Kung Fu Panda 3: A Movie Review (Spoilers)

I love the Kung Fu Panda movies because they combine life lessons with light hearted fun. The character of Po is easily relatable because he was the underdog who rose above his circumstances and conquered. In the first film, he learns that being unique is a good thing. In the second film, he learns to let go of the past. So where is he now on his personal journey? Now, Shifu believes that he has achieved the title of Master, and he has the ability to teach Kung Fu. 

But PO still remains out of balance, and unsure of why he would be chosen. He is in for a shock when his real father, a panda arrives and invites him to discover what it is to be a panda. But a new enemy arrives with him, Kai- a cruel Villian who takes the life force of Kung Fu masters for his own personal gain. Po faces a serious challenge when he discovers that the previous methods he used on his enemies do not work on Kai, and he may need more help. 

The story of the film was very interesting. Po begins to judge himself in a way he never has before, just because he is a panda. This judgement gets in the way of his teaching, as he tries to be just like Shifu. But one of the most important lessons that Po learns is that he is not Shifu, and only he can define who he is. In order to teach others, you must inspire them to be who they are. 

Po finally answers his question in an epic way, and he gains balance within himself. 

The overall lesson of this film is inspirational, and I think it is an important occurance in anyone's life at any age. We tend to define ourselves by the way people see us, or how we believe they see us, but the reality of who we are is more complex than just one definition. 

Spoiler Alert: When Kai asks Po who he is, this is his response: 

It's a very powerful statement that we can be more than one perception because who we are is bigger than a simple idea or a specific label. Change is a constant in life, and our way of adapting to change will effect the elements of ourselves. We are combinations of the past, present and who we wish to be in the future. 

I give Kung Fu Panda a solid five out five bowls of noodles. 

A great lesson, and an inspirational story. 

Star Canopy

This scene from The Croods is amazing!
I finally watched this movie, and I was impressed with the story line. But this scene is probably my favorite.
The Croods have always lived in the dark, and they finally venture out into the world. This is the first time that they have ever seen stars. And this scene captures the wonder and awe they experience.

How To Train Your Dragon 2: A Review

How to Train Your Dragon is one of the best Dreamworks movies ever to grace the big screen. (Right up there with Megamind and Kung Fu Panda) It started as a book, evolved into a film, and is now a TV show. 

This film returns to Berk five years later, where the world of dragons and humans have coexisted in peace and harmony. But Hiccup has a much bigger challenge to face than dragons. Due to his bravery and perserverance, all of Berk expects him to become the new chief. With this new responsibility on his shoulders, Hiccup begins to wonder who he is, and who he is meant to be. While Hiccup endures this internal conflict, the dragons and humans have one of their own. A dangerous man, by the name of Drago Bludvist is building a dragon army under his control, threatening all who don't join him with destruction and imprisonment. As Hiccup and Toohthless venture further into the world and learn more about dragons, dark secrets await them, and Hiccup's greatest battle will unfold. 

This film was amazing! From the silly moments to the epic battles, How To Train Your Dragon 2 is one hell of a ride! As familar characters grow and change, the film balances serious lessons with fun loving moments. This is a short review, because I don't want to spoil anything. 

I will say that How To Train Your Dragon 2 was on amazing adventure that tugs at your heartstrings. 

I give it five out of five sheilds! 

Destiny- Revisited

"Destiny isn't the path chosen for us, but the path we choose for ourselves" - Megamind

