda, Monsters vs Aliens). Paramount is bringing DreamWorks Kung Fu Panda 2 to theaters everywhere in 3D starting May 26th, 2011 next summer. Who's in already?
Kung Fu Panda 2 "TV Spot" - Awesomeness (HD) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19QXWvA2BFA)

enoajnin

01-05-2011, 05:08 PM

I have to laugh every time I see Pea****. Maybe I could write Peakock and trick it?

GeneChing

01-05-2011, 05:22 PM

My favs are ****sapien and the great Kurosawa film, Ras****n. I could totally reset it, but where's the fun in that?

I still haven't got my KFP2 schwag box. Come on, reps. Kick down. We did you well for KFP (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39752).

GeneChing

01-07-2011, 10:32 AM

Four New Posters & a Second Teaser Trailer for ‘Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom’ (http://screenrant.com/kung-fu-panda-kaboom-doom-teaser-trailer-posters-pauly-95072/)
Jan 6, 2011 by Paul Young

DreamWorks has released four new posters and a second teaser trailer for their upcoming animated film ‘Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom’ – exuding kung fu awesomeness!

http://cdn.screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/kung-fu-panda-2-group-shot-.jpg
Po and the Furious Five dive into action in Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom

DreamWorks struck animated gold in 2008 with their animated film Kung Fu Panda and it appears they know a good thing when they see it.

After watching the first teaser trailer for Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom, it’s obvious that DreamWorks doesn’t intend to upset the noodle cart by changing the tone or the style from the first film.

All the news surrounding Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom, up to this point, has been nothing but good, especially with the addition of voices from actors such as Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight Rises), Victor Garber (Alias), Michelle Yeoh (Babylon A.D.) and Jean-Claude Van Damme (JCVD). So it’s not surprising this second teaser and four new posters released by DreamWorks would continue that trend.

In the first Kung Fu Panda, Po (voiced by Jack Black) had to learn there was no secret ingredient in order to become a powerful kung fu warrior. For The Kaboom of Doom writers Jonathan Aibel (Monsters vs Aliens), Glenn Berger (Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel) and Charlie Kaufman (Adaptation) appear to have created a great new story for Po and the Furious Five -- as you can see in the synopsis below:

Po is now living his dream as The Dragon Warrior, protecting the Valley of Peace alongside his friends and fellow kung fu masters, The Furious Five—Tigress, Crane, Mantis, Viper and Monkey. But Po’s new life of awesomeness is threatened by the emergence of a formidable villain, who plans to use a secret, unstoppable weapon to conquer China and destroy kung fu. It is up to Po and The Furious Five to journey across China to face this threat and vanquish it. But how can Po stop a weapon that can stop kung fu? He must look to his past and uncover the secrets of his mysterious origins; only then will he be able to unlock the strength he needs to succeed.

However the new story plays out, I hope that Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom is every bit as enjoyable, heartwarming, and humorous as the first film – if not, then first time director Jennifer Yuh will no doubt be subjected to a horde of angry fans voicing their disappointment.

Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom brings it’s awesomeness to theaters May 27, 2011.

http://cdn.screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/kung-fu-panda-2-skaoosh.jpg
http://cdn.screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/kung-fu-panda-2-chopsticks-280x413.jpg
http://cdn.screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/kung-fu-panda-2-awesomeness-280x419.jpg
http://cdn.screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/kung-fu-panda-2-2011-kick-280x287.jpg The new teaser is already posted above

GeneChing

02-01-2011, 10:59 AM

KFP2 has tailored its trailer for this week. Click for vid.

Happy Chinese New Year from Kung Fu Panda 2 (http://www.reelzchannel.com/movie-news/9071/happy-chinese-new-year-from-kung-fu-panda-2/)
Posted 02.01.11 by BrentJS

The Chinese New Year kicks off on February 3rd, marking the beginning of the Year of the Rabbit. But, ask DreamWorks Animation and they will tell you that 2011 (4708 on the Chinese calendar) is the "Year of Awesomeness" because it will see the debut of the sequel to Kung Fu Panda.

Still, DreamWorks is willing to share the year's title with the Chinese and even released a "Happy Chinese New Year" teaser video featuring the Dragon Warrior, Po (Jack Black) and the Furious Five — Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Crane (David Cross), Mantis (Seth Rogen), and Viper (Lucy Liu).

GeneChing

02-02-2011, 10:59 AM

Regina Avalos
New 'Kung Fu Panda' trailer set to air during Super Bowl (http://www.examiner.com/tv-in-phoenix/new-kung-fu-panda-trailer-set-to-air-during-super-bowl)
* February 2nd, 2011 9:54 am MT

The big game is coming, and viewers know most of the action during the Super Bowl happens during the commercials. The game, which will air on Channel 10 in Tempe, is set to take place in Dallas this year, and the commercials are already starting the hit the Internet.

One of the spots set to air during the game on Sunday, Feb. 6, is for Dreamworks "Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom." The spot leaked online days before it is set to air on Sunday, and it is now making its way around the Internet.

The spot first hit over at Yahoo! Movies on Tuesday. Check that out on the sidebar. The synopsis for the film has also been made available. According to the official website for the film, the plot is as follows:

"Po is now living his dream as The Dragon Warrior, protecting the Valley of Peace alongside his friends and fellow kung fu masters, The Furious Five – Tigress, Crane, Mantis, Viper and Monkey. But Po’s new life of awesomeness is threatened by the emergence of a formidable villain, who plans to use a secret, unstoppable weapon to conquer China and destroy kung fu."

"Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom" will hit theaters in Tempe on May 27, 2011. Check out the Super Bowl on Fox Channel 10 in Tempe on Sunday.
I'm assuming this is the Happy Chinese New Year spot above.

Our Superbowl XLV thread. (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=59652)

GeneChing

02-03-2011, 01:32 PM

Follow the link for the new ad

Kung Fu Panda 2 Super Bowl Ad (http://www.thehdroom.com/news/Kung-Fu-Panda-2-Super-Bowl-Ad/8326)
February 03, 2011

Paramount has opted to share the entire Kung Fu Panda 2 Super Bowl commercial online several days prior to when it's scheduled to first air on television.

The commercial, which plays like a teaser trailer, features Po and his Furious Five pals engaged in various forms of combat. The theme is "we will WOK you" and plays to Po using woks as weapons. He did grow up working in a kitchen, after all.

Watch Po and the Furious Five beat up thugs below. Kung Fu Panda 2 will be available everywhere in theaters on May 26.

GeneChing

02-10-2011, 11:08 AM

‘Kung Fu Panda 2′: Meet the New Characters (http://screenrant.com/kung-fu-panda-2-new-characters-pauly-100787/all/1/)
Feb 10, 2011 by Paul Young

We have the first images and descriptions of all the new characters in ‘Kung Fu Panda 2′, including our first look at the dreaded and feared Lord Shen (Gary Oldman).

Kung Fu Panda is one of those rare movies that audiences of all ages can’t help but enjoy watching. By combining slapstick humor, talking animals, plenty of Kung Fu and some awesomeness tossed in for good measure, Kung Fu Panda was well received. So well, in fact, that it spawned a sequel and an upcoming TV show.

The first film was filled with lovable characters like Shifu, the Furious Five, Oogway and Mr. Ping. In Kung Fu Panda 2 a new cast of Kung Fu masters are introduced and each will play a role in Po’s life. Today, thanks to Dreamworks’ official Kung Fu Panda website, we have the first pictures of all six new characters, including their background stories and unique fighting styles. We also get our first look at the villain of the film, the albino pea**** Lord Shen.

The story of an out of shape and out of place affable panda named Po (Jack Black) who finds that being himself is “the secret ingredient” to becoming the legendary Dragon Warrior resonated with audiences back in 2008 and in May they will get a chance to watch Po continue his journey of self-discovery.

Read through the official synopsis for Kung Fu Panda 2 then take a look at each of the new characters:

Po is now living his dream as the Dragon Warrior, protecting the Valley of Peace alongside his friends and fellow kung fu masters, the Furious Five. But Po’s new life of awesomeness is threatened by the emergence of a formidable villain, who plans to use a secret, unstoppable weapon to conquer China and destroy kung fu. Po must look to his past and uncover the secrets of his mysterious origins; only then will he be able to unlock the strength he needs to succeed.

–
Kung Fu Panda 2 New Characters

The Wolf Boss in Kung Fu Panda 2
http://cdn.screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/kung-fu-panda-2-wolf-boss.jpg
Wolf Boss (Voice Unknown)

Story

The Wolf Boss, along with his wolf brothers and sisters, were once guards in the Gongmen City’s royal palace. The only member of the royal family ever to befriend the wolves was Shen, the frail albino heir to Gongmen City’s throne. Shen fed them, played with them and treated them like family. The Wolf Boss is Shen’s most loyal servant, military strategist and trusted right hand.

Fighting Style

The Wolf Boss makes up for lack of a singular Kung Fu style with resourcefulness and clever cunning. Fast, sneaky and always accompanied by plenty of bandit partners, Wolf Boss is a formidable foe for Kung Fu Masters like the Furious Five and Po. Able to take a beating and still keep coming, the Wolf Boss is a loyal defender of Lord Shen and his plan for the domination of China.

-

Meet The Soothsayer…

The Soothsayer in Kung Fu Panda 2
http://cdn.screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/kung-fu-panda-2-soothsayer.jpg
The Soothsayer (Michelle Yeoh)

Story

Blessed with second sight and a generous heart, the Soothsayer is a prisoner of both. Once nanny to a sickly pea****, she found herself giving him what his parents withheld – love. She found that her love tempered the young pea****’s growing ambition – until twenty years ago, when a fortune she told him lead to a horrific chain of events. For years she has lived with the burden of her guilt, tempered by a finely honed fatalistic sense of humor that comforts her as she awaits the events she foretold – events that she hopes will redeem both her adopted child and herself.

Fighting Style

Like Mr. Ping, the Soothsayer doesn’t fight. She wins over opponents with love and a good sense of humor. Her extraordinary gift of second sight gives her insight into the true nature of any and all that she encounters.

-

Meet Master Croc…

–~~~~~~~~~~~~–

Master Croc in Kung Fu Panda 2
http://cdn.screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/kung-fu-panda-2-master-croc2.jpg
Master Croc (Jean-Claude Van Damme)

Story

Master Croc was once the head of the infamous Wool Stealing Crocodile Bandits of Crocodile Island – a gang of criminals unmatched in their mischief. Anyone foolish enough to stand in a Croc’s way was dispatched with his Legendary Lashing Tail of Terror technique – until the day Croc crossed paths with master Thundering Rhino, whose Kung Fu was proven superior in their epic battle on the shores of the Wa Su Li River. Beaten, Master Croc prepared himself for death, but the fatal blow never came. Master Rhino asked Croc to use his Kung Fu excellence for good. Croc was so moved by master Rhino’s compassion that he quit his criminal ways then and there. He roamed China, righting wrongs and protecting the weak – and eventually came to sit at Rhino’s side as a member of the Kung Fu Council. Croc, as strong as an ox and as wily as a fox, is famous for his many victories, not the least of which was his silencing of the Badger Bandits who talked about his Mom.

Fighting Style

The legend of Master Croc was established with his devastating use of the Lashing Tail of Terror Technique, which no opponent was able to withstand. Master Croc was unbeaten, until he challenged Master Thundering Rhino and lost. Still renowned for his many victories, Master Croc turned to the path of good, using his Kung Fu to help the weak. As a member of the Kung Fu Council Master Croc is a revered and respected Kung Fu master.

The Wool Stealing Crocodile Bandits of Crocodile Island in Kung Fu Panda 2
http://cdn.screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/kung-fu-panda-2-croc-gang.jpg
The Wool Stealing Crocodile Bandits of Crocodile Island

-

Meet Master Thundering Rhino…

–~~~~~~~~~~~~–

Master Thundering Rhino in Kung Fu Panda 2
http://cdn.screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/kung-fu-panda-2-master-thundering-rhino.jpg
Master Thundering Rhino (Victor Garber)

Story

Master Thundering Rhino, wielder of the legendary Cloud Hammer, is the benevolent leader of the Kung Fu Council, which protects the vast metropolis of Gongmen City. Thundering Rhino is descended from a long line of masters. He trained under his father, Master Flying Rhino, and become legendary in his own right by slaying the Ten Thousands Serpents in the Valley of Woe. As head of the Kung Fu Council, he is revered for his wisdom, kind humor and good deeds.

Fighting Style

Master Thundering Rhino is the most revered amongst all of the masters on the Kung Fu Council. Using the unbeatable attack of the legendary Cloud Hammer, Master Thundering Rhino is able to take on huge numbers of attackers and emerge victorious. When not engaged in battle or leading the Kung Fu Council, Master Thundering Rhino can be humorous and a great resource of wisdom.

-

Meet Master Storming Ox…

–~~~~~~~~~~~~–

Master Storming Ox in Kung Fu Panda 2
http://cdn.screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/kung-fu-panda-2-master-storming-ox.jpg
Master Storming Ox (Voice Unknown)

Story

Master Storming Ox is Master Thundering Rhino’s greatest pupil. As a youngster he skipped his chores, sneaking through Gongmen City into the palace to watch Master Rhino spar. Master Rhino rewarded the young Ox’s enthusiasm by training him in kung fu. Master Ox went on to prove his skill and bravery by taking on the seventy-two bandits of the Wing Cho province with naught but his bare horns. Often hotheaded, favoring action over contemplation, Ox is a constant challenge for the old Master. But he is also a loyal friend and trusted member of the Kung Fu Council, which protects the citizens of peaceful Gongmen City.

Fighting Style

The horns of Master Storming Ox are his most deadly weapons, and he wields them with skill and bravery, able to handle dozens of attackers at once. Often quick to action, Master Storming Ox balances his impulsiveness with loyalty to his teacher Master Thundering Rhino. Together they sit on the Kung Fu Council, using their deadly kung fu to protect the weak.

-

Meet Lord Shen…

–~~~~~~~~~~~~–

Lord Shen in Kung Fu Panda 2
http://cdn.screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/kung-fu-panda-2-lord-shen.jpg
Lord Shen (Gary Oldman)

Story

Lord Shen has come a long way from the sickly albino pea**** whose parents deemed him too weak and pitiful to deserve attention. Vowing to accomplish something so great that the world would never ignore him again, Shen relentlessly pursued his lust for power. Through his devious cleverness and the sheer force of his will, he has, after many years, created the most devastating weapon the world has ever known. Now on the verge of his greatest triumph, he is about to find out that something stands in his way, something he thought he dealt with twenty years ago.

Fighting Style

Even thought Lord Shen is a skilled kung fu fighter, he is more likely to use his cunning or his cannons than his physical prowess. His Funnel Cloud Attack and Feather Attack are daunting and deadly. Lord Shen also has a lethal-looking metal talon.

–

Be sure to check out the teaser trailer and TV spot for Kung Fu Panda 2 that aired before Super Bowl XLV. What do you think about the new characters designs and are you looking forward to seeing this epically awesome sequel?

Kung Fu Panda 2 chops its way into theaters May 27th, 2011.
That was a lot of image pasting...

Zenshiite

02-13-2011, 05:45 AM

Lord Shen looks super cool. Also... funny that the sensor gets pea****!

GeneChing

02-18-2011, 11:14 AM

Meet Po, a giant panda with a very short name (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41602550/ns/technology_and_science-science/)
Name of third cub born to Zoo Atlanta's giant panda Lun Lun is revealed
Say hello to Po, Zoo Atlanta's newest giant panda cub. Po, a male, was born Nov. 3, 2010.
By Brett Israel
updated 2/15/2011 12:56:20 PM ET 2011-02-15T17:56:20

http://msnbcmedia3.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/110215-PandaPo-hoto-hmed-940a.grid-6x2.jpg
Say hello to Zoo Atlanta's newest giant panda cub — Po.

The cub's name was announced for the first time Tuesday during a ceremony at Zoo Atlanta. In a break from years past, the name was not chosen by a contest, but rather with the help of actor Jack Black of the film "Kung Fu Panda II," in hopes of drawing attention to plight of giant pandas. Po is the name of the panda in the movie and is voiced by Black.

"Today's announcement is the beginning of an amazing alliance between Zoo Atlanta and DreamWorks Animation. Our organizations share a commitment to giant panda conservation, particularly at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding," said Raymond B. King, president and chief executive officer of Zoo Atlanta. "We are proud and honored to share this moment with Jack Black, who has already helped to bring the importance of saving this species to a new generation of conservationists."

Ancient tradition
Following ancient Chinese tradition, panda cubs are not named until they have been alive for 100 days. Po, a boy, was born Nov. 3, 2010, and was the only giant panda born in the United States in 2010.

The 100-day tradition began in ancient China with human babies. Because the infants were so fragile, parents often waited 100 days to make sure they would survive before naming them. That tradition was carried over to giant panda cubs because their early survival was uncertain as well. They are tiny at birth and heavily dependent on the mothers, said Rebecca Snyder, the curator of mammals at Zoo Atlanta.

Po is the third cub born to Zoo Atlanta's giant panda female, Lun Lun. Her first cub, Mei Lan, a female, is now 5 years old and living in China. Lun Lun's second cub, Xi Lan, is still in Atlanta, where he turned 2 years old in August 2010.

The names of those cubs were chosen by a contest. Mei Lan, roughly translated, means "Atlanta beauty" and Xi Lan means "Atlanta's joy."

Growing up
The cub of honor wasn't present at the ceremony, but he did get to meet Black backstage. Po is still learning to walk behind the scenes. Cubs usually begin walking around 4 months of old, and so far Po is growing up right on schedule, Snyder said.

Once Lun Lun began leaving him alone, the zoo's veterinarian staff began their examinations. Po weighed just over 11 ounces at his first exam in November. Today he's a healthy 11 pounds, Snyder said.

"He's been pretty much right on track," Snyder told OurAmazingPlanet.

One difference between Po and his siblings is that he is quieter. This could be something unique to him, or it could be because Lun Lun is now a more experienced mother and can address his needs more quickly, Snyder said.

"He's been supereasy because his mom is taking great care of him," Snyder said. "We've really been able to sit back and watch."

Panda cubs talk to their moms by either grunting or making high-pitched squeals, similar to human babies, Snyder said. They speak up when they need to eat, urinate or when they get cold.

Zoo Atlanta
Learning to walk is hard work for a young giant panda. So for Po, a nap sounds better.

Po will be a cub until he is weaned, which typically happens between 1.5 to 2.5 years of age. At this stage, he'll be called a subadult — he'll no longer need mommy, but he won't be able to yet make babies of his own. That skill develops in females between 3 and 4 years old and in males between 4 and 6 years old.

