DVD Collectors Online

Kung Fu Panda 2, a review by Dragonfire

Even though I've had issues with other DreamWorks animated movies, especially the Shrek sequels, I did want to see Kung Fu Panda 2. 

The plot does stand alone fairly well, though certain things will make more sense if the first movie has been seen.  The plot is interesting and entertaining and there is a bit of a darker tone to the movie.  That may be because Guillermo del Torro - can't remember how to spell his name - is one of the producers.  In addition to dealing with a new enemy, a deadly and menacing peacock, Po is also dealing with a few personal issues.  He's doing well with his kung fu, though Shifu says he still has to learn inner peace.  The different story elements work well together.  The last scene does set up a third movie..I haven't heard if one is being made, but I figure it will be.

The animation is done well and looks better than it did in the first movie.  The fur on the different animal characters stands out more now, with the individual hairs being visible.  Even though it is better, it still isn't anywhere near what Pixar did with Sully in Monster's Inc.  The movie is also in 3D.  I saw the normal version, so I don't know how good the 3D was.  DreamWorks has done ok with the 3D in some of their other movies.  There is a lot of fighting, which adds some action and violence.

The biggest problem is that so many of the characters barely say anything, making much of the voice cast wasted.  Tigress seems to get a little more to say and do, but the other members of the Furious Five only have a handful of lines.  Since they barely speak, anyone could have done the voices.  Shifu is in the beginning of the movie and then gone until very late in the movie.  As Monkey, Jackie Chan has maybe 4 lines.  Lucy Lu's Viper ends up with even fewer lines I think.  The characters are there, but they just aren't talking.  It kind of defeats the purpose of having so many known people voice characters when they end up with only a couple of lines each.

Overall, I really enjoyed Kung Fu Panda 2 and think it is worth seeing for people who like animated movies or who liked the first movie.



I did get a review posted on Epinions.

Kung Fu Panda 2


(From Kung Fu Panda 2 on June 10th, 2011)

Airplane!, a review by Jon

Airplane!
4 out of 5



Robert Hays’ and ‘Julie Hagerty’ join panicky passengers, inept ground controllers and an inflatable auto-pilot in the disaster-film spoof voted ‘one of the 10 funniest movies ever made’ by the ‘American Film Institute.’

What can I possibly say about Airplane!? It is one of the silliest comedies ever made, the first of Zucker and Abraham’s much loved style that in retrospect peaked early with Naked Gun and tailed off pretty quickly (Scary Movie 5?), destroying poor old Leslie Nielsen’s career in the meantime.

So maybe they have been responsible for more bad than good (it did at least stop all those bloody Airport films), but that doesn’t stop Airplane! being amongst the truly funniest and most quoted comedies of all time.

Surely I can’t be serious? You bet I am. And stop calling me Shirley.

If you’ve never seen it, I’d describe it as relentless. It seems determined to make you laugh at all costs by throwing gags at you by rapid fire. If one doesn’t work, the next one right on its tail might! You’re bound to miss things and that makes it fun to watch again. And again.

The key to it is the cast, who play it deadpan serious throughout. That’s why Nielsen found a new routine to get stereotyped in, despite his excellent work in things like Forbidden Planet, which sadly has now been forever tainted by expecting him to come out with some daft line every two minutes!

(From Jon's Alphabet Marathon 2010 on July 6th, 2010)

Tom's Random Star Trek Reviews, a review by Tom

VOY 4.05 Revulsion
Writer: Lisa Klink (Writer)
Director: Kenneth Biller
Cast: Kate Mulgrew (Captain Kathryn Janeway), Robert Beltran (Chakotay), Roxann Dawson (B'Elanna Torres), Robert Duncan McNeill (Tom Paris), Ethan Phillips (Neelix), Robert Picardo (The Doctor), Tim Russ (Tuvok), Jeri Ryan (Seven of Nine), Garrett Wang (Harry Kim), Leland Orser (Dejaren)

B'Elanna and the doctor encounter a psychotic hologram. I always enjoyed this episode. The whiny voice of the guest star always was fun to me. It has always reminded me of Jonathan Slavin (Byron from "Andy Richter Controls the Universe"), who at the time I knew from the short-lived sitcom Union Square. It is a similar voice as Tom Lenk (Andrew on Buffy) has.

P/T moment:
This episode contains my favorite P/T moment of the entire series. It is the scene where Tom confronts B'Elanna about her love confession.



Rating:

(From Tom's Random Star Trek Reviews on September 30th, 2009)