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The Incredibles

 
  

Page: 123(4)5

 
 
■
12:45 / 05.12.04
I'll screw Elastigirl ...

Over my dead body. She's MINE you hear. Nothing. Take your filthy eyes off my woman.
 
 
Brigade du jour
21:43 / 05.12.04
Put 'em up, hypo, put'em up! (in a Scrappy Doo stylee)
 
 
iamus
22:44 / 05.12.04
Just saw this tonight. The thing I liked most about it was that it really ran with its concepts and squeezed as much juice as they possibly could from them. Be it the use of superpowers or the family dynamic within the context of them.
Best illustrated for me where Elastigirl is trapped between three sets of doors, fighting bad guys in all three areas at once, or the obvious example of the dinnertable scene.

I agree with the comments on the 60's art direction. Another thing that I really liked is that in many places (aside from the balls-to-the-wall action sequences) the art was kind of sparse. Nemo was beautiful in its insane detail but The Incredibles was happy in a lot of places to ramp the intricacy of shots down to let the simplicity and confidence speak for themselves (It also really knew how to do spectacle, but I don't thing anybody is debating that).

Still a little buzzed by it, but I think it's the best superhero movie I've seen yet and I was pretty giddy over both Spider-Mans and X-Mens. Even if the audience I saw it with had had a screen-wide humour bypass.

Favourite joke: "Edna Mode.... plus guest"

Btw. Did I read the credits right? Was Edna voiced by Brad Bird?
 
 
Char Aina
00:11 / 06.12.04
you did.
 
 
Axolotl
15:43 / 07.12.04
I saw this at the weekend and thought it was fantastic, taking the superhero concept almost direct from the silver age comics, without any interference from real world concerns (like how shit all in one lycra suits look on real people). The design was fantastic, all those '60s references came through perfectly. The voice acting was excellent, and made you really care about the characters.
Also the supervillain had a volcano lair. You can't really go wrong with a volcano lair.
 
 
Mr Tricks
18:16 / 07.12.04
Speaking of Volcano Lair:
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nedrichards is confused
22:39 / 09.12.04
I particularly enjoyed the mocking laughter from Pixars render farm to the rest of the industry during the splashdown chat after the X2-a-like Blackbird plane flight and crash. That wet hair? That's Dreamworks exploding, and the geek inside me is joyful. Looking at what you can do with a virtual camera these days and the exponential increase in image quality there can be no doubt that the action movie will be a very different beast in 10-15 years time.

Oh yeah and character design of Syndrome? Reminded me rather too much of Cock Knocker from jay and Silent Bob for my own liking. Anyway, putting that unfortunate image behind us everythnig else was full of joy although to pick up on a point from earlier in the thread, pacing wise, I too thought the final 'boss fight' should've gone on a little bit longer but it's always tough to judge these things and I'm glad they avoided 'explosion fatigue' and kept the focus on character.
 
 
Brigade du jour
16:25 / 10.12.04
Oh yeah and character design of Syndrome? Reminded me rather too much of Cock Knocker from jay and Silent Bob for my own liking

Funny you should mention that. I spent the whole movie swearing blind to myself that Syndrome was voiced by Mark Hamill. Then went on IMDB, was reminded it was Jason Lee and felt like a right wally.
 
 
Benny the Ball
20:56 / 10.12.04
Just saw it, having missed Blade Trinity showing. Loved it completely. Especially the sound-track, really adding to that 60's feel. Gorgeous. And you can all keep Elastigirl (nice as she is) Mirage is the one for me. Loved the moment when Mr Incredible choked her, really felt for him at that point as a character.

I'd love to see this film win best film oscar, but alas they do animated section now, as I think it's about the best film I've seen all year, second to Bourne Supremacy.
 
 
Benny the Ball
22:31 / 10.12.04
I mean, Bourne Supremacy is second favourite. Sorry. I'm so tired my eyes feel itchy...
 
 
Rawk'n'Roll
21:47 / 12.12.04
I saw this tonight (far too late for my liking, I had wanted to see it at the london film festival ages ago).

Loved it. It screws up the notion of a Fantastic Four movie because Pixar have just done that "first family of superheroes" thing better than anyone could.

Perhaps this was the pitch mentioned around the time of Waid's sacking for not making the FF a "suburban comedy with superpowers". Fits the bill to me. I hope that isn't what we have in store for the FF movie because I want it to be good. Sci-fi silliness could also be a bit "Lost In Space", which it's already looking a lot like.