Slowly but surely
Po has a lot of growing to do before he's ready to mate. First things first: learning to walk.

"He can't really get his rear legs under him right now, but he's normal," Snyder said. But when he finally does summon that strength, the zoo's newest star will really shine.

"His personality will become more noticeable once he begins walking and starts moving around," Snyder said.

Zoo officials hope he will be ready in the spring to walk out from behind the scenes and greet his fans.
Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww :)

Zenshiite

02-18-2011, 05:55 PM

If Gordon wins, can Dunn sue him too?

Thankfully they dropped "power" from the title, because that automatically sucks.

Hebrew Hammer

02-21-2011, 12:41 PM

I'm usually not much of a cartoon/Pixar fan but was pleasantly surprised by KFP 1, and from what I've seen from this one film, it may actually be better than the first. Fingers crossed...

RD'S Alias - 1A

02-21-2011, 06:54 PM

THIS Terrence Dunn?

http://www.plumpub.com/sales/chikung/vd_TCruler.htm

GeneChing

02-28-2011, 11:01 AM

Heavy stuff like getting sued for plagiary? :rolleyes:

Kung Fu Panda’ Po Deals With Tough Issues in Sequel (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/kung-fu-panda-po-deals-162010)
2:06 AM 2/27/2011 by Carolyn Giardina

The movie’s producer warns of heavy stuff in the sequel due out in May.

Po the Panda will deal with some “tough emotional issues,” in Kung Fu Panda 2, according to producer Melissa Cobb.

Saturday at Campanile, during a DreamWorks Animation hosted animation and VFX nominees brunch, she said of the sequel: “The movie deals with pretty tough, emotional issues that he goes through, as well as a huge adventure. This movie is on a much bigger scale then the first movie. It’s been much more ambitious and hard to make from a filmmaking standpoint…It really builds on what was set up in the first movie, and has Po struggling with bigger issues than he did the first time.”

As the May 26 release data approaches, she said that at this point in production, “we are focusing on little things that we think we can do better. …If we think something can be a little more emotional, we are going in and tweaking it. Those little moments make a difference.”

When the first Panda film was in production, a single scene from the film—Tai Lung’s prison escape—was created in 3D as an early test of what was possible in the emerging digital format. The sequel therefore will be the first time Panda will come to theatres in 3D.

“We looked for places where the 3D could really enhance the storytelling,” Cobb said. “Some are emotional places where we used it to connect you more to the character."

GeneChing

03-01-2011, 10:38 AM

KFP is gonna be huge! ;)

DreamWorks 3D Pics to Imax Screens (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/dreamworks-3d-pics-imax-screens-162768)
7:55 AM 3/1/2011 by Etan Vlessing

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/sites/default/files/2011/03/2011kungfupanda2001_a_l.jpg
'Kung Fu Panda 2' and 'Puss in Boots' to unspool on giant screens simultaneous with Paramount Pictures releases.

TORONTO -- DreamWorks Animation SKG’S Kung Fu Panda 2 and Puss in Boots will unspool in 3D in Imax digital theatres later this year.

The distribution agreement, unveiled Tuesday, will see the Kung Fu Panda sequel released to Imax theatres in select international territories simultaneous with a territory's release date. And Puss in Boots will have a two-week domestic release in Imax theatres day-and-date with the Paramount Pictures release.

Both films are produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures.
Looking forward to Puss too.

GeneChing

03-07-2011, 10:42 AM

Click below for link to trailer

New Kung Fu Panda 2 Trailer and Poster (http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=74951)
Source: iTunes Movie Trailers
March 5, 2011

DreamWorks Animation has revealed the new trailer and poster for Kung Fu Panda 2, hitting 3D, 2D and IMAX 3D theaters on May 26. You can watch the trailer using the player below or in High Definition QuickTime here. You can also click on the poster below for a bigger version.

Po is now living his dream as The Dragon Warrior, protecting the Valley of Peace alongside his friends and fellow kung fu masters, The Furious Five - Tigress, Crane, Mantis, Viper and Monkey. But Po's new life of awesomeness is threatened by the emergence of a formidable villain, who plans to use a secret, unstoppable weapon to conquer China and destroy kung fu. It is up to Po and The Furious Five to journey across China to face this threat and vanquish it. But how can Po stop a weapon that can stop kung fu? He must look to his past and uncover the secrets of his mysterious origins; only then will he be able to unlock the strength he needs to succeed.

Kung Fu Panda 2 is voiced by Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, James Hong, Gary Oldman, Michelle Yeoh, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Victor Garber.

GeneChing

04-15-2011, 09:26 AM

Just got this press release from our local film promotional company.

DREAMWORKS ANIMATION AND MACY’S LAUNCH KUNG FU PANDA’S PO ON FIRST-EVER NATIONAL BALLOON TOUR BEGINNING APRIL 15th

KUNG FU PANDA 2 OPENS NATIONWIDE ON MAY 26th

HOLLYWOOD, CA (April 15, 2011) – DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (Nasdaq: DWA) and Macy’s today announced that KUNG FU PANDA’s Po will embark on the first-ever U.S. tour of an official Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade® balloon, beginning this Friday, April 15th. Po is scheduled to make a six-city, cross-country tour of awesomeness, culminating in his debut visit to Los Angeles to mark the opening of KUNG FU PANDA 2 this Memorial Day weekend.

Po is scheduled to visit the following cities: Miami, FL on April 16th; St. Louis, MO on April 22nd; Dallas, TX on April 30th; Chicago, IL on May 6th; Phoenix, AZ on May 14th; and Los Angeles, CA on Memorial Day weekend. At 42-feet tall, 46-feet long and 34-feet wide, the Po balloon is truly larger-than-life and is posed in one of Po’s signature martial arts moves from the DreamWorks Animation feature film. Po’s appearance in each city will coincide with a day of family-friendly festivities, all open to the public, which will include an opportunity to take a picture with Po, as well as see an official KUNG FU PANDA martial arts presentation. The day will also feature coloring, airbrush tattoos and face painting stations, as well as special prize giveaways.

Said Anne Globe, head of Worldwide Marketing for DreamWorks Animation, “We are thrilled to join forces once again with our friends at Macy’s, who have done an incredible job of bringing our character of Po to life as a giant balloon for audiences to enjoy at the annual Macy's parade and now in cities across the country. This first-ever premiere event is an exciting way to help kick off the summer movie season.”

“With his debut at last year’s Macy’s Parade, DreamWorks Animation’s giant Po balloon became an instant spectator favorite,” said Amy Kule, executive producer of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. “This special tour will bring Po closer to fans nationwide and is a great way to launch the highly anticipated sequel, KUNG FU PANDA 2.”

In KUNG FU PANDA 2, Po is now living his dream as The Dragon Warrior, protecting the Valley of Peace alongside his friends and fellow kung fu masters, The Furious Five. But Po’s new life of awesomeness is threatened by the emergence of a formidable villain, who plans to use a secret, unstoppable weapon to conquer China and destroy kung fu. Po must look to his past and uncover the secrets of his mysterious origins; only then will he be able to unlock the strength he needs to succeed.

KUNG FU PANDA 2 will be distributed by Paramount Pictures nationwide on May 26th and features the voice talents of Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Gary Oldman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, James Hong, Michelle Yeoh, Danny McBride, Victor Garber, Dennis Heysbert and Jean-Claude Van Damme.

About DreamWorks Animation

DreamWorks Animation creates high-quality entertainment, including CG animated feature films, television specials and series, live entertainment properties and online virtual worlds, meant for audiences around the world. The Company has world-class creative talent, a strong and experienced management team and advanced filmmaking technology and techniques. DreamWorks Animation has been named one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” by FORTUNE® Magazine for three consecutive years. In 2011, DreamWorks Animation ranks #10 on the list. All of DreamWorks Animation’s feature films are now being produced in 3D. The Company has theatrically released a total of 21 animated feature films, including the franchise properties of Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon.

About Paramount Pictures Corporation

Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. The company's labels include Paramount Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Digital Entertainment, Paramount Famous Productions, Paramount Home Entertainment, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., Paramount Studio Group and Paramount Television & Digital Distribution.

About Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

With more than 50 million viewers across the country and more than 3.5 million spectators that line up along the streets of New York City each year, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a national icon that has grown into a world-famous holiday event. For more than 80 years, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has marked the official start of the holiday season. Growing in size and scale, the Parade proudly marches down a more than 2-mile route in New York City with more than 8,000 participants in tow including Macy’s employees, their families, celebrities, athletes, clowns and dance groups spreading holiday cheer. The Parade also features America’s best marching bands, fabulous floats and Macy’s signature giant helium character balloons. For more information on the Macy’s Parade please visit www.macysparade.com.
****, not coming to SF. :(

GeneChing

04-26-2011, 09:59 AM

http://www.house-foods.com/n_images/n_2011042108384150.jpg

For Immediate Release
HOUSE FOODS AMERICA TEAMS UP WITH DREAMWORKS ANIMATION’S KUNG
FU PANDA 2 TO LAUNCH FAMILY FRIENDLY PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGN (http://www.house-foods.com/Tofu/pdf/KFP2.pdf)
Alliance Brings Kung Fu Panda Branded Tofu to Supermarkets Nationwide
Garden Grove, California, April 12, 2011— House Foods America, tofu specialists since 1983, announces the launch of a new family friendly promotional campaign in conjunction with DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc.’s (Nasdaq: DWA) upcoming theatrical release of Kung Fu Panda 2 on March 26, 2011. This alliance allows America’s leading tofu producer to feature Po and the Furious Five in promotions for its product line. “Kung Fu Panda 2 and Po are a natural, organic fit for the House Foods’ product line. The film, featuring the food‐loving panda, is a great way to introduce families and kids to tofu and its myriad health benefits,” said Yoko Difrancia, marketing supervisor at House Foods America Corporation. “With the help of Po, the Panda Warrior as our latest ambassador, we are excited to share Asia's two thousand year‐old tofu tradition with a new audience.”
“In DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda movies, Po grew up working in his family’s tofu and noodle shop, where he is now a legend. We are thrilled to partner with House Foods America on such an innovative program that allows parents to bring Kung Fu Panda home to the kitchen through this great product line of tofu and other food items,” said Susan Spencer, Head of National Promotions and Marketing Services for DreamWorks Animation.
The House Foods’ Kung Fu Panda 2 campaign kicks off on April 17 with a nationwide FSI newspaper coupon ad and the launch of a microsite (www.kungfutofu2.com) that is inspired by the world of Kung Fu Panda 2, while promoting the benefits of tofu. The site will feature a sweepstakes to win a trip for four to China, “tofupedia,” tofu advice from a registered dietician, cooking tips, and recipes for the entire family.
House Foods plans to release limited edition packaging of Kung Fu Panda 2 branded Premium and Organic Tofu, featuring Po, the main character in the film. Print and online ads scheduled to run in April and May include CookingLight.com, Supermarket News, Chopsticks, Edible SF, Edible East Bay, and Edible Sacramento.
Outdoor ads will run the week of April 18 for four weeks on the New Jersey Lincoln
Tunnel billboard, Manhattan Grayline buses, the San Francisco Bay Bridge and the Oakland/East Bay Highway 880. Phase two of the campaign is scheduled to take place in the fall during the DVD release of Kung Fu Panda 2. During this phase, House Foods’ Mabo Tofu Sauce mix will also have special Kung Fu Panda 2 packaging.
“By positioning tofu as a nutritious, powerful food that keeps warriors such as Po and the Furious Five kung fu ready for any adventure that comes their way, we hope families and kids nationwide discover tofu’s potential as a superfood,” said Ms. Difrancia.

About House Foods America
Tofu specialists since 1983, House Foods America Corporation (HFAC) is dedicated to bringing you the most affordable, highest quality and widest range of the freshest Tofu products. House Foods America uses only non‐genetically modified (non‐GMO) soybeans grown in North America. In a taste test conducted by the San Francisco Chronicle, House Foods Tofu was rated #1 and described as “creamy,” “tender” and “fresh‐tasting”. For more information visit www.house‐foods.com

About DreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation creates high‐quality entertainment, including CG animated feature films, television specials and series, live entertainment properties and online virtual worlds, meant for audiences around the world. The Company has world‐class creative talent, a strong and experienced management team and advanced filmmaking technology and techniques. DreamWorks Animation has been named one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” by FORTUNE® Magazine for three consecutive years. In 2011, DreamWorks Animation ranks #10
on the list. All of DreamWorks Animation’s feature films are now being produced in 3D. The Company has theatrically released a total of 21 animated feature films, including the franchise properties of Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon.

I've been passing that billboard on 880 for a few weeks now. Love the campaign. I eat a lot of mabo tofu. If I walk into most of the Chinese restaurants around the office, the waitresses all know me as 'mabo tofu'. :cool:

GeneChing

05-06-2011, 10:21 AM

Beyond the tofu promotion, I hear there's a raisin one too. And there's surely more. Big promo on this. It's set to be the big summer rush opener.

That being said, this article has a great angle on the film.

Jolie, Black perfect for 'Kung Fu Panda 2' (http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2011-05-06-kungfupanda06_cv_N.htm)
By Scott Bowles, USA TODAY

LOS ANGELES — With an Oscar, Brad Pitt as a beau and a face as recognizable as any on the planet, Angelina Jolie doesn't fluster easily.

The personalities of Jack Black (kinetic energy) and Angelina Jolie (reserved tenor) have worked their way into the Kung Fu Panda franchise.

Stick her in a recording studio with her kids, though, and she's a jangle of nerves.

"They know when Mommy's funny and when Mommy's not funny," she says over tea at Hollywood's Roosevelt Hotel.

Jolie, who stars opposite Jack Black in Kung Fu Panda 2 (in theaters May 26), says her six children — Maddox, 9, Pax, 7, Zahara, 6, Shiloh, 4, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 2 — were fixtures on the set and became "part agents, part managers."

"They'll sit in a room and say, 'That's just not funny,' " Jolie, 35, says of the brood, half of whom are adopted and half who are biologically hers and Pitt's. Young scrutiny, she says, "will keep you competitive, even if they think Jack Black is always cooler than Mom."

The movie, a follow-up to the 2008 animated hit, reunites Jolie, Black and stars including Dustin Hoffman and Jackie Chan. Analysts expect it to eclipse $200 million and to help redeem Hollywood's substandard spring at the box office.

But for Jolie and Black, the movie provided some unexpected parental moments.

Jolie and Pitt worried whether the sequel, which addresses adoption and non-traditional families, would create tension in the household, particularly among the adopted children. They braced for a sit-down that never came.

Black, 41, used the film to connect with his sons Thomas, 4, and Samuel, 2, who still don't know he's the title character, panda bear Po.

DreamWorks Animation

Angelina Jolie voices kung fu master Tigress. Daughter Zahara, 6, loves tigers.

"The kids just think Kung Fu Panda is an actual bear," he says. "But we act out our own scenes, go on our own adventures. The story gets a little disjointed; we usually forget our mission by the time we get in the living room. But we don't care. I'm learning my kids are funnier than I am."
Big shoes to fill

Creating a funnier film than the predecessor will be a tall order for director Jennifer Yuh Nelson, who served as an artist on the original film. That movie raked in $632 million domestically and overseas, making it the third-biggest movie worldwide in 2008.

If Jolie and Black are nervous about reaching those numbers again, it doesn't show.

Both say the decision to do a sequel was a no-brainer. Like a lot of Hollywood parents, stars are flocking to animated movies to not only have something to see with their children but also to impress them.

The original film "was one of the kids' favorite movies," Jolie says.

On a movie like Panda 2, "it's about the children," she says. "If you look at your own children, you want to do something you know will be better than the first one. You want to make sure it's what they want — and that you're good enough."

She may have an Oscar (for 1999's Girl, Interrupted), but Jolie asked herself regularly during filming whether she was good enough. Men might like her voice. Jolie hates it.

DreamWorks Animation

Po the panda (voiced by Jack Black) and Monkey (Jackie Chan) are poised to pounce on a villain who is out to conquer China.

"You know, when you hear your own voice, you can find it quite boring and uninteresting," she says. "Suddenly, you get very shy that your voice is not enough, because I'm not musical and I don't know my voice."

Black's ears perk up as Jolie talks about her early auditions for voice-over work. She says she was so nervous about getting jobs that she brought dozens of zany voices she plucked from thin air, including a crude Mae West imitation.

"You mean like, 'Come up and see me sometime?' " Black asks in a husky breath.

"That sounds more like Bogart doing Mae West," Jolie says. Black rolls his eyes. "Uh, that was Bogart in drag."
Mutual admiration

Though they didn't share the soundstage once in filming Panda 2, the movie marks the third animated movie they've done together. Before the original Panda, the two paired on 2004's Shark Tale.

The years have created a rapport between the two, one they say began on their introduction at Cannes seven years ago for Shark Tale.

"I was crazy about him," Jolie says. "I had seen him in everything he'd done, but what I really knew him for was music." Black is half of the mock-rock duo Tenacious D, whose tunes include Wonderboy, Rock Your Socks and Kyle Quit the Band.

"I don't have musical talent, so I always thought it was really cool that he could be an actor to a lot of us but equally a rock star," she says.

Black, who is usually quick with a retort, is clearly shaken by the fandom.

How can you tell? When Black is nervous, he gets sincere.

"When I first met Angie, I was clearly taken aback by her beauty," he says. "She has a powerful presence."

And a photo-friendly one. During their introduction, Black and Shark Tale co-star Will Smith persuaded her to join them on a ride along the Mediterranean in a boat shaped like a shark to hawk the film.

"You were stuck in a sandwich between me and Will," Black recalls. "We wanted to do it, but you were the only one who said, 'Uh, guys, I'm not sure about this.' But we convinced you."

"I don't think I could have let you guys go alone," she says. "That would have just looked too weird."

Black nods. "Yeah, that could have definitely changed the dynamic of the photo shoot."

With that, their yin and yang personalities became an element of the franchise.
'Close to the subject matter'

Black is all kinetic energy, on the screen and behind the mike.

"Jack works it all out," director Nelson says, recalling days when Black would attempt all the kung fu moves of his cartoon doppelgänger. "He'd leave the session covered in sweat."

Jolie, meanwhile, provided a reserved tenor for the warrior Tigress while providing behind-the-scenes counsel to Nelson. The director says that she knew the story of Po's search for his biological father would strike a chord with Jolie.

"She is so close to the subject matter, we had to treat it with a good deal of respect," Nelson says. "Actually, a lot of the crew who had experiences with adoption had a positive response to what we were doing."

Inside, though, Jolie was nervous, especially when she and Pitt took the children to the DreamWorks studios to see an unfinished print of the movie.

