Egg hunting season is coming up so I decided to make this post. Its a compilation of the easter eggs, references, and parallels I noticed in Kung Fu Panda 4. Some of them are a bit obvious but still mentioning them for the record.

• The Stingray battle was a great homage to Po’s dream sequence from the first movie without feeling like a carbon copy. Po is running on the same bridge, wearing the same Chinese hat and cape, and the same musical score is being played in the background. I think this scene also had thematic significance. It shows how Po has fulfilled his dream by becoming a full fledged dragon warrior, symbolizing his need to move forward as spiritual leader.

• Remember in KFP3, Shifu said he could barely make a flower bloom but now having mastered chi, he can make several flowers bloom on a single plant.

• Shifu telling Po how every pit holds the promise of a mighty tree is a good continuation of how Oogway guided Shifu before ascending.

• The first encounter between Po and Zhen had a ton of easter eggs and subtle messages. Po catches Zhen by noticing her reflection on the eyes of Oogway’s statue. I think this is in a way Oogway hinting to Po that Zhen is the true successor. In fact, the name “Zhen” has several meanings and the most common ones are “true”, “genuine”, etc. We see artifacts like the dagger of Deng Wa, dragon scroll, and of course the urn of whispering warriors once again !! Po also does the Shifu move of rotating the dagger in slo mo and thrusting it into the floor. Zhen’s line “What are you gonna do ? Stroll me to death” mirrors Tai Lung’s line “What are you gonna do, panda ? Sit on me ?”. Then this may be a bit of a stretch but the way Po swung the chains felt very similar to Kai’s moves. I think this scene does a great job at showing how skilled and adaptable Po has become.

• The Juniper City chase is kind of an overt reference to the Gongmen city chase and the sleeping lizard scene might also be a reference to the fact that stealth mode is Po’s weakest mode.

• This is perhaps my most favorite parallel in the movie. See the difference between what Po gives to Zhen and what Chameleon gives to her. Chameleon gives her a jewel shaped peach pit to gain Zhen’s trust but it won’t grow into a mighty tree and Chameleon had ill intentions of exploiting Zhen’s skills. On the other hand, the one Po gives is a chewed up peach pit and it doesn’t feel valuable but it would actually grow into a tree and Po gave it with the genuine intention of nurturing Zhen’s admirable qualities. You can also consider Chameleon’s golden tree throne as a dark foil to the Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom. The eerie music score playing in the background is also a dark, grim version of “Oogway Ascends”. These details have a pretty solid message. Whenever I hear criticisms that the movie is surface level, I remind myself of this scene.

• Po’s entire journey in this movie echoes Oogway’s saying “One often meets his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it”. Po embarked on this journey to procrastinate his promotion to spiritual leader and remain dragon warrior but ended up embracing change and choosing a successor.

• Notice how Chameleon has her own staircase of even shorter steps so that she can easily walk. Also I like how Chameleon admits that she took Zhen because her personality traits could help her but in a harsh way and even ends it saying “Don’t Change”. This comes immediately after the scene where Po learns that change is not always a bad thing, making Chameleon a good foil for the movie’s themes.

• Po and Zhen fighting then hugging each other was an obvious reference to the Po and Tigress fight in KFP2.

• Larry the lizard guard says “You know the mistake the dragon warrior fella made was underestimating his opponent”. This is kind of ironic considering how Chameleon herself underestimates Zhen.

• Chameleon shapeshifts into Lord Shen while rejecting Po’s offer of peace, mirroring how he rejected his offer of redemption in KFP2.

• Tai Lung and the other villains bowing to Po was actually a really cool scene IMO. Almost all of them had compunctions while doing evil stuff and the spirit realm allowed them to retrospect on their actions. I think Tai Lung accepting Po as a dragon warrior convinced Po that he had fulfilled his role and should move on as spiritual leader, symbolized by how he guided the spirits back to the spirit realm.

• Last but not the least, I liked how they made some of the Furious Five in-character even as silent cameos. Notice how Tigress cleverly dodged Zhen and made her roll in the cup. It felt like something Tigress would do. Viper was visibly distressed when Zhen’s tail caught fire.

So what do you guys think? Did I miss anything? Feel free to point it out.

