Right after the previous post, I got hit with a 24-hour bug that was passed from my niece to my husband to me. And while I've passed hour 24, I still don't feel like getting off the couch. But I finally feel up to where I can blog again, as long as it's something only 30 minutes long.
Pretty much everything involving Kung Fu Panda has been a pleasant surprise. This special is much better than the other DreamWorks Christmas specials, although it wouldn't make a bit of sense to anyone who hadn't seen the movie.
We begin with Po having a dream involving noodles, his father, and the villain from the movie. Typical anxiety, world-colliding dream stuff.
Po and his dad (who is still a bird, btw) are getting ready for "Winter Feast," for which they host a big meal/party at the noodle shop every year. Then Shifu turns up to inform Po that as Dragon Warrior, it is his job and honor to host the Winter Feast at the Jade Palace, attended by all the greatest Kung Fu masters. The Furious Five are stunned to hear this, as the Winter Feast at the Palace is a formal affair. Po maintains he can pull off sophisticated, but is disappointed to learn he can't bring his dad. I agree with him, if he's the host, why can't he invite one measly guest of his own?
When all the chefs come to audition for the privilege to cater the feast (and receive the honor of some sort of bejewelled ladle thing), Po decides to hate all of their food and then choose his dad. Po's dad, however, isn't down with this plan. He wants to host his own Winter Feast as planned because the rest of the village depends on him. Which is kind of sweet, actually.
Back at the palace, Po has no chef. Because preparations for a formal, sophisticated event must all happen at the last minute. One of the rejected chefs, a rabbit, shows up to fight for his honor. Except, due to their difference in size and experience, the rabbit expects Po to kill him. Po refuses to fight, and sets about frantically preparing. We get a few shots of his dad doing the same. Finally, he convinces the bunny to help, but the bunny keeps trying to kill himself in the process. If it weren't so funny it would be disturbing.
Of course Po pulls it off, but he's homesick. He doesn't appear to get very far into the feast before he's confessing to the crowd how much he misses the feast and the chaos of home and his uncle laughing until noodles come out his nose. Surprisingly, the Furious Five are genuinely moved and start talking about their own family memories. Only Shifu is left going, "But-- tradition! Elegance!"
Po arrives back home and prepares all the noodles with mad skill, to the screaming delight of the villagers. And who else should show up but the Furious Five! I knew that was going to happen, but I was still very happy that it did. Even the masters come trailing in, and then the rabbit, to whom Po presents the ladle, and the rabbit stops trying to die.
Shifu walks up to the door, griping about everything being ruined, only to see the masters and Furious Five happily engaging with villagers, telling stories and playing with kids. His heart warms right over, although it still takes some convincing from Po to come in and join the party. Shifu is a man that uses his head a lot, and he's just now coming to understand things that come from the heart, you see. Fade out on a pig drawing a happy picture of the group. The end!
Visuals: 4 out of 5
Spirit: 4.5 out of 5
Nostalgia: 0 out of 5
Humor: 4 out of 5
Music: 0 out of 5
Overall: 4 out of 5
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