Reel Critics:

The DreamWorks studio has created a joyful and family-friendly tale in “Kung Fu Panda.” Terrific animation gives vibrant life to a wide variety of creatures who dance across the screen with high energy. The great production values will dazzle young children and amuse their parents.

Jack Black voices the overstuffed panda who is the central character of the story. He leaves behind his life as the son of a noodle soup merchant to find his unlikely destiny as a kung fu warrior. Preposterous situations arise as he strives to become the savior of his village as the reluctant student of a pint-sized Zen master.

The rest of the movie is an upscale version of the “follow your dreams, and listen to your inner self” plot that’s been done many times before. It’s part “Shrek” and “Karate Kid” with “Spider-Man” style stunts thrown in. It may not be great, but it’s a pleasant diversion for young and old alike.

‘Zohan’ doesn’t mess with success in guilty pleasure

Despite my best efforts, I found myself laughing during much of Adam Sandler’s newest comedy, “You Don’t Mess With the Zohan,” even as it made me shudder. Take the inspired lunacy and vulgarity of “Borat” combined with a Jerry Lewis on Viagra — multiply that by 10, and you’ll have some idea of what you’re in for.

Sandler is Zohan, legendary Israeli anti-terrorist who’s a “Rembrandt with grenades.” But he is tired of violence and secretly wishes to become a hairdresser: “All I want is to make people silky smooth.” He fakes his own death at the hands of Palestinian arch-enemy, the Phantom (John Turturro) and sneaks off to New York.

Calling himself Scrappy Coco, Zohan lands a job in a beauty shop run by beautiful Palestinian Dalia (Emmanuelle Chriqui). Giving a whole new meaning to the concept of the full-service salon, the shop becomes a huge success until Zohan is spotted by a cab driver (Rob Schneider) who’s still bitter that Zohan took his pet goat.

Look for cameos by Chris Rock, Lainie Kazan, Kevin Nealon, Mariah Carey and Dave Matthews, just to name a few. Loved when Shelley Berman, as Zohan’s father, casually dips his glasses in hummus and even plops it in his coffee.

There’s no denying this movie is gross, absurd and immature; writers Sandler, Robert Smigel and Judd Apatow can’t resist beating us over the head with the same jokes. But there are moments that zing (“Hezbollah, Schmezbollah”) where you can’t help but giggle. “Zohan,” like the disco music he so adores, is very much a guilty pleasure.

JOHN DEPKO is a Costa Mesa resident and a senior investigator for the Orange County public defender’s office. SUSANNE PEREZ lives in Costa Mesa and is an executive assistant for a financial services company.