Kung Fu Panda: Po's Winter Wonderland (2010)

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General		Extras
Category	Animation	Menu Animation & Audio Featurette-3 Game-2
Rating
Year Of Production	2010
Running Time	24:39
RSDL / Flipper	No/No	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region Coding	4	Directed By	Jennifer Yuh
Studio Distributor	Dreamworks Paramount Home Entertainment	Starring	Jack Black Angelina Jolie Dustin Hoffman Gary Oldman Jackie Chan Seth Rogen
Case	Amaray-Opaque
RPI	$15.95	Music	John Powell Hans Zimmer Maryann Brandon

Video		Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame	None	English Dolby Digital 5.1
Widescreen Aspect Ratio	1.78:1
16x9 Enhancement
Video Format	576i (PAL)
Original Aspect Ratio	1.78:1	Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures	No
Subtitles	English	Smoking	No
		Annoying Product Placement	No
		Action In or After Credits	No

     The Kung Fu Panda franchise has certainly been successful to date with two very popular feature films and a third on the way. In addition to these there have been a number of short films such as the Secrets of the Furious Five or Legends of the Masters. In 2010, between the two features, a holiday themed special was released in the US called Kung Fu Panda Holiday. This is now been released on local DVD as Kung Fu Panda - Po's Winter Wonderland.

     This is a made for television short which runs for approximately 25 minutes. The story involved Po (voiced by Jack Black), as the dragon warrior, being asked by Shifu (voiced by Dustin Hoffman) to organise and host the Winter Feast which is a gathering of all the Kung Fu masters. Unfortunately, it falls on 'the holiday' which is also when he usually spends time with his father in the noodle shop. Po must try to sort out the feast without making a complete disaster zone of it whilst also trying to find a way to keep his father happy.

     This is a quality short with the same level of animation quality and the same voice cast as the features. The story is quite simple but amusing and the core audience for Kung Fu Panda will certainly enjoy it. The political correctness involved in never using the world Christmas is somewhat annoying but I suppose we should expect this, these days. The brevity of the main feature is offset somewhat by a cheaper price point than features.

     Anyway, certainly recommended for fans of Po. This title will help them make it through until Kung Fu Panda 3 hits the big screen in 2016, although they may be too old for it by then.

Video

     The video quality is excellent for DVD.

     The feature is presented in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio which is the original aspect ratio. It is 16x9 enhanced.

     The picture was very clear and sharp throughout.

     The colour is excellent.

    There are no obvious artefacts.

     There are subtitles in English which were clear and easy to read.

     There is no obvious layer change.

Video Ratings Summary

Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

     The audio quality is very good.

     This disc contains an English soundtrack in Dolby Digital 5.1. Overall, the sound was not quite up to the sound in the feature films.

     Dialogue was very easy to understand throughout.

     The music was great, working well with the themes.

     The surround speakers were used during action sequences and the subwoofer was used a little to support the music and action.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

     There are a few extras.

Menu

     The menu featured music and motion. It is quite amusing.

Learn to Draw Wo Hop (5:29)

     The animator takes the viewer through the steps involved in drawing the rabbit character from the short. Quite good.

Kung Fu Panda Holiday Shuffle

     Two games which are very much like nearly every other DVD games and each other. Three things are shuffled and you have to choose which one hides something.

Mr Ping's Noodle House (4:24)

     A worthwhile extra which includes a real life demonstration of how Chinese noodles are made.

How to use Chopsticks (2:47)

     Instruction video for kids on how to use chopsticks.

World of Dreamworks Animation

     Clips from six other Dreamworks films.

    This is being released in the US at the same time as Kung Fu Panda Holiday. I cannot find any details of contents.

    The video quality is excellent.

    The audio quality is very good.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall