Blu-ray review: 'Kung Fu Panda Holiday'

‘Kung Fu Panda Holiday'

The martial arts animals of “Kung Fu Panda” come to DVD and Blu-ray with the “Kung Fu Panda Holiday,” a half-hour program that originally aired in 2010.

In the special, set between “Kung Fu Panda” 1 and 2 movies, Po (Jack Black) is asked to host the Winter Feast for the Kung Fu Masters. The Winter Feast has always been Po's favorite holiday, which he spends with his father, Mr. Ping, who feeds the town and has a large gathering. Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) says Po's responsibilities as the Dragon Warrior means he is responsible for putting on a flawless feast for the masters. Po and his father argue, leading Po to team up with the Furious Five to put on this feast. Along the way, Po and his father realize they are losing sight of what the holiday season has meant to them in years past.

DreamWorks doesn't skimp on its holiday specials, bringing in the entire cast from the big-budget movies, including Black, Hoffman, Seth Rogen and Angelina Jolie. It is, however, a relatively short affair, with about 21 minutes for the main program before credits. The extras are interesting, including Alton Brown explaining how noodles are made; a how-to on eating with chopsticks; and a drawing lesson on drawing the bunny character Wo Hop. The transfer to Blu-ray is excellent, and the visuals shine throughout.

— Matthew Price