       I read in a book yesterday that living is not a passive practice. Although many people believe they are sitting on the sidelines, they are actually making a choice to sit on the sidelines for themselves. I admit that I used to be one of these people. Now, however I try to challenge myself everyday whether it is in writing, my tasks at work or my approach at problems. 
      To be honest, this idea has appeared in many things throughout my life. In Avatar the Last Airbender, Aang is given a similar speech when the fortuneteller is proven wrong. It's mentioned in Once Upon A Time when Emma gives Ashley a pep talk on people and their opinions. But the reality of this lesson can only be experienced in life and dealing with situations that conflict with who you are and who other people want you to be.
       Even the big dreamers like Walt Disney, Albert Einstein and Abraham Lincoln had to deal with nay-sayers, and the way they dealt with these opinions determined how far they climbed the ladder to their goal.  The truth is, only you can decide who will influence your life. So what does this have to do with destiny? Control is a powerful thing, and no one but you should have it over your life. People will pressure you if you let them. It may even surprise you to discover who is trying to take control. What matters is that you never lose sight of who has the power to decide your future.
      I'm not saying that destiny is easy.  Sometimes that's one of the reasons people let others push them around. There is a certain comfort to not feeling responsible for yourself, but that dies quickly once you realize you have lost control. It is a test of will, strength and endurance when someone acts like they have the power to control you. That is the purpose of destiny. It's like a hero's quest, and a coming of age journey. Destiny is not something given to you. It is something you must learn and decide for yourself. There's a reason for all those stories and songs.
     Once someone discovers a path toward their goals, their destiny is right in front of them. This is one of the traits that make a character appealing. Strong characters know who they are and what they want. Powerful characters believe in themselves and understand that a goal must be earned. Like Hercules in the Disney movie, he could only discover what he was capable of once he believed he could "go the distance." Based on my experience today, destiny is a choice someone makes by believing they can and persisting until they get there.

The Call to Adventure

I just read The Writer's Journey by Christopher Vogler and learned some valuable lessons. Everything in writing, whether fiction or non fiction is related to life in some way. One of the ways an audience can relate to a character is the exciting yet ominous Call to Adventure that looms in life from time to time. It is perfectly normal for a character to reject the call of adventure at first, but in order to keep the story moving, he or she must accept it at one point. The same is true in the real world. Opportunities may knock from time to time, but they don't mean anything unless they are acted upon.
It's interesting that I'm somewhat of a passive character in reality, but I write assertive and motivated characters that eventually find their purpose and meaning in life. I learned this by reading about The Hero's Journey, and The Character Arc. In order for a story to even be considered, the characters must grow and change. If the journey leaves them the way they are, it isn't a story, or a journey.
This is why stories are so important from generation to generation. They teach us to grow, while we watch characters make choices and learn from them. We can identify with the archetypes of the wanderer, trickster, orphan and hero so easily that most films feature at least one of them to move the story along.
Even writers have to go out and live life, but I had forgotten that. I was wasting away, trying to understand why my stories and characters had become bricks, roughly formed and almost shapeless. Writers always put a piece of themselves into a story. If they don't, it's not a good story. I had been putting my negative outlook on life, and my constant doubt in myself on countless pages. Before I knew it, my characters were seeing their world as a dreary, grey place, and they had begun to doubt themselves.
I had forgotten that I am a creator. And creators reflect their image, emotions and themselves into their creations. Knowing that, creating sounds like an act of responsibility. In a way, it is.
A creator must develop a certain reality, that reflects the things they know, and want to share with their audience. An actor must find the part of themselves that fits the role they play. A song can only sound honest and real when the person singing has a passion for the meaning in the lyrics. The same is true of stories.
An author finds the archetypes within and puts them on the page. Past experiences, current emotions and the knowledge the author has gained reflects the true world of the story. Without it, the story becomes a two- dimensional, or even one-dimensional piece with no meaning or purpose. It has to be something you want to write, or feel you need to write. Without the motivation to do so, the story becomes damaged instantly.
This is why an author cannot refuse to answer the Call of Adventure. For in order to write something, you have to feel a connection to it, and if you don't, you aren't ready to write it.
This book walked through stories like The Wizard of Oz, Titanic, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King and Star Wars to show the Hero's Journey at work. The amazing thing is that we relate to these stories, even without knowing the Archetypes, Hero's Journey, Myth Quest or the Call to Adventure. Because they are parallel to situations in life, they are memorable and timeless.
All stories, even real ones have a Call to Adventure. The important thing is to answer it, and learn from the Hero's Journey.