posted
"The Incredibles" is incredibly incredible.
"No, tell me how you really feel, Nathan."
Ok!
Let me begin by saying this: Pixar has raised the bar in CGI animated movies (that it already dominates). It also, in my opinion, holds it's own against Spiderman as one of the more exciting Superhero movies (note: not better movie in general, just the excitement level) to date.
Watching this movie, you realize that this is exactly how a family with super powers would act at home, dealing with family matters and life in general. Also, impressive is how they act as a team with their powers. I cracked up, I was amazed, I was on the edge of my seat. This movie was incredibly crafted, and is nothing short of brilliant.
This is Pixars longest running film so far, and it's first official "Action" movie. Also, this is their first one with an all human cast, so to speak- in otherwords, no talking cute animals for the kiddies to buy as stuffed toys (sorry, Mooselet ).
The strongest points of the movie are this: a strong set up of story and characters, fast paced action with the laughs just as quick, and a believable family that people can relate to.
This movie SCREAMS for a seqeul, so long as the writers can think of an excellent followup.
For the parents, and a bit of spoilers:
Like I mentioned before, this is Pixars first action movie, and it moves away slightly from what they've done before with Toy Story, Monsters Inc and Findind Nemo. In this movie, there are giant robots attacking the city with guns/lasers (I mention this because I remember Papa Moose talking about mooselet and guns), there are missles and exploding planes, a flying saw-like vehicle chase scene, guys firing off machine guns, a guy getting mugged behind a garbage bin (it doesn't show it, but its a pretty clear point), and a mime with a bomb. Those mimes are evil, I tells ya.
I'm not going to put an age limit on it, or tell you if its appropriate for kids, but I'll let you decide if thats tame enough or not.
Posts: 530 | Registered: Jan 2003
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thanks for the run down of the content - doesn't sound too bad for my four year olds, but do you think the plot is too complex for them to follow? They have no trouble at all following Finding Nemo, or Ella Enchanted (everyone's favorite movie) and they adore Pirates of the Caribbean.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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posted
what happens when a juggler starts doing mime?
that's what happened to me...
(the only issue i have with mimes -being a juggler myself- is the stupid outfits they are traditionally associated with)
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Belle, if they were able to follow Pirates of the Carribean alright, they should be able to follow this.
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Oh, and to be fair, it isn't REALLY a mime, just a French villian that has very distintive mimeness.
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So, I went to see it, except they wouldn't let me in because I brought with me a can of soda and a bag of chips and wasn't discreet about it when walking in with them. And since I wasn't going to go in without my cheap snacks I asked for a refund and returned home to my recently acquired dvd of The Office. Yea, I'm cheap like that. The concession stand is evil. Stay away from it.
posted
The theatres get almost all their profit exclusively from the concession stand. I usually get something - it's like tipping the waiter. They are getting less than minimum wage unless I do.
If you're going to sneak a pop in, though, it's usually better to bring in a 20oz bottle instead of a can. Most theaters don't carry cans, and cans make more noise when you open them.
How do you like The Office, by the way? Everybody tells me to see it, but BBC America doesn't air over here. And I don't really feel like dishing out $40 or so dollars for something I've never seen before.
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Kat is absolutely right- the theaters make about 5-7 percent of ticket sales. Concession stand is their profit. I totally agree that they are horribly priced, too.
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The Office is easily the most brilliant sitcom I have ever seen. In fact, I am reticent to use the word sitcom. It's more of a mockumentary. The boss is so incredibly unbearably embarrasing that I literally had to look away from the screen at times. Anyway, it's worth renting. It's probably worth buying, but I won't because I rarely buy DVDs I can rent.
Posts: 894 | Registered: Apr 2000
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posted
Spoilers It was a good movie. The characters were too self-involved, though. The mother is the acception. I know that self-absorbtion was one of the issues the plot tackled, but their was always an egoistic taint. This is only necessary to say because Spiderman did such a great job of keeping the characters concerned with the morally relevant issues. It's as if they all just wanted to flex their muscles for the sake of flexing their muscles. It's not the powers that make them superheroes, it's the heart, and their hearts were only so so. I think what makes a great hero movie vs. a mediocre hero movie is the hero being concerned, even if he/she isn't always effective, with the appropriate matter. Even when everyone had "learned their lesson," they didn't act like they had learned their lesson. Once again, it's a good movie, and your mileage my vary.
