Category: Reviews

  • ‘Thunderbirds’ is a fun family film that respects its campy source

    ‘Thunderbirds’ is a fun family film that respects its campy source

    Bill Paxton is leader of the 'Thunderbirds'
    Bill Paxton is leader of the ‘Thunderbirds’

    I was not a Thunderbirds watcher. It was on a lot when I was a kid, but I just didn’t have any interest in watching a collection of goofy looking marionettes. The show was just silly.

    My curiosity in seeing Thunderbirds, the movie, was because it was directed by Jonathan Frakes. As a Trek fan, I wanted to see how he faired in a non-Trek film. And I was glad to see that he does a rather good job.

    Sophia Myles is the lovely Lady Penelope in 'Thunderbirds'
    Sophia Myles is the lovely Lady Penelope in ‘Thunderbirds’

    What I enjoyed about Thunderbirds was the decision to make this film an homage to the series it was based on. Personally, I’m tired of movies like Scooby-Doo or Charlie’s Angels, that do nothing but poke fun at its source material instead of try to do it any justice.

    Thunderbirds is a little goofy, but overall a fun family film with good action and outstanding special effects. The performances are loose and relaxed, and it appeared that everyone involved in the project had a lot of fun doing it.

    Basically, the story focuses on Allan Tracy, the youngest son of the Tracy family, and the only one who is not included in the Thunderbirds rescue team. He dreams of being a member of the team, but constantly butts heads with his father.

    However, when the deadly Hood learns of the Thunderbirds secret hideout and takes it over, he’s thrust into the hero role and must help save his family.

    What’s impressive about this film is that it moves rather quickly. With a brief action sequence within the first five minutes, it slows for only a short while before taking off again and never stopping until the very end. That constant movement helps make the film so entertaining, and the light peppering of interesting character development provided the necessary depth.

    I wasn’t really expecting the characters to get much detail. In a family film, those are things that often fall away, or are done with such simplicity that it isn’t terribly interesting. But, I liked the brief moments where we learn that James Tracy’s wife was killed in an avalanche. This gives him a little more depth, and you actually feel for him when he explains that sometimes you can’t rescue everyone.

    But what really stood out in this film for me were the amazing visual effects. They were all done with such detail, and blend with the surrounding environment with such realism that I was really impressed. Framestore, the England-based company that did the work, should really be proud of what they achieved here.

    Vanessa Hudgens co-stars along with Brady Corbet (center) and Soren Fulton in 'Thunderbirds'
    Vanessa Hudgens co-stars along with Brady Corbet (center) and Soren Fulton in ‘Thunderbirds’

    The DVD has some nice features as well, including a terrific audio commentary by Jonathan Frakes. Sometimes a commentary featuring only one person is a little dry, but Frakes somehow made it interesting. He mixed in behind-the-scenes stories with some great technical details that were both informative and fun.

    The docs are also pretty good, because they’re not the usual love-fests that you generally find. They provide you with interesting details, without gushing over the actors or director. The one detailing the creation of Lady Penelope’s car is great.

    A lot of family films these days don’t hold much water for me, but Thunderbirds really does work. From the action to the characters to the visuals, it’s about as good as family action films get.

  • ‘Back to Manhattan’ is filled with great characters making their way through aimless story

    ‘Back to Manhattan’ is filled with great characters making their way through aimless story

    Eddie Sicoli (left) and Paul Dunleavy co-star in 'Back to Manhattan'
    Eddie Sicoli (left) and Paul Dunleavy co-star in ‘Back to Manhattan’

    My recent trips to a few film festivals provided me with an opportunity to check out some really interesting films. They weren’t all the best, but it was educational to see different styles and formats, from feature length to short.

    At the Queens International Film Festival I attended last month, there was one film in particular that seemed to garner a lot of attention. I managed to catch a screening, but was pleased when given the opportunity to view the DVD the next night.

