The Best Director

At the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France, the screening hall for “Kung Fu Panda” was packed to the rafters. By this point, the film had reached its climactic stage. As the audience heard Po’s confident words and watched him subdue the great villain Tai Lung, they momentarily fell silent after having laughed repeatedly since the opening scenes.

The second day of the 58th Cannes Film Festival saw the much-anticipated “Kung Fu Panda” make its grand showing. Although audiences had seen its form in trailers, reporters, critics, and viewers alike were still struck with awe—it was an unprecedented CGI animated film!

Firstly, the sophistication of its CGI technology was astounding. The adorable and lively animal characters were brought to life with an almost tangible texture in details such as animal fur and clothing stitches. Naturally, this was no surprise; complemented by its collaboration with Blue Sky Studios, the film had already positioned itself as one of the top CGI special effects teams, especially in terms of animal characterization and motion capture technology. Compared to “Ice Age 2,” this $100 million effort that took three years to create had definitely made significant progress.

Furthermore, the fluidity and naturalness of everyday expressions and the intensity of the action fight scenes were astounding. The design of the martial arts sequences was comically entertaining, often coupled with a cool flair. Pandas, tigers, monkeys, and snakes—a variety of different animal characters each had their unique fighting techniques and styles. The panda’s humor, the tiger’s ferocity, and the monkey’s agility… such top-level visual pleasures were simply breathtaking and worthy of high praise!

As the audience watched Po execute the winning move against Tai Lung, they could hardly contain their applause and cheers. Film critics from all over the world were giving it silent praise. Director Steve Oedekerk and producer Jonathan Aibel had made a strong impression with their team! According to promotional materials, the amazing Wang Yang had been involved in multiple aspects of the film, including screenwriting and martial arts choreography. One couldn’t help but wonder: what would the live-action kung fu scenes of “Firefly” be like? Especially after seeing several explosive fighting scenes in the trailers.

The technical aspect of “Kung Fu Panda” that differed the most from “Ice Age 2” was in the detail of the visuals. The latter was simple and bright, a snow-covered Ice Age; however, the former featured richly colored scenes, creating an enchanting Oriental world that audiences yearned for.

Every flower, every tree, every brick and tile, the streets and houses, clothing and items… everything in this ancient town was authentically Chinese in flavor, while still brimming with the imagination of the animated world. Not a single element was out of place or distorted—it was so exquisitely beautiful!

“It’s fantastic!” Chinese viewer Chen Guofeng was overcome with emotion. Such a positive and hilarious animated film, which was almost entirely made up of Chinese elements—elements that would make audiences appreciate Chinese traditional culture—was facing a boycott! He saw no insult or defamation, only sincerity and seriousness. Why the need for a boycott? French local audience member Nathan Dupont had already grown greatly interested in ancient China. Previously, he neither particularly liked nor disliked pandas. But today, he suddenly found pandas incredibly honest and adorable! He liked Po and thought about how he would definitely go online to learn more about these fascinating new insights once he got home.

Reporters and film critics from publications like “Southern Metropolis Weekly” and “Xinmin Evening News” watched in amazement while also sighing quietly to themselves. When could Chinese cinema produce an animated film of the caliber of “Kung Fu Panda”? They felt speechless. Many things aren’t about CGI technology; both exquisite and crude CGI can depict numerous scenes, lacking texture at most, and there can even be 2D hand-drawn animations. Why can’t we see such cultural details, such cultural thoughts, in our domestic animated films?

In fact, at this point, film critics from any country saw nothing particularly remarkable in the plot or storytelling pace of “Kung Fu Panda”; it still followed the typical cliché—a common young man chasing dreams, finding himself, growing from an ordinary person into a Dragon Warrior, and ultimately defeating the big bad guy, finding self-confidence and courage, and understanding responsibility. Of course, this young man happens to be a seemingly useless, overweight panda.