But back to the incredibles.

Art:
I forgot I was watching a "cartoon" at many points. They had the tones during the darkened scene's and the water down pat. I haven't seen Finding Nemo yet but my god the CGI was good on this one. I'm finally convinced that "real films" will eventually be replaced by CGI. And that was an opinion I never anticipated having.

Story:
Far too many in-jokes to believe! There was a polite nod to most of the superhero genre. Blatant plagarism or homage? Your call. I think homage. I laughed at all the funny bits (and some bits that only a comic book nerd could find funny). Aside from wanting to see more Jack-Jack I was very very happy.

Politics and Stereotypes:
I scanned the rest of this thread and was suprised (but considering this is Barb I really shouldn't have been) at the accusations thrown at the film.
Come on people, it's bloody Disney, what were you expecting? A disabled black transexual lead character? And how would they be funny if they WEREN'T a stereotype?
It's slapstick, you can't beat the shit out of a "believable" character and be expected to find it funny. If you didn't like the seductress because she was/wasn't Latina enough then you miss the point. This film isn't a statement on racial politics, it's a kids comedy that can also (happily for us all) appeal to adults. You want depth and social commentary you should know this isn't where you'll find it because Burger King have the bloody characters on their kids meals.
Look for those themes in films you're likely to find them. Don't complain when a film that isn't expected to carry that sort of emotional weight doesn't.

I encourage everyone buy the DVD the second it comes out. And write letters to Pixar and Disney stating that you'll boycott a sequel if it isn't made by Pixar.
I must have more!!!
 
 
FinderWolf
05:53 / 19.03.05
I FINALLY saw this - the DVD is out.

The movie is fucking amazing.

The DVD has 'Jack Attack', which fleshes out what happened when Jack Jack was giving the babysitter a hard time. It's got some hilarious stuff in it. Combines superpower craziness with the classic 'baby [who seems like he's] in peril' stuff.

The 'blooper reel' on the DVD is really weak, though. I find the 'we made up fake bloopers' Pixar thing contrived and usually not very funny (what fun are bloopers if they're WRITTEN?), but this one was extra-weak. Doesn't matter, though, cause the movie itself and all the other extras (also the short "Boundin'") totally rock.

and as for the Mirage debate...

>> Again, as far as Mirage goes, the only thing that makes her Latina is being voiced by Elizabeth Pena. Nothing else in her character design matches up to such a proposal.

I agree. I saw Mirage more as the 'sexy exotic mysterious vaguely European woman', her accent hinting at some eastern european thing like you'd think a beautiful superspy from some Bond movie would have but vague enough that you don't really know where she's from.

Yeah, when he strangles her thinking his family is dead, that was hardcore. He never quite had to fully explain why he was hugging the lovely Mirage, though, to his wife...I guess she got the picture.

I love Dash. And the fact that his name evokes Dashiell Hammett, great-godfather of the pulp superhero tradition, just makes me smile. Ditto the Lucius Fox tip of the hat in Frozone's real name.
 
 
lekvar
08:28 / 19.03.05
The 'blooper reel' on the DVD is really weak, though. I find the 'we made up fake bloopers' Pixar thing contrived and usually not very funny (what fun are bloopers if they're WRITTEN?), but this one was extra-weak.

I'm a 3d junkie, and I love getting insights into the way the modeling, hair and clothes worked. I thought this part was great and I wished it had been longer. No, it wasn't wacky, but we're being treated to a brief glimpse into what happens behind the scenes!
 
 
doglikesparky
09:06 / 19.03.05
The 'blooper reel' on the DVD is really weak, though. I find the 'we made up fake bloopers' Pixar thing contrived and usually not very funny (what fun are bloopers if they're WRITTEN?), but this one was extra-weak.

I'm a 3d junkie, and I love getting insights into the way the modeling, hair and clothes worked. I thought this part was great and I wished it had been longer. No, it wasn't wacky, but we're being treated to a brief glimpse into what happens behind the scenes!


I'm also fascinated by this kind of stuff too but it definitely didn't need the canned laughter track on it. That was just horrid.
 
 
wicker woman
11:07 / 19.03.05
Quick one from the first page.

Should be gud.

Should be god? Are you implying that Pixar is clandestinely exploring the relationship between superhero fantasy and humanity's eternal quest for the divine via linguistic obfuscation?