    Shot digitally with a Canon XL1s and with a budget of reportedly $18,000, Back to Manhattan is an ensemble comedy featuring a pair of loan sharks out to collect, a Mets fan on a day trip to the big city, and the series of characters these people encounter throughout the day.

    There are some clever moments here, mostly with the two loan sharks, who bumble around the city as they try to track down two gamblers who owe them $2,500. Paul Dunleavy and Eddie Sicoli play the two sharks, and the chemistry between the two provide the film’s best moments. Dunleavy turns in the film’s finest performance, serving as comic relief to Sicoli’s straight man.

    The pair of gamblers the loan sharks are chasing also deliver a few good moments, as they continually dodge their pursuers and struggle to get money in order to pay off their debts.

    The second main story of the film is led by Michael MacKewice, who plays a rabid Mets fan who goes into Manhattan to get an autograph from Keith Hernandez. He’s avoided the city for five years after an unfortunate run in with a rather large videographer. Although his performance isn’t stellar, he does have a likeability that makes you laugh as his character gets deeper and deeper into trouble.

    Where Back to Manhattan falters is the story, which ultimately goes no where. It’s entertaining to watch some of these characters, but no storyline gets resolved. As a result, the film’s conclusion is unsatisfying.

    I was especially bothered by the conclusion to MacKewice’s storyline. When he is confronted by all of the different people he’s encountered throughout the day through one embarrassing event after another, he makes no effort to explain himself, which he could do quite easily. Instead, he runs, leading into a rather silly chase sequence. I’m nit-picking here, but it was an example of a writer’s trick that just doesn’t work for me.

    This issue is compounded by the fact that the story is not even resolved in any fashion, which I found to be the most bothersome part of the film.

    The DVD has a few good features for a low-budget digital film, including an audio commentary by the film’s director, Rob Reilly, which has some pretty good information about how he made the film. There’s also a “Making of a Scene” doc that is informative, as well. But I’d avoid the “Happy Accidents” video, which sounds much better in the movie.

  • Bruce Campbell is genius in Sam Raimi’s ‘Evil Dead II’

    [rating=4]Starring: Bruce Campbell, Sarah Berry, Dan Hicks, Kassie Wesley, Denise Bixler
    Director(s): Sam Raimi
    Writer(s): Sam Raimi, Scott Spiegel

    Bruce Campbell returns in this remake/sequel, 'Evil Dead II'
    Bruce Campbell returns in this remake/sequel, ‘Evil Dead II’

    The “King of B-Movies”, Bruce Campbell, returns in this half-sequel/half-remake of The Evil Dead. Sam Raimi returns as director and co-writer, Rob Tapert reprises his producing duties, and Campbell joins the behind-the-scenes crew in this film as co-producer.

    How can a film be both a remake and a sequel, you ask? Well, Evil Dead II was originally intended to be a straight sequel to the original, but when Raimi was unable to secure the rights to footage from the first film, he attempted a quick and simple re-hash of what went down previously. So, the five original characters became just Ash and Linda… Linda is played by a completely different actress (Denise Bixler)… and the 80-plus minutes of the first film are condensed into about the first 15-20 minutes here.

    (more…)

  • ‘Meet the Parents’ is still funny the second time around

    Robert DeNiro and Ben Stiller in 'Meet the Parents'
    Robert DeNiro and Ben Stiller in ‘Meet the Parents’

    Meet the Parents comedy is memorable largely for the brilliant casting of Ben Stiller and Robert DeNiro. I think had you been told that DeNiro was going to do a movie like this back in the 80s, or even the earlier 90s, then no one would have believed you.

    But DeNiro pulls off the role of Jack Byrnes, the father of the woman Ben Stiller’s Greg Focker, is looking to marry. When Greg and his girlfriend go to her parents’ house for the wedding of her sister, Greg struggles to make nice with the people he hopes will be his future in-laws. However, Jack isn’t too receptive to this new guy in his little girl’s life. And Greg has his own problems as he makes one mistake after another.