This theme cannot simply be labeled a “Hollywood product”; these core emotions and values are pursued worldwide. For instance, it could be transformed into a traditional martial arts novel where a young man learns martial arts from a master, bears a mission, defeats the troublemaking villain to restore order to the martial world, and becomes a great hero.

Talk of “American cultural heroism,” “Hollywood cultural invasion,” or “poisoning” is often nonsensical. The shifting of great eras and the unfolding of human nature can lead to cultural change. In terms of martial arts novels, how many of Gu Long’s wandering heroes formed gangs or established an Avengers or Justice League? The strong individual heroism and the intense pursuit of flamboyance might suggest some Western influence, but it didn’t stop Gu Long from creating a unique martial world, nor did it hinder the popularity and success of other martial arts novel genres.

The key isn’t about resisting Gu Long or anyone else; there’s also Jin Yong, Guzhulouzhu, Liang Yusheng… One can completely grow up under the influence of various cultures with “Legend of the Condor Heroes,” “Chu Liuxiang,” “Hokuto no Ken,” “Slam Dunk,” “Knight Rider,” “Superman,” and “The Romance of Book and Sword,” among others.

What many Chinese film critics lament is that there are no new Chu Liuxiangs to “shoot eagles,” while ninja and pirate adventures continue to inspire with their passion and spirit, Knight Rider and Superman continue to fight evil, and they haven’t disappeared. Hollywood even does the work Chinese people should be doing—if you won’t, I will. Just look at “Kung Fu Panda” now!

Every critic in the screening hall raised their thumbs up in approval, “Fantastic!” Considering “Kung Fu Panda” was a project initiated before Wang Yang won the Oscar for Best Director, it’s no surprise that it was a breakthrough for “Flame & Blue Sky Studios,” and an innovation for Hollywood CGI animation films!

The film’s philosophical musings were different from the past—the classic lines and cinematic ambiance were not “Hollywood” but rather a product imbued with Taoism, Chan Buddhism, Confucianism, and many other Eastern philosophies. Although far from a perfect fusion or heart-stirring, these subtle details were already quite remarkable! Granted, the humor was often straightforwardly American, but the handling of emotions, social relationships, and other techniques also had Eastern delicacy and notions of fate, with compelling elements of familial love, master-disciple relationships, and camaraderie, all bringing a refreshing brightness to the moment…

“Wow, that’s the Dragon Warrior…” On the big screen, the town was shrouded in swirling dust; as the townspeople’s vision cleared, the figure approaching step by step with a cape and a hat was—Po, the chubby panda! The festive music burst forth, as the townsfolk cheered and jumped for joy: “Yay!” They danced, applauded, and tried their best to lift Po up. At that moment, Mr. Ping joyfully squeezed through the crowd, shouting proudly with a tearful voice, “That’s my son! That big kung fu hero is my son!” Po pursed his trembling lips and rushed over to hug Mr. Ping tightly.

“Hoo-hoo!” With the celebratory music, some excited audience members couldn’t help but clap and cheer, but since the movie wasn’t over yet, they quickly quieted down again.

Film critics couldn’t help but praise the voice acting and musical score of “Kung Fu Panda”; it goes without saying how important the sound is for an animated film. “Kung Fu Panda” had an impressive and fitting cast, with Jack Black and others bringing out the character personalities and the atmosphere of the story beautifully; even the music composed with traditional Chinese instruments was melodious and moving. Watching the warm and funny ending, Po and his master lying on the floor experiencing a moment of inner peace, they already knew in their hearts, this animated film deserved 10 out of 10! 10 out of 10! 10 out of 10!

It can be said that Blue Sky Studios has now matched Pixar’s level of excellence, adding their unique traditional comedic style. They’re carving out their very own “Blue Sky” path. Director Steve Oedekerk deserves praise for delivering a string of interesting and beautiful Kung Fu action sequences, and Jonathan Aibel, the producer & screenwriter, also deserves praise. Not to mention the amazing Wang Yang, who seems to have dipped his fingers into everything… “Kung Fu Panda” has made critics even more excited for his “Firefly.” Capturing a pure Chinese style is easy, but blending Western cowboys and Chinese aesthetics into a Star Wars sci-fi movie is as hard as reaching the heavens.