Posts: 5600 | Registered: Jul 2001
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sorry about the off-topic posts...I'm sure The Incredibles is a wonderful movie and I will eventually see it...I do work at a blockbuster, after all.)
Regarding concession stands--who ever said they'd probably sell more if they lowered the prices is probably right. I simply must always have something to munch on in the movies--only when it's an Ultra-Serious movie--something like The Pianist--do I just fill myself up at home.
Regarging The Office-it's very good. I'm not going to hype it up and declare it the best thing ever--but rest assured: It's quality television. Plus it's more like a mini-series--meaning heavy continuity between epsidoes (the show is divided into two "serieses" and the first--which I rented today from a corporate blockbuster--contains around 7 episodes. So the entire series is pretty short.) It's so good, I'm not even going to attempt to explain why I like it. I just want to enjoy the ride. Posts: 722 | Registered: Jul 2004
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Just got back from it! ABSOLUTELY awesome!!! Everything Anti-Chris said is dead on. Go see this movie! Posts: 1947 | Registered: Aug 2002
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The movie was a great deal of fun. The only negative critiscism that I have is the kids' attitudes toward their powers. "But you said we couldn't USE our powers!"
But oooohhh maaaan. This was a fun, fun, FUN movie. The kids liked it, we liked it, and the grandparents paid for the popcorn. Woohooo!
Posts: 14554 | Registered: Dec 1999
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A few statements, with as few spoilers as possible; but if you really like surpises, you're advised to skip this post
. . .
Me, earlier:
quote:Pixar = Win.
Having seen the movie, I offer this statement.
Pixar = w00ty-fun.
As people said, this is different from Pixar's previous films. There's a lot of action in this one (read: Things get blown up).
The animation was well done; especially their facial expressions. Remember Andy from Toy Story? They (and their technology) have obviously come a long way. I like the characters-- by the end of the movie, Dash will be a favorite for most. I guarantee it. He's funny, but he's more than just comic relief.
Overall, a very good, very fun, movie. A, four stars. Finding Nemo is the #1 selling DVD ever-- The Incredibles will top it.
--j_k
[ November 06, 2004, 07:49 PM: Message edited by: James Tiberius Kirk ]
Posts: 3617 | Registered: Dec 2001
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I still think that there was something wrong with them. Something distinctly unSuperhero about them all, and it didn't have anything to do with their powers.
There was something shallow here. Something hypocritical. You know, maybe I have politics on my brain, and I know it's going to seem like a shot, but these were Republican superheroes. The powers were cool, but there was very little super about them. When Mr. Incredible was being fired, he was more concerned about the criminal getting away, than the awfulness of the crime.
They weren't superheroes because the world called on them to be superheroes, they were superheroes because they wanted to be. They did it because it was fun. I knew that there was something wrong when they let the poor teacher appear crazy.
The people Mr. Incredible saved in the burning building gave him an excuse to use his power, he didn't do it for the sake of their lives, he did it because he could. Mr. Incredible was just another dude. Another Nascar dad, and Craig T. Nelson was perfect for the voice because he played the same part in Coach. The wife was another devoted wife, but there was something kind of shallow about her. Dash was a bully, except since he was 10, it made him somehow less a bully, and the daughter was fine. Really, the daughter was a nice character. She'll probably go off to some east coast liberal arts school and vote democrat.
Now the saving grace is that this movie is supposed to be about family, and how much they all care about each other. But that wasn't it. There was a scene between the mother and the daughter, when the daughter choked trying to make the forcefield around the airplane, which showed the appropriate emotion. It was well played. All of the other scenes were only emotional in an egoistic sense. Mr. Incredible was only concerned with himself, even when he was concerned with other people, it was still out of concern with himself. The mom was better, but still lacked a sense of heart. She was turned on when she thought that he went to a job he hated everyday. There is something righteous about going to a bad job to bring home the bacon for your family, but then again, there is something distinctly unrighteous if your wife finds that the sexiest part of your relationship.
In short, I didn't see the chemistry between anyone in the movie. Mr. Incredible and Frozone had the most chemistry. There was no genuine affection brought about by some moral connectedness, rather, it was the story of an ex-jock wanting his glory days back for all of the wrong reasons. It seemed like everyone wanted everything for all of the wrong reasons.