    There are a lot of funny moments throughout this movie. I hadn’t seen it in quite a while, so rewatching it the other day was a treat. The antics do get a little outrageous towards the end, and it teeters on the brink when it comes to Ben Stiller’s character. At first, he is unjustly bullied by DeNiro. But, over time, he kind of deserves the ridicule he receives. The film does manage to establish Stiller’s Greg Focker as a likable goof, so when he does start messing things up, it’s kind of hard not to feel sorry for him.

    But, this movie’s been out on DVD for quite some time now. The new “re-release” is basically a gimmick to help promote the sequel, Meet the Fockers. And this new “Bonus Edition” sports additional bloopers and a few other special features that weren’t found on the initial release.

    The bloopers are hilarious. I could probably watch a whole DVD of nothing but flubs. It’s great not only to see actors like DeNiro crack up in the middle of a take, but it also humanizes them. Especially someone like DeNiro, who is often promoted as this steely tough man. Watching him crack up repeatedly as he plays with the cat cracked me up every time.

    There are also a few other items found on the DVD that are new, such as a deleted scene where DeNiro sings during the climactic wedding. It’s really DeNiro singing, and he really shouldn’t quit his day job.

    There’s also a documentary on lie detectors. It’s a clever concept, but the execution was a little dull. Plus another doc focuses on the woman responsible for training the cats, which is kind of interesting.

    I was looking forward to the commentary here, which is provided by Jay Roach — the film’s director — and Jon Poll, its editor. But what I thought would be a fun dialogue was actually a bit dry.

    The oddest part of this DVD was the menu. Apparently, the special features are “Sponsored by Earthlink”. I’ve never before seen this kind of advertising, and it was a little strange. As you move through the special features section, you’re told that all these items were brought to you by Earthlink. I suppose it was some advertising exec’s clever idea, and from a money-making standpoint, it’s not bad.

    But selling advertising in the menu? I don’t know, that’s just weird.

  • ‘Walt Disney Treasures: The Mickey Mouse Club’ celebrates the Mouseketeers

    Mousketeers such as Annette Funicello show their moves in 'Walt Disney Treasures: The Mickey Mouse Club'
    Mousketeers such as Annette Funicello show their moves in ‘Walt Disney Treasures: The Mickey Mouse Club’

    Disney has recently released a series of “treasures” from their vaults. A collection of cartoons and shows which highlight the classic productions they’ve put together over the decades.

    The first of them that I’ll be looking at this week is The Mickey Mouse Club, which features the first five episodes of the series from October, 1955. It’s a trip into the past that is telling of the time that they were made in. A time in which I was not yet in this world.

    These episode aired about twenty years before I was born, and represent an era that was long, long gone by the time I’d grown up. The Mickey Mouse Club I remember was pretty different, although I honestly never watched it much. But it was a curious oddity for me to see these episodes, which at times I actually had a hard time getting through.

    Perhaps I’m the wrong person to comment on this collection. I’m sure there are plenty of people out there who have fond memories of watching this series. It seems like fun, harmless entertainment. It’s just not my generation, however. I think the only comparison I could make to modern entertainment is something like Barney, or the Wiggles. These live-action children shows have the same kind of innocence, with the only difference being that they have more of a focus on education than The Mickey Mouse Club appeared to have.

    The presentation is pretty clean. Good contrast, sweet sound. I can only imagine what these shows looked like when kids were squat in front of the smell, black-and-white screens as Annette Funicello and the rest of the Mouseketeers sang that famous song:

    “M-I-C, K-E-Y, M-O-U-S-E! Mickey Mouse!”

    Each episode had a different theme, and each was broken up into different segments. There was a general cartoon, musical numbers, a special newsreel that showed different Disney activities around the globe, and an educational segment about how to learn to be a pilot and an “airline hostess”.

