Three times the fun and the dumplings: My Kung Fu Panda 3 Movie Review

DumpliMazingly Kung Fu-Riffic! Where do I start with my Kung Fu Panda review? (1) The fact that the overall 3D experience was such a thrilling ride, with the Dragon Warrior, Po, and a whole new dumpling-bowl of adorable characters... (2) that the movie was so well-written so I was thinking "the Kung Fu Panda series couldn't be more inspiring than the last two ones," but guess what, I was blown away like a kung fu kick in my brain by the twists in the plot leading to yet another colourful destiny of our huggable black-and-white hero and his posse (3) the pre-show: seeing Kung Fu Panda Po himself show off his signature Kung Fu moves live before the premier screening thanks to Warner Brothers Philippines (thanks Sir Francis Soliven & Ms. Mae Vecina), or (4) the fact that the movie truly speaks to us all... indeed, my friends and family who were also invited to the screening could truly relate to the story; we felt as though it was written for us. Let me just share my top 10 favorites dumplthings about it! I will try not to spoil it for you... 

1. More servings of Pandumplings. Imagine, our beloved Po, times ten! More kung fu, more fun, more cuteness and loads of dumplings! Even if they all look the same, each of the new Panda characters will surely stand out with their special traits and talents... Po truly knows how to share the cuteness and the awesomeness!

2. Confidently beautiful with a Heart - and so much Art! Yes, it is a winner in the universal scene, witty lines that appeal to kids and the kids at heart! I will never forget what Shifu remarked: "If you only do what you CAN do, you will never be more than you are now." Indeed, this strikes straight to my heart, for reasons I will share someday... Indeed, the story boils down to us finding who we are, and ultimately accepting ourselves, acknowledging our places in this world. I myself am guilty for trying to be who I am not, and running away from who I truly am. I know Destiny can only catch up to me if I allow myself to; and like the path of the Dragon Warrior, it is not a fun, easy, breezy road! And may I just add that the Shangri-la like lair of the Pandas was simply breathtaking! Beautiful and artful in all scenes, indeed! And to make the art more special, the movie resonates truth as with most of the Pandas' qualities - such as their carefree stance and rolling - literally rolling down hillsides- are all true traits of these wonderful creatures! 

3. Panda Ponder This. No need to ponder about why it was such a terrific big screen experience; Dreamworks studios kicked the digital experience up a notch. I never truly enjoyed watching in 3D until Kung Fu Panda 3! Every single feature in the film was notable - from the color tones (perfect, especially on the otherworld, all that golden chi!) from the well-drawn new characters brought to life to Pandariffic ease. Everything about this movie was simply perfect!

How cute are these furry dumplings? Beyond cute!!!

4. Tigress and the Crew. And by this I mean the A list stars who gave life to the characters. Photo not mine, credits to the owner/s. I mean this photo doesn't need much explaining... Wow, just wow... and I thought that our screening was the most awesome advance screening of all... Kung figure (Go figure)...

5. Life in Black & White means all the colors combined. I loved how Po and his furry buddies (family, actually) in Black & White . Here's my movie buddy and BFF for life with his Dragon Warrior Panda-popcorn bucket and Li Shan atop his kung fu drink! There were just so many awesome things about this screening! It was so much Pan(da)! I mean it was so much fun!!!

6. Chi-riffic Bad-ass Villain. This Jade-blade wielding Yak named 'KAI' brings me the chills for he was all-seeing, all powerful. His name in Oriental regions is synonymous to strong and unbreakable. Even if everyone hates the bad guy, there is so much to learn from Kai: his journey, his tenacity in learning from his surroundings that led to his ruthless return. A few things that I already knew, and which Kai taught us kids, is that greed will lead you nowhere. Indeed, how many of the mightiest and most entitled figures in history fall blind in their pride and finally perish in selfishness. And I guess that his choice of a weapon, Jade  blades (green which is the color of envy) also resonates to our nature of always believing that the grass is greener on the other side, and how envy deters us from realizing our potential, from understanding what we are here for... something that the chosen one, the pure-hearted, selfless Dragon Warrior Po never allowed himself to succumb to. Kai is such the bad guy, but you gotta hand it to him; he was bad-ass too!

