Tag: DreamWorks Animation

REVIEW: ‘Kung Fu Panda’ series crashes with fourth entry

More than a decade ago, it would be easy to call the “Kung Fu Panda” franchise a model movie series. That can’t be said anymore, with the latest sequel continuing a downward trend.

Set seemingly a year or two after the events of the third film, “Kung Fu Panda 4” finds the main character Po (Jack Black) keeping peace as the Dragon Warrior, but those days are ending. His master, Shifu (Dustin Hoffman), tells him that he needs to take on a new role, that of a spiritual leader.

Po is reluctant, though, with his identity closely tied to his kung fu skills. Before he can choose a successor, though, he decides to use his talents one last time on a mission to stop the evil Chameleon (Viola Davis) who’s driven by conquest, getting help from a stealthy burglar named Zhen (Awkwafina).

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REVIEW: ‘Teenage Kraken’ makes modest use of fun concept

Ruby Gillman is the latest kraken to enter pop culture, joining the rum, the hockey team and the krakens from “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “Clash of the Titans.”

Ruby (Lana Condor) is the protagonist of “Teenage Kraken,” a blue-skinned water creature that lives on land with her parents and brother. Though they come from the sea, the family fits in on land, pretending to be regular people, and manage to pull it off for the most part.

However, Ruby still struggles to fully fit in and that’s compounded by being an awkward teenager. She starts to come into her own, though, when she uncovers a family secret: that she can become the giant sea creature of legend, something that only those in her bloodline can do.

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REVIEW: ‘Puss in Boots’ sequel is an enjoyable swashbuckling flick

After more than 20 years, the franchise that put DreamWorks Animation on the map is still kicking, and the latest in the series is fine addition.

As the title implies, the film focuses on the character Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas). After many dangerous adventures before and after meeting the ogre Shrek, Puss in Boots is down to his ninth and final life.

With a desire to continue living life on the edge and knowing the predicament he’s in, the feline decides to go on a quest to find a place that will grant him a wish, which he plans to use for more lives. Along the way, he’s joined by friends new and old, and is introduced to new enemies.

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