    The job bit is probably the one part of the collection that speaks a lot about the time period in which this series aired. It’s pretty defined regarding the roles of men and women. I don’t criticize it for that, as it’s a simple part of the 50s, but I think it’s the one element to this collection that doesn’t stand the test of time.

    Leonard Maltin, who seems to be a regular on the Disney payroll when it comes to these DVDs, hosts a little Q&A with some of the former Mouseketeers. They talk about their experiences and the show’s main adult star, Jimmy Dodd, who I was surprised to learn was also the guy who wrote the famous theme song. A few clips of home movies were spliced into parts of the discussion, and I have to say I thought it was actually a well done chat.

    Another interesting presentation was “The Mouseketeers Debut at Disneyland”, which intercut the originally aired black-and-white footage with color footage of a rehearsal from the day before. It was pretty interesting, because they all seemed more real when it switched to the color footage. Guess that’s just my generation talking, but it was strange.

    Plus, the opening animation sequence is viewable in color. And, oddly enough, it seemed more familiar that way. All of a sudden I realized I’d actually seen it before. I didn’t even pick up on that when I watched it in black-and-white.

    This DVD set is a wonderful step back into the past. I think adults who grew up watching this series would have a great time showing this to their grandchildren.

    But for those looking to catch Annette’s name curving around the sides, as so comically detailed in the famous chat in Stand by Me, you’re apt to be disappointed. From what I understand, that wasn’t until later in the show’s run.

  • ‘The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement’ is goofy & light-hearted

    Anne Hathaway gets wooed by John Rhys-Davies in 'The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement'
    Anne Hathaway gets wooed by John Rhys-Davies in ‘The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement’

    How do you criticize a movie like this? I mean, honestly? Sure I could cut into it, but seriously, that’d be like picking on the buck-toothed kid in the playground. It’d be so easy, but it would just be mean.

    Princess Diaries 2 is a goofy, light-hearted piece of film. It’s got more fluff than cotton candy on a pillow. It’s just plain innocent fun. Anne Hathaway is adorably clumsy, and the story is nearly cartoonish in its treatment of the characters. It’s a live action Disney film in the tradition of harmless, pretty Disney pictures.

    What else can I say? How about talking about the story a bit.

    This film takes up some years after the first film (which I honestly never saw). Princess Mia has graduated from college and returns home to resume her duties as a member of the royal family of Genovia. She learns that she must begin her lessons to become Queen, replacing the ever enchanting and elegant Julie Andrews.

    However, there’s a corrupt minister with interests on the throne. Claiming his nephew would be the rightful heir, he points to a law that declares a woman cannot become Queen unless she is married.

    So the hunt begins for a suitable man to marry Princess Mia. After one is found, the minister uses his nephew to try and ruin the princess’s reputation and prevent her marriage. Hilarious accidents and unexpected love pop up over and over again, some of which are actually pretty funny.

    For my part, I actually liked the bits between Julie Andrews and Hector Elizondo. The two share a secret love that may or may not have a happy ending, but it’s probably the only adult-oriented portion of the story. And while you have to search high and low for some really clever humor, one of them can be found in a brief scene in which Princess Mia pressures two ministers to allow a special governmental retreat to be used as a temporary orphanage. The gag is quick, by you should listen when the two brothers say their names.

    Trust me, it’s pretty funny.

    Okay, I may cut into the film just a little bit. But, I promise, I’ll be nice.

    Not having seen the first film, I can’t approach this as a comparison. I can only take this movie on its own merits. Sure, it is clearly meant as harmless, nice fun, but the film could have done a better job. Very little is developed, as the characters all remain pretty thin. The movie jumps through time pretty quick, and never really seems to stop long enough to have any real, meaningful moments.

    The antics of Princess Mia are the focus, obviously, and the story doesn’t spend much time on anything else. And that’s a real shame, because I would have preferred to see some of the smaller characters get a little more screen time. Plus, the movie seemed hell bent on not letting the bad guys get too bad. John Rhys-Davies plays the corrupt minister, but his efforts to usurp the throne for his nephew are pretty lame. It was as if they didn’t want the audience to dislike him, even though he’s supposed to be the bad guy.