7. Who's your PanDaddy now? As what we've all seen in the awesome trailers, Po is reunited with his biological father. But that doesn't mean that his loving, adoptive father and noodle warrior Mr. Ping will have any less screen time! Indeed, for a time, Po was torn between who is truly is father, but more so, who he truly is. It is simply beautiful how it reflects the often sad reality of broken homes and families due to whatever reason, but with Love and Acceptance - as in the case of Po - without a mother, only two fathers - life may not be perfect, but it will always be beautiful. Po has the best of both worlds: his biological father, Li Shan, and his logical father, Ping - both who love him in their own, even queer, imperfect ways.  

8. Make way for the master: Oogway! Come on, Po, admit it; you won't ever be the dragon warrior if not for the wisdom, courage and selflessness of Oogway! Up to this date (and already in a different plane), Oogway plays a very significant role in the film. And can I just gush how much I love my pet Tortoise? Just seeing my very own Baby Oogway chew his clover-shaped weeds, grass and on special days, his rose petals and watermelons is just so therapeutic! That's why I am not surprised with how the movie producers still make sure that Oogway gets his way. Tortoises are just so zen, so amazing, and just like Oogway, they live for eternity, and I don't mean just in the next life... Here's my Baby Oogway, Sammy the Tortoise munching on greens and rose petals...

9. The inspiring quotes.. I can still recall the first movie's super popular line: Yesterday is History... Tomorrow is a Mystery. Today is a gift. That is why it's called, The Present." This movie was brimming with so many gems of wisdom as usual: from Master Oogway to Mister Ping... there's something to learn from the mesmerizing scenes!

10. The importance of a Grand Entrance. Indeed, they say that most of what matters in life is how you fare in the end. But may I just stress the value of coming in strong, righteously, correctly in the start. Like what Shifu told Po about the value of a dramatic entrance, sometimes, battles are won on the first round - and doesn't that make life all the easier? Doesn't that allow us more battles to fight and win? And more than just entering the Kung Fu training temple, the dramatic entrance of Po to the other realm, as he saved his family and friends from Kai in an unexpected and heart-rending manner said so much about what he is made of: pure, selfless, loving energy. And that is why he is the master of Chi, to add to his accolades, the other most famous being "the Dragon Warrior." And to those who are unable to make the grandest of entrances, then it is time to make sure that we make up for it; and at least make sure that we have an honourable exit.

*****

I think I already wrote a (dumpling) mouthful already; time for you to make your dramatic entrances in the the nearest cinema (ideally 3D for the perfect experience) for you to actually feel what I share from my heart. Great job Po, it was one memorable experience with you and you equally awesome buddies! 

- Marylaine Louise Viernes (Please click this link for my Events Host & Writer Official Website)

Excuse the Panda-eye-bags and Panda fat soreness... just focus on Po please. LOL.

My grandest treasures at the Grand Baby Fair Pirate Funland Adventure!

My heart still sings whenever I relive my fond memories as main host a.k.a. First Mate Mary during Baby Company's Grand Baby Fair with this year's arrr-mazing pirate fun land theme! It was one unforgettable voyage that would need three more blog posts for I have endless thoughts to share about it! But of course before anything else, I would like to share the finest treasures I got as a shopper and a parent! Along with all the happily shopping & blooming preggy mermaid-mommies plus their supportive shopping buddies, the Captain-daddies, my pirate crew and I were constantly on the the lookout for the finest loot: only the best products for our kids, especially for the littlest pirates-in-training (or perhaps pirates in potty training). And the best part of this unforgettable treasure-hunting was that we almost got everything for free as the discounts were tremendous, greater than the seven seas, only here in the most anticipated annual parenting party, the Baby Company Grand Baby Fair! 

Smooth Sailing with Cordlife: One Chance One Choice. I am so glad to see the awesome and supportive CORDLIFE team busy as usual to cater to all the questions and needs of preggy mommies and even those planning to start their families. Definitely, this company is beyond exceptional and trust-worthy medical services such as expert and unparalleled cord blood banking, Metascreen to name a few. They are all about securing the most valuable treasures of our lives, our children! 

Sweets for sweet, FARLIN for my Darlin'. Always a pleasure to see my wonderful and thoughtful friends from FARLIN! Near... FAR(lin) wherever you are... makes you sing right? Indeed, whether the journey with your kids are near (maybe in play school or to the mall), or very far (overseas or out of town) make sure you have your trusty goodies from Farlin, especially their wipes which I definitely love and use all the time! 