"I wondered how they'd respond to the themes of the film," she says, adding that she and Pitt were "sensitive to see if there was going to be a big discussion that night about adoption and orphanages."
'Our own focus group'

There wasn't. "But that's because we talk about those issues at my house all the time, very openly. We've had those discussions so often, they're such happy, wonderful discussions."

It made Jolie grateful that she regularly brought the children to recording sessions.

"We've got kids of all ages," Jolie says. "So we joked that we had our own focus group."

An unflinching one, apparently. Jolie says she was prepared during early sessions for her kids to grow impatient watching her speak into a microphone.

But it became live-action theater. "When they're there and they hear you making kung fu sounds and jumping around, you can see them giggling through the glass," she says. "It makes you go that much further."

And occasionally compete more fiercely. While Jolie says the cast of Kung Fu Panda has formed its own ragtag family, sibling rivalry occasionally surfaces at home. "The little ones don't understand yet," she says. "They like Tigress, though they might not know why. The older kids get it. Zahara loves tigers."

Pandas, too. Jolie concedes that she has tried to sway kids from Team Po to Team Tigress.

"Oh, there's a little competition in our house," she says. "I tell them, 'I know you like Po. But come on. Mom's cool too, right?' "

GeneChing

05-12-2011, 02:58 PM

I just got this press release and am posting this photo from it.

Photo credit: Lucian Capellaro / Paramount

GeneChing

05-13-2011, 09:17 AM

Over 1K articles on the newsfeeds this morning about KFP.

Jolie, Black seek "inner peace" in Kung Fu Panda 2 (http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/12/film-cannes-jolie-idUSLDE74B22E20110512)
Thu May 12, 2011 10:41am EDT

At a sometimes surreal press conference to promote the movie at the Cannes film festival on Thursday, the topics of discussion ranged from violence in film to China to adoption, although Black never allowed proceedings to get too serious.

"My inner peace is in pieces at the moment," he quipped to a large crowd of reporters in a plush hotel ballroom.

Kung Fu Panda 2 is the sequel to the successful 2008 original which earned $632 million at the international box office, and Black said there would be further sequels should the movies continue to succeed commercially.

In Kung Fu Panda 2, portly panda hero Po, voiced by Black, must find inner calm to defeat his nemesis Lord Shen, an evil pea**** played by Gary Oldman who sets out to conquer China with an "unstoppable" weapon and to destroy kung fu once and for all.

He also discovers that he is adopted -- not a major surprise to movie goers considering his "father" is a goose.

Oscar-winner Jolie provides the voice for Tigress, while Dustin Hoffman portrays Master Shifu, Po's mentor in a story set in ancient China against backdrops of lush forests, towering temples and crowded cities.

Although Kung Fu Panda 2 is not in the main Cannes line-up, the festival welcomes such blockbusters because they attract A-list stars like Jolie and generate the kind of buzz among media and fans on which the annual event thrives.

Jolie is in France with her family, and partner Brad Pitt is expected on the red carpet later in the festival for his part in Terrence Malick's in-competition "The Tree of Life".

ADOPTION A "HAPPY WORD"

The actress said the fact that Po discovers he is adopted in the movie meant her three adopted children felt closer to the character. She also has three biological children.

"I brought my children to see the movie and they absolutely love the movie ... and I wondered whether they'd ask me questions about it.

"But because 'adoption' and 'birth mothers' and 'orphanage' and all that in our home these are happy words, they're used to these discussions and they just felt that much more proud that they were a little more like Po."

Asked about the violence in the film, Black replied: "It (the film) discourages weaponry. I don't like guns. I don't own one. I like laser blasters. That's where I draw the line."

Hoffman said the first movie he ever saw was the cartoon "Bambi", which contained surprisingly disturbing scenes.

"You can connect Bambi and Pinocchio to violence," said the 73-year-old Oscar winner. "In Bambi there was a big fire in the woods. I literally remember bursting out crying and leaving because all the animals were being killed by fire."

Asked whether he thought pandas had "existential moments", Black replied:

"Maybe they do for brief moments, gnawing on a bamboo shoot they think what is life all about? What is the point in this meaningless universe that goes on forever? May be all life forms have fleeting moments of existentiality. You can print that." (Reporting by Mike Collett-White, editing by Paul Casciato)

GeneChing

05-18-2011, 10:33 AM

I liked this article because Black comments on his kung fu training.

Jack Black knows kung fu!  (http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/318717/jack-black-knows-kung-fu)
By ANNIE S. ALEJO
May 18, 2011, 11:37am

MANILA, Philippines - In the book “Kung Fu (I): An Elementary Chinese Text” (Jamieson, Lao, Zhao/Chinese University Press), it is said that kung fu is now also used in context unrelated to martial arts. In fact, colloquially, it is said to also refer to any individual accomplishment or skill cultivated through long and hard work. If this is truly the case, then Jack Black is practically an expert at kung fu.

From a career start on television, appearing in shows like “Northern Exposure” and even “The X-Files,” he slowly made his way around Hollywood with another series of small roles in such movies as Sylvester Stallone’s “Demolition Man” and Tim Robbins’ “Dead Man Walking.”

By 2000, he would play a wild record store employee alongside John Cusack in “High Fidelity” in what many consider to be his breakout role. Since then, the “Jack Black comedy” has become known to moviegoers around the world. For kids, though, Black is the voice behind Po, the once lumbering, lazy eating machine of a panda who later transforms into a Kung fu fighter.

Black’s own amazing journey of late is also tied in with the journey of Po, the panda. Black recalls, “When I finally saw the whole thing put together (“Kung Fu Panda”) it was one of the proudest moments of my career. It takes many years to make one of these movies—a lot longer than a regular live-action film.”

More than voice acting, though, Black reveals his work on the “Kung Fu Panda” franchise allowed him to gain a much deeper appreciation of martial arts. “Yes, I did some training in kung fu, for both films,” he says, just as “Kung Fu Panda 2” nears its theatrical release date.

“It wasn’t just for research purposes,” Black insists, if a little seriously. “It was also to kind of get in shape. What really drew me is that there’s a combination of exercise and self-defense, along with a third, sort of unseen, component: a spiritual one. When you’re really practicing kung fu, living it and feeling it, there’s a meditative quality that seeps in. It feels almost religious. It’s an art form, really. Oh, well, duh, it’s called martial arts.”

Black welcomes the opportunity to revisit his character to give viewers a chance to delve deeper into Po’s background. “Now, Po is having flashbacks of his childhood, before he lived with his father, who’s a goose. So he comes to realize that he’s actually adopted, and he doesn’t know where his birth parents are or what happened to the other pandas. Why did they give him up?

“So in addition to this being a hero’s journey to save the day, it’s also a journey of self-discovery,” Black relates. And as he begins to look into his real identity, “it just so happens that these questions arise at the same time that a new villain, Lord Shen, the pea****, arrives on the scene. Mysterious, no?”

Appearing in the first “Kung Fu Panda” has also given Black a lot of interesting experiences. “I got to go to the Atlanta Zoo, and see the latest panda born in captivity… and they named him Po,” Black shares recently. “Wow. I’d say that’s a pretty big deal. He’s not ready for a throw-down yet, but give him time. He’s gonna be one heck of a panda, I just know it.”

And another offshoot of working on the “Kung Fu Panda” movies is a forged friendship with his co-star Angelina Jolie, who plays Tigress.

Jolie—who loved making the “Panda” movies because, “You get to come to work in your pajamas,” she jokes—described the films as “fun and cool and hip” bit with “a sense history and culture” and “how to behave, how to treat your friends.” But she adds, “But mostly, it has Jack Black, which I feel is the main reason people went to see it—it would be my reason! He’s so funny, and the dynamic between him and the Five, it’s almost a classic dysfunctional family.”

A mutual fondness between Black and Jolie was also evident when, in 2008, back at Cannes where “Kung Fu Panda” first screened, it was the former that inadvertently spilled the beans on the latter’s pregnancy with twins. Prior to that time, Jolie and partner Brad Pitt had been mum on the subject but the expectant mom, while caught off-guard, did not seem to mind.

Speaking to OK! Magazine in the US, Black told the story what he considers as a gesture from Jolie. As published online on May 11, Black shared, “You [Jolie] were preggers, and I spilled the beans. And my wife, Tanya, was like, `That is the most amazing maternity dress I’ve ever seen…'" Black’s wife was also pregnant at that time.

“And then, what do we get in the mail like the next week? That gown. You sent it over. It was one of the sweetest gifts of all time,” Black gushed to Jolie.

Black and Jolie also came back out to Cannes this year to promote the “Kung Fu Panda 2,” this time with Dustin Hoffman (who voices Master Shifu). Jolie was accompanied by Pitt.

This would be Black and Jolie’s third trip together to the festival. Aside from 2008’s “Kung Fu Panda” premiere, they had shared the Cannes red carpet back in 2004 when they did voice for the animated movie “Shark Tale,” with Will Smith.

“That float on the ‘Shark’ was the beginning of a blossoming friendship,” Jolie told OK! “That was our bonding moment.”

“Kung Fu Panda 2” opens locally on May 24.

GeneChing

05-23-2011, 09:54 AM

The big Memorial Day weekend! I'm slated to see a screener tomorrow.

'Kung Fu Panda 2' director puts emotions in action (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/05/22/PK311JEE4P.DTL)
Michael Ordoña, Special to the Chronicle
Sunday, May 22, 2011

Jennifer Yuh Nelson speaks softly and carries a big Sharpie.

"The nice thing about being able to draw is it's less open to interpretation, so people can look at it and say, 'Yeah, that's what we all agreed on.' They can have ideas in their heads that end up all being different from each other, so it's a good consensus tool," the director of "Kung Fu Panda 2" says with a laugh.

Glen Berger, who with Jonathan Aibel wrote both animated "Panda" movies, says, "We're talking and talking about what the movie's about; she pulls out a piece of paper and a Sharpie and draws one of the central images: the point of view of baby Po seeing his mother's face. In just a few lines of black and white, Jen conveyed all the emotion and sincerity of what we were trying to express."

The sequel finds Po settled in nicely to his role as Dragon Warrior side by side with the Furious Five - until a new threat that could mean curtains for kung fu itself dredges up buried memories. To meet the challenge, the panda must uncover the truth of who he really is ... and why, for instance, his father is a goose.

"At the end of the first movie, all of Po's dreams have come true," Aibel says. "So there's the pressure of, what do you do next? The answer was not an ever-increasing series of bigger, badder villains; it's what's harder for Po emotionally - the inner enemy, not these outer villains."

With all the key voice cast returning (including Jack Black as Po, Dustin Hoffman as Shifu and Angelina Jolie as Tigress), continuity was further assured with the choice of Nelson to ascend to the director's chair. Among her duties on the first film: head of story, action sequences director and dream sequence director. Although she's often described as "quiet" and "unassuming" by those who know her, Nelson's enthusiasm for action movies served her well in this, her directorial debut.

"I'm not a martial artist; I've just been drooling over action scenes my whole life," she says, laughing. "I could never actually do it myself because I'm simply not that fit. But it's something I think a lot about, and I could draw what I was thinking."

The new film features sly references to classics of the martial-arts genre, such as the Bruce Lee freeze-and-shake after a strike, a cart chase reminiscent of a famous Jackie Chan bicycle sequence, and a signature move by new character Master Croc, voiced by Jean-Claude Van Damme.

"If you have Jean-Claude, you gotta have the splits," Nelson says with delight. "We tried not to do exactly what was done (in those iconic movies); we tried to make it our own. It was just a conglomeration of things people have seen in their entire lives."

The sequel also enjoys technical upgrades. The textures, such as Tigress' fur and the intense detail in the feathers of the villainous pea**** Shen, are remarkable. Nelson says the design team from the first movie "got to go even more detailed with this film because the computer can take it. The first film, we couldn't actually do more than a city block before the computer would start spewing chunks of its guts out. Here, we could do an entire city and render it all. We got away with a lot in the first film; the second one, we actually get to touch everything."

Saying Shen might not have been possible to accomplish visually in the original ("He is insanely complicated. His rig is, it's like looking at an utterly crazy, scaffolded, insane thing"), Nelson was likewise impressed with the complexity the pea****'s voice actor - Gary Oldman - brought to the character.

"Interestingly, his process was not about, 'We'll make it sound like this villain'; it was more about what made Shen tick," the director says. "When I spoke with him about how Shen's really hurt by that moment when his parents looked at him not with support but actually real fear of him, that created who he was - Gary Oldman said, 'Ah, damaged!' I think he sort of latched onto that and that's where his rage came from. And (Oldman) is such a sweet guy in real life."

Among the other examples of yeoman's work in the voice cast is James Hong's endearing reprise of panda Po's goose father, Mr. Ping - whom the actor has described as "sort of a Jewish mother and a Chinese father combined."

"He is, a bit," Nelson says of the noodle-obsessed waterfowl whose ever-present hat, on closer inspection, is actually a knitting basket. "He has a kind of fussy, feed-your-child parent's kind of feeling. He's not squishy or anything. He really just loves his son passionately, but he's extremely practical. (Hong) brings a sweetness to that dad. It's wonderful. You know everything he does comes out of love."

Those more subtle character touches seem to support the writers' contention that Nelson's fighting-fu is matched only by her feeling-fu.

"Jen, as great as she is at the action stuff, it's the quiet, emotional scenes, her storyboarding of them - focusing on the emotion of the characters' faces. ... You understand what they're thinking or feeling," says Berger, adding that the director excels at showing the panda saying "humorous things while he's covering for a lot. ... She's just really able to capture both sides of Po."

Nelson confesses that those scenes are closest to her heart.

"I think my favorite is when Po has his personal awakening. It's the emotional core of the movie. That particular sequence makes me cry every single time I watch it. Considering I've watched this movie a couple of hundred times," she says, laughing, "it gets a little emotionally exhausting after a while."

Kung Fu Panda 2 (PG) opens Friday at Bay Area theaters.

To see a trailer, go to www.kungfupanda.com.
Jennifer Yuh Nelson

Personal: Grew up in Lakewood, "a sleepy suburb of L.A. near Long Beach." Received a bachelor's degree in illustration from California State University Long Beach.

Resume builders: Was a director, story artist and character designer for "Spawn" on HBO. Has worked in Korea, Japan and Australia. Was a story artist for "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron," head of story for "Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas," story artist for "Madagascar" and head of story for "Kung Fu Panda."

What does an animator and illustrator do for fun? "I play video games. Last game I finished was 'Assassin's Creed Brotherhood.' Right now I'm trying to figure out what to play. I like hack-and-slash games; I don't tend to go for first-person shooters. I like seeing the characters do crazy cool stuff. It's like watching a movie for me. The more filmic it is, the more I enjoy it."

Quotable: "I love the weapon sound effects (in 'Kung Fu Panda 2'). We wanted to keep it away from sounding like conventional, modern weaponry, so they made it based off fireworks. It has a hissing, popping quality that isn't like a howitzer or a Civil War cannon. I think it came out sounding really exotic. The look, too, it had blue sparkles to it."

Zenshiite

05-23-2011, 02:45 PM

I love that the board censors pea****. :D

GeneChing

05-25-2011, 09:18 AM

I saw the screener last night. It's a solid sequel. Stunning 3D. I'll have a full 'official' review tomorrow for the opening day.

Tat Wong's school gave a little demo before the show. It was amusing, especially for anyone seated in the front row, as there wasn't really enough space for a spear form.

JamesC

05-25-2011, 09:22 AM

I've been looking forward to this movie for like a year. I loved the first one and I still watch it all the time.

Can't wait to read your review.

GeneChing

05-26-2011, 09:37 AM

Putting the finishing touches on my review now. It'll be up by this afternoon.

May 26, 2011, 12:00 PM ET
Jennifer Yuh Nelson On Directing ‘Kung Fu Panda 2′ (http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2011/05/26/jennifer-yuh-nelson-on-directing-kung-fu-panda-2/?mod=google_news_blog)
By Julie Steinberg

http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/OB-OB169_yuh_DV_20110525175510.jpg
The first “Kung Fu Panda” movie, which was released in 2008, made north of $631 million dollars worldwide and became an instant gem in the DreamWorks canon that begged for a sequel. That sequel, “Kung Fu Panda 2,” will be released tomorrow and was helmed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson, who migrated to a director role after serving as head of story on the first. Speakeasy chatted with Nelson about how 3-D will enhance the viewer experience this time around, how to make it in a male-dominated industry and why feathers are so challenging to draw.

The Wall Street Journal: What was it like going from head of story on the first film to director on the second?

Jennifer Yuh Nelson: It was surprisingly easy because I’ve had the same crew for close to five years. We all work well together so the support system was strong. When you’re head of story, you’re more involved in the front half of the film, as far as the production pipeline. When you’re directing, you’re involved with every piece of the movie that comes through. It was cool because the kind of steps they’re taking so late in the process were really inspiring.

You come from a Korean-American background and have mentioned your love of martial arts films. How did that influence you in the making of this film?

I grew up watching martial arts movies — I gravitated toward them when I was younger. I enjoyed them because of the action, but they also tend to have characters who are larger-than-life and have layers. When I had the opportunity to do something like “Kung Fu Panda” I just wanted to be on it. That’s why I’ve spent seven and a half years on this.

Was there added pressure because the first movie did so well?

I did feel pressure but not because of a box office. I loved the first film. The crew I worked with loved the characters so much, they came back. That’s where the pressure comes from — you have all your friends working on something and you don’t want to waste anyone’s time. We made a movie that we and our kids wanted to watch.

You are one of the few females to solo direct an animated feature. Have you encountered any gender issues as you’ve risen through the industry?

In my career, I have never run into a gender problem. I’ve been very fortunate to have so much support. A lot of the time people forget that I’m a woman. That’s where we should be going. We should get to the point where it’s not about a woman or a man; it’s just a director. The industry has to become gender-invisible. I haven’t experienced it so I wish I could understand the causes. A way to fix it would be to have more role models at the top so we can get to where it’s less of a surprise that a woman is the director. We have a lot of female animators on the crew — it’s not a 50-50 situation, but there are many.

This movie, unlike the first, was crafted in 3-D. What was your approach to ensure it didn’t feel too gimmicky or conspicuous?

I’m a very visual person and tried to replicate what human eye sees. It’s not a technical thing for us, it’s more like we perceive 3-D in real life. That’s why a lot of the point of focus is on the screen, it’s not in front popping out so you have to cross your eyes. It’s a comfortable spot. Everything else that goes out behind or in front is slightly in the periphery or has a sense of depth, while everything that you’re watching is utterly clear. That allowed us to have dynamic filmmaking and fast cutting without it being gimmicky. We wanted the scale to be vast, which is what the the 3-D adds.

Tell me more about the vast scale.