“Clap clap clap!” When the joyful and lively theme song started to play, and the exquisite cast and crew credits in both Chinese and English lit up the screen, the Cannes Film Festival Palace auditorium suddenly burst into thunderous applause. The entire audience stood up and cheered just as if they were celebrating Po’s victory: “Hoo hoo!”, “Amazing!”…

In the front row where the film crew was seated, the main creators and voice actors at the film festival also stood up clapping happily. Wang Yang, in a black suit, let out a relieved sigh. The summer when “Kung Fu Panda” was conceived was already three years ago. Now that the movie turned out so splendidly, the whole world would love it. Little and big friends in China would love it; little and big friends in America would love it, Jaden Smith would love it, Chloe Moretz would love it, and his baby would love it, too… Truly a classic!

The thunderous applause in the auditorium lasted for almost 3 minutes before gradually subsiding. Steve Oedekerk quietly wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes. He loved Kung Fu! “Kung Pow: Enter the Fist” had dealt him a hefty blow, but “Kung Fu Panda” would shine brilliantly! Thank you, magical Wang Yang!

“‘Kung Fu Panda’ is a true masterpiece that will have you gasping in surprise because every bit of it is confident in its own journey,” said France’s Le Monde; “As summer movies tend to go bigger and bigger, they often leave us feeling smaller and smaller. The gleaming ‘Kung Fu Panda’ is the exception with its exceptional simplicity and joy,” said Jack Coyle from Associated Press; “It’s a stale tale lifted by adorable fights and traditional Chinese wisdom, but saved by some amazingly smart and delicate moments,” said Ralph Guzman from Newsday…

Although “Kung Fu Panda” had not yet been widely released, following its screening at the Cannes Festival, various film critics who attended the viewing made their evaluations. They did not need permission from the studios to decide if they wanted to talk about the movie; if a studio didn’t want discussions to happen, they shouldn’t have arranged for screenings. Some movie companies both hope to get opinions from film critics and want them to leak good reviews to create buzz. At the same time, they wish critics to keep the film’s content confidential, not reveal any specific details to the audience, or even refrain from publishing any kind of reviews.

Film critics are not to be trifled with so easily. Recently, Spielberg’s new movie “War of the Worlds” was about to be promoted through advance screenings, but Paramount demanded that the critics not publish any reviews, which caused widespread anger. Many critics said that if that was the case, they wouldn’t even bother going to see it. Paramount had another comment that greatly amused media and fans, claiming that “War of the Worlds” would surpass 1.8 billion US Dollars in global box office, all thanks to Spielberg and Tom Cruise!

Wang Yang’s style has always been to keep things mysterious until the last second. The just-unveiled “Kung Fu Panda” achieved an opening Rotten Tomatoes freshness of 100%/100% (15 reviews) with an audience approval of 95%, being praised as if it had the potential to rake in 1.8 billion globally.

A five-star review from user Michael M said: “Just got back from Cannes! Animation featuring distinctive animals, imaginatively choreographed Kung Fu fights could be the best I’ve ever seen, utterly unbelievable and fun.” Fernando Q also gave five stars: “This is Blue Sky Studios’ second full-length animated feature that’s different; it’s even funnier than ‘Ice Age.’ Let’s pray its box office is enough for a sequel!” Tucker P rated it four and a half stars: “I can’t wait to declare it the best animated movie this summer. The visuals and audio are top-notch! The plot might be a bit cliché, but the great humor and exciting action make up for it. Awesome! Great flames of Blue Sky and the great magical Wang Yang!”

