Ska-Doosh

I saw Kung Fu Panda the other night and loved it. What can I say? Ska-Doosh.

But, after I was out, I decided to think more critically about it. I've stopped doing that so much while I watch a movie; I would never enjoy movies again if I did. I realized that I don't like the messages it gives to kids, to anyone. I see movies like this all the time that reinforce a very common, wrong, idea in America. That it is easy to be on top.

Shows like American Idol feed on the belief that celebrities, professional athletes, and "rich" people become who they are overnight. People get in the mindset that naturally talented people are the ones that reap rewards. It's a de-motivator and it's completely wrong. Anyone can "make it." They just have to do it.

That's my problem. I see an excellent film or I play an excellent video game and I get inspired. I whip out my notebook and write down some cool ideas. Sometimes, I even get to my computer or camera and start making something. But, after a day or two I realize that it looks like complete crap and that I do not have near enough talent to finish it the way I had imagined. So, I do this once every two or three weeks.

By that rate, I'll be good by the time I'm 50. That's depressing. Easy solution, though, right? Just do it. The only thing standing between me and my dream job is time, commitment, and practice; hence this blog to practice my writing.

Back to Ska-Doosh. Jack Black plays a panda named Po that loves Kung-Fu but has never practiced it. He looks up to the five Kung-Fu warriors that live in town, in a dojo at the top of a giant hill with about a million stairs. Ok, I just about started detailing the whole plot. Let me summarize.

(Spoilers)
Po gets chosen to be the Dragon Warrior by accident. The dojo's master explains that there are, of course, no such things as accidents. But, what's important is that he was a nobody and he got chosen to be the Dragon Warrior.

He doesn't know Kung-Fu, yet, and the five masters he looked up to, who were vying for the chance to be the Dragon Warrior hate him. He's no good.

Next. The dojo's, uh, sub-master, can't figure out how to train Po. But Po loves to eat and, apparently, can do fantastic physical feats in order to get to it. The sub-master walks in one day as Po bouncing around the kitchen, reaching the highest cupboards and punching through wooden cabinets to reach food. It hits him, Po already has the talent. And he can be taught Kung-Fu with food as a motivator. If Po had not had this hidden physical greatness connected to food, the sub-master may havce never come up with anything. He didn't use creativity, perseverence, or trial and error when thinking of ways to train Po. He just walked around with his head down until he stumbled upon something already there. That doesn't teach anyone anything.

Later, Po opens the sacred Dragon Scroll that holds the legendary secrets to become the Dragon Warrior. But it's blank. Confused, he gives up.

His father, a noodle expert, sells a noodle dish with a secret ingredient. While Po is moping, his father finally reveals to him the secret ingredient: nothing. His noodles were delicious, but people made believed they were even more special because of the supposed secret ingredient. I like the message. Po applies what he learns and realizes the Dragon Warrior is in himself.

Applying knowledge is nice. Figuring things out yourself is better.

We can't be taught that if we wait around long enough the answer to all of our problems will just appear. That's called apathy.

Also, apparently learning Kung Fu only takes a day.

I mean, it was a satisfying scene. They all are. There's one in almost every family movie with a little fighting to be learned. Its a usually creative montage where a protagonist goes from being a complete klutz to a master in about 5 minutes. It's true, though, I love it. I enjoy seeing every mishap in the first two and half minutes and every bullseye in the latter.

Anyways. I liked the movie. I just want movies to stop sending these helpless messages to audiences - as if we aren't unmotivated enough.