Because Po is leaving his comfort zone and leaving the Valley of Peace, we had to create large-scale scenery and huge designs. We wanted vast landscapes to match his challenge. In the first film, it was hard to make a square block practical. In a sequel like this, we can build an entire city and the characters can run through it.

The villain Lord Shen has a set of very intricate-looking feathers. Were they hard to do?

Feathers can be more complicated because they have a structure that disappears into itself. There are different types of feathers that have their own arrangements. Shen had different layers of rigidity that made for a very complicated texture. Most people don’t do it because it’s hard but we wanted to do something different. It took us well over a year to get him in shape to animate.

3-D has come a long way, but is there some technology that isn’t developed yet that you wish existed?

Anything that makes the experience more like our experience in real life. We interact with film because we’re used to having it a certain way, but we need to have much more immersion. 3-d is a step. We need to make less of a curtain between us and the reality of a movie.

How about those moving seats?

I just tried that for the first time the other day. I think you have to do it well, but you certainly can’t get that at home.

GeneChing

05-26-2011, 01:10 PM

KUNG FU PANDA 2 or Why There is No Panda Style (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=963)

Lucas

05-26-2011, 01:40 PM

freakin pea****s....i never saw kungfu panda...is this something a grown man would enjoy to watch alone? or is it more like to watch with kids or something?

JamesC

05-26-2011, 02:42 PM

I love it, personally. My wife and I enjoy animated movies a lot, though.

It was hilarious and had a good message, imo. Plus, it's about kung fu.

Lucas

05-26-2011, 04:37 PM

i'll probably check it out then. ive always liked animations and of course kungfu is fun

GeneChing

05-26-2011, 05:19 PM

I'd be really curious to hear what you think about KFP2 if you haven't seen KFP.

doug maverick

05-30-2011, 03:08 PM

was gonna use some witty martial humor for the title but screw it. hangover has become the highest opening comedy and the highest opening R rated film. smashing the competition this weekend with a 118million overhaul. beating our friend po by more then half. i think its interesting to note. that this film was R rated and not in 3d. panda while getting great reviews and while its opening was nothing to sneeze at it under performed. and thats disneys fault, in terms of promotion none of the big names came to the east coast to promote the film. only lucy liu, black did la, as well as seth. seperating the furious five, was a no bueno. the first one they all promoted together, while that may have been expensive it paid off. disney took into account 3d and the fact that the character is established. but forgot the main thing in making movies...star power.

GeneChing

05-31-2011, 10:10 AM

Goes goes to show, you don't ever know Po.
:o
:rolleyes:

JamesC

05-31-2011, 10:15 AM

Wow, that is surprising, actually. I loved the first Hangover movie, but the second one just seems like a remake.

I thought KFP2 was great, btw. The CGI seemed on a whole different level in this one too.

GeneChing

05-31-2011, 10:32 AM

Now I wonder how much they spent on advertising...

'Kung Fu Panda 2's' Disappointing Performance Leads DreamWorks Animation’s Stock to Hit Two-Year Low (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/kung-fu-panda-2s-disappointing-193310)
10:10 AM 5/31/2011 by Georg Szalai

An analyst says “one of the company’s few remaining franchises” may be showing “signs of fatigue.”

NEW YORK – Shares of DreamWorks Animation fell to their lowest level in two years in early Tuesday trading as several Wall Street analysts called the opening weekend performance of the studio’s Kung Fu Panda sequel disappointing.

As of 9:50 a.m. ET, the stock was down 5.3 percent at $23.51. Earlier in the trading session though, it went as low as $23.09. That was below a 52-week low of $24.38 hit last week and also marked the lowest price hit in about two years.

DWA shares last traded this low in May 2009. On May 13 of that year, the stock went as low as $23.12. A day earlier, it had even hit $22.51.

The decline came as the broader market rallied after the long Memorial Day weekend in the U.S.

BTIG analyst Richard Greenfield reiterated his “sell” rating on DWA, cut his target price by $5 to $20 and reduced his financial expectations.

“The key drivers of DWA’s troubles are that its movies have not lived up to expectations and the global DVD market is in free fall as consumers continue to shift from buying to renting,” he said. He also pointed to an analyst day about 18 months ago, during which the company had outlined such growth opportunities as 3D, TV series, live entertainment (Broadway shows) and virtual worlds. “It has become increasingly clear that none of DWA’s growth opportunities are going to “bear the fruit” that management had hoped,” Greenfield argued.

Janney Montgomery Scott analyst Tony Wible called the Kung Fu Panda performance a “disappointment,” saying the $68 million box office take through Memorial Day fell short of his $75 million estimate. He suggested that the first-weekend data implies that Panda is on pace to generate $225 million in U.S. box office receipts, below his $245 estimate.

“The film grossed less than its predecessor (opened to $60.2 million) despite the 3D ticket premium, long weekend, and three years of ticket price inflation,” Wible highlighted. “This is the latest in a string of disappointments for DWA and is more troubling as Panda has been one of the company’s few remaining franchises, which may be showing signs of fatigue.”

Doug Creutz, analyst at Cowen & Co., said the film had “a very strong international opening,” but he still reduced his outlook for the film’s profitability and cut his 2011 earnings estimate for DWA. He said he continues to have a “neutral” rating on DWA shares.

“We believe that the soft domestic open further validates our concern that increased competition is hurting the domestic box office potential of individual animated films,” Creutz said. “Further, we note that Kung Fu Panda is the only franchise DWA has launched in the last five years that has shown any sort of international box office power, and thus we do not expect the international strength of Panda 2 to be repeated on a regular basis by DWA’s future releases.”

solo1

06-01-2011, 08:03 AM

Saw KFP 2 with wife and kids this weekend. Loved it and yes would see it again, in fact may take my boys back this weekend.

GeneChing

06-01-2011, 09:11 AM

I've heard that KFP2 did sold more non-3D tickets than 3D. Haven't validated that yet.

Box Office: With 'Hangover' and 'Kung Fu Panda' sequels, it's the biggest Memorial Day weekend ever [Updated] (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2011/05/box-office-with-the-hangover-part-ii-and-kung-fu-panda-2-its-the-biggest-memorial-day-weekend-ever.html)
May 30, 2011 | 9:08 am

After months of slow business at the box office, Hollywood's headache may finally be subsiding. Audiences showed up in droves to see a bawdy comedy, an animated family film and even art-house fare over the holiday, making it the biggest Memorial Day weekend on record for ticket sales.

"The Hangover Part II," the sequel to the 2009 surprise hit about three friends trying to piece together a wild night out, grossed a phenomenal $137.4 million from Thursday to Monday in North America, according to an estimate from distributor Warner Bros. The weekend's other new movie in wide release, the 3-D animated film "Kung Fu Panda 2," raked in a so-so $68 million. Those grosses were enough to help push the overall weekend tally to $280 million, breaking the 2007 Friday-through-Monday record of $255 million and blowing by 2010's paltry $192.7 million take.

"The Hangover Part II" passed some milestones of its own, as it had the biggest debut of any R-rated comedy ever. Even the film's three-day gross from Friday through Sunday was far higher than 2008's "Sex and the City: The Movie," which collected $56 million on its first weekend in theaters.

The film, this time set in Bangkok instead of Las Vegas, was produced by Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures for about $80 million, meaning it is off to an excellent start. As expected, the movie attracted a young crowd -- a segment of the audience that so far this year has not been eager to rush out to the cinema. Of those who saw the second "Hangover" film, 54% were under 25, and 41% were between the ages of 18 and 24. Those who saw the filmed enjoyed it, giving it an average grade of A-minus, according to market research firm CinemaScore. That bodes well for the movie, as the first "Hangover" film received an A grade and went on to gross $467.5 million worldwide largely due to its strong word-of-mouth.

Overseas, the movie opened in 40 countries and grossed $59 million, a strong take for a comedy abroad. The film performed best in the United Kingdom, where it had $16.4 million in ticket sales. The sequel will open in Germany and Russia next weekend, where it will continue its attempt to surpass the $190 million international tally of the original "Hangover."

Panda While "Kung Fu Panda 2" fared decently, it did not do as well as its 2008 predecessor, "Kung Fu Panda," which collected $60.2 million in three days compared with the sequel's $47.8 million Friday-through-Sunday gross. Plus, the second film has the benefit of 3-D ticket surcharges and it was also more expensive to make. DreamWorks Animation produced the second film about a sword-wielding panda for around $140 million, roughly $20 million more than the budget for first movie.

Those who saw the film loved it, giving it an average grade of A, which was even better than the A-minus grade the first movie received. About a third of the audience, 33%, was under the age of 18, and the picture attracted slightly more males (54%) than females (46%).

But like "Kung Fu Panda," the sequel will still probably do more business overseas than domestically. The first film collected $416.3 million of its total $631.7 million gross internationally. And the second film is already off to a fantastic start abroad, opening in only 11 countries and already collecting $57 million. The movie sold the most tickets in China, where it is set, grossing $18.5 million. "Kung Fu Panda 2" opens in 11 additional foreign territories next weekend, including Greece and Hungary.

In limited release, a number of low-budget films did solid business. In two theaters in New York and two more in Los Angeles, Terrence Malick's Palme d'Or-winning "Tree of Life" grossed $488,920 over four days for an excellent per-theater average of $122,230. Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris" expanded from six theaters to 58 and had $3.5 million in ticket sales over four days.

[Updated at 10:27 a.m.: After just over 10 days in release, "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" has already passed the $400-million mark at the box office overseas. The film added $124.3 million to its bounty in more than 100 foreign markets this weekend, bringing its international total to $485.1 million. That means the film is well on its way to reaching the $654 million that the third film in the series, "At World's End," collected abroad in 2007.

Here are the top 10 movies in the U.S. and Canada, based on their four-day grosses. Percentage drops are based on three-day grosses. International grosses are through Sunday only.
1. "The Hangover Part II" (Warner Bros./Legendary): Opened to $105.8 million. $60.3 million overseas in 40 foreign markets. Domestic total: $137.4 million.

2. "Kung Fu Panda 2" (DreamWorks Animation/Paramount): Opened to $62.2 million. $57 million overseas in 11 foreign markets. Domestic total: $68 million.

3. "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" (Disney): $50.4 million on its second weekend, down 56%. $124.3 million overseas in more than 100 foreign markets. Domestic total: $164 million. International total: $485.1 million.

4. "Bridesmaids" (Universal/Relativity): $21 million on its third weekend, down 21%. Domestic total: $89.6 million.

5. "Thor" (Marvel/Paramount): $12 million on its fourth weekend, down 39%. $3.5 million overseas in 60 foreign markets. Domestic total: $162.4 million. International total: $253.1 million.

6. "Fast Five" (Universal): $8.2 million on its fifth weekend, down 39%. $13.3 million overseas in 61 foreign markets. Domestic total: $197.6 million. International total: $346 million.

7. "Midnight in Paris" (Sony Pictures Classics): $2.6 million in 58 theaters. Domestic total: $3.5 million.

8. "Rio" (Fox): $2.4 million on its seventh weekend, down 61%. $3.8 million overseas in 37 foreign markets. Domestic total: $135.4 million. International total: $321.9 million.

9. "Jumping the Broom" (Sony TriStar): $2.4 million on its fourth weekend, down 51%. Domestic total: $34.6 million.

10. "Something Borrowed" (Warner Bros./Alcon): $2.3 million on its fourth weekend, down 47%. Domestic total: $35.2 million.]

-- Amy Kaufman

GeneChing

06-01-2011, 09:13 AM

3D fading? It's those **** post-prod 3D flicks again. :mad:

JUNE 1, 2011
Overheard: 3-D Doldrums (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303745304576357740070114916.html)

Investors in RealD just had their rose-colored glasses karate-chopped. Shares of the company, which provides 3-D technology to movie theaters, slid 12% on Tuesday after 3-D box-office results proved disappointing for "Kung Fu Panda 2." Domestically, just 45% of the movie's gross receipts on opening weekend were driven by non-IMAX 3-D tickets. Such tickets have driven 57% of opening weekend domestic revenue for films with a 3-D option, dating back to late 2007, according to analyst Marla Backer of Hudson Square Research.

Lately, the figure has trended down. The novelty may be wearing off in the U.S., perhaps because of so many 3-D releases, poorer quality movies or high ticket prices. Internationally, though, movie-goers still love 3-D. While it drove just 38% of revenue on opening weekend for the latest installment of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise, the 3-D booty abroad was 63%.

doug maverick

06-01-2011, 10:38 AM

the thing is people are starting to notice the difference, between actually shot in 3D and post pro 3d. and they are not going to waste 20$ for a crappy conversion. people want shot in 3D movies now. the demand is high but actually movies being shot in 3d is still low. its actually not that expensive and pretty much anybody can shoot something in 3D. avatar was expensive because cameron had to not just create a world but creatures and put them all in 3d. but a regular action film would be no problem. for those that dont know a 3D camera is simply two camera spaced apart the length of your eyes, one camera for one eye and one for the other. then in post production(or sometimes its done in camera) the red and green is taken out of one cameras footage and the blue out the other, then the two shots are "blended" into one, when see through glasses it gives the optical allusion of a third dimension.

how the suppose post pro 3D works is. the take the same image shot with a single camera,double it, do the same thing, green and red from one, blue from the other, and then blend it back together. only you really dont get that 3D feel. the reason being is that its the same image, two cameras put together give you two slightly different images that when blended together are not 100% aligned. where as the post pro single images are exactly the same, other things are done to make the image "pop" but ultimately its a failure and a waste of money.

this has been a lesson...lol

Zenshiite

06-01-2011, 11:42 AM

Many people also just don't want to put down that extra bank for 3D just because it's 3D. If I'd have gone to KFP2 in 3D it would have cost my family an extra $12. No thanks.

I'm saving up my 3D viewing for Green Lantern.

JamesC

06-01-2011, 11:45 AM

sanjuro_ronin

06-01-2011, 12:11 PM

Personally I can't stand 3D in movies, I get that all the time in real life !
On the subject, 3D porn is JUST PLAIN WRONG !

Lucas

06-01-2011, 12:22 PM

Personally I can't stand 3D in movies, I get that all the time in real life !
On the subject, 3D porn is JUST PLAIN WRONG !

unless its girl on girl! or girl on girl on girl. or girl on girl on girl on girl on girl. or something like that...

GeneChing

06-01-2011, 01:04 PM

I enjoyed 3D back when it was those crappy red & blue glasses. I'll almost always drop the extra bucks for 3D. Post-production 3D sucks. It makes my eyes tired. But most CGI flicks look good in 3D and KFP2 looks fantastic. The 3D is really good. In fact, the best thing about KFP2 is the 3D scenery. It's just dazzling. It could have used a few more 'flying kicks in your face' 3D shots for my money, as it is a cartoon after all and you might as well milk that 3D for what it's worth.

For discussion of 3D porn, go here (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=58027). For 3D kung fu, go here (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52398) and here (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57723) (here (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=47340) and here (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46683) too but they don't count as much).

ghostexorcist

06-01-2011, 04:37 PM

I just saw it with my niece and nephew. It was pretty good. I recognized some of the newer voices, including Van Damme (the alligator) and Michelle Yeoh (the goat).

GeneChing

06-02-2011, 09:35 AM

I'm not the only one scratching their heads about Hangover 2's success last weekend.

What causes the extremely rare, rated-R smash? (http://www.tetonvalleynews.net/entertainment/movies/what-causes-the-extremely-rare-rated-r-smash/article_ccf8fe1e-8cd6-11e0-9e2e-001cc4c03286.html)
Industry Analysis
Why are their so few R-rated smashes?
Posted: Wednesday, June 1, 2011 11:03 pm | Updated: 12:11 am, Thu Jun 2, 2011.
TONY POTTER tony@natetonymovies.com

How in the world did "The Hangover 2" beat out "Kung Fu Panda 2" in the weekend box office? Especially on a Memorial Day weekend, when families typically crowd theaters?

There's actually a bigger question. How in the world did "The Hangover 2" grab the all-time top spot for a comedy opening? In fact, this raucous film is now second on the list of all-time R-rated openings as well (behind 2003's "The Matrix Reloaded"). So with an $86 million weekend, and a $105 million four-day holiday opening, lets take a look at what it is that brought audiences in such droves.

First of all, rated-R films are rarely serious contenders for that No. 1 spot. Historically, there are no rated R films in the top 15 biggest weekend openings, and only four in the top 50. However, the mid- to failure-level that rated R films are typically relegated to is not necessarily because of the rating — it's because of the reasoning behind the rating.

As family-orientated film critics, Nate and I avoid most R-rated films because they don't usually mesh with our values, and we don't enjoy the content. Most R-rated content is gratuitous in nature anyway, included to draw audiences who like that kind on content in, not because it has any bearing on the story.

But occasionally there is a brilliant story told in film, and when the story is finished the filmmakers and writers look back over the product and see that certain elements of the story warrant an R rating. The key difference here is that the story creates the R-rated content, as opposed to R-rated content being the driving force for audience enjoyment.

A look at some of the highest grossing R-rated flicks can help us get a clearer picture. "Gladiator" (2000) demanded a bit of violence, but how could you tell the story of a gladiator fighting his way to overthrow a monarch without some fighting? Most epic war films have the same demand. To tell a story that centers around scenes of battle, assassination, skirmishes and such, you often need to show some of those scenes. Something like "Saving Private Ryan" (1998) may take the “realism” factor a bit far, but it was in an effort to portray the story. At the top of the box office list you also find "The Matrix Reloaded" (2003), a sequel to one of the most breakthrough and brilliant films of all time, with one of the most innovative stories as well. There's also "Terminator 2" (1991), which shares an appeal similar to The Matrix franchise in that it's a sequel to an incredible world and story. R-rated smashes are hard to predict, but when they come it is easy to see the similarities between them and past hits, as is the case with Harrison Ford's 1997 "Air Force One," a brilliant thriller.

But where were we? Ah, yes … "The Hangover 2." The question is why this film didn't fall into the niche crowd that populates theaters when films such as "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" or "Old School" came out? Well unlike those films, which draw on the crude factor for laughs and completely leave out a good story, "The Hangover 2" follows the success of its predecessor by focusing on a mystery-type story with great actors to carry the audience through, effectively breaking out of the crude-based category of film and entering the story-based category, allowing it to have wider appeal.

Now I am neither condoning, nor saying that I enjoy or watch all R-rated films that fit into this story-based category (“The Hangover 2” is certainly filled with not-family-friendly content). I am, however, saying that "The Hangover 2" breached typical niche lines and drew in all sorts of audiences (about 50 percent of attendees this past weekend were female, for example) by providing a good story. And although the crude content of "The Hangover 2" certainly connects with some audiences on a purely comedic level, it is the focus on writing, story and character that brings audiences out in droves.

