Friday, July 31, 2009

Kung Fu Panda

I just watched Kung Fu Panda. Admittedly I am feeling especially good today, but right now this seems like one of the very best computer-animated movies I have ever seen. Including all Pixar movies, and I never thought I'd say that!

Great story, very funny, and visually it blows away anything. Out-friggin'-standing.
You can get it on DVD, but if you have been waiting for the right moment to get Blu-ray, maybe this film provides it, the detail must be seen to be believed, so get it on Blu-ray.

By the way, small detail which illustrates why some people are stars: the Tigress character is female, but hardly at all feminine looking (a bit strange choice), and she never says anything sensual of any kind, and yet when she does speak her few lines, the beauty and femininity of her voice just cuts through you. And who do you find out did her voice? Angelina Jolie. Some people just have that extra, supernatural quality which can't be taught or bought.

Update: just watching the voice-actor interviews, and I have to admit I watched the Angelina part once extra in slo-mo. I swear she gets more beautiful every year, she just can't be from this planet.

... About the same can be said about Lucy Liu (and she is 40 now), who voices the snake, another counter-intuitive choice which works.
I've noticed that actors are often more beautiful when they are interviewed than in the films. Which you wouldn't think, because in films they spend hours in make-up, and the lighting guys and so on are paid to make them beautiful. But maybe it is because movie characters must have flaws or even be nasty to be interesting, whereas when they are just being interviewed, they can allow all of their natural (or learned?) charm to flow freely. (Isn't it a little scary to think that some people are so good and so natural actors that you can sit there and fall in love with them as they are being interviewed, but maybe what you're watching is just a persona they put on?)

11 comments:

Bronislaus Janulis / Framewright said...

Eolake,

You probably need to take a walk in the summer evening. Panda is a great movie; I'm in awe at the breadth of your interests, as I would probably have not seen this were it not for the young hellions occupying my house.

Thinking about it though, animated are my favorites of recent movies I've seen; course, they are the only I've seen.

Anonymous said...

Are you sure your name isn't Harry Knowles, Eolake? When he reviews a movie he practically cums all over himself too.

It was an okay movie but not as good as say WALL-E.

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

I enjoyed it at least as much as Wall-E. But of course it might have been the little orange pills I've been taking.

TC [Girl] said...

Eolake said...
"Isn't it a little scary to think that some people are so good and so natural actors that you can sit there and fall in love with them as they are being interviewed, but maybe what you're watching is just a persona they put on?"

That is always my most favorite way of *getting to know* who an actor/actress is...the interviews. Depending on how good the interviewer is, they can draw out some pretty fascinating things about these people. Angelina Jolie is WAY MORE than just a beautiful woman w/a sexy voice; WAY more, so I have found out, through the last few years; and...I never used to much care for her.

There are, of course, MANY like her that have very big hearts, etc., also. I also happen to believe that living the life that you want, with someone who wants to be on your *team,* is a big plus to letting your soul shine. :-)

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

"Angelina Jolie is WAY MORE than just a beautiful woman w/a sexy voice; WAY more,"

Yes indeed.
For example she is way kinky, and not afraid to admit it. Gotta respect that.

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

(That was sincere, by the way, not an attempt to make everything about her sexuality.)

TC [Girl] said...

Eolake said...
"Yes indeed.
For example she is way kinky, and not afraid to admit it. Gotta respect that. (That was sincere, by the way, not an attempt to make everything about her sexuality.)"

Yeah...I *got* what you meant, Eo. She is just not *afraid* to talk about who she really is. That is very refreshing. She doesn't hide behind a shitload of masks. Something to TOTALLY respect about her...and anyone who is willing to *go there* and *be* themselves with others. :-)

BaronessBlack said...

I've always found perfection to be a bit boring. I think most actors are more attractive when you can see at least some of their (admittedly very few) flaws.
It's something that frustrates me that Hollywood, and by extension the rest of the movie and music industry churns out such tepid clones!

Pascal [P-04referent] said...

"Are you sure your name isn't Harry Knowles, Eolake?"
Knowles? I thought it was Potter.
You know, magic wand, sorcerer's stones, and all that...

I wants me sum o' dem lil' orunj peels two.

Actually, for some reason I found Lucy Liu a VERY fiting choice for Viper. A gracious female snake? Yeah, I can just picture her moving and bending and smiling right at you. Before roundhouse-kicking your primate teeth, Woodchuck Norris style!
(You hafta admit, to roundhouse-kick you without having any legs, she's got to be real damn good! ;-)
Or maybe I'm still in the spirit of Charlie's Angels...

"There are, of course, MANY like her that have very big hearts"
"Hearts"? Is that the latest american slang word for bosoms in Hollywood?
;-)

"For example she is way kinky, and not afraid to admit it. Gotta respect that."
I second that! :-)
As a side benefit, it proves that she's got great self-confidence, and this always makes a woman sexy in my book.

"It's something that frustrates me that Hollywood, and by extension the rest of the movie and music industry churns out such tepid clones!"
Then by all means, DON'T come to Lebanon.
It's the friggin' TV stars war : attack of the undead plastic surgery clones around here!
And in keeping faithful with the Hollywoodian sci-fi, in some of the oldest ones you may catch the moment when their face starts melting...

TC [Girl] said...

I was trying to find a post to throw this article re: Angelina's new movie. Too bad it's so dang violent. I'm proud of her; just wish that she didn't have to go into detail of war. :-(

TC [Girl] said...

After seeing/reading this (EU prob can't see it), I can respect why she wrote it like she did. I will go see it.