Tenía esta entrada en borrador desde hace tiempo pero sólo hasta hoy que me la repito, como por tercera vez, me animo a publicarla formalmente. En fin, peli de John Stevenson y Mark Osborne de 2008, nominada al Oscar como mejor película animada, con doce premios, veinte nominaciones más y ratificando a Jack Black como un héroe de los niños en los Kids’ Choice Awards.

Es una historia sencilla con una moraleja de crecimiento personal y sobretodo de autoconfianza, de fé en uno mismo y en los sueños que lo caracterizan como individuo único. Bonita.

Sin embargo, hay aspectos realmente delirantes en la peli que la hacen particularmente excelente. Lo primero, Dreamworks saliendose del esquema de Shrek, que le dió tantos triunfos y reinventándose con un excelente producto.

Dos, Jack Black como un enorme oso panda llamado Po, un gordo lleno de ilusiones y sueños, su papel de toda la vida, con esa voz de Black tan característica de él, tan entusiasta y llena de falsos logros, de superación y adoración de héroes imaginarios; esta vez con la personificación de un niño de diez años, muy trabajador, muy responsable pero con la cabeza llena de fantasías.

Tres, Ian McShane, actor que recordamos en la exitosa Deadwood, poniendo esa voz profunda, oscura y macabra en el lado antagónico de la historia sobre un tigre de bengala dominado por su orgullo y descarriado al lado oscuro del Kung Fu. Esta voz y la del comandante Vachir a cargo de Michael Clarke Duncan me parecen realmente sobresalientes.

Cuatro, los apuntes de David Cross y Seth Rogen.

Cinco, la dirección de arte a cargo de Raymond Zibach combinado con las cámaras y cinematografía de Yong Duk Jhun (obviamente este dato me lo bajé de IMDb) hacen que la peli sea consistente, interesante, divetida, entretenida, un buen plan para pasar el rato así uno ya se la haya visto.

Seis, la secuencia animada del principio, en una simulación 2D bien interesante. Un sueño de Po describiendo un estado épico del equipo de los 5 Furiosos y El Guerrero Dragón, una secuencia de katas del más fino arte marcial y después contrastado con la caricatura en la que se convierte al final esta secuencia me parece el premio mayor.

Obviamente, un trabajo impresionante de todo ese equipo técnico, tan grande pero que logran resolver de una manera sencilla todo el tema del 3D, el matte painting, los mapas, los esqueletos, las animaciones, los sostenidos, las secuencias, etc… Y sumado al impresionante resto del reparto como son Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Lucy Liu, Randall Duk Kim, el legendario James Hong y hasta Wayne Knight, hacen de esta obra un paquete sin igual.

Nota. Me volvió a suceder que no encontraba un afiche que me gustara completamente y me tocó hacer el mío. Ojalá les guste.

Kung Fu Panda è un film d’animazione del 2008, diretto da Mark Osborne e John Stevenson e prodotto dalla DreamWorks Animation, che racconta le vicende di un imbranato panda gigante intento ad imparare le arti marziali. Il film è stato presentato fuori concorso al Festival di Cannes 2008.

Leggi altre notizie su: | Animazione | Commedia | Mark Osborne | John Stevenson | Jack Black | Dustin Hoffman | Angelina Jolie | Jackie Chan

Weeks after the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe movie left Warner Bros. Pictures, Mattel is finalizing a deal with Columbia Pictures. Escape Artists will produce the project.

Sony and Escape Artists’ Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal and Steve Tisch will now start developing the project from scratch. John Stevenson had been attached to direct but is no longer attached.

In the big screen adaptation of the signature Mattel toy line, He-Man is a brawny prince who transforms into a warrior who becomes the last hope for a magical land called Eternia, which is being ravaged by technology and the evil Skeletor.

SONY HAS THE POWER!

source: superherohype

Savanarola was a fiery Italian priest who boldly denounced the pope and the corrupt papal court. He was executed for his actions. Though he continued to espouse Roman Catholic doctrine throughout his life, the reformers a few decades later looked to him as an example of one who took a stand against the excesses of Romanism. He gave us the hymn, Jesus, Refuge of the Weary.