Colerina C gave five stars: “I’ve always said I love magical Wang Yang! Laughed throughout, it’s adorable, mystical, fresh and great, and everyone should watch it!” Sierra F rated it four stars: “A movie like a dream, Blue Sky doing right by itself and new pop culture. Amazing animation, amazing sound interaction, I really liked the panda, I really liked Po, this is the first time I acknowledge Blue Sky, the true victor.”…

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On May 13, Eastern Time in America, a new weekend arrived, and last week, with schools not yet out for summer, the North American box office tallied a mere $1.1314 billion total. In this sluggish week, “Kingdom of Heaven” still managed to claim the top spot with a dismal opening of $25.47 million despite expectations of its epic scale. According to BOM and other box office analysts, this much-anticipated epic may not even reach $50 million in total North American gross.

“House of Wax” took second place with $15.38 million, and “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” nabbed the third spot with $12.47 million. The new week marked the official start of the summer movie season that spanned four months, with the $100 million blockbuster “Kung Fu Panda” hitting 3,451 North American cinemas. Three commercial movies with budgets around $45 million each—”Monster-in-Law,” “Kicking & Screaming,” and “Danny the Dog”—entered 3,424, 3,455, and 1,957 cinemas respectively to start their battle; on May 19, Thursday, “Star Wars: Episode III” made a major entrance in 3,661 cinemas.

With “Translation Storm” fading and without “Star Wars: Episode III,” and with the collapse of “Kingdom of Heaven,” the three middle-budget commercial new releases were clearly no match for the critically acclaimed “Kung Fu Panda.” Po, the pudgy panda, looked around to find the market surprisingly empty. His tickets sold faster and faster, with fewer and fewer left—early bird gets the worm!

“Hahaha!” A chorus of laughter echoed throughout the packed 3,451 cinemas, as countless moviegoers flocked to the theaters today to watch the Panda for weekend entertainment—families, couples, fans of Blue Sky Studios, followers of Hero Yang, aficionados of Kung Fu. The nearly 7-year-old Jaden Smith, who embodied almost all of these groups, was glued to the big screen, letting out bursts of hearty laughter, occasionally throwing punches and kicking: “Heh, ha! I’m a Kung Fu master!”

Will Smith, who brought his son to the movies, also showed a bright smile. A Kung Fu-fighting panda—how amusing! Just as Po threw a punch in the dojo on-screen and got catapulted by a punching bag he hit, the audience burst into laughter again, and Will Smith glanced at Jaden, who was spellbound by the movie. Will thought his little boy’s dream of becoming a Kung Fu master was growing deeper by the minute. He wondered whether Hero Yang would still consider taking Jaden as his disciple and teaching him real Kung Fu, as he said he might a few years ago. If he were to break that promise, the disappointment for the little guy would be immense. But Will Smith believed, Wang Yang would keep his word.

“Haha!” Watching Po suffering through training at the hands of his fellow martial artists on-screen, the audience laughed and gasped at the animals’ spectacularly funny maneuvers—it was too cool! Hiding among the crowd were Jessica and her best friend Eileen, with Eileen laughing so hard she was almost in tears. It seemed the film hit all her funny bones, as she asked through her laughter, “Po’s character isn’t based on Yang, is it? It’s just too funny…”

Po, the Kung Fu Panda, was Wang Yang? Both hail from restaurants, practice martial arts, are reluctant to take over their family businesses, and seek to make their own way in the world. Not just Eileen, but many fans had long associated and believed this to be true.

“Oh my God, please don’t remind me of him!” Jessica, shaking with laughter, chastised her friend, finding it hard to concentrate on anything except for thoughts of him. Eileen shrugged an apology: “Sorry about that, didn’t mean to remind you of someone you shouldn’t be thinking about.” Jessica’s attention had indeed wandered from the big screen. What was Yang doing now? She raised an eyebrow: “Starting to miss him again…” Fortunately, her train of thought was interrupted by another round of laughter from the audience: “Ahahaha!”

“You said acupuncture could ease the pain… Ouch!” “I didn’t lie to you, it definitely can, it’s just that your pressure points are really hard to find, you have a thick layer of…” “Fat?” “Fur, what I meant to say was fur.”…(

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