Daredevil and Spiderman, there was more heart in that trailer for "Grayson" Ralphie posted, than was displayed in The Incredibles. These guys were moral lightweights. Powerful folks without sincere compassion. There was more heart displayed in any fifteen minutes of the Lord of the Rings than this movie could muster up in two hours. *thinks* I guess it's like Toy Story, except this Buzz Lightyear had real powers.
quote: When Mr. Incredible was being fired, he was more concerned about the criminal getting away, than the awfulness of the crime.
I disagree about your assumption that he didn't care as much about the awfulness of the crime. The very reason he is a hero is because he DOES care about those he is saving and helping. The reason why he was so upset that the guy got away (and yes, this is my interpretation) was that there would be no justice in it, and the guy would continue to go on being a mugger. A democrat would demand justice to those who are guilty, and republican would care about the mugger- and vice versa.
quote: They weren't superheroes because the world needed called on them to be superheroes, they were superheroes because they wanted to. They did it because it was fun. I knew that there was something wrong when the poor teacher was let off of the hook.
Look, when the town you live in alone has, like, 30 supers, at that point it is a choice of wanting to help people. When you have a super power, you either a)use it secretely to your own advantages and living daily life (like they did after retirement in their house) b) use it to help c) use it to destroy and become a villian.
And before anyone goes into a "he did it all for the glory" "the what?" "the glory", let me point out his actions at his job at the insurance place. He didn't help his customers purely to undermine the company, he did it because he cared about his customers- he wanted to help them, and he did.
And what did you want to have happen to the kid and the teacher? The supers were forced into hiding, they could not exist- the mother could NOT say "Oh, I'm sorry- we're supers, he's fast and he did it." Instead she took it within the family, and when the dad learned he was sent to the principals, he was upset, but when he learned that he used his powers, he was a bit impressed and sidetracked (yes, that was an incorrect response).
quote: The people Mr. Incredible saved in the burning building gave him an excuse to use his power, he didn't do it for the sake of their lives, he did it because he could.
You must dislike Batman, because in my opinion this is like saying Batman is a hero just because he has unresolved childhood issues, and no place to vent.
quote: Dash was a bully, accept since he was 10, it made him somehow less a bully, and the daughter was fine. Really, the daughter was a nice character. She'll probably go off to some east coast liberal arts school and vote democrat.
Dash was a bully. Was being the keyword, there. It is pretty obvious that the writers had the characters take on their powers as a personality trait. And you'll have to forgive me if I laugh at your assumption of Violet's political standing- at this point I'm pretty much assuming thats a joke.
quote: There is something righteous about going to a bad job to bring home the bacon for your family, but then again, there is something distinctly unrighteous if your wife finds that the sexiest part of your relationship.
I think you totally missed the point on this one. Mr. Incredible was carrying himself in a different way- he was more cheerful, happy, and was getting in better shape. Not saying they weren't frisky before (its pretty obvious that they were), but you could just SEE Mr. Incredibles esteem go up, he was glowing.
You want to know something that Spiderman, Daredevil, and just about ANY superhero/heroine doesn't have? They don't have a FAMILY of super heros, and they haven't been forced not to be superheros.
Posts: 530 | Registered: Jan 2003
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But I was a little bored. THere were fabulous sequences, and I loved the scenes of the whole family working together, but some parts were SLOW. It needed to be edited a little.
Did you notice the traveling shots? I've decided that sometimes animators want to show off the world they have created, and the best way to do that is to follow a character as he travels through it. What it means is that you get ten minutes of walking through hallways and running through woods and peeking through doors, and it's very boring. As much I loved Spirited Away, that movie probably had six solid minutes of our heroine climbing stairs. The Incredibles had a lot of that too. I feel like I could draw a fairly-detailed map of the island, and that's just not right.
I did like it. The kids were my favorite.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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Your comment about Violet going to an east coast liberal arts school and voting democrat made me laugh out loud. You see, Violet was very jarring for me, because she was voiced by Sarah Vowell of NPR's This American Life, whom I have always heard speaking as a brilliant and witty commentator and never as a character. While she actually went to the University of Montana, she DOES live in New York now, and she DOES vote Democrat. She also wrote The Partly Cloudy Patriot, which I highly reccomend. In fact, she has a new book out that I really need to pick up.
Posts: 894 | Registered: Apr 2000
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Just got back from seeing this, and I have to say that I haven't had that much fun at a movie in a long time. I loved it.