AHOY There! At the FARLIN Booth with pretty bosses, Ms. Mich and Ross. Excuse our crazy facial expressions... 

Giant Carrier: Baby's Greatest Treasure! Loo loo, SKIPPER balloo... Skipper is my darling! Can't get enough of dear sweet baby Skipper, Giant Carrier's adorable official mascot! Just have to say just like Giant Carrier... this baby is a Giant too! 

Below, with the wonderful CLC Giant Carrier family... including the amazingly handsome and kind Giant Carrier bosses-slash-pirates, Sirs Lincoln and Lester Ching! So I guess Skipper looks like them? 

I like gold ships, I like silver ships... but the best of all... is FRIENDSHIP! Here below with one of my prized treasures, my BFF Chef Dang Adrias, celebrity Chef and super mommy of three! She whipped up a phenomenal batch of unforgettably good carrot cupcakes... Those yummy treats were delectable treasures indeed! 

About now, about my life's greatest treasure who has grown from being a toddler excitedly attending my past Baby Company Grand Baby Fair events to now a smart and curious lad who enjoys spending time with his own buddies... 

Buddies for Life: pirate captain Jared and my beloved pirate captain Matthew... little super heroes... who are also super handsome!

Of pirates and mermaids: Look what my adorable Pirate boys caught: a lovely mermaid princess!!! She is their sweet, pretty and mermaidsmerizing classmate and buddy, Arianna... 

Hope you liked my top BABY COMPANY shopping picks... imagine me humming a happy tune as I enumerated this list above, as I swam back to this sea of fabulous finds and best bargains! These are my all-time favorite finds and also they top in other mommy and daddy shopping lists too! Please do check back on my pirate blog-o-ship as I share more about the exciting, swash-buckling expeditions I've had as a host, especially the mesmerising pirate queens (Baby Company mommies such as Danica Sotto Pingris, Andi Manzano, Precious Lara Quigaman, etc.) whom I've met in this SHIPeriffic and PIRATErrific journey! 3 more blog posts coming up soon, that this 3-day adventure deserves...

- Marylaine Viernes Events Host Website (www.marylaineviernes.com)

- Marylaine Viernes Events Host Portfolio (www.marylaineviernes.org)

The Alog Ka-Partner Awards Night

So honoured was I to emcee for Alog & Co. once more for another unforgettable evening, this time for their 2016 Ka-Partner Awards Ceremony, held at the Alphaland Makati Place, where their most esteemed partners and clients came for a night of celebration and recognition, peppered with fun music and dancing!

The Alog & Co. group is also very special to me as they have been getting to host some of their events annually especially during the holiday season. I am very happy to lead their meaningful awards ceremony, a testament of their humility and grace in spite of being one of the largest and most respected names in their field... Congratulations to ALOG & Company! Wishing you and your distinguished industry partners many more years of success! 

Forgive my meagre and amateurish photos as I was unaccompanied during this evening, so I had to resort to asking waiters, random tech supplier guys or whomever I chance upon to take my photos during this event... 

Here I was above with the Chairman, Mr. Dionisio Alog, and below at the photo booth with one of their party guests, popular athlete and professional basketball player, Ali Peek... 

Thank you and please follow my other official websites below: 
- Marylaine Viernes Host Website (www.marylaineviernes.com)
- Marylaine Viernes Events Portfolio (www.marylaineviernes.org)

An unforgettable time as events host for this year's World Gamefowl Expo, Pigeon Congress & Exotic Pet Expo!

Again I am truly so thankful to be hosting for the big annual event of Worldexco (a big thank you to the amazing Romero family for their faith in me as a host) and Pit Games Media (hugs to Sir Manny Berbano and his wonderful daughters and superb media staff), presenters of the World Gamefowl Expo & World Pigeon Expo and Congress, for the 5th consecutive year now! Here I am with Kuya Kim Atienza, arguably the country's most popular educational TV host. He led the opening festivities for the biggest Pigeon racing and Reptile pet exposition this country has ever seen so far! And below, here I am again beaming like a little kid in the sea of other little kids who came to see gamefowl, racing pigeons, exotic pets and more!