The Chosen One trope has been done in several movies but the way ‘The Lego Movie’ incorporates it makes it feel like the filmmakers were ticking checkboxes with the plot points of Kung Fu Panda.

• Po & Emmet - Both are the ‘Chosen Ones.’ The last person you would imagine being a hero suddenly becomes destined for greatness. None of the supporting characters except the wise old mentor believe they can ever become great.

• Tigress & Wildstyle - Both are cold, hot-headed female warriors who themselves wanted to be the chosen one. Both are initially harsh to the main protagonists but eventually come to respect them.

• Dragon Scroll & Kragle - Both objects are prophesied to be instruments of great power.

• Oogway & Vitruvius - Both are wise old mentors who die albeit differently.

• False prophecy - Both chosen one prophecies are revealed to be false and that the true power is your own belief.

• The only major difference is in the villains. Tai Lung and Lord Business are complete opposites and both are really good in their own ways.

The Lego Movie is undeniably a visual treat packed with jokes and fast-paced entertainment. But I personally find it hard to consider it a masterpiece, mostly because of how derivative it feels of Kung Fu Panda. Ironic how the film’s central message is all about thinking outside the box and not blindly following instructions, yet it sticks closely to the classic "chosen one" formula almost beat for beat. This is also why I prefer the the 2nd part over the first. Although its often considered the worst Lego Movie I personally found it to be an improvement. It had more plot twists and more original themes IMO.

But what do you guys think?

Cricket in India is more than just a sport—it’s a passion, a festival, and a unifying force that brings millions together. I noticed an interesting connection between KFP movies and India's victory in international cricket tournaments.

In 2011, the year KFP2 was released, India won its 2nd ODI World Cup, ending a 28-year wait for glory.

Over a decade later, in 2024, KFP4 hit theaters, and India won its 2nd T20 World Cup.

Now, around the one-year anniversary of KFP4, India has won its 3rd ICC Championship tournament !!

Cricket player, Hardik Pandya himself promoted KFP4 back in 2024.. Before the movie's release, he said, "I have always been a big fan of Kung Fu Panda. There is a lot in Po’s journey through the films that resonate with me, such as his determined nature, his energy, the hard work and being a team player. This partnership is for my fans, who have loving referred to me as ‘Kung Fu Pandya’, and they can look forward to some Kung Fu magic on the cricket field.”

KFP5 is rumored to release in 2027 and its also the same time the next ODI World Cup is planned so hopefully the lucky charm works again !!

Coincidentally, it was year ago today that I watched KFP4 at AMC Theatres, Washington DC !! So its a celebration of many things !! 🥳🥳 !!

Donate to the American Heart Association link to reach $20,000 for the First Place ranking! Every dollar counts💵

This is post is coming pretty late as its right now beginning of March 2025. I was delaying this post because movies like Mufasa, Moana 2, Sonic 3, Wicked, etc. are taking forever to come to the streaming platforms I use. But anyway let's rank the theatrically released movies I have watched.

11) Despicable Me 4 - 5/10 (Mediocre)

So starting out last is DM4. It was so underwhelming in spite of me just being mildly excited for it. There is barely any plot and it's just random side-quests crammed in for gags, the villain Maxime Le Mal is one of the worst villains in recent animation, and the Mega Minions that were so hyped in the marketing were in the end pointless. The only saving graces of the movie are some of the funny minion antics, the dynamic between Gru and Poppy, and the soundtrack with banger songs like “double life” and “everybody wants to rule the world”. I die a little when people say this movie is better than KFP4 and Maxime Le Mal is a better villain than Chameleon.

10) Venom: The Last Dance - 5/10 (Mediocre)

Can’t believe Venom got a trilogy while other superheroes like Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man did not. The symbiotes, xenophages, and the dynamic between Eddie and Venom are what carry it. Otherwise the plot is all over the place, the side characters are bland, and the style of humor the franchise is known for can become overwhelming at times.

9) The Garfield Movie - 6/10 (Okay)

I don’t know much about the Garfield IP but regardless of that I think this is a fun popcorn movie. There are some cool action scenes and good jokes but the plot is average heist thriller storyline and the voice acting performances do feel phoned in. It’s a fun one-time watch IMO.

8) Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire - 6.5/10 (Okay)

Skar King is a great villain and the highlight of the movie for me. I liked the roles of Shimo and Mothra and there were some fun comic relief scenes from characters like Bernie and Trapper. But overall the action sequences were disappointing, the CGI felt a bit poorly edited, especially that of Godzilla, and I disliked how they killed off so many cool titans - Wart dogs, Scylla, Tiamat, Drownviper, etc. The human characters were still annoying and too bad this movie came out the same year as a Planet of Apes movie so I rewatched the Caesar trilogy and Kong feels like rip-off Caesar to me.

7) Deadpool & Wolverine - 7.5/10 (Good)

The meta-commentary humor was a highlight for me. I enjoyed it a lot and it was the best aspect of the movie for me. The dynamic between Deadpool and Wolverine was entertaining to watch. The car fight was hilarious. Strong cast performances from Reynolds and Jackman. There are some solid action sequences which meshed really well with the song montages. Coming to mixed and negative aspects, the plot is pretty weak. The villains were alright. Cassandra Nova felt cartoonishly evil and over-powered. Paradox was better, I liked his accent and motivations but he felt stupid when he explained his entire plan to Deadpool. The redemption arcs of Wolverine and Deadpool felt surface level. There was also a lack of meaningful supporting characters and stakes during the action scenes. Also, I am mixed on the visual style. There are some really good action scenes but also some scenes where the visuals felt dull and lifeless and the fight choreography felt poorly edited. I can understand I am not the target audience for this movie and I am glad MCU fans enjoyed this a lot.

6) Quiet Place: Day One - 7.5/10 (Good)

It was mildly disappointing because it did not explore the initial chaos of the Death Angels arriving on Earth and the characters slowly adapting to it. That just happened for 20 seconds and after that it was regular Quiet Place content. So a bit underwhelmed how it wasted its potential and lost its identity. However, it's still pretty good. Lupita Nyong'o and Josephine Quinine had strong performances and there were some spine-chilling horror moments but the gimmick of Death Angels is starting to wear off.

5) Kingdom of Planet of Apes - 7.5/10 (Good)

This was probably the most disappointing movie of 2024 !! But how is it so high then ? Well it's still a good movie. I was not expecting it to be as good as the Caesar trilogy. I know those movies are hard acts to follow. I was disappointed because the movie did not feel like a very good stand-alone movie. For starters, it felt like a beat by beat rehash of War of POTA and so the plot suffered from diminishing returns. Then the pacing is a mess. It's way too slow and for me the slow pace did not feel like it contributed to world-building or character development. I was really interested in the themes of legacy and the concept of apes misinterpreting the teachings of Caesar but the movie did not explore those themes much and left it for sequels. The villain, Proximus Caesar, is one of the most overrated villains in recent cinema. He is barely in the movie and the only reason he is praised is because of a meme worthy dialogue “What a Wonderful Day ?”. I don’t know how people who criticize Chameleon for lacking screen time or not doing much destruction praise him as a great villain. His defeat was also pretty underwhelming. There are still a lot of redeeming qualities in the movie - The action sequences, musical scores, and main characters like Noa, Rakka, and Mae. It's a good movie but felt far from being a “great start to a new trilogy” like everyone is praising it to be. To me it felt like a “Set-up for future installments”.

4) Kung Fu Panda 4 - 8.5/10 (Great)