Jesus, refuge of the weary,
Object of the spirit’s love,
Fountain in life’s desert dreary,
Saviour from the world above.
O how oft Thine eyes, offended,
Gaze upon the sinner’s fall;
Yet upon the cross extended,
Thou didst bear the pain of all.

Do we pass that cross unheeding,
Breathing no repentant vow,
Though we see Thee wounded, bleeding,
See Thy thorn encircled brow?
Yet Thy sinless death hath brought us
Life eternal, peace, and rest;
Only what Thy grace hath taught us
Calms the sinner’s stormy breast.

2) Today in 1745 – Good Christian Men, Rejoice sung
Many churches have sung this Christmas carol of course. But there was one occasion when the congregational rendering of it was dramatically different. On this date, the original version (predating John Mason Neale’s English paraphrase) was sung in a Moravian church in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in 13 languages at once!

3) Today in 1833 – John Stevenson Died
Irish musician John Andrew Stevenson became a chorister, then vicar choral at Christ Church and St. Patrick’s cathedrals. He was also an able organist. The University of Dublin awarded him a doctoral degree in 1791, and he was knighted in 1803. Stevenson wrote the tune Vesper Hymn for the evening song Jubilate (from the Latin word jubilatus meaning to shout for joy). “Let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You” (Ps. 5:11). Though it is sometimes treated as a hymn, there is little in the pretty song of biblical truth.

Hark! the vesper hymn is stealing
O’er the waters soft and clear;
Nearer yet and nearer pealing
Soft it breaks upon the ear,
Jubilate! Jubilate! Jubilate! Amen!
Farther now and farther stealing
Soft it fades upon the ear.

Warner Bros. and Mattel will not be teaming up to make Masters of the Universe. The film is planned to be a live-action reinvention of the Mattel toy line. Warner Bros. and producer Joel Silver have been working on this project since 2007.

According to Variety, Mattel and Warner Bros. fell out over the direction of the project and decided “to let the option lapse this month.” In the story, He-Man is a brawny prince who transforms into a warrior who becomes the last hope for a magical land called Eternia, which is being ravaged by technology and the evil Skeletor.

Mattel is now looking to set the property up at another studio. The plan is for director John Stevenson (Kung Fu Panda) to remain attached to the project. Silver will not be involved as he is exclusive to Warner Bros.

As Disney’s Marvel Entertainment acquisition and WB’s overhaul of DC Comics and its movie output shows, branded properties are important commodities. The owners of those brands now have more direct involvement — and higher expectations.

The situation is reminiscent of Paradox Entertainment’s decision several years ago to decline an option renewal on the Robert E. Howard “Conan the Barbarian” franchise, after WB made numerous attempts to reinvent the franchise with major filmmakers. Paradox aligned with Avi Lerner’s Millennium Films, with Marcus Nispel directing. That deal has strict progress-to-production stipulations.

The awesome piece of art at the top of this post is by Stjepan Sejic a.k.a Nebexial on deviantART.

Variety reports that Warner Brothers and Mattel have parted company on live-action remake of the eighties cartoon series and toy line He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.  This also means that producer Joel Silver, who’s exclusive to Warner Brothers and has been developing the project since 2007, will likely be off the project.  However, Kung Fu Panda producer John Stevenson is likely to stick with the project as Mattel shops it to other studios.

Ah, well, seems our hopes for a He-Man movie will be delayed for a few years … at least.  So to keep you from getting all misty-eyed, here’s a bit of video nostalgia.

And, if you want to watch full episodes, you can do so here.

