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| The Incredibles | | Date Created: Mar 20, 2005, 08:09 PM |
 Back to personal form, CD's may get heard right after they come out but movies usually aren't seen until they come out on DVD. Sometimes a movie is better seen in the theater but these days with big screen TV's and sound systems, it's not as important. Well The Incredibles came out on DVD last Tuesday (3/15/05) and it's, well, you know.
Of course that requires some qualifications. Some folks even rate the DVD production. This one actually has two discs with the now di rigeur bloopers and outtakes (on an animated film?) and a short called "Jack-Jack Attack". (Jack-Jack is the baby in the Incredible family). The movie is a real joy though.
Well, yeah, it ain't Casablanca or even Superman, but it is amazing stuff. I think the best way to understand it is that computer generated animation (by Pixar) at this level creates an alternate reality. It looks real but not exactly like the real world as we see it, if that makes sense. The facial features and movements are complex enough to allow you to identify with the characters just like in real movies -- of course this is helped by the voicing. Craig T Nelson does Mr. Incredible (Bob Parr) and Holly Hunter does Elastigirl (Helen Parr). Samuel L Jackson does Frozone (Lucius Best) and even Wallace Shawn sneaks in -- you remember him from Dinner With Andre and The Princess Bride.
In case you don't see it but want to understand the cultural references, the superheroes all have alteregos like Clark Kent is to Superman. They try to live normal lives but have to change into their superhero costumes and use their superpowers for good, also like Superman. The media and trial lawyers sully their reputations and sue them to the point where the government has to step in and put them into a superhero version of the witness protection program. This is hard for Bob and Helen Parr and their kids, Violet (a teenage slacker girl whose superpower is generating force fields), Dashiell "Dash" Parr (who's a combination of Bart Simpson and Calvin (of Calvin & Hobbes) whose superpower is superspeed running), and Jack-Jack, an infant like Maggie Simpson who supposedly has no superpowers but it's clear something's coming.
Their arch nemesis starts out as a kid who idolizes Mr. Incredible (Buddy Pine) but turns into Syndrome. It's not as subversive as The Simpsons or South Park, and certainly not as R rated (these are Superman type superheroes after all) but the action includes real life issues and subtle digs at various cultural referents. Of course superheroes always win and never get hurt. "We're superheroes! What can go wrong?" as Elastigirl says.
Computer generated movies are going to be more common and continue to get better. Not that regular movies will be replaced, but if you want to see the cutting edge of computer graphics and moviemaking combined, you'd better see this one. |
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