Maybe I am exaggerating this movie but there is also a part of me that feels justified in defending it and feels very depressed because of the way it is getting massacred online. I am not denying it is flawed. It is pretty rushed, the plot is pretty predictable, the past villains are under-utilized, and it lacks the emotional depth of some of the previous entries. However, there are a lot of overlooked positives and it feels depressing how they are not acknowledged or just brushed off as “poorly executed” whenever brought up. Po has a really good arc of embracing change from dragon warrior to spiritual leader and it was personally relatable to me. Zhen’s arc might have been rushed and predictable but I think she was overall an engaging character. Chameleon is probably the most misunderstood DreamWorks villain IMO. Her design and powers are cool and Viola Davis nailed it with her voice-acting but what stood out to me the most was how she was a dark foil to Po in so many ways - backstory, role as mentors, and embracing change, etc. There were also really subtle storytelling elements in the movie like the peach pit metaphor with Po, Chameleon, and Zhen or the “one often meets his destiny on the road he avoids to take it” parallel. These subtle elements are why I think this movie is far from being surface level. Of course other than these storytelling aspects, I love the technical aspects - animation, action sequences, and theme scores. The comedy was good and well-balanced for the most part. I don’t like the notion that just because a movie has a more comedic tone means that it doesn’t have deeper themes and storytelling. For me this movie felt like a better candidate for “Great Start to a New Trilogy” rather than Kingdom of Planet of Apes. Hopefully, in future years people will come to appreciate this movie. This has happened with so many movies - Jurassic Park 3, Cars 2, Shrek 4, etc.

3) Inside Out 2 - 9/10 🥉 (Amazing)

So the bronze medal goes to Inside Out 2 !! This is probably the best Pixar sequel after Toy Story 2 & 3. The animation is really good and feels unique from the first one, the new emotions are great, especially Maya Hawk’s Anxiety, a great anti-villain. Joy’s character arc was really good and all the old emotions had their moments too. I don’t mind the recasting of Fear and Disgust. While it's not a tearjerker movie, it's pretty emotional. The only negatives are that the plot of the first movie was slightly rehashed and there are some cringe moments which I get are parts of the movie’s theme but still.

2) Transformers One - 9.5/10 🥈 (Masterpiece)

I personally liked the trailers for this film so I relatively had more excitement and higher expectations than most of the internet and still the movie didn’t disappoint me. I was surprised by how dark and emotional it got. The origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron was depicted in a really poignant way and the plot was compelling. All voice actors had great performances but Brian Tyree Henry really out-did himself. The comedy was also pretty well-written. The filmmakers knew when to be dark and serious and when to lighten things up with good jokes. The action sequences were high octane and the world-building was pretty well crafted. It's a shame this movie flopped but hopefully we somehow get a follow-up to it because it's a pretty good streaming hit and has received highly positive reviews.

1) The Wild Robot - 9.5/10 🥇 (Masterpiece)

So the gold medal goes to The Wild Robot !! Although it's not the best DreamWorks movie IMO, it is certainly one of their top 5 best movies. The animation is dazzling and a masterpiece itself, the voice-acting is really good, and the story is really compelling and heartwarming. The theme score was another masterpiece and elevated a lot of the emotional moments. The movie managed to strike a perfect balance between dark elements and comedy. The supporting characters were likeable and nuanced. As for negatives, the villain Vontra, who was a pretty decent villain, was a bit disappointing. The pacing was a bit off (not KFP4 level bad but still noticeable) and I wished they somehow squeezed in the “Birds of a Feather” song in the movie as they used it in their marketing material.

So what do you guys think ?

On rewatching Kung Fu Panda 3, I noticed some nitpicks that bothered me and I thought making a post about them: -

1) Kai’s villain arc

For a long time, I believed the theory that Kai didn’t turn evil, rather Oogway turned good. Both were warlords, but after being healed by the pandas, Oogway abandoned his quest for power and found enlightenment. Meanwhile, Kai became obsessed with the power of chi, which eventually led to his downfall. However, I find this arc not only rushed but also pretty contrived. Kai was Oogway’s best friend and brother-in-arms. He was so loyal to Oogway that he carried him for days, without food or water, just to find someone who could heal him. Yes, I know he is an evil warlord obsessed with power but why wouldn’t he feel even a shred of gratitude toward the pandas who healed his best friend ?

2) The ending

The ending where Po helps the Furious Five, the kung fu masters, and the Valley of Peace master chi is visually stunning and heartwarming but it contradicts the rules of chi the movie established. The movie established that chi mastery requires mastery of self. The pandas couldn’t perform chi despite their heritage because they had yet to truly understand who they were. Only after spending days training, embracing their unique talents, and becoming the best versions of themselves were they able to harness chi. Yet, somehow, everyone can master chi in the end. Even the Furious Five and the kung fu masters unlocking it bothers me.

So what do you guys think ? Am I looking too much or do you agree with my criticisms ?