When all is said and done, however, the typical lack of such story elements will continue to keep most R-rated flicks off the radar.

GeneChing

06-02-2011, 09:43 AM

KFP2 is just beginning its international campaign.

'Kung Fu Panda 2' to Open Taormina Film Festival (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/kung-fu-panda-2-open-171555)
4:25 PM 3/25/2011 by Eric J. Lyman

The Italian premiere of the film, featuring a voice cast led by Jack Black and Angelina Jolie, continues the festival's trend of launching high-profile projects.

ROME – The Taormina Film Festival announced Friday that the animated film Kung Fu Panda 2 in 3D will be the opening film at this year’s edition of the 57-year-old event.

The Italian premiere of the film -- directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson and including the voices of Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan and Seth Rogen -- continues Taormina’s trend of serving as a launching pad for high-profile films. In 2010, the Sicily festival premiered with Toy Story 3 in 3D, and previous editions have hosted Transformers and Mission Impossible II.

As with the other blockbusters to appear in Taormina, Kung Fu Panda 2 will screen in the festival’s centerpiece venue, the ancient and picturesque Teatro Antico.

This year’s edition of the festival runs June 11-18.

Taormina’s artistic director is Deborah Young, The Hollywood Reporter’s chief international critic.

doug maverick

06-02-2011, 07:41 PM

I'm not the only one scratching their heads about Hangover 2's success last weekend.

cause todd phillips made a pact with the devil.:eek: nobody expected hangover 1 to be as big of a monster as it was. and warners pushed their luck with the second. but when you have something as monstrous as the hangover was, especially on on demand and dvd. and you give the second part enough space to breath from the first one, you build anticipation, i know people who have watched the hangover 20 times over the last two years which is insane ive only seen it twice all the way through. as for kfp2 like i said disney forgot to use their star power to correctly promote the film. they relied tro heavily on 3d sales forgetting how expensive it has become, 3d has gone from a novelty to a luxury, and nobody is to blame save greedy studio and theater owners, they shot themselves in the foot. i

Zenshiite

06-04-2011, 04:23 AM

cause todd phillips made a pact with the devil.:eek: nobody expected hangover 1 to be as big of a monster as it was. and warners pushed their luck with the second. but when you have something as monstrous as the hangover was, especially on on demand and dvd. and you give the second part enough space to breath from the first one, you build anticipation, i know people who have watched the hangover 20 times over the last two years which is insane ive only seen it twice all the way through. as for kfp2 like i said disney forgot to use their star power to correctly promote the film. they relied tro heavily on 3d sales forgetting how expensive it has become, 3d has gone from a novelty to a luxury, and nobody is to blame save greedy studio and theater owners, they shot themselves in the foot. i

Doug, does Disney now own Dreamworks or something? Because I thought KFP2 was a Dreamworks production...

doug maverick

06-04-2011, 08:37 AM

nooooo disney doesnt own dreamworks. i just made an era. because they use to have a partnership i thought disney was still the distributor.

GeneChing

06-06-2011, 05:20 PM

#1: X-Men. So I was twice wrong in my article, but I was distracted (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57943).

I went to see it again this weekend with my family. I enjoyed it the first time, but I wound up liking it more the second time. I could pay more attention to the spectacle of 3D. Also, the comedic timing worked better on the second viewing. Maybe I was just exhausted after our tournament and that made me more receptive.

David Jamieson

06-07-2011, 07:02 AM

3D is a headache for me. The glasses are crappy, the experience is always flawed etc.

so, I will await the 2D version and watch at home I guess. The theatres seem to be all up and into this 3D "re"-craze.

fwiw, 3D technology really hasn't changed. It's still about optical illusion achieved in virtually the same manner as it was in the 50's for the cheesy sci-fi movies that overused it back then.

GeneChing

06-09-2011, 09:40 AM

I understood the tofu connection (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1091470#post1091470), but raisins? Po doesn't eat raisins. He eats radishes. ;)

Sun-Maid partners with Kung Fu Panda 2 (http://www.thepacker.com/fruit-vegetable-news/fresh-produce-retail/Sun-Maid-partners-with-Kung-Fu-Panda-2-123553124.html)
06/09/2011 11:23:39 AM
Don Schrack

http://media.thepacker.com/images/217*100/Sun-Maid-Kung_Fu.jpg
Sun-Maid Growers, the 99-year-old Kingsburg, Calif.-based dried fruit cooperative, has unveiled a summer-early fall promotion with “Kung Fu Panda 2.”

Quick response codes appear on Sun-Maid raisin six-packs and 24 oz. canisters, according to a news release. Shoppers who use the codes will be able to view movie trailers, learn more about the movie’s characters, download computer wallpaper designs and enter a contest to win a grand-prize trip for four to Zoo Atlanta.

“Through our work with DreamWorks Animation to promote Kung Fu Panda 2, we are excited to engage Sun-Maid consumers and Kung Fu Panda fans in a fun, new way by using QR codes,” Rick Bruno, vice president of brand management, said in the release.

One hundred consumers will also receive plush toys.

The promotion ends Oct. 1.

SimonM

06-10-2011, 07:22 AM

3D is a headache for me

3d doesn't give me a headache but it does tend to muddy mass-action sequences which is annoying.

doug maverick

06-10-2011, 11:53 AM

3d doesn't give me a headache but it does tend to muddy mass-action sequences which is annoying.

only when its post pro 3D. look at avatar, none of those action scenes were muddy. there is a giant difference.

SimonM

06-10-2011, 01:28 PM

Yeah, too bad that dances with blue wolves was such an awful movie!

GeneChing

06-13-2011, 09:20 AM

International box office: 'Kung Fu Panda 2' kicks 'Pirates' off top spot (http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/international-box-office-kung-fu-panda-2-kicks-pirates-off-top-spot-2296909.html)
Relaxnews
Monday, 13 June 2011
'Kung Fu Panda 2' topped the international box office.

The weekend's top spot - the position Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides held for three weeks in a row - was taken by Kung Fu Panda 2, collecting $56.5 million in 45 territories around the world, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The 3D sequel of the animated family film, starring Jack Black, opened in 17 new markets, including Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Peru, and the UK and Ireland, where it reached number one. This second installment of Panda shot past $331 million worldwide.

In second, X-Men: First Class made $42.2 million in 66 markets, for a international total of $124.2 million in less than two weeks.

The reboot of the comic and fifth installment of the franchise, starring James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender, landed on top in France for the second weekend with $3.25 million.

Slipping to third, On Stranger Tides still took in $41.1 million in 72 territories for a total of $886.8 million, making it the 19th biggest film of all time.

The fantasy adventure starring Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz totaled $678 million internationally - more than three times the US draw - making it the biggest Pirates installment. Tides also ranked first in Japan, where it has tallied $74.5 million.

In fourth place, The Hangover Part II made $38.3 million across 55 markets, and took the top spot in Germany this weekend. Over 18 days, the comedy has surpassed the original 2009 version with a total of $431.3 million worldwide.

For the fifth spot, Super 8 opened in nine markets, primarily in Asia, earning $6.7 million and debuting in first in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

The sci-fi thriller, directed/written by J.J. Abrams (Star Trek) and produced by Steven Spielberg, premiered at the top in North America with $38 million, for $44.7 million worldwide.Upon reflection, my ezine coverage was too myopic, too American-centric. Ah well, live and learn.

GeneChing

06-14-2011, 09:51 AM

THR fills in the details...

‘Kung Fu Panda 2’ Commands $56.5 Million Internationally (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-report-kung-fu-197101)
3:00 PM 6/12/2011 by Frank Segers

The DreamWorks Animation feature bests 'Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides' on the foreign circuit.

DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda 2 made its debut in the weekend’s No. 1 box office spot on the foreign theatrical circuit, grossing $56.5 million from 11,025 screens in 45 territories.

The tally was buoyed by the 3D animation sequel’s solid openings in 17 overseas markets. Total foreign gross for Panda 2 has exceeded the $200-million mark (cume is $205 million), as per distributor Paramount.

Panda 2 took the top spot in the U.K. and Ireland with an opening tally of $10 million from 516 venues. A Mexico bow delivered $8.3 million from 527 sites. Brazil kicked in $5.8 million from 404 situations while Argentina generated $2.3 million from 118 spots. Panda 2 in its Peru opening grossed $1.3 million from 52 locations for a $25,000 per-screen average, the biggest market opening of 2011.

With a tally of $41.1 million—down 41% from the prior round—Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides ended its three-stanza hold on the No. 1 overseas boxoffice title.

Ranking No. 3 this time, the Disney release starring Johnny Depp played at 14,602 venues in 72 markets, moving its foreign gross total up to $678 million—more than three times its domestic take. Top market remains Japan where Tides drew a No. 1 ranking with a weekend gross of $6 million, pushing the market cume to $74.5 million.

Tides is easily the biggest-grossing Pirates title of the four franchise installments thus far, handily outpacing the previous foreign frontrunner, 2007’s Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, by $24 million. Worldwide cume stands at $886.8 million, making Tides the 19th biggest global grosser of all time.

Super 8, which premiered No. 1 in the U.S. and Canada, opened in nine mostly second-tier Southeast Asian markets on the weekend, drawing $6.7 million from a total of 652 screens and ranking No. 5 offshore overall. Opening weekend worldwide comes to $44.7 million

The sci-fi adventure, written and directed by J.J. Abrams and produced by Steven Spielberg, premiered No. 3 in Australia to what distributor Paramount described as “an excellent holiday weekend gross” of $2.7 million drawn from 652 sites.

Super 8’s Hong Kong bow drew a No. 1 marketing ranking with $575,000 yielded from 42 situations for a per-screen average of $13,690. No. 1 openings were also recorded in Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Openings in 16 territories loom this week including Russia, Sweden and South Korea.

Finishing second on the weekend was 20th Century Fox’s X-Men: First Class, which tallied $42.2 million from 10,643 screens in 66 markets.

Overseas cume now stands at $124.2 million after only a dozen days of release on the foreign circuit. The latest installment of the billion-dollar comic book franchise took the top spot in France for the second consecutive weekend, grossing $3.25 million from 687 sites for a market cume of $11.5 million.

Warner Bros.’ The Hangover Part II crossed the $200-million foreign gross mark (cume is $215.5 million) thanks to a $38.3 million weekend at some 7,200 screens in 55 markets.

In just 18 days of foreign release, the comedy sequel has surpassed the $191.6 million overseas gross total recorded by 2009’s original, The Hangover. The sequel ranks No. 4 on the weekend overall. Top market was Germany where Hangover 2 grossed $7.9 million from 872 sites, ranking a dominant No. 1 in the market.

Universal’s Fast Five hoisted its foreign gross total to $378.3 million thanks to a $5.9 million weekend at 5,450 playdates in 63 territories. The overseas cume to date (a Japan opening is due in October) makes the latest installment of the car action franchise the biggest-grossing title of the series, besting previous foreign frontrunner, 2009’s Fast & Furious, by $170.3 million.

In the U.K. Universal opened Honey 2, a dance drama from Marc Platt Productions, in the market’s fifth spot. Opening tally was $850,000 from 301 sites. An opening in Germany is next on June 23, while a France bow is due July 20.

Other international cumes: Sony’s Priest, $44 million; Fox’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2, $15.6 million; Universal’s Hop, $67.3 million; Sony, Focus Features and other distributors’ Hanna, $14.8 million; Universal’s Paul, $55.1 million; Fox’s Rio, $329.5 million; Universal’s Senna, $4.8 million from seven territories; Fox’s Black Swan, $216.8 million; Universal’s The Adjustment Bureau, $59.8 million; Fox’s Water For Elephants, $55.3 million.

GeneChing

06-20-2011, 02:45 PM

'a record-breaking film in China'

Chinese Culture and the Politics of “Kung Fu Panda” (http://www.asianweek.com/2011/06/20/chinese-culture-and-the-politics-of-kung-fu-panda/)
By Andrew Lam
– June 20, 2011Posted in: Arts-Entertainment, Voices from The Community

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — In the age of globalization, there’s a caveat that often rings true: “You know your culture is a big hit when somebody else is trying to sell it back to you!” Nowhere is this more obvious than the example of the run away box office smash, Kung Fu Panda, and its sequel. A wildly successful animation produced by Steven Spielberg in 2008 about a panda who wants to learn kung fu and his bumbling way toward greatness, the movie became the biggest box office hit in China’s history. Its sequel, Kung Fu Panda 2, released last month, again became a record-breaking film in China.

If the Chinese are in awe as to how their own cultural heritage is being successfully repackaged by Hollywood and sold back to them, some artists and thinkers are rather peeved. In an open letter to the public, the artist Zhao Bandi encouraged Chinese moviegoers to boycott the film as well as other movies from the West that exploit Chinese cultures. Kung Fu Panda films “twisted Chinese culture and served as a tool to kidnap the minds of the Chinese people,” he wrote. “Don’t turn it into a money-making day for Hollywood, and don’t fool our next generation with American ‘fast food’.'” Back in 2008, some government officials also considered censuring the first installment, but to no avail.

After all, Chinese moviegoers love Kung Fu Panda and want more of it. Which also set the Chinese blogospheres abuzz with soul-searching questions along the lines of “Why can’t we produce such brilliant movies ourselves?” and “How can we leave it to foreigners to tell our stories while we make movies that are steeped in melodrama?” and “What is it about our society that creativity is so stifled?” and so on.

Those who find it odd and upsetting that others are now impersonating them (and many are very successful at it) have yet to come to terms with the Information Age, which seems to come with an inevitable a.k.a. the Appropriation Age. For ours is a world in which traditions exist side by side for the borrowing and taking, and ultimately, the mixing. Indeed, from religion to cuisine, from medicine to music, from dance to literature, from agricultural practices to filmmaking, all are available to the contemporary alchemists to reshape and re-imagine. So much so that it now seems self-evident that the energy that is fueling the major part of the 21st-century global village is that of the hybrid space in which re-invention is key.

Which beckons this question: If others reinvent your culture and sell it back to you, what is gained, and what is lost?

On the Food Network last year, Rachael Ray was teaching television audiences how to make Vietnamese pho—beef noodle soup—and she got the recipe wrong. Besides calling it a Thai-inspired dish she used –gasp!– pork instead of beef, and didn’t include fish sauce. Ray caused a stir among pho purists and the Vietnamese Diaspora, and this response from Vietnamese American chef and food author Andrea Nguyen: “Pho is in the dictionary…I’m rather appalled that the producers of the Rachael Ray Show would do such an injustice to pho noodle soup. I wish that her show producers would go the extra mile for Asian food.”

Yet, a couple decades back, the soup itself was but the private cuisine of refugees in Little Saigons across the world. It certainly wasn’t in the American English dictionary, nor taught on national television. So while it’s understandable for those who grew up with pho to be upset when their tradition is exploited, and especially have the story of the soup’s origin misinterpreted, one can’t help but wonder: Well, is the new recipe any good?

What is gained, if it’s any good, is a new flavor, a new way of looking at a beloved classic. What is lost is of course a cherished tradition, a way of life altered by newness. But such is the recipe of invention, isn’t it, that it entails a pinch of spontaneity, and a tablespoon or two of betrayal?

No one owns culture, in the end, and the most popular tend to transgress borders, and in time, shed old skin for a myriad of rebirth. Think about it: while a pho purist might be upset that his sacred broth is “perverted” by someone else, he himself has no qualms about drinking filter café sua da—filter coffee with condensed milk—and eating his banh mi pate –the popular Vietnamese sandwich made of baguette and ham and pate that’s been for generations the staple of the Vietnamese and is now sold in major cities across America. Never mind that the entire convention, with the exception of cilantro and chilies and pickle and Maggi sauce, is borrowed heavily from Vietnam’s former colonizers, the French, with whom many still have a love-hate relationship.

A culture that needs preservation may very well be a culture ready for the museum. Which is to say, yesterday’s bold experiments are today’s classics and what betrays today’s tradition may very well find its place in tomorrow’s sun. As to the controversy of pandas and Kung Fu, some may be surprised to find that Chinese kung fu is not purely Chinese. Historians may disagree but the 5th-6th century figure, Bodhidharma, a Buddhist monk from South Asia, looms large among Chinese martial arts practitioners as well as Buddhist scholars. Legend has it that, along with being the patriarch of Zen Buddhism, the reportedly ill-tempered but holy sage taught monks at the Shaolin Temple marvelous ancient yoga breathing techniques (which enabled him to scale tall mountains to arrive in China in the first place). Boddhidarma’s disciples and their disciples went on to invent a myriad of kung fu fighting styles.

Recently, a writer for Asia Times chimed in on the issue as to why some can sell you your own image better than yourself with this: “Perhaps it is just that it takes distance to grasp some essential elements. The best historian of modern Italy is an Englishman, Dennis Mack Smith—not an Italian.” Speaking of Italian, the traditional pasta is a culinary anagram from elsewhere. Noodles from China—grazie, Marco Polo!—and tomato from South America, the combination of which makes up a traditional dish cherished by a European nation. Which is to say, the borders have been porous all along.

In an essay titled “My Kitsch is Their Cool,” the writer Sandip Roy, an Indian immigrant to America, talked about how the world changed. “Madonna wears a bindi,” and “The Kronos Quartet reinterprets Bollywood composer R.D. Burman,” and “Body-hugging T-shirts worn by gay guys in the Castro say “San Francisco” in Devanagari script.” There are even Bollywood appreciation classes at universities, Roy noted with amusement. “Our Krishnas and curries are now public property to be sampled, remixed.”

The most creative people of our times seem to be those who can immerse in apprenticeship in others’ cultures while retaining elements of their own. They are aware that nothing—neither identity, nor traditional dishes nor classical songs—is meant to be etched in stone, but that new art demands appropriation, integration and reinterpretation. And with the Internet shrinking the globe, and with the world defined by mass movement, rendering geography obsolete, the whole world becomes a virtual library of Alexandria. It follows that the other has become us; and that, naturally through cultural revolution, that the mute, loveable panda should stand on two legs, talking jive, and doing some marvelous, kick ass kung fu.

Andrew Lam is author of East Eats West: Writing in Two Hemispheres and Perfume Dreams: Reflections on the Vietnamese Diaspora. His next book, “Birds of Paradise” – a collection of short stories- is due out in 2012.

GeneChing

06-20-2011, 02:48 PM

In the U.S. it's down to #6 according to boxofficemojo.com - Worldwide: $423,670,468

1. Green Lantern
2. Super 8
3. Mr. Popper's Penguins
4. X-Men: First Class
5. The Hangover Part II
6. Kung Fu Panda 2

Box Office Report: 'Kung Fu Panda 2' No. 1 Again on Foreign Circuit (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-report-kung-fu-203158)
4:00 PM 6/19/2011 by Frank Segers

The DreamWorks feature pulled in $52.5 million at the foreign box office, pushing its gross total to $280 million overseas.

DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda 2 decisively seized for the second consecutive round the weekend’s No. 1 box office spot on the foreign theatrical circuit, generating $52.5 million from 10,267 venues in 55 markets and pushing its overseas gross total to $280 million.

Top ranked domestic title on the weekend, Warner Bros.’ Green Lantern opened No. 5 foreign circuit spot, drawing a mild-mannered $17 million from some 3,250 screens in 15 markets. The film recreation of the DC comics superhero, starring Ryan Reynolds, took the top spot in its U.K. bow ($4.9 million from 907 locations) while landing No. 2 in Russia ($3.2 million from 771 spots).

Panda 2 via Paramount took the top spots in each of its 10 new markets with France leading the list with $7.2 million derived from 760 sites, beating the 2008 original comparable market figure by 4%.

Germany tally for the 3D sequel was $6.8 million from 690, 45% more than the original drew in the market. Spain provided $2.8 million from 403 locations while Belgium opened at 115 spots to $1.2 million. Panda 2 opens in Australia this week.

Weekend action offshore was spiced somewhat by the introductions of three fresh comedies at the outset of their foreign box office forays.

Sony’s Bad Teacher, an R-rated comedy costarring Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake about a foul-mouthed junior high school teacher, made its foreign debut in the U.K., finishing No. 2 in the market with $3.4 million drawn from 520 locations. Openings in over 20 overseas European markets are due this week.

Fox declined to report weekend gross figures for Mr. Popper’s Penguins, the Jim Carrey comedy, which opened No. 3 in the U.S. and Canada. Overseas bows were in five small markets – Jamaica, the Philippines, Singapore, South Africa and Trinidad.

“Besides the fact that we expect no more than $500,000 to $600,000 combined gross box office this weekend from these early release, we won’t have actual (box office figures) until Monday,” said the distributor. A “long, slow rollout” offshore lands June 23 in Germany followed the by bows in Australia and Brazil next week.

After playing several miniscule markets, Universal’s Bridesmaids broadened its foreign exposure with openings at 339 sites in seven markets including Australia and New Zealand.

Weekend take was $7.3 million for the female-oriented comedy coscripted by and costarring Kirsten Wiig. Its No. 1 debut in Australia generated $6.8 million from 234 locations while the No. 2 New Zealand bow produced $360,000 from 55 situations. Foreign cume is $7.6 million. U.K. and Russia openings are due this week.

No. 2 on the weekend was Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, which continues to enlarge its foreign gross total with a $25.9 million weekend at 10,450 venues in more than 100 markets.

Overseas cume stands at $731.9 million, with Disney predicting that the Jerry Bruckheimer production starring Johnny Depp will overtake this week 2003’s The Lord of the Rings:The Return of the King (cume of $742.1 million) as the third biggest box office hit ever to play the foreign circuit.

On Stranger Tides has rolled up a worldwide gross of $952.2 million, qualifying for the No. 11 spot on the all-time global box office chart. Biggest foreign market remains Japan, where the film has grossed a total of $87.5 million.

Third on the weekend was The Hangover Part 2, which grossed $21.4 million from about 5,800 screens in 55 markets, hoisting its foreign cume to $256 million. Distributor Warner’s notes that with a $488 million worldwide take, the sequel beat the $468 million generated by 2009’s The Hangover to become the biggest-grossing R-rated comedy of all time.

The weekend’s No. 4 title was 20th Century Fox’s X-Men: First Class, which pushed its foreign gross total to $163.2 million thanks to a $21.2 million weekend generated from 9,086 screens in 67 territories. A No. 3 weekend in South Korea resulted in $2.1 million drawn from 379 spots for a market cume of $13.5 million.

Director J.J. Abrams' Super 8, produced by Steven Spielberg, has registered $22 million in foreign box office after its second round offshore. Weekend contributed $12.5 million from 2,252 spots with a Russia debut offering $4.1 million from 596 locations.

In France, Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris and Terrence Malick’s Cannes Festival Palme d’Or winner Tree of Life are fading at the boxoffice. Mars Distribution’s release of Midnight finished in the No. 10 spot in its sixth market weekend, drawing an estimated $500,000 from 400 screens for a local cume of $12.4 million.

Also in its sixth France week, Tree of Life via Europa Film grossed an estimated $300,000 from some 300 playdates for a market cume of $6 million. Overall on the weekend, Tree generated $2 million at 1,040 screens in 15 territories. Total overseas cume stands at $15.9 million, with the U.K., Australia, Spain, Japan and South Korea yet to play.

Taking the No. 7 spot in France in its second round was Memento Films release of Nader and Simin, A Separation, Iranian director Asghar Farhadi’s domestic drama which won the top Golden Bear prize at this years Berlin Film Festival. Weekend provided some $700,000 from 105 screens, down a mild-mannered 30% from the opening stanza. Market cume stands at $2.3 million.

Other international cumes: Sony’s Priest, $46 million; Fox’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules, $16.8 million; Universal’s Fast Five, $385 million; Fox’s Black Swan, $218.8 million; Universal’s The Adjustment Bureau, $61.5 million; Dox’s Water For Elephants, $56.7 million; Universal’s The Debt, opened in France for $600,000 at 210 sites; Summit Int’l./Alcon Entertainment’s Something Borrowed, $17.8 million; and Universal’s Paul, $55.5 million.

GeneChing

07-05-2011, 03:27 PM

Chollywood (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57225) needs to make a cartoon movie about an MMA eagle and sell it back to us. :rolleyes:

China's culture clash over 'Kung Fu Panda' (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/07/03/INCR1K0DTA.DTL)
Andrew Lam
Sunday, July 3, 2011

Jack Black's two "Kung Fu Panda" films have been popular in China.

In the age of globalization, there's a caveat that rings true: "You know your culture is a big hit when somebody else is selling it back to you."

Nowhere is this more obvious than the example of the runaway box office smash, "Kung Fu Panda." A wildly successful animation produced by Steven Spielberg about a bumbling panda who wants to learn kung fu, the movie became the biggest box office hit in China's history. So did its sequel, "Kung Fu Panda 2."

If the Chinese are in awe as to how their own cultural heritage is being successfully repackaged by Hollywood, some artists and thinkers are peeved. The artist Zhao Bandi publicly encouraged Chinese moviegoers to boycott the film. "Kung Fu Panda" films "twisted Chinese culture and served as a tool to kidnap the minds of the Chinese people," he wrote. "Don't fool our next generation with American 'fast food.' " Back in 2008, some government officials also considered censuring the first installment but to no avail.

Chinese moviegoers love "Kung Fu Panda" and want more of it. Which also set the Chinese blogosphere abuzz with soul-searching questions like "Why can't we produce such brilliant movies ourselves?" and "What is it about our society that creativity is so stifled?" and so on.

Those who find it upsetting that others are successfully impersonating them have yet to come to terms with what follows the Information Age: the Age of Appropriation. Ours is a world in which traditions exist side by side for the picking. From religion to cuisine, medicine to music, dance to literature, all are available to the contemporary alchemists to reimagine. Indeed, the energy that is fueling the major part of the 21st century global village is that of the hybrid space in which reinvention is key. Which beckons this question: If others reinvent your culture and sell it back to you, what is gained, and what is lost?

On the Food Network last year, Rachael Ray made Vietnamese pho soup and she got the recipe wrong. Besides calling it a Thai-inspired dish, she used -gasp! - pork instead of beef and didn't include fish sauce. Ray caused a stir among pho purists and this response from Vietnamese American chef and food author Andrea Nguyen: "Pho is in the dictionary ... I'm rather appalled that the producers of the Rachael Ray show would do such an injustice to pho noodle soup." Yet, a couple decades back, the soup itself was solely the private cuisine of refugees. It certainly wasn't in the American English dictionary nor taught on national television. While it's understandable for those who grew up with pho to be upset at Ray, one can't help but wonder: Well, is the new recipe any good?

What is gained, if it's any good, is a new flavor, a new way of looking at a beloved classic. What is lost, of course, is a cherished tradition, a way of life altered by newness. But such is the recipe of invention, isn't it, that it entails a pinch of spontaneity and a tablespoon of betrayal? No one owns culture, after all, and the most popular tend to transgress borders, shedding old skin for rebirth.

Think about it: while a pho purist might be upset that his sacred broth is "perverted" by someone else, he himself has no qualms about eating his banh mi pate - the popular Vietnamese sandwich made of baguette, ham and pate that for generations has been the staple of the Vietnamese and is now sold in American cities. Never mind that the entire convention, with the exception of cilantro, chiles and pickle, is borrowed from Vietnam's former colonizers, the French, with whom many still have a love-hate relationship.

Besides, a culture that needs preservation might very well be a culture ready for the museum. Which is to say, yesterday's bold experiments are today's classics, and what betrays today's tradition could very well find its place in tomorrow's sun. And for that matter, some might be surprised to find that Chinese kung fu is not purely Chinese. For martial arts scholars, the 5th century figure, Bodhidharma, a monk from South Asia, looms large. Along with being the patriarch of Zen Buddhism, the ill-tempered but holy sage taught monks at the Shaolin Temple marvelous ancient yoga breathing techniques. Bodhidharma's disciples went on to invent myriad kung fu fighting styles.

The most creative people of our times seem to be those who can immerse in apprenticeship in others' cultures while retaining elements of their own. They are aware that nothing is meant to be etched in stone but that new art demands appropriation, integration and reinterpretation.

With the Internet spreading worldwide, and the world defined by mass movements, everything is available for renewal. It follows that, given the new cultural revolutions, the mute, lovable panda should stand on two legs, talking jive and doing some kick-ass kung fu.

Andrew Lam is author of "East Eats West: Writing in Two Hemispheres" and "Perfume Dreams: Reflections on the Vietnamese Diaspora." His next book, "Birds of Paradise" - a collection of short stories - is due out in 2012.

GeneChing

07-06-2011, 03:37 PM

Good ol' Epoch Times. They really know how to deliver the goods. :rolleyes:

China's 'Panda Man' Defeated by Kung Fu Panda (http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/china/chinas-panda-man-defeated-by-kung-fu-panda-58569.html)
Epoch Times Staff Created: Jul 2, 2011 Last Updated: Jul 5, 2011

LIFE LESSON: Shifu (Dustin Hoffman, right) teaches Po (Jack Black, left) the value of inner peace in Kung Fu Panda 2. (Courtesy of DreamWorks Animation)

DreamWorks' animation film Kung Fu Panda 2, released May 26, is also playing in movie theatres in Mainland China. In addition to competing with the regime's large-scale political propaganda movie Beginning of the Great Revival, the Hollywood import is also being boycotted by a Chinese artist who claims to be defending China against “cultural invasion.”

Zhao Bandi, a Beijing artist, has the nickname “Panda Man” because he often depicts pandas in his art. In May, Zhao put an advertisement in Beijing News and Guangzhou's Southern Metropolis Daily, telling fellow Chinese that they should boycott the U.S. panda movie. The ad showed Zhao wearing a panda hat and holding a toy panda.

But it appears that “Panda Man” was no match for the kung fu of the U.S. panda. Kung Fu Panda 2 grossed over 340 million yuan (about US$52 million) during its first nine days in theaters.

The first episode of Kung Fu Panda, released in 2008, grossed 180 million yuan (US$27.8 million) and set a new box office record for an animated film in China.

The film is set in old China and filled with animated animal characters. The hero, Po, is a clumsy and lazy panda who aspires to become a kung fu master. The story takes off when Po is chosen to save the land from an evil kung fu warrior.

In addition to staying faithful to East Asian cultural elements, Kung Fu Panda 2 includes a lion dance, firecrackers, a shadow show and other Chinese traditions.
'Cultural Invasion'

Zhao, the “Panda Man,” was not charmed. On May 27 he sent an open letter via express mail to more than 300 theater managers nationwide asking them to boycott the film, Media China reported on May 28.

Zhao said his goal was to keep the box office income of Kung Fu Panda 2 under 300 million yuan (US$46.4 million) because Kung Fu Panda 2 is “a cultural invasion.”

Zhao's initiative received support from Kong Qingdong, a professor at the Chinese Department of Beijing University, and allegedly a Confucius descendant.

Kong blasted Hollywood movies, saying they are indeed a cultural invasion, and that World War III had already begun a long time ago.

“Our territory has been invaded, because some idiots are brainwashed by American movies. Hollywood, is the U.S. Ministry of Culture and Propaganda,” Kong went on.

Another supporter of Zhao's is the Dean of the Department of Animation at Beijing Film Academy, Sun Lijun. Sun went so far as to ask for government support to protect China's animation industry and the banning of “foreign invaders.”

But Chinese people didn't seem to agree with the cultural invasion theory. One moviegoer told Media China, “There's no need for a boycott. It's merely an animation film and far from being a cultural invasion. For us, watching a movie is just entertainment.”

Overall, Kung Fu Panda 2, like Kung Fu Panda two years ago, was received with enthusiasm in China.

The Chinese-regime mouthpiece People's Daily said on May 19 that the film was the first movie to earn 400 million yuan (US$61.9 million) this year, and the first movie to bring in over 100 million yuan (US$15.5 million) per week after three weeks.

Hao Yaning, CEO of Beijing Union Pictures said: “The story of Kung Fu Panda is really good. Whether or not it has been packaged with Chinese elements to better deliver an American theme to the Chinese audience, audiences love it, and we need to explore its magic.

“Chinese peers cannot make a film like this, mainly because we lack the imagination. We dare not find a duck to be the father of a panda,” Hao added. That last line is the kicker. A duck the father of a panda?! We dare not!! :D

SimonM

07-06-2011, 03:53 PM

Good ol' Epoch Times. They really know how to deliver the goods. :rolleyes:
That last line is the kicker. A duck the father of a panda?! We dare not!! :D

Seriously the Epoch Times isn't even worthy of wrapping fish and chips in.

GeneChing

07-11-2011, 10:16 AM

I'm so bummed. When I saw it, I missed a D. So what now? I gotta go all the way to Korea to experience that extra D? :mad:

South Korean cinemas show films in "4D" (http://www.digitalspy.com/odd/news/a329288/south-korean-cinemas-show-films-in-4d.html)
Monday, July 11 2011, 11:04am EDT
By Ben Lee, Editorial Assistant

Cinemas in South Korea have been showing some of the latest movies in "4D".

Screenings in 4D have added to the viewing experience with touch and smell, as well as including fog and strobe lights that are synced with the screen.

A Korean moviegoer, who went to see DreamWorks' animation feature Kung Fu Panda 2, said in the Sunday Times: "The seats have massage chair motors so that they punch you lightly in the kidneys or bottom when Po gets hit or falls down.

"At the end, bubbles floated down from the ceiling to simulate fireworks - hilarious and well worth the 18,000 [South Korean won] (£11 / $17) ticket price."

Some people who saw Transformers: Dark of the Moon reportedly complained of the excessive smell of rubber, while Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and Avatar are two other movies to have received the 4D treatment.

The company behind 4D, CJ 4DPlex, intends to expand to America and then Europe.

There are already cinemas in America and Canada that support D-BOX technology. Seats in D-BOX motion-enhanced theatres rock around based on the action on-screen. Films like Fast Five have used this technology.

SimonM

07-11-2011, 10:26 AM

Right, that's what I want when I watch a movie, to be punched lightly in the kidneys every time a CGI panda does a pratt-fall.

GeneChing

07-13-2011, 03:23 PM

Wonder how Harry (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37539) will do...

Posted: Wed., Jul. 13, 2011, 1:33pm PT
'Panda 2' boosts Chinese box office (http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118039839?refCatId=13)
Pic reigns for first part of the year
By Clifford Coonan
BEIJING -- "Kungfu Panda 2" dominated Chinese B.O. in the first six months of this year, taking 59675 million yuan ($91.9 million), while total earnings in the fast-growing China market were up nearly 18% at 5.7 billion yuan ($880 million).

Data from the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) showed domestic films took in 2.93 billion yuan ($450 million), an increase of 38% over the same period last year, while foreign films took 2.77 billion yuan (430 million), up 1.6%, in the first six months.

Last year, Chinese B.O. was up 64% at $1.53 billion. "Avatar" skewed the figures slightly with its success, notching up $210 million of that figure, and this was the James Cameron pic's second biggest take outside of North American.

The big pictures of the year so far included "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" took 472 million yuan ($72.7 million) while the Vin Diesel starrer "Fast Five" took 255 million yuan ($39.2 million).

However, "Beginning of the Great Revival," a propaganda epic to mark the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, took 304.69 million yuan ($68 million) by the end of June.

GeneChing

07-25-2011, 09:55 AM

Eats shoots and doesn’t leave (http://www.hindustantimes.com/Eats-shoots-and-doesn-t-leave/H1-Article1-724825.aspx)
Reshma Patil, Hindustan Times
Chengdu, July 24, 2011

First Published: 01:05 IST(24/7/2011)
Last Updated: 08:34 IST(25/7/2011)

The original kung fu panda, the baby bear that inspired sketches of its Hollywood avatar, lives in a city you may not have heard of. The real baby Po is a three-year-old local celebrity named Kung Zai who has found his inner peace chomping tens of kilos of bamboo in an air-conditioned chamber
behind glass walls.

While Kung Zai eats, sleeps and rarely kicks in front of the 2,000 daily visitors who travel to Panda Road in Chengdu, surveyors are following trails of panda droppings to count his elusive family and friends in the mountainous forests of southwest China.

The ongoing decadal census of the giant panda is likely to reveal a rise in the population of the world’s rarest bear. At last count, 1,596 giant pandas — the last of the eight million year old species — still survived in China’s wilderness.

“We estimate that the number of giant pandas has grown,’’ Hou Rong, Director, research center, at the Chengdu panda base, told HT. “A little bit."

“The panda numbers will be higher than the last 10 years,’’ agreed Xie Yan, China Director of the Wildlife Conservation Society. “We have reasons to be optimistic."

Until India this year declared that its tiger population had increased to 1,706, there were more giant pandas in China than tigers roaming India.

China has used ingenious and often drastic methods to bring pandas back from the brink of extinction. But their future still looks ‘bleak,’ says the narrative in a video at the panda base in Chengdu.

This 100-hectare forest inside a northern suburb of the congested, 13-million strong capital of Sichuan province that claims to have the country’s largest software park, is squeezed in by urbanisation like the Borivali forests in northern Mumbai. The comparison ends in location; unlike the depleting wildlife in Mumbai, the Chengdu family is growing.

The panda base has increased the population of China’s national symbol from six in 1987, when it was established, to 34 ten years ago and 96 today. Its collection of the foxy red pandas — shifu the meditative kung fu guru in the DreamWorks animation — has grown from zero to 19 in 2001 and 60 today. Another 317 pandas are bred in captivity.

