Father's Day escapism of the highest order

The girls and I took our customary "FILM SNOB" seats at the cinema -- third row from the front, middle -- for an afternoon viewing of "KUNG FU PANDA."
It served as welcome relief for me, after a week chronicling unprecedented FLOODING and battling a suspected case of FOOD POISONING (we think it might have been caused by potato salad left unrefrigerated because of a power outage on a steaming hot day.
Today's film did the trick. We didn't think about anything but the movie's twin successes:
1) The visuals are absolutely stunning from start to finish. One scene, involving an ancient tortoise and a flurry of pear blossoms, is worth the price of admission.
2) The filmmakers' knowing, tongue-in-cheek nod to the cliché-ridden genre of the Hong Kong kung fu picture. The film is full of action and funny enough to keep kids enthralled. The artful use of common kung fu plot devices and themes is enough to keep ASIAN FILM BUFFS (that would be me) grinning while reminiscing about other films.