Título: Kung Fu Panda
Título original: Kung Fu Panda
País: USA
Estreno en USA: 06/06/2008
Estreno en España: 11/07/2008
Productora: DreamWorks Animation
Director: John Stevenson y Mark Osborne
Guión: Jonathan Aibel y Glenn Berger
Reparto: Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Ian McShane, Lucy Liu, Angelina Jolie, David Cross, Seth Rogen

Sinopsis:

Entusiasta, grande y patoso, Po es un loco del kung-fu, un pasatiempo que no encaja muy bien con su trabajo en el restaurante de tallarines de la familia. Pero cuando el destino quiere que Po sea el escogido para cumplir con una antigua profecía, se presenta la oportunidad de que todos sus sueños se hagan realidad. Se sumirá en el mundo del kung-fu para estudiar con sus ídolos, los legendarios Cinco Furiosos: Tigresa, Grulla, Mantis, Víbora y Mono, bajo el liderazgo de su gurú, el maestro Shifu. Pero el vengativo leopardo de las nieves, Tai Lung, prepara un ataque. Po deberá defender el Valle de la Paz de la terrible amenaza. ¿Podrá hacer realidad su sueño de convertirse en un maestro del kung-fu? Po lo intentará con todo su ser, y este inesperado héroe descubrirá que sus mayores debilidades también son sus mayores bazas.

Opinión:

Dreamworks es así. De vez en cuando nos trae cagarros de dimensiones épicas tipo “Shrek 3″ y en otras les da por jugar de tu a tu con la increíble Pixar. Y esta es una de esas ocasiones. Divertidisima parodia de las películas de artes marciales, con una historia mil veces vista pero rodada de tal forma que hace que parezca nueva y fresca, es un largometraje para toda la familia, ya que fascinara al peque de la casa como divertirá al mas talludito del lugar.

Héroe a pesar de todo

Con un guion inteligente y bien estructurado que no abusa del gag fácil y unas secuencias de acción realmente extraordinarias, mas unos personajes que no se hacen nunca pesados, caso del maestro tortuga (bellisima la escena en la que desaparece) o el maestro Shifu, que casi dejan en un segundo plano al simpático Po, la película destaca asimismo por su sobresaliente animación y su puesta en escena.

El maestro Shifu

En definitiva, una fantástica elección para que la familia se siente junta a la hora de ver una película y la disfrute sobremanera. Palabrita del niño Jesus.

Puntuación:

7 / 10

By Cara Sulieman

MORE THAN a dozen workers have been suspended from a Scots council after a racist email was sent round a group of employees.

It is believed that the staff at City of Edinburgh Council then either replied to the original email or forwarded it on, resulting in their suspensions.

The content is not known, but insiders have confirmed that it was of a “racist nature”.

It was raised with senior staff and disciplinary procedures invoked.

“No place”

Managers have now also launched an investigation and are expected to re-issue guidance to all staff about council policy towards email and internet use.

John Stevenson, a Unison representative said: “There is no place in this day and age for anything that can be construed as racist.

“We represent a wide range of members of all colour and creed and all of them require to be treated with respect.”

The scandal is the second to hit the capital’s council within days.

“Shot”

It was confirmed yesterday that another probe is also underway into allegation made against senior homeless chief David Smith.

Mr Smith, a Principle Officer of Temporary Accommodation, is being investigated after a message was sent from his email address suggesting that a man involved in a particularly problematic case be “shot”.

The email made reference to the Stand International project which will see 20 young homeless volunteers and eight team leaders from Scotland go to Belarus for humanitarian work.

The email, sent on August 20, suggested that the 54-year-old man being dealt with by the council – William Godsell – could lie about his age to go on the trip.

Kalashnikov

It said: “The good folk of Belarus might embrace him to their collectivised bosoms or maybe just employ a solution to Mr Godsell’s homelessness via Mr Kalashnikov’s tried and trusted method of dealing with issues.”

After being read by the three intended recipients, the email was then sent on to 71 other members of staff.

The council is refusing to go into details about either case, saying that investigations are underway.

However Councillor Phil Wheeler said: “The council has a code of conduct in place for our email system and it is reasonable to ask staff to adhere to the strict guidelines which are in place.”

He added: “We treat any breaches of standards very seriously and the code states that staff may be subject to disciplinary action if they inappropriately use or abuse council email.”

See more of our pictures at our Flickr site and videos at our dedicated channel,  Deadline TV.