“Our plan for the next 10 years is to increase the population,’’ said Hou, “To 120-150 for both giant and red pandas.”

A bearable match
The television screens in Chengdu’s shops selling panda accessories for ponytails and cell phones show the challenge of match-making pandas disinterested in the opposite sex. Researchers have shown the bears panda porn videos. They spy on their relationships using DNA satellite technology to know couples from cousins and prevent interbreeding among the indistinguishably black and white bears. A standard method today is sedating pandas and applying mild electric shocks to collect semen.

“The biggest challenge is to maintain genetic diversity,’’ said Hou. “The original group of pandas interbred among each other may not have carried all their genetic characteristics, so there is a great danger that certain genetics might be lost.”

A panda is also China’s great consumerist challenge. A 100-kilo panda in this centre eats his way daily through 15 kilos of bamboo leaves, 20-40 kilos of shoots, half a kilo apples and cakes steamed with corn, soybean, oats, rice, wheat, vegetable oil and vitamins. The centre buys 5,000 kilos of bamboo per day from the shrinking vegetation of the rapidly urbanising province.

The high-profile panda may have distracted the government from species in dire need of protection. China had less than 50 wild tigers left in 2010, the lunar year of the tiger, and aims to double their number by 2022, the next tiger year.
The Chengdu base is organising a research group to prepare select pandas for release in the wild, an experiment that had some failures so far. In some nature reserves, handlers now wear full-length panda costumes to prevent baby bears from getting used to humans.
“First, we have to find an environment very similar to the wild for the pandas to adapt, develop abilities to survive, and capture food,’’ said Hou. The pampered Chengdu inhabitants are not ready, yet, to take the big step back into their natural home.
However, HT’s tour guide said the bears are not that lazy. “We saw two-three pandas cooperating with each other to scale the moat,’’ he said. “Now there is an electric fence to keep them inside.’’

Box-office bear
The panda is not just China's best-known ambassador. In 2008, the Sichuan government turned to the panda to lift its image from the rubble of an 8.0 magnitude earthquake that killed nearly 80,000 people and left five million homeless.
“After the earthquake, the government wanted to improve the image of Chengdu and prove that it’s worth visiting,’’ Liu Yulong, a local official, told HT. “Even for Hollywood’’.

Officials Googled the producers of Kung Fu Panda and invited them to tour panda country. “To our surprise,’’ said Liu, they showed up and were introduced to the bear that inspired the making of baby Po.

A slew of Beijing’s nationalists recently advocated boycotting Kung Fu Panda 2 as an American 'cultural invasion,' but the Sichuan government shrugged off the backlash and released a statement defining the movie as ‘deeply connected’ to the city’s culture.

“Artistically, the film is very Chinese. If you like the movie, watch it," Liu said. “Don’t like it, don’t watch it."

We were chatting in the three-centuries-old ‘narrow’ and ‘wide’ Qing dynasty lanes. Its sloping grey rooftops with dragon carvings are depicted in the fictional sequel with storefronts selling hot pot and noodles. In reality, the lane is lined with cafes selling Seattle coffee, Italian gelato and Indian roti.
I'm only really posting this because of these two sentences:

"Researchers have shown the bears panda porn videos."

"A standard method today is sedating pandas and applying mild electric shocks to collect semen."

:eek:

Kansuke

07-25-2011, 11:21 AM

"A standard method today is sedating pandas and applying mild electric shocks to collect semen."

:eek:

Is that this '4D' technology I've been hearing about? I'm up for trying it! Why let pandas have all the fun?

GeneChing

07-28-2011, 10:32 AM

JULY 26, 2011, 8:52 P.M. ET
DreamWorks Buoyed by 'Kung Fu Panda 2' (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904772304576470660074681324.html)
By MICHELLE KUNG

DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc.'s revenue and profit for the three months ended June 30 surged, thanks to the international success of "Kung Fu Panda 2," despite the film's weak domestic performance.

"Kung Fu Panda 2," a 3-D animated film released May 26, has been a hit for the company overseas, grossing over $600 million world-wide. It is currently the fifth highest-grossing film of 2011.

Domestically, however, the family film has underperformed, Chief Executive Jeffrey Katzenberg said in a conference call with Wall Street analysts. Mr. Katzenberg said the movie was hurt by "The Hangover Part II," which opened the same day.

The executive said the R-rated "Hangover Part II" proved to attract a broader audience than DreamWorks had anticipated. The raunchy comedy's success ultimately cost "Kung Fu Panda 2" roughly $20 million in ticket sales, Mr. Katzenberg said. The executive described the rival film's effect as "a completely unanticipated tidal wave."

The animation company's net income rose 42% to $34.1 million, or 40 cents per diluted share, versus $24 million, or 27 cents per diluted share, a year ago. Revenue was $218.3 million, compared with $158.1 million revenue in the year-earlier period.

The earnings were released following the Nasdaq Stock Market's 4 p.m. close, sending company shares up about 4% in after-hours trading, to $22.48.

Executives declined to discuss reports that the company is in talks with Netflix Inc. for an exclusive streaming deal.

DreamWorks executives also addressed the recent announcement that their current distributor, Viacom Inc.'s Paramount Pictures, is planning its own animation studio. Mr. Katzenberg characterized Paramount's plan as an affirmation of the value of animation in the marketplace, rather than a competitive threat.

The CEO remained bullish about making films in 3-D, a format for which he has been a vocal advocate. Acknowledging the current backlash against 3-D among U.S. audiences, Mr. Katzenberg said that commentary on the issue had veered between extremes. He said that he was "probably to blame for some of" the overly optimistic remarks about the format, but said that current pessimism probably went too far, too.

Also in the second quarter, "Megamind" contributed $19.7 million in revenue, primarily from home entertainment. "Shrek Forever After" and "How to Train Your Dragon" contributed $34.9 million and $41.4 million, respectively, primarily from world-wide pay television and home entertainment.

Third-quarter results are expected to be driven primarily by the continuing international box office revenue of "Kung Fu Panda 2," which has yet to open in Japan and Italy, and domestic pay TV revenue from 2010's "Megamind." Come fourth quarter, the studio will see the theatrical release of "Puss in Boots," a spinoff of the company's popular "Shrek" franchise, and the home video release of "Kung Fu Panda 2." Interesting situation - KFP2 was supposed to be a tentpole for DreamWorks, but it's become a lightning rod for 3D and global markets.

GeneChing

08-03-2011, 09:22 AM

DreamWorks Animation Rejects Paramount Offer to Extend Distribution Deal By One Year (Exclusive) (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/dreamworks-animation-rejects-paramount-offer-217706)
6:37 PM 8/1/2011 by Kim Masters

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/sites/default/files/2011/05/kung_fu_panda_2_kids_2011_a_l.jpg
Paramount, whose deal with DWA runs through 2012, had offered to continue to release DWA movies for an 8 percent fee, though the studio wants to receive more in the future and DWA wants to pay less.

The relationship between DreamWorks Animation and Paramount Pictures continues to devolve. The Hollywood Reporter has learned that DWA's board has rejected an offer to extend its current distribution pact for an additional year, through 2013.

Paramount, whose deal with DWA runs through 2012, had offered to continue to release DWA movies for an 8 percent fee, though the studio wants to receive more in the future and DWA wants to pay less. The standoff between DWA topper Jeffrey Katzenberg and Paramount's Brad Grey intensified when Grey announced last month that it will launch its own animation division.

DWA declined to comment.

DreamWorks is said to be exploring other distribution options but an insider says at this point, "nobody has been pitched to do distribution" for DWA and therefore, no one has passed. Though some outsiders do not see an obvious contender to take Paramount's place, this source says the animation firm "is not quaking in its boots going, `Paramount is the only game in town'" because DWA can deliver solid fees on product that reliably grosses in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

Even the latest DWA film, Kung Fu Panda 2, perceived as a relatively disappointing performer, has grossed more than $600 million worldwide.

The DWA insider dismisses Paramount's decision to launch an animation division as a plan "to do low-rent movies." Interesting shift. Wonder what's behind it all exactly...

GeneChing

08-30-2011, 10:01 AM

UPDATE 1-Yoku.com to distribute KungFu Panda films in China (http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/29/yokucom-idUSL4E7JT2GK20110829)
Mon Aug 29, 2011 10:14am EDT

* Signs pact with DreamWorks Animation for online distribution

* Shares up as much as 10 pct

Aug 29 (Reuters) - China's Internet television company Youku.com Inc said it had entered into an agreement with DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc for online distribution of KungFu Panda franchise films in mainland China.

Shares of the company were trading up 7 percent at $24.94 on Monday morning on the New York Stock Exchange. They touched a high of $25.69 earlier in the session.

One of China's YouTube clones, Youku.com debuted in December 2010 and competes with Tudou Holdings Inc , Ku6 Media Co Ltd , Qiyi.com -- a firm partly owned by Baidu Inc -- PPS.tv and PPTV.

Both KungFu Panda titles are available for on-demand viewing on Youku Premium and will subsequently debut on Youku's Hollywood Movie Channel after the paid viewing window closes, Youku said in a statement.

DreamWorks Animation's KungFu Panda franchise has grossed over $1.25 billion at the box office till date and is very popular with Chinese audiences, the company said. (Reporting by Rachana Khanzode and Supantha Mukherjee in Bangalore; Editing by Roshni Menon)

Aug 29 2011 09:38 PM ET
'Kung Fu Panda 2' becomes highest-grossing film directed by a woman (http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/08/29/kung-fu-panda-jennifer-yuh-nelson/)
by John Young

http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/i/2011/08/29/Jennifer-Yuh-Nelson_240.jpg
Jennifer-Yuh-Nelson
Image Credit: David Gabber/PR Photos

One small step for giant panda, one giant leap for female filmmakers. With a worldwide tally of $637.6 million and counting, Kung Fu Panda 2 has become the highest-grossing film ever directed by a woman. In this case, the honor goes to Jennifer Yuh Nelson, who made her directorial debut with the well-reviewed Panda 2 after working on the first Kung Fu Panda as head of story and the director of that film’s opening dream sequence. Panda 2 broke the record by passing Phyllida Lloyd’s Mamma Mia!, which earned $609.8 million globally in 2008.

Although Panda 2 has been a slight box-office disappointment domestically, grossing $164.3 million here compared to the original’s $215.4 million, it has been a firecracker overseas. That’s especially true in China, where Panda 2 has collected a staggering $91.5 million. Just three years ago, the original Panda made only $26 million in the country. Clearly there was an increased interest in the sequel, but it also goes to show you just how much of a booming market China has become.

As for the domestic record for female filmmakers, that’s slightly more complicated. Domestically, the biggest movie helmed by a woman was 2001′s Shrek ($267.7 million), which was co-directed by Vicky Jenson. But if you’re looking for the highest-grossing film that was directed by one woman, that’d be 2009′s Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel ($219.6 million), made by Betty Thomas. And if you want to exclude pictures with animated protagonists, then it becomes Catherine Hardwicke’s Twilight, which drained $192.8 million in 2008.

Summer Movies: Get the latest news, photos, and more

But for now, the spotlight deserves to shine on Nelson, who was born in South Korea, immigrated to the United States at the age of 4, and grew up in Southern California watching martial-arts movies and drawing perpetually. With Kung Fu Panda 2, Nelson has combined those two interests and guided the result to nearly two-thirds of a billion dollars. That’d be an impressive outcome for any filmmaker, but considering that only seven percent of Hollywood directors are female, her achievement becomes — in the words of Po — pure awesomeness.

Funny how KFP2 is still considered a disappointing performer for DreamWorks. I'm now inclined to write this off to the 'kung fu stigma' - that generally low regard for kung fu by pop culture.

GeneChing

10-12-2011, 09:43 AM

Kung Fu Panda and gang makes music (http://www.ubergizmo.com/2011/10/kung-fu-panda-and-gang-makes-music/)
Edwin Kee 10/12/2011 03:42 PDT

http://cdn2.ubergizmo.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/mp3-panda.jpg

I have yet to meet a person who found Kung Fu Panda to be a turn off, so it either is one universally appealing cartoon character, or I do not know enough people – I suspect it is the latter, but I digress. If you happen to be a fan of Kung Fu Panda, then you would definitely be pleased to hear (pun not intended as you can soon tell) that the Panda (Po) and his cohort will come in the form of MP3 players to assault your ears with your favorite tunes, thanks to Mugo.

These aren’t just MP3 players but like many others, they too are USB flash drives. It doesn’t matter which character you pick up – Po, Master Shifu, Monkey, and Tigress – they all come with a couple of GBs of internal storage space, in addition to an audio jack located right on the top of the character’s head (which is better than the butt, of course).

They’re all priced the same – $55, and that is rather pricey considering the amount of money you fork out for it in return for the amount of storage space. Guess this is something meant for the kids who can’t get enough of Kung Fu Panda…load it up with the movie’s soundtrack and you’re set.
$55? How many GBs for that?

GeneChing

11-04-2011, 09:43 AM

...and synched w/the roll out of the new Nick series (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=61308).

Kung Fu Panda 2 DVD & Blu-Ray (http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/dvd/Kung+Fu+Panda+2-7195.html)
04 November 2011

One of the top films of the year worldwide, Kung Fu Panda 2, DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc.’s spectacular follow up to the Academy Award®-nominated original, earned more than $650 million at the global box office, delighting viewers of all ages with its engaging story.

Combining non-stop action, beautiful storytelling and stunning animation, the winning sequel makes its highly-anticipated Blu-ray and DVD debut on 14 November 2011 featuring the year’s heavyweight hero and loads of entertainment you didn’t see in cinemas.

Boasting an all-star cast of voice talent including Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Gary Oldman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, Michelle Yeoh, Danny McBride and Jean-Claude Van Damme, Kung Fu Panda 2 delivers an action-packed, uproarious and inspiring experience that the whole family can enjoy.

Over-stuffed with Po-sized bonus features, the Awesome DVD and Blu-ray Triple Play (Blu-ray, DVD & Digital Copy) provide hours of hilarity and entertainment including interviews with the returning cast and new faces who have joined the journey, a fun tutorial that teaches 50 Kung Fu Panda-inspired words in Chinese, deleted scenes and filmmakers’ commentary.

In addition, the Blu-ray Triple Play pack includes a digital copy of the film to enjoy on the go, hilarious pop-up trivia, and a visit to the Animators’ Corner featuring interviews with creators, animators, cast and crew, storyboards, commentary and more.

In DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda 2, Po is now living his dream as the Dragon Warrior, protecting the Valley of Peace alongside his friends and fellow kung fu masters, the Furious Five.

But Po’s new life of awesomeness is threatened by the emergence of a formidable villain who plans to use a secret, unstoppable weapon to conquer China and destroy kung fu. Po must look to his past and uncover the secrets of his mysterious origins; only then will he be able to unlock the strength he needs to succeed.

GeneChing

12-06-2011, 10:42 AM

12 nominations for KFP2.

"Kung Fu Panda 2" tops Annie Award nominations (http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/05/us-annieawards-idUSTRE7B429S20111205)
By Steve Pond
Mon Dec 5, 2011 3:52pm EST

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - The Annie Awards, which have been wracked by controversy in recent years, attempted to right the ship on Monday with a slate of nominations that included, well, everybody.

With an expanded field in nearly every category, including 10 nominees for Best Animated Feature, the International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood, was all-inclusive in its nominations, with 13 different animated films receiving nominations and no one film running away from the field the way "How to Train Your Dragon" did last year.

Typically, a DreamWorks Animation production led the pack, with the 12 nominations for "Kung Fu Panda 2" being three more than the nine received by that company's "Puss in Boots" and Paramount's "Rango."

But Disney and Pixar were well-represented as well, after a year in which they withdrew from ASIFA-Hollywood over concerns about the judging process. Pixar's "Cars 2" received seven nominations and Disney's "Winnie the Pooh" received eight, though it was shut out of the top category, Best Animated Feature, despite that category's 10 nominees.

Competing for the top award will be DWA's "King Fu Panda 2" and "Puss in Boots," "Cars 2," "Rango," Blue Sky Studios' "Rio," Sony and Aardman Animation's "Arthur Christmas" and Amblin's Steven Spielberg production "The Adventures of Tintin."

Also in the running: the smaller European films "A Cat in Paris," "Arrugas" ("Wrinkles") and "Chico & Rita," all of which are also in the running for the Best Animated Feature award at the Oscars.

George Miller's "Happy Feet 2," which opened in November to disappointing box-office returns and largely negative reviews, did not receive any nominations.

ASIFA reorganized under new leadership earlier this year, resulting in Disney and Pixar returning to the organization.

David Jamieson

12-06-2011, 11:51 AM

Just watched this the other day with the wife and thought it was a pretty good movie.

Good story, had a beginning a middle and an end and the underlying message was good too!

You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll feel good watching this movie.
Really.

:)

GeneChing

12-09-2011, 10:16 AM

I'm picking one up for an Xmas present.... for my kid. Meanwhile, the buzz machine is cranking...

Newest Members of a Very Small Club (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/angelina-jolie-kung-fu-panda-land-blood-honey-270208)
12:45 PM PST 12/8/2011 by Pamela McClintock

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/sites/default/files/2011/12/jolienelson_a.jpg
Angelina Jolie & Jennifer Yuh Nelson
Peggy Sirota
Hollywood's biggest actress-turned-director talks shop with the highest-grossing female director of all time: "I don't think about the gender thing very much."

It's been months since Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Yuh Nelson -- who directed Jolie in Kung Fu Panda 2 -- have seen each other. The last time they were together was for the May 22 Los Angeles premiere of the celebrated toon, which became the highest-grossing film ever directed by a woman, earning $663 million worldwide. Now, meeting up at a small Hollywood studio just after Thanksgiving, they share even more in common: Like Nelson, Jolie is now a first-time director herself and in the final stages of preparing for the Dec. 23 limited release of her Bosnian war film In the Land of Blood and Honey. She can't wait to compare notes with Nelson on the mundane details that evaded her as an actress. "Isn't it exciting when the first poster comes out?" Jolie says to Nelson before conceding that as an actress, she could always blame the director, but not this time. Although neither would label herself an activist for female causes per se, the duo are mystified as to why there aren't more women directors -- only 13.4 percent of the DGA's director members are female. To boot, Kung Fu Panda 2 is only the second animated studio pic solely directed by a woman, after The Tigger Movie. "Isn't that crazy? Animated films are so family-oriented, you'd think that there would be women," Jolie, 36, says. Like so many other female directors with less-commercial films -- Kathryn Bigelow, Jane Campion, Lisa Cholodenko -- Jolie was forced to go the indie route, since no studio wanted to back a bleak war movie with local actors set against a love story between a Muslim and a Serb. Jolie herself put up a large chunk of the $15 million budget, while Graham King's GK Films put up the rest. Jolie considers Nelson, 39, a mentor, and was so comfortable on the set of Kung Fu Panda 2 that she often brought one or more of her six kids to the studio. Both women are among a cadre of female directors gearing up for this year's awards season -- Vera Farmiga, Phyllida Lloyd and Dee Rees among them -- and the prospect is daunting. In the Land of Blood and Honey is angling for a Golden Globe nomination for best foreign language film (Jolie shot the film in both English and Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian; in the U.S., it will be released in BCS at her request), while Jeffrey Katzenberg's DreamWorks Animation is pushing hard for Kung Fu Panda 2 across multiple Oscar and Globe categories. THR senior film writer Pamela McClintock sat down with them both.