 And in between breaks I made sure to pet as many reptiles as I can... I just cannot find my photo with the humongous Albino Burmese python, but I did it! Yes! Carried its entire weight wrapped around me. So I'm just here with a Caiman:

What made this year special was that my sister Natalie emceed in the other side of this event as it got so big already (but not as big as it will be next year). For that earlier post about my sister, events host extraordinaire, click: Mary & Natalie, Sisters and Events Hosts and below, my sister and I face-off not as events hosts but as Sulcata Tortoise whisperers... yes, that below is the real deal! 

Apart from the usual excitement I get when I go onstage and talk my heart out as events host, I also got to bring home our family's newest baby... one who really makes my heart sing whenever she munches on the fresh grass, weeds and veggies that I pick, Sammy! I just cannot get enough of her! I find therapy and utter gladness whenever I pick weeds and carabao grass for her to munch on... I can dedicate an entire post all about my tortoise, Sammy... look at her nice shell and them bright eyes! Or should I say, "TORT-EYES....?" 

 Note: Tortoises are different from sea turtles. Tortoises live on land and might drown if you make them swim. Our beautiful Sammy here, is a desert dweller, from a species known as African Sulcata. I personally gather grass for her, but it's also super amusing to watch her munch on carrots, apples and watermelon bites! 

Again, thank you for your continued trust in me as emcee this year's World Gamefowl Expo, and my heart continues to brim with joy from the fun memories with my sister who learned so much from it as I did, and the best part was bringing home Sammy, our adorable young tortoise... 

Thank you for dropping by and please don't forget to click on these two other links and resources about my life as an events host and event master of ceremonies too!

Marylaine Viernes Hosting Website: www.marylaineviernes.com

Marylaine Viernes Hosting Portfolio: www.marylaineviernes.org

Sister hosting act at the World Pigeon and Exotic Pet Expo 2016

I am very grateful that for the fifth consecutive year now, I get to be the emcee of the World Gamefowl Expo, which has grown to include the World Pigeon Expo and Congress as well as Reptile X, showcasing only the best exotic pets and reptiles in the world! But this post is not about me (save mine for a later post) this is for my younger sister, Natalie! I welcome her aboard as she becomes my partner for this year's event which has grown much bigger so it had to be two of us to emcee! 

My sister Natalie shares my passion for speaking, hosting and meeting new people! If you need hosts for your events, you know how you can contact her: through her big sister and manager, me. LOL. She can take on weekends only for like me she embarks on a meaningful day job. She is a business analyst for the healthcare industry by the weekday, and events emcee during the weekends! 

Here's my li'l sister Natalie emceeing for the thousands of enthusiasts who came to the Pigeon Expo & Congress plus Exotic pet showcase for all three days of this exhilarating expo event! 

But apart from the fact that I get to grow with this event as it continues to grow and more and more people come to join us each year (Thanks to my amazing Worldexco & Pit Games Media family), what made this year extra special was the fact that my younger sister, Natalie, got to emcee with me! She was on deck for the other side - for the World Pigeon Expo and Congress plus this year's highly-anticipated Reptile X shows! Working with my sister and seeing her enrich herself through such a meaningful event while having fun at the same time was truly a joy! I may even be more excited for her than she is! I am so proud of her because even if she has hosted for a handful of other events in the past - this is her biggest one so far, over a hundred thousand came for each of the three days of this annual activity!  

 Check out the cool pets from my sister's side of this event... like this fluffy little hamster that is just too adora-BALL !!! 

 And here's my lovely sister Natalie checking out the awesome exotic pets during her break time... We both went crazy over this huge Sulcata Tortoise... Yes, that ain't a sculpture it's the real deal! 

We brought home a baby one home too and my son named her Sammy. Our very own pet Sulcata Tortoise... we just love these gentle creatures... I will write more about our own pet tortoise on my next blog post. Note to the DENR, we got our cute and veggie-voracious little Sammy her paper requirements for exotic pets and we are taking good care of her.  Can't wait to write about her!

Thank you for visiting my blog today! May our blessings and our appreciation toward these blessings grow brighter and bigger each day. But most importantly, may we all be capable of and find joy in sharing these blessings out of love, gratitude and sincere generosity. My heartfelt thanks once more to my wonderful Worldexco & Pit Games family for giving this chance to my sister, and Congratulations to you, my dear sister Nate!!! More gigs and adventures to come for the both of us! 

***

- Click here for Marylaine Viernes Events Host Online Portfolio: (www.marylaineviernes.org)

- Click here for Marylaine Viernes Events Host, Official Website: (www.marylaineviernes.com)