Em 2006, a New Line Cinema anunciou a possível adaptação de We3 (HQ escrita por Grant Morrison), com produção de Don Murphy (Transformers), Susan Montford e Rick Benattar, tendo o roteiro já escrito pelo próprio Morrison. Em dezembro de 2008 foi anunciado o nome de John Stevenson (Kung Fu Panda) para a direção, porém a New Line abandonou o projeto.

Recentemente Don Murphy declarou, sobre a adaptação:

“Estamos trabalhando com um diretor chamado John Stevenson, mas não se confundam. Ainda que ele tenha dirigido Kung Fu Panda, o filme será Live-action. Será uma combinação entre CG e animais reais. Nós temos um grande script, um grande diretor e estamos tentando descobrir quem irá pagar pelo filme. Bom, estamos procurando.”

Murphy também comentou sobre como ficariam as falas dos animais no filme:

“Bem, eles falariam como na HQ. Eles possuem um pequeno eletrodo na laringe, e não tem longas conversas. É tipo [com entonação robótica] ‘Onde ir devemos?’, coisas assim”.

We3 conta a violenta história de um três protótipos de Armas-animais (um cachorro, um gato e um coelho em armaduras robóticas), que escapam de cativeiro após descobrirem que seriam sacrificados.

Com a boa recepção popular de Kung Fu Panda e a competência de Grant Morrison (além do fato de adaptações de HQs estarem em alta), não é difícil que outro estúdio logo apareça.

Postado por: Rocky M.

Det har kommit nya rykten om den kommande He-Manfilmatiseringen. Det senaste är att John Stevenson skall regissera filmen. Stevensons senaste projekt var den animerade rullen Kung Fu Panda (2008).Justin Marks står just nu för manuset:

“…which skews more toward gritty fantasy and reimagines Adam as a soldier who sets off to
find his destiny, happening upon magical world called Eternia.
There, a being called Skeletor has raised a technological army
and is bent on eradicating all traces of magic.” (saxat från THR)

Den stora frågan är om filmen kommer vara en spelfilm eller CGI – det återstår att se. I vilket fall som helst lär inte filmen ha premiär förrän 2010.

Title: Kung Fu Panda
Year: 2008
Directors: Mark Osborne & John Stevenson
Writers: Jonathan Aibel & Glenn Berger; story by Ethan Reiff & Cyrus Voris
Starring: Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Ian McShane, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, Randall Duk Kim
Music: John Powell, Hans Zimmer
Length: 92 minutes
Synopsis: a slobbish panda is inexplicably chosen as a kung fu warrior/savior
How I saw it: on video (rented from Netflix), January 2009
Subjective Rating: 7/10
Objective Rating: 9/10 (1 point off for story)

Cute movie. You’re not really missing much if you don’t see it, but it’s fun.

The funny thing is I can buy an obese panda practicing kung fu before I can buy Jack Black doing the same!

Screenplay By: Jonathan Aibel & Glenn Berger
Directed By: Mark Osborne & John Stevenson

I know that a lot of people tire of hearing terms like mindless fun or turn your brain off entertainment. I’m not willing to go that far with Kung Fu Panda, but it is a fun movie that shouldn’t be taken all that seriously. If the jokes make you laugh, the fights interest you and the animation is to your liking then Kung Fu Panda is a film you should enjoy. I fall into that category, Kung Fu Panda isn’t memorable, it isn’t a must see film, but it was a fun hour and a half and that’s good enough for me.

Yes, I could go into detail about the been there, done that nature of the plot. Or that the story is razor thin, every character lacks depth and that the film in its presentation and message is simplistic to a fault. But, doing so would be missing the point of Kung Fu Panda. It isn’t a perfect movie, but I don’t believe it is trying to be. It wants to be fun, it wants to excite you and it wants to make you laugh. It excels in those three categories and that is why it is able to overcome any areas where it isn’t exactly up to snuff.

The one area where I did become enamored beyond just a fun sense with Kung Fu Panda was in its animation. It isn’t the most detailed animation you will ever see, but it still contains a great amount of detail. What I loved about the animation was the clean feel and look of it. It’s hard to express what I mean, but Kung Fu Panda looked clean. This may have been due to a lack of texture and while most of the time that can be a bad thing, I didn’t find that to be the case with Kung Fu Panda. With the characters, the setting and the fight scenes the clean, unfettered look really did work.

The gist is that if you are looking for a fun movie with an appealing animation style and cool fight scenes then Kung Fu Panda is a movie to see. That’s about as deep as my analysis gets, because I don’t believe Kung Fu Panda goes any deeper than that. I had fun with it, I loved the animation and I found the fight scenes a joy to watch. Kung Fu Panda won’t set the animation world on fire, but it is a fun watch for both child and adult, and anyone who isn’t down with David cross voicing a crane isn’t cool in my book!

Rating:

***

Cheers,
Bill

I just ate. So I’m still digesting. So my kung fu may not be as good as later on.

–Po

Kung Fu Panda is the last of the Best Animated Pictures currently nominated that I did not see yet. I know. I know. Shame on me. Now, I have a clear perspective on what I think should win the Oscar on Sunday. I think this movie should take the little golden guy than WALL-E. It’s my opinion and mine alone.

The story did not drag along. The animation was consistent throughout. No drop in quality. It did not become a parody of itself by the end of the movie.

Po (Jack Black) is a bumbling panda living in the Valley of Peace, running a local noodle shop with his goose father, Mr. Ping (James Hong). Mr. Ping wants Po to take over the noodle shop. Po doesn’t want to be a noodle man. He wants to a kung fu hero like the Furious Five, Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Crane (David Cross), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Monkey (Jackie Chan) and Viper (Lucy Liu). Each of the furious five represents every single discipline of kung fu.

In the Jade Temple, where the Furious Five train, Master Oogway (Randall Duk Kim), the wise old tortoise summons Shifu (Dustin Hoffman), the red panda teacher of the Furious Five to tell him that Tai Lung (Ian McShane), a snow leopard that betrayed them, will escape from the prison that he’s in for twenty years.

Upon hearing the news, Shifu sends Zeng (Dan Fogler) to the prison that Tai Lung is held to not let Master Oogway’s version come true.

In the meantime, it was time to pick the Dragon Warrior, the warrior that would battle Tai Lung who does escape the prison in an awesome action sequence. Everyone from the Valley gathers in the temple to watch the crowning of the Dragon Warrior.

Under some unusual circumstances, Po is chosen as the Dragon Warrior over the Furious Five by Master Oogway. This actions causes a rift between the warriors. Shifu tries to figure out a way to drive Po out of the way.

Po introduces the audience to the bear style that I haven’t seen before.

This movie teaches people that impossible is possible if you believe in yourself and have determination. Solid movie.

Judgment: If you want to see a movie with a good message, cool action sequences and bad ass kung fu, this movie is for you.

Rating: ****1/2

I’ve decided to reward myself for surviving a terrible day at work with an evening of Kung Fu.  I had no real thought of watching Kung Fu Panda before a friend lent it to me, but it seems like a suitably low key entreé and so I whacked it in the player.  And you know what?  It starts brilliantly.  It’s a bit obvious and blockbustery- well it would be- with the unfunny comedy actor Jack Black giving it all of that “in a time long forgotten” shit that every trailer for every expensive movie ever made has, but the animation is excellent.  It looks amazing, stylish and bold and distinctive.  I wasn’t expecting much at all and then suddenly I was sat there in awe thinking that I could be about to get one of those once-in-a-blue-moon happy accidents that can only happen when my expectations are near zero for something which breathtaking.  I’d even forgotten that Jack Black was in it.  Just consider for a moment how great it looks:

