I’m still… processing… this one.

The credits rolled, and I just felt a little cheated. Like there were too many miracle solutions, god-out-of-a-box answers… Ocean’s Eleven just seemed to fit better…

But by the time I got to typing this, I’d thought about it enough to realise that it really _does_ all fit. Perfectly. I can’t even say anything more without spoiling it, but what I will say is this: Don’t see this film once. See it twice. Then talk about it.

That said, there are definitely a few problems with the script. There’s an unexpected (double?) cameo partway through which is amusing for a moment, but quickly drags on and completely wrecked –for me– the disbelief-suspension of the film.

It just doesn’t seem to have quite the same class and style as Eleven, or flow, really. But I was still impressed. Worth seeing.

Mike

I’ll keep this spoiler-free, but honestly, if you haven’t seen _The Incredibles_ yet, you owe it to yourself to go and do so.

For films that are so overwhelmingly [well received](http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/incredibles), it’s interesting to check out what those few negative reviewers said. Is it just blustering and ‘feelings’, or do they present a legitimate case?

One of the five ‘rotten’ reviewers, a Jeremy Heilman, did have some [interesting things to say](http://www.moviemartyr.com/2004/incredibles.htm). Some of it is garbage. To suggest that _The Incredibles_ comes as a new installment in a series of ‘domesticated toys, bugs, monsters, fish and now superheroes’ is complete and utter baloney.

However, his discussion about the violence in the film is an intersting one.

Children causing death to the villain’s minions is surely new to Western kids’ movies. Is it an accident that no one thought to replace them with ‘killer bots’ that could be dispensed with no regret? Moreover, how did Brad Bird feel about this, considering the peace-and-love message in his ‘other’ film, _The Iron Giant_?

As I thought about it, it occurred to me that perhaps it’s a completely different message here — one that Heilman overlooked. Is Bird simply trying to point out that under situations of deadly threat, extreme force is permissible? In the watered down, UN-permeated society of today, it seems possible.

It doesn’t necessarily justify the actions taken in Iraq, but some people still need the reminder that talking things out at a mahogany conference table doesn’t stop a terrorist or dethrone a dictator.

I disagree with Heilman that _The Incredibles_ undermines family values, but these things are worth thinking about. And hopefully there’ll be some commentary about this on the DVD.

Whatever your take, the fun-factor for this movie is off the map — it’s out there becoming a classic regardless of any political overtones. And anyways, according to IMDB, this was mostly conceived by Bird in the [early 90s](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317705/trivia), and in production well before September of 2001.

Mike

Addendum: [Here](http://nationalreview.com/comment/mathewesgreen200411080815.asp)’s a terrific review of the _positive_ morality in Pixar’s films. I found this link from [SaveDisney.com](http://savedisney.com) — exposing the shocking acts by Mike Eisner that are driving Disney into the ground.

I’d just like to inform the world that The Incredibles is _awesome_. I really have very little to say beyond that, except to affirm that Pixar’s philosophy of story-first has never been anywhere from right on the mark, and it’s appalling that major studios still refuse to acknowledge this fact.

How is it that astronomic investments are made in films like the Matrix sequels and Star Wars on such slip-shod stories? Is there no one who sits at the boardroom tables with these guys and says ‘I hate to be so brutally honest, but we need to take this whole script 4back to formula…’?

Maybe it’s management. Studios are companies that make money — Pixar is a company that makes money too. But Pixar to me takes on more of the image of a big fraternity of artists who just really love to make good movies. Love good stories, love good humour, love good characters.

And that’s how it should be.

Mike

I must have a soft spot for weepy chick-flick dramas. I mean, the [critics](http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ladder_49/) would never admit to liking something like this, but I really enjoyed it. I’d never have gone with _the boys_ to see it, but 50% of my housemates are female, and they won.

The films I like all fall somehow into one or more of the following categories: They either make me laugh, make me think, or make me feel good. I need a mix of all three types though — if I’ve had too much of one particular one, I don’t enjoy those as much for a while.

But ‘feel good’ movies are like drinking hot chocolate on a cold day. A film like _A Knight’s Tale_ has some humour, but a large part of it is the feel-good factor. _Ladder 49_ is like this.

There’s simple, honest, hard-working people living a real — if sugar-sweet — life. There’s no villain. I guess I enjoy a movie like this for the same reason I enjoy _Legally Blonde_ or _Ocean’s Eleven_. It’s a pure fantasy, but it’s a pleasant one. Baltimore firefighters a big happy fraternity? Probably not, but it’s nice to imagine a life where no problems lasts longer than the time it takes to put out a fire.

Mike

Well, it was definitely awesome.

But I’m not sure if it was this awesome. It’s definitely no X2, at any rate.

Action was unbelievable. The subway fight is very cool, as is… well, everything involving Doc Ock.

My biggest issue was just how long it took to get off the ground. X2 starts with that crazy Nightcrawler sequence, but this one just kind of begins right after the credits (which, by the way, are beautiful). Also, because there’s so much information in the trailer (‘I am Spiderman no more’), you know all the way through that that scene is coming up. In my mind, because that was so publicized, I would’ve put it in the first 20 minutes of the film…

Whatever, that’s just me griping. It’s still a very intense, exciting film, and I highly recommend it for summer fun.

Mike

PS – I had a quick look, but I can’t find that spidey opening credit artwork anywhere. It seems that it was done by Alex Ross, but is now owned by Sony Pictures. If anyone comes across it (like, before the DVD release), I’d love to see it again. Drop me a line.