Oh, wait, wrong thread.


*sigh* I'm never going to live that down, am I? Ah well. At least I'm an infamous part of forum history now.

Anyway; onto The Incredibles. Great movie. I was, honestly, a little put off by the sometimes heavy-handed anti-egalitarianism in the film (Yes, yes, I get it; saying everyone is special is like saying no one is. Can someone please punch Syndrome now?) but that aside, it was just thoughourly entertaining. Jack-Jack Attacks. Wow. I love how her first thought was to dunk the kid in the toilet... "The baby was exploding! Have you ever babysitted an exploding kid?!"
 
 
Tamayyurt
12:34 / 19.03.05
Just bought it. What a great movie. I actually enjoyed it more this time around (not that I didn't enjoy it before) but I saw a late screening at the theater and was falling asleep. This time, though, I was fully awake and loving it.

And yeah, Jack Jack Attacks was great. Nice to see him use other powers, like flight, heat vision, and intangibility.

Oh and about that stupid debate over Mirage, I'm Hispanic and I never even thought of Mirage as Hispanic (knowing who she was voiced by) and not just because the white hair and green eyes, but there's nothing in the movie (besides a nondescript accent) that tells me she's Hispanic.
 
 
Triplets
17:33 / 19.03.05
Yeah, when we first hear her she sounds like Black Widow of all things.
 
 
FinderWolf
21:59 / 19.03.05
Yeah, that's why I was thinking Eastern European sexy spy thing for Mirage.

Jack Jack attacks really had me laughing out loud, esp. where he teleports while rotating through the air, all the while giggling so happily. Also when he becomes The Human Torch Baby.

It was a little "Men in Black" when they erase her memory at the end, but at least they went with the weird looking plug thing that goes onto her forehead as opposed to the MIB red laser thing they teased with.

The cheesy 60s cartoon (and the commentary by Craig T. and Samuel L. as their characters) was pretty funny. "What's that bunny!?!?" Mr. Skiperdoo was a riot. "And that RABBIT is gettin' on MY! LAST! NERVE!" "I sound like a ...a beatnik! Yeah, that's what I sound like!!"


I really liked "Boundin'" too. When I learned that the guy who wrote and directed Boundin' (and the voices and the music as well) was the man responsible for the famous "Ladybug Twelve at the Ladybug Picnic" bit on Sesame Street, I almost fell over.
 
 
FinderWolf
22:03 / 19.03.05
*laughs at Peter Outer* Yep, I'll never live down my "Identity Crisis - it's good!" thing either.

So many great moments in this movie - when the mom says to the kids in the caves that these guys are not like villains in cartoons, that they will kill the kids if they can...that was intense. And when Violet puts on her mask for the first time - love that it was a pullaway shot but you still see that she's donned the domino mask.

Also gotta love when the little kid on the big wheel sees Mr. Incredible pick up the car, and then waits for "something really amazing" the next time around.

Whoever voiced Dash was absolutely hilarious.

Seeing Frozone's Iceman ice slides was fun too. And the "Woman, WHERE IS MY SUPER SUIT!??!" bit was terrific.
 
 
lekvar
22:10 / 19.03.05
doglikesparky: I'm also fascinated by this kind of stuff too but it definitely didn't need the canned laughter track on it. That was just horrid.
Too true, too true...
 
 
Triplets
22:36 / 19.03.05
Helen: Well, it is leftover night. We've got steak, pasta. What are you hungry for?

Dash: Tony Rydinger.

Violet: Shut up.

Dash: Well you are.

Violet: Shut up you little insect!

Dash: Well she is!

Helen: Hey! We do not shout at the table! Bob!

Bob: *from kitchen* Kids, listen to your mother.

Dash: ...she'd eat if we were having Tony-loaf...

Violet: That's it!

Made my movie.
 
 
CameronStewart
04:39 / 20.03.05
>>>Whoever voiced Dash was absolutely hilarious.<<<

I saw him on Letterman a while ago, Spencer something I think - and he's an utterly obnoxious, punchable little brat. I could tell Dave thought the same.

But yes, he is great as Dash.
 
 
Yotsuba & Benjamin!
20:38 / 20.03.05
Check out the Animator's Commentary on this one. You'll be amazed at how much this film accomplished technologically, all while being just a spectacular piece of storytelling.