And then this turns out to be a dream sequence and the film switches to that impressive and hyper-detailed but oh-so-fucking boring and lifeless computer generated 3-D bollocks that all Pixar films are made with these days.  I nearly turned off there and then.  But I didn’t, I pressed on regardless.  I hoped that there would be some kind of interesting story.  There isn’t- unlikely hero overcomes self-doubt and an unconquerable enemy to save the village/world/universe may well have been done better elsewhere.  I was hoping for some wit or a film that was clever enough for adults and cute enough for kids.  It isn’t, though it’s certainly cute enough for kids.  If I want to watch an hour of fat jokes and someone looking gormless, I’ll get a Chubby Brown video out (obviously I won’t really- I’d rather watch a puddle evaporate).  And that’s all there is- Po the Panda is fat and clumsy and eats a lot and isn’t very graceful and smashes, rips or breaks everything.  There was probably a fart joke in there too but I can’t remember it.  All of which leaves the film to be rescued by the performances of its stars- and it is certainly a power cast:  Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Lucy Liu, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen and- sticking out like an underpaid English sore thumb- Ian ‘Lovejoy’ McShane.  And, maybe because he’s the only one who has to justify his presence, Lovejoy is the only one who actually shows any dexterity or interest or engagement in the role.  Then again his character the evil Kung Fu expert leopard Tai Lung does have the showiest role and the best dramatic lines, so that’s probably why.

The biggest disappointment of all is Dustin Hoffman.  His performance is so insipid and stilted that you wonder if the script had any direction at all.  Hoffman is another of the De Niro/Pacino mould, resting on his laurels and content to sleepwalk and pick up a paycheck (as I believe that they’re called in the US.  When was the last time he really tried?  Even as far back as Rain Man he was obvious rather than inspired.  Is there anything more tragic than wasted talent?

I’m done.  The title sequence is the great.  Turn it off after that because it’s professional and polished and wank.  1/10

“Por el poder de Grayskull… ¡Yo tengo el poder!”.

Realmente, yo no tengo el poder, pero sí lo tiene la Warner Bros (que posee los derechos de la franquicia desde 2007) para volver a llevar a la gran pantalla las aventuras de los famosos juguetes de Mattel, multinacional que ya hizo en su día todo un despliegue de ellos, a través de comics y dibujos animados.

En 1987, producida por la Cannon Grup, se realizó la película que les permitió dar el salto al universo cinematográfico. Y no entremos a analizar resultados de calidad, porque el chaval que jugaba con He-man y sus Masters en el cuarto de estar de su casa en los 80´s, seguro, seguro, que disfrutó a tope de la película, y ahora, de adulto, guarda un agradable recuerdo de ella (si no ha vuelto a verla, porque hay películas que sólo hay que verlas una vez, y con la edad apropiada).

La película de aquel 87, fue dirigida por un desconocido realizador, Gary Goddard (que aún ahora sigue siéndolo, porque tan sólo ha rodado un par de films más, y bastante recientes), y protagonizada por el cachas de moda de aquel tiempo, Dolph Lundgren. Dándole la réplica en el lado siniestro, aparecía Frank Langella (candidato este año al Oscar al Mejor Actor por “Frost contra Nixon”), irreconocible debajo de la máscara de Skeletor. Meg Foster, la de los inquietantes ojos, era Evil-Lyn, y Courteney Cox (“Friends”), muy jovencita, era “la chica de la peli”.

Volvamos ahora al presente, y hablemos del nuevo proyecto, nacido supongo, al observar el éxito obtenido por otras series de animación de los años 80´s, provenientes también sus personajes del mundo del juguete, como  “G.I. Joe” (podéis ver aquí el trailer) cuyo estreno está previsto en agosto, o “Transformes” (pinchando aquí podéis acceder al teaser trailer) , que ya va muy adelantada en la realización de su secuela).

De momento, la futura película no tiene fecha de comienzo, ni actores para interpretar a los personajes, pero sí que la Warner ha elegido ya director; y se trata de John Stevenson, uno de los dos directores de la película de animación de la DreamWorks, “Kung Fu Panda”, debutante en la realización de un largometraje con actores reales.

Joel Silver (“Matrix”), será el productor, mientras que Barry Waldo, uno de los directivos de la multinacional juguetera Mattel, ejercerá de productor ejecutivo.

En marcha pues el proyecto, y seguro que no tendremos que esperar mucho tiempo para conocer quien interpretará a Adam, el príncipe de Eternia, a su contrincante Skeletor, y al resto de los Masters.

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Fuente: Variety

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Swanson