PHOTOS: 5 of Hollywood's Hottest Female Directors

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER: Angie, what was it like working for a woman after being directed by two men on the first Kung Fu Panda?

Angelina Jolie: When Jen came on, there was an extra level of elegance and humanity, which you see in the film. It is a truly great movie, and I love when my children watch it because I know it's teaching them great things. It's especially relevant to my family because of adoption [in the film, Po the panda, who has been raised by his goose father, goes in search of his birth parents].

Jennifer Yuh Nelson: It's something we were very aware of and when we showed the story to Angie, we thought, "I hope she likes it."

PHOTOS: The Kung Fu Panda 2 Premiere

THR: Jen, you've worked at DreamWorks Animation for 14 years. Jeffrey Katzenberg calls you a superstar, and says the reason you can handle yourself in such a macho profession is that you "walk softly, but carry a big stick."

Nelson: I always take my ego out of it. When people feel safe, they can come up with ideas. It's important to listen to the actor who is there on the stage and living it. If the actor doesn't feel it's right, that's when you say, "OK, let's find something else." It's then that you get the natural moment.

Jolie: She's got this magical power and I was so fortunate to learn from Jen. She's just so calm about the way she asks for something. There's no possible way to deny her. On the first Kung Fu Panda, I would fight a line. With Jen, she would politely say, "Can we just try it?" And you kind of melt and say, "OK." She is a genuine artist who can see the bigger picture. And, fortunately, I've scored some points at home because of Kung Fu Panda. They love Tigress, who is my alternate personality. Otherwise, they think Brad [Pitt] and I are just so not cool.

THR: Were there other directors you both turned to?

Jolie: I've had the fortunate experience of working with so many interesting directors, from Michael Winterbottom to Clint Eastwood. I tried to remember the experiences that were my best as an actor, and what a director did to give me comfort and confidence. And I tried to keep a happy crew, which I learned a lot about from Clint and Jen.

Nelson: I remember being in the middle of Kung Fu Panda, which took three years, and everyone was upset and tired and wondering if we were ever going to see the light at the end of the tunnel, and Guillermo del Toro stopped by and gave me the "man" speech. He said, "You've gotta man up and take this, and don't be scared of making bold choices." He was such a great supporter.

PHOTOS: Angelina Jolie's Top 10 Red Carpet Looks

THR: Angie, how did you convince Graham King to take on this project, considering that war films are, as you put it, "famously unsuccessful." The film tackles tough subjects, including the war's infamous rape camps.

Jolie: I worked with him on The Tourist, and one day I asked him if he'd read my script. I didn't know how he'd react, since on many levels, this was a big risk. I wasn't going to star in it, and I wanted to cast all local actors. It wasn't a pile of good news for him. But he was great, and he took the chance.

THR: How did you ever find time to write the script?

Jolie: I wrote whenever I could, when the kids were asleep or in their classes. Halfway through some of the most horrific scenes, I'd hear, "Mommy, I need another story, I can't go to sleep," and so I'd pause what I was doing and go tell happy stories about bunny villages. I studied a lot about the war, and watched a lot of documentaries.

PHOTOS: 'The Tourist's' Style

Nelson: And you filmed every scene twice, in two different languages?

Jolie: We would do a few takes in one language, and then we'd switch and do a few takes in the other. Sometimes, we'd have to return to the English take, because they discovered something when filming in their own language. The producers had said we'd have to cancel shooting in two languages if I went over schedule. We actually gained a day in our first week, so they left us alone. It was always my hope that the film would be released in the native language, but some countries, like England, bought the English version. France bought the BCS version. It also will be released in Bosnia.

THR: What will you tell your kids about In the Land of Blood and Honey?

Jolie: They won't see this movie. They know that mommy, on occasion, goes off to Libya or other places. I make them very conscious of the fact that there are a lot of people struggling through different things, and I don't protect them from the fact that war isn't a video game, it's a very, very horrible thing.

VIDEOS: 4 Clips From 'In the Land of Blood and Honey'

THR: How did you go about casting local actors in Bosnia?

Jolie: I hid my name from the script when it went out because it was important to get a genuine reaction. By the time the actors found out, they'd already been introduced to the subject matter. I consider them the closest friends I've got right now. These are people who lived through the war. I'm nervous because I'm responsible as the director to the crew and cast. I want so much for them to be recognized for the work that they've done and the bravery of the choice to participate. We have 16 people coming to New York for the premiere on Dec. 5, and I'm so excited.

Nelson: Your movie is very powerful.

THR: Before reading the script, the Bosnian government temporarily suspended your filming permit after the Association of Women Victims of War in Bosnia objected to a Muslim woman falling in love with her Serb captor. But that wasn't the case -- the two fall in love before the war starts -- so the permit was reissued.

Jolie: There was one woman who hadn't read the script, and who didn't want to meet with me. This is a very sensitive subject for someone who lived through these things. It's only been 15 years since the war and it's a painful memory. In my heart, the film was done on behalf of all people who suffered through this. A lot of women's groups have seen it, and the New York premiere of the movie was co-sponsored by Women for Women International, another group founded after the war in Bosnia. They felt it was the right thing to support it.

Nelson: It's definitely not a passive movie and it makes you think.

continued next post

GeneChing

12-09-2011, 10:16 AM

from previous

THR: Why did you decide to build the story around a love affair?

Jolie: I'm sure people will read different things into it, but the overall theme for me was intervention and what happens to people when war breaks out and how, over the years, they are tested -- whether a couple, or a father and son or friends -- and pulled apart, how they keep trying to hold on to their humanity but it keeps getting strained. The longer it takes to intervene and the more they witness, the more they are pushed to the edge. That's why it's so important to prevent conflict and when it happens, to educate ourselves as quickly as possible. It's not just buildings that are blown up, it's the souls of people that are affected and broken over the years.

THR: The shoot for In the Land of Blood and Honey wrapped after 41 days, while it took three years to make Kung Fu Panda 2. Jen, how did you manage?

Nelson: It's a long process, and you have to know exactly what's going to happen next. You can't do coverage. Everything has to be planned ahead of time. And you have to make sure that people are still motivated and happy and creatively challenged so that it can all be stitched together. The voice acting starts after a lot of the storyboards are done. With Angie, things would change when we got into the booth and played with her lines. We would discover things in the moment and rewrite the script on the spot. She really knows the character, so when she would say, "A tiger wouldn't say that," she was absolutely right. She gives Tigress that extra level, and that's why people like the character so much. Sometimes, Angie's kids would be in the booth with me. Maddox would say, "That take was good," and I'd think, OK, he likes it, let's take that one.

PHOTOS: Hollywood's 10 Highest-Paid Actresses

THR: Is it hard to believe that you're the first woman to direct an animated studio film?

Nelson: I don't think about the gender thing very much. But when I speak at schools, I've had female students say to me afterwards, "I never envisioned myself being a director, since I've never seen women do it." But after seeing me, they can picture themselves directing, so maybe we'll see more female directors. And half of these kids in art and animation schools are girls.

Jolie: You should be very proud to have led the way.

THR: Are you nervous about awards season? Jen, Kung Fu Panda 2 leads all Annie nominations with 12 mentions. And Land of Blood and Honey seems like a shoo-in for a Golden Globe nomination for best foreign language film.

Nelson: It's a totally different side of things. When you make a movie, it's just so personal and then you put it out in front of people and it becomes something else.

Jolie: I honestly can't even think about that. I'm just hoping the movie isn't a complete disaster.

THR: Angie, what's your next role? I know you recently signed a deal to star in Ridley Scott's movie about Gertrude Bell, who played an instrumental role in the formation of the modern Middle East.

Jolie: It's been a very hard one to get financing for, because it isn't a small movie. I also want to do Maleficent at Disney, but we need a director.

THR: Do you both want to direct again?

Jolie: I don't know how confident I am yet that I can direct.

Nelson: You should do it again.

Jolie: No, you do it next. I'll jump into anything you direct.

Nelson: I'm working on something, but I can't talk about it.

THR: Is there a Kung Fu Panda 3 in the works?

Nelson: There's plenty left to tell.

Jolie: We can say we are in discussions. Tigress is my alternate personality, especially with children. I love animation because you get to do things you don't normally get to. For one, I could bring my kids and wear my pajamas, and hang out with Jen. And my character is just so badass.

Nelson: And the stunts are safe.

Jolie: Yes, eating pizza is the hardest stunt we did.

♦♦♦♦♦

FEMALE DIRECTORS AT THE WORLD BOX OFFICE

1. Kung Fu Panda 2: $663 million
DAW/Paramount (2011)

Jennifer Yuh Nelson's sequel narrowly bested the $631.7 million earned by the original Kung Fu Panda.

2. Mamma Mia!: $609.8 million
Universal (2008)

Phyllida Lloyd's film adaptation grossed an astounding $465.7 million overseas.

3. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The SqueakQuel: $443.1 million
Fox (2009)

Director Betty Thomas' other credits include Doctor Dolittle and 28 Days.

4. Twilight: $392.6 million
Summit (2008)

Catherine Hardwicke's pic proved that women and girls are as fervent as fanboys.

4. What Women Want: $374.1 million
Paramount (2000)

Like Nora Ephron and Penny Marshall, director Nancy Meyers has cracked the studio system, primarily with romantic comedies. Anne Fletcher another to watch, with The Proposal earning $443.1 million.

GeneChing

12-09-2011, 10:19 AM

Who can forget JCVD here?

Click for the vid.

'Kung Fu Panda 2' Exclusive: Jean-Claude Van Damme Goes Behind The Scenes (http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2011/12/08/kung-fu-panda-2-exclusive-jean-claude-van-damme-goes-behind-the-scenes/)

Posted 22 hrs ago by Kevin P. Sullivan in DVD, Video

It's hard to hear the voice of the Muscles from Brussels himself, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and not imagine the action super star uppercutting the air. As it turns out, that's probably what he's actually doing.

In this exclusive behind the scenes featurette from the upcoming Blu-ray and DVD release of "Kung Fu Panda 2," you get a peak at what it was like for Van Damme while he recorded his voice track for the film.

Van Damme plays Master Croc, a reptilian martial arts expert, who uses his tail as one of his primary weapons. The actor expressed some concern about the character since crocodiles have such short limbs. How could the animated character portray the full range of Van Damme's ferocious moves?

The clip is raw Van Damme, and that is always worth a look. He takes some time to explain how he came to be one of the first martial arts super stars and how his status as the world's first person to perform splits between two chairs inspired Master Croc's moves.

Be sure to check out the entire clip above.

"Kung Fu Panda 2" hits Blu-ray and DVD on December 13.

GeneChing

01-24-2012, 11:14 AM

Animated Feature Film / Kung Fu Panda 2 Jennifer Yuh Nelson (http://oscar.go.com/nominees/animated-feature-film/kung-fu-panda-2)

Film Synopsis

Now that he is the Dragon Warrior and the leader of the Furious Five, Po continues to hone his kung fu skills. When Lord Shen, a dangerous and arrogant pea****, attempts to take control of the Valley of Peace, Po’s quest to combat Shen’s dictatorial ambitions leads him to make astonishing discoveries about his own past.

Academy Awards History

This is the first Academy Award nomination for Jennifer Yuh Nelson.

Go Po! Go Po!

GeneChing

02-29-2012, 10:51 AM

As I've said before, DVDs are dying...

FEBRUARY 28, 2012, 8:48 P.M. ET
DreamWorks Animation Reports Weaker Results (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204520204577252063805399468.html)
By MICHELLE KUNG and DREW FITZGERALD

Weak sales of "Kung Fu Panda 2" DVDs contributed to steep declines in revenue and profit during DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc.'s fourth quarter.

Despite a strong box-office performance, the second "Kung Fu Panda" installment, together with "Puss in Boots," released in October, couldn't match the results of the larger group of films the studio had in the market in the year-earlier period.

Chief Executive Jeffrey Katzenberg said in a conference call with Wall Street analysts that the DVD's performance was hurt by a general downturn in the home-video environment, which he said remains "challenging."

In the quarter ended Dec. 31, DreamWorks posted a profit of $24.3 million, or 29 cents a share, down 71% from the year-earlier period, when DreamWorks made $85.2 million, or 99 cents a share. Revenue fell 21% to $219 million.

"Kung Fu Panda 2" contributed $49.6 million to revenue in the latest quarter, mostly through home-entertainment sales. The more recently released "Puss In Boots" added about $23.8 million to revenue, while "Megamind" contributed $19.4 million, mostly through international pay-television revenue.

"Puss in Boots" generated $149.2 million in domestic ticket sales—only slightly less than "Kung Fu Panda 2"—contributing to a total $532.7 million world-wide.

But Mr. Katzenberg said the film's costs were higher than average for a DreamWorks film. At $150 million to $175 million, the movie's marketing and distribution expenses were relatively high for the studio. Paying the actors whose voices were used in the film also cost more than it has for many of the studio's films, Mr. Katzenberg said.

The company's net income for the full year fell by 49% to $86.8 million, or $1.02 a share, on revenue of $706 million, down 10% from 2010.

With an eye toward the world's most populous market, DreamWorks recently signed a joint-venture deal with investment fund China Media Capital to launch a production studio in Shanghai. The venture's terms require DreamWorks to share some technology with its Chinese partners while allowing the U.S. company to distribute more movies in China by avoiding state-imposed limits on foreign film imports.

While DreamWorks executives did not elaborate on the joint venture, dubbed Oriental DreamWorks, they said its first film will be released in theaters in 2016. There is also some possibility the venture will help DreamWorks Animation distribute upcoming films in China, Mr. Katzenberg said.

Executives also declined to discuss who will distribute DreamWorks Animation's films after the studio's current deal with Viacom Inc's Paramount Pictures expires at the end of this year. Paramount currently collects an 8% distribution fee on DreamWorks titles and has been distributing films for the studio since 2006. Mr. Katzenberg said that the studio would announce its distribution plans no later than this fall.

"We're considering all options," he said.

Revenues for the current year are expected to be driven primarily by the release of two new films -- a third film in the studio's "Madagascar" series and contemporary fairy tale "Rise of the Guardians" -- and the continuing home video and international returns from its 2012 films.

GeneChing

03-14-2012, 09:34 AM

Don’t get suckered by Disney/Pixar ripoffs (http://blogs.babycenter.com/mom_stories/03132011dont-get-suckered-by-disneypixar-ripoffs/)
Joyce Slaton
Very Violet
posted: 03/13/2012, 4:26 pm

There exists a children’s film underworld. Every time a massive film-making entity like Disney or Pixar releases a major animated film, ripoff artists scramble to produce cheap knockoffs that they package as similarly to their big-budget cousins as they can get away with. Basically, they’re hoping to confuse grandmas hurriedly shopping for Christmas presents at Sam’s Club, or a mom who’s filling out her Netflix queue with kids screeching at her. You wanted Kung-Fu Panda? You got the almost identical-looking Chop Kick Panda instead, which you only find out when you open the video and the disappointed kids go nuts.

It’s not illegal, exactly. Many kid’s movies are based on fairytales, and Disney hardly owns the rights to Hans Christian Anderson’s classic tale The Little Mermaid, for instance. But the way in which ripoff companies like Brazil’s Video Brinquedo and Golden Entertainment release films with titles similar to big-budget films, in the same year, with similar packaging, certainly seems fraudulent. And too often, the scheme works.

Don’t get suckered! Watch for the differences between the real thing and the knockoffs. Below, the 7 most shameless kid’s movie ripoffs.

http://blogs.babycenter.com/wp-content/gallery/7-most-shameless-kids-movie-ripoffs/ripoff4.jpg
Featuring a panda that looks almost indistinguishable from the hero of Kung Fu Panda, Chop Kick Panda also concerns a chubby panda who defends his tiny village against a tiger warrior. What are the odds?
This would make a great double feature with Legend of a Rabbit (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=61117).

sanjuro_ronin

03-14-2012, 09:54 AM

Pirated DVD's are huge, I know of at least 5 stores in my area that carry them.

GeneChing

04-12-2012, 09:45 AM

When she was just a girl
She expected the world

Read more: COLDPLAY - PARADISE LYRICS http://www.metrolyrics.com/paradise-lyrics-coldplay.html#ixzz1rqTbNIqN
Copied from MetroLyrics.com

Chris Martin is Po-faced (http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/4251795/Chris-Martin-is-Po-faced.html)
Coldplay's love for Kung Fu Panda
By GORDON SMART, Showbiz Editor
Published: Today at 01:01

YOU would expect Chris Martin to be the kind of bloke who enjoys films by Stanley Kubrick or Federico Fellini when he sticks on a DVD.

But the Coldplay frontman actually believes animated kids’ favourite Kung Fu Panda 2 is the most inspiring movie of all time.

He even claims the main character Po, voiced by Jack Black, sets a good example for him and his band.

Chris said: “In Kung Fu Panda 2 the baddie sends an evil force right into Po’s head, but the lesson he learns is how to turn that force around and send it back twice as strong.

“It is a great way to deal with negativity. We are interested in turning negatives into positives.

“I feel like every kid is trying to get that at school. They take cr*p from people. We want them to take that as ‘When people are mean to you, don’t let that distract you from your passion or vision’.

“In life it’s good to learn how to take negatives and turn them into positives.

“Every time something like that happens to us, we just flip it around. It is a very good film.”

Chris is clearly getting into his movies at the moment.

Coldplay have helped fund a Mat Whitecross film about the famous Stone Roses gig at Spike Island.

It follows four lads in a band who travel to watch their heroes in action at the 1990 Merseyside gig. Coldplay will be aiming to put on some memorable gigs of their own during their world tour, which kicks off in Canada later this month.

There’s no reason why they shouldn’t put on a top show, as Chris feels the band have never been in a better place.

He said: “We are so happy to have our job at this point.

“If someone doesn’t like us we don’t care. We care about the people who do like us.”