I know this is a controversial opinion, as Kung Fu Panda 4 is widely considered one of the most disappointing movies of 2024, while Deadpool & Wolverine is one of the most celebrated. But before you grab your pitchforks, just hear me out.

What I thought of D&W ? - I know how I was going on about how I am never gonna watch this film, its just not my thing. I don't enjoy R-rated action and humor. But the hype was difficult to ignore. Fortunately, I didn't have to do much homework as they kept the movie as standalone as possible. Overall, I enjoyed the meta-humor, some of the action sequences, and dynamics between Deadpool & Wolverine but let's compare the two movies story wise.

Both movies suffer from different kinds of plot issues, KFP4 has a predictable, bare-bones story, with Po's two dads subplot added to pad the runtime. However, I’ll take a predictable plot any day over a chaotic plot. I understand that people watch this movie primarily for entertainment rather than storytelling, but a bad plot is still a bad plot. D&W is just as annoying as the multiverse plots its making fun of. Being self-aware of your flaws isn't the same as solving them. Some plot events felt contrived, and the stakes felt artificial because it’s yet another “save the multiverse” storyline. We know the entire multiverse isn’t truly at risk because sequels are inevitable. Then our 2 main characters can regenerate and there are no compelling supporting characters, making the action sequences lack stakes as well.

Now, let’s talk about the villains. IMO, Chameleon is a far better-written antagonist than Cassandra Nova. Cassandra felt cartoonishly evil and overpowered, whereas Chameleon was not only charismatic but also had storytelling parallels in terms of her backstory, the theme of change, and mentorship. Honestly, I’d take Chameleon pushing a bear down the stairs over Cassandra's villain intro. Chameleon's intro sets the tone for her character. The shock factor of ripping off someone's skin feels pointless because I know she isn't gonna do that to the main characters. Paradox was more interesting but he felt stupid when he explained his entire plan to Deadpool.

Many praise Deadpool & Wolverine for balancing humor with emotional moments, as well as its supposed compelling themes of redemption and closure. However, to me, these themes felt surface-level, thrown in more for the sake of having them rather than being deeply explored. The character arc of “self-centered to self-sacrificial” has been done to death in the MCU with characters like Iron Man, Doctor Strange, and Star-Lord. Likewise, Worst Wolverine’s redemption arc felt shallow. I doubt that many of the same people praising this movie for its themes of redemption would forgive Mike Mitchell for his creative decisions—just like how Worst Wolverine was forgiven. Both of our heroes get join-me proposals from the two villains and we know they are gonna refuse them. Whereas, KFP4 tackled themes of change and mentorship that, while not groundbreaking or deeply emotional, were still engaging and personally relatable for me.

Cameos are another divisive aspect of both films. Longtime Marvel fans undoubtedly loved the cameos in D&W, while many were disappointed by the minimal screentime for returning KFP villains. However, from a storytelling perspective, I think KFP4 handled its cameo characters better. While a lot of people argue that having them bow to Po ruined their characters, I actually found it fitting. These characters had already faced consequences for their villainy, and years in the Spirit Realm would logically give them time for reflection. I also thought it brought Po's arc to full circle, he was acknowledged as dragon warrior by his enemies, symbolizing his need to let go of that role. Meanwhile, the cameo characters of D&W didn't feel engaging. They were there because of fan service and because they needed an army to fight Wolverine.

Again, I understand that many watch movies purely for fun, without prioritizing plot or themes, and that’s totally fine. But as an aspiring storyteller, I can’t ignore the writing flaws of D&W nor overlook the storytelling merits of KFP4 which I think are overlooked.

Final verdict - I will give D&W a 7.5/10 (Good) and KFP4 an 8.5/10 (Great)

I'm starting to have my doubts about the furious five spin off happening anytime soon (unless it comes out after 5), but I think its possible 5 comes out in 2027 mainly because I don't think DreamWorks will want to take so many years to make it (because of the time gap between 3 and 4) and as of now they have no movies scheduled for that year

If it is getting a 2027 release it will most likely be announced in the later part of this year (summer-fall) like the way 4 was. I'm hoping 5 does come out then mainly to see how it compares to TS5 and Shrek 5 (which will have come out a year earlier)