And I personally loved the Vowellet piece, just exactly what I wanted to see the first time I heard she was doing a voice in the film. That glimpse of both the test they did to her Cannon Dad story and the deleted scene of Violet laying it down about how crappy being a teenaged girl is were priceless.

And it looks so unbelievable on my beautiful WSHDTV.
 
 
Suedey! SHOT FOR MEAT!
21:40 / 20.03.05
I really can't work out how I feel about the way this film looks. I find some of it really bizarre and off putting. Like they've put super realistic hair on plasticine faces! It looks really strange to me, and I find the mix of different elements fairly distracting. I don't see the actual need for a lot of the techniques they've used to make the film look this way, because in a way it seems almost at odds with that they were aiming for.

It's odd. I liked the film a lot, though. But even though it was fairly touching, I found something about it really empty. Like there was something missing, and I really can't work it out at all.

But I think I'll always be baffled by stuff like "OMG they've got that water looking so real!", which probably isn't helped by all reviews of these CG films seemingly being accompanied by things like "Why would you go back to hand drawn, when now they can individually animate millions of single hairs!"

I don't mean to sound really down on it all, but it left me feeling incredibly confused!
 
 
Tamayyurt
22:00 / 20.03.05
The only that I had a problem with was Syndrome. Now he wasn’t as bad as the Green Goblin in Spiderman, but he was kind of annoying. His ridiculous hair really bugged me and it only got worse upon my second viewing. If they would’ve gone with a truly menacing villain this movie would’ve been absolutely perfect.
 
 
Triplets
09:07 / 21.03.05
Agreed. If they'd made him a bit more Lex Luthor in appearence and brogue he would've been spot on.
 
 
Scrambled Password Bogus Email
18:28 / 28.03.05
Just saw this on DVD, and utterly loved it...As well as this thread, which managed to steady itself after a rather odd Sunny spell.

Agree with who ever mentioned individuality as the driving theme...it was perhaps laying it on a bit thick to have Syndrome (great name for a deranged, embittered fanboy) repeat the line exactly as Dash did earlier in the movie, after Bob's 'mediocrity' speech had neatly punctuated the earlier point...still great though.

But the clicncher for me, and I'm going to have to buy the DVD for it, was 'Boundin'. How great is that? The expression on the wee sheeps face after being shown how to bound, all naked? I watched it about 6 times with my son in succession, and we fell about laughing. Marvellous.

Sorry, back to The Incredibles. (Strangely called Les Indestrubtibles in French, btw. Sunny, got any theories?)
 
 
CameronStewart
18:34 / 28.03.05
>>>(Strangely called Les Indestrubtibles in French, btw. Sunny, got any theories?) <<<

Because the French translation of "incredible" is "encroyable," but that starts with an "E," and he has a big "I" on his costume (and the logo for the movie, etc etc).
 
 
CameronStewart
18:39 / 28.03.05
Oops, I just realized you were probably kidding there. Sorry...
 
 
Billuccho!
18:41 / 28.03.05
...am I the only one that didn't love this? I mean, it was alright, the animation was kinda nice, there were some good bits... but mainly I found it a bit lackluster and dull. Then again, I'm a cynical comics fan, so I've seen all this stuff before.
 
 
Aertho
18:59 / 28.03.05
Did you like New X-Men, BillR? Same thing. The Incredibles even has a fastball special.
 
 
FinderWolf
20:39 / 28.03.05
>> Because the French translation of "incredible" is "encroyable,"

And when Bomb Voyage (LOL!) sees Mr. Incredible on the scene, he yells "Meester Ooncroyab!" [phonetically]

My friend Glenn told me that years ago he was in France and he saw dubbed repeats of the Bill Bixby Hulk TV series, and they said "Le Hooolk Ooncroyab!" at the beginning. Brought me back to that.
 
 
CameronStewart
21:36 / 28.03.05
Monsieur Encroyable, even.

On the commentary track Brad Bird says that the original name for that character was Bomb Perignon, but the champagne people had a little problem with it.
 
 
John Octave
00:55 / 29.03.05
Actually, it is "incroyable" with an "I".
 
 
Scrambled Password Bogus Email
08:02 / 29.03.05
So, not a cunningly coded sideswipe from The Lizard Conspiracy at those cheese nibbling cowards across the pond then? A come on, of sorts? Like, "...and have a go, if you think you're hard enough?"

Freedom Fries with everything, mayonnaise NON!
 
  

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