Kat, I went into it looking for the "travelling", but I just didn't see it. I've seen that kind of thing in a lot of animated stuff, but I didn't feel like this particular film suffered from it. I also didn't find it to be slow at all; the pacing felt pretty smooth to me, and I can't think of a scene that could have been cut without taking something good away from the picture. What would you have cut out? What were some particular places where you felt like the pacing lagged?
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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posted
This movie had me laughing hysterically within the first five minutes. I have to say that I enjoyed it greatly. I didn't notice the lengthy scenery scenes. I though the plot was pretty good--it was certainly a surprise to find out who the bad guy was, and I loved the way things tied together at the end of the movie, with the cape and all. The James Bond feeling was great, too.
But what was up with the baby at the end?? That was just weird.
Posts: 3546 | Registered: Jul 2002
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Thought the movie was fantastic. Loved the James Bond feel.
A few subtle things I liked (VERY minor spoilers)
1) Kudos to Brad Bird for sneaking a Kevin Smith reference into a Disney movie. Jason Lee's character is an uber-geek superhero fanboy. at one point, Mr. Incredible misidentifies him as "that kid from the convention... Brodie". Jason Lee's first film role was a comic book geek named Brodie in Kevin Smith's ill-received "Mallrats".
2) Dash is fighting one of Syndrome's ("Syndrome" is a perfect name for this baddie, too) masked minions and knocks the mask off the guy. He freezes, as if to say "you mean there's a person under there?" Very nicely done... especially because this is right before the minon dies in a horrific crash so it gave us the same kind of punch that Dash got... the bad guy has a face.
3) "The Incredibles" are each egos/stereotypes for the family:
Kinda cool how they actually designed the parts as stereotypes for the nuclear family:
Dad - "Mr. Incredible" (and tries to fix everything)
Mom - "Elastigirl" (what is mom if not flexible?)
Teenage Daughter - Powers of invisiblity and impenetrable force field (the wish of every teenage girl, I bet?)
Fourth Grade Boy - hyper speed (Energy boy? I have one...)
Posts: 3846 | Registered: Apr 2004
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quote:Kudos to Brad Bird for sneaking a Kevin Smith reference into a Disney movie. Jason Lee's character is an uber-geek superhero fanboy. at one point, Mr. Incredible misidentifies him as "that kid from the convention... Brodie". Jason Lee's first film role was a comic book geek named Brodie in Kevin Smith's ill-received "Mallrats".
This made me die laughing once I realized that Jason Lee was doing that character's voice! I love Kevin Smith, I love Jason Lee, and that little tidbit tickled me to no end.
Posts: 4077 | Registered: Jun 2003
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Noemon: *thinks* It was somewhere in the middle - after Mr. Incredible has left for his last business trip, but before the family reunited. I just remember lots of wandering through woods, wandering through a cave, wandering beneath the EL, wandering through hallways.
Oh gosh, I don't mean to be critical. THe whole thing was so great that that's the only quibble I have. I absolutely loved Elastigirl's abilities - the turning herself into a parchute really surprised me, and the boat was priceless.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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quote:But what was up with the baby at the end?? That was just weird
I think it goes along with Jim-Me's explanation of the family "stereotypes." Babies at that age are, as noted, unpredictable and ever changing. Some minutes they are quiet, sweet and a joy to hold. Other times they are screaming and you have no idea why. That was my take, anyway.
Posts: 896 | Registered: Apr 2003
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Anyone besides me watch this and think that the live-action Fantastic Four movie due out next summer has an awfully high bar to reach now?
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It's good like a nice piece of candy, a lot of energy and very little substance. It's good for a cartoon, but I'm not going to call it a good motion picture.
Posts: 5600 | Registered: Jul 2001
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Irami, you have an exacting taste in entertainment. Not everything has to be a lesson in enlightenment, y'know.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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Saw it. Loved it. But I have a thing for superhero stuff.
This is not quite a kid's movie, though. There's a part with the skeletal remains of a murdered, Cyclopse-esque superhero in caves beneath a huge base. The bad guy (spoilers? probably) does die, and in a pretty bad way. But if you pay attention to the movie (and to his costume) you can see it coming a mile away. There's a pretty chilling scene when the mother explains to her children that these bad guys aren't like bad guys in silly kids shows- these bad guys WILL kill children.
However, if your kids are like I was, in that if a movie lacks explosions or aliens devouring people it's subpar, they'll love it. I'd say eight and up or so.
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