    There are some good bonus features, including bloopers — which are always fun, in my opinion — and some deleted scenes. One of the things I liked about the deleted scenes is because they come with comments by Garry Marshall, the film’s director, explaining the scenes and why they were cut.

    There’s also a music video featuring Kelly Clarkson, who has a nice voice, but I think it’s a little weird that the American Idol winners all seem to end up as teenie-bobber fodder.

  • ‘The Bourne Supremacy’ is a fitting end to a high-octane action series

    ‘The Bourne Supremacy’ is a fitting end to a high-octane action series

    Matt Damon does one last turn as Jason Bourne in 'The Bourne Supremacy'
    Matt Damon does one last turn as Jason Bourne in ‘The Bourne Supremacy’

    Sequels fail more often than succeed to capture the same sense of action, adventure, romance, or whatever it was that made the original film work. Rare examples include Empire Strikes Back, Godfather II and Superman II. In those cases, the sequel actually managed to outshine its predecessor.

    With The Bourne Supremacy, the same spirit from its original is still present, but the story is actually quite different in its tone and concept.

    The sequels that work best for me are ones that expand upon the original. Take the concepts and characters and bring them to a new place, giving them more depth and life. In The Bourne Identity, we met Jason Bourne, who suffered from amnesia after a botched assassination attempt. As he struggles to remember who he is, he must dodge bullets and escape the clutches of the ruthless CIA operatives out to kill him.

    In The Bourne Supremacy, we meet our hero as he has settled into a quiet life with the woman he loves, struggling to piece together his shattered and incomplete memory. But when an assassin’s bullet kills his girlfriend, he comes out of hiding to find those responsible.

    The story picks up two years after the last, and while some of the players have changed, we are given a story that has a few more good guys in it than the first. It also takes Bourne deeper into his journey to rediscover who he was, both before and after becoming a specially-trained assassin.

    The action is intense, the suspense thrilling, and Matt Damon does a top notch job of bringing Jason Bourne to life, giving him a sense of humanity without losing his cold edge. However, I found this story relied too much on manufactured problems and was much more predictable than its original.

    After hearing the initial comments by Laney — the CIA chief, played well by Joan Allen, who believes he assassinated two of her agents — seemed to me that Bourne should have been able to piece things together much easier than he did. Plus, when he had Laney in the crosshairs, why didn’t he just demand more information from her right then and there. Why not just explain that he was in India, that he had nothing to do with it? There wasn’t any reason not to offer that information right then and there.

    These are basic writer gags, designed merely to extend the story and allow for other scenes, such as the whole sequence on the tram when Bourne gets his hands on Nicky (played by Julia Styles who, like Brian Cox, returns in the same role she played in the original). But that sequence was again probably the weakest moment of the film. The story so dumbs down the CIA operatives and leaders that they become cliché antagonists, who pail in comparison to our hero’s strategic brilliance.

    If you’re going to have a meeting in a public square, you better know the location before you get there!

    However, these weaknesses really didn’t stop me from enjoying the film. The visual style is basically the same as The Bourne Identity. It’s gritty and documentary-like, giving it a visceral strength that makes the action sequences that much more powerful. The fight sequences are excellent. Fluid and fast, and as a result more realistic than your general Hollywood fare.

    And, I have to admit, I like Matt Damon. He’s one of the few younger actors around today that I think doesn’t bring himself to his roles. He becomes Jason Bourne, with an honesty and reality that makes you forget the actor. I know its popular to pound on the likes of Damon and his buddy, Ben Affleck, but I can’t join in that fun. I actually respect Damon, and hope he finishes out these films with The Bourne Ultimatum, the final story in Ludlum’s trilogy.

    As for the DVD, it’s got your usual collection of packaged features. They provide cool insights into the film, but the DVD commentary stands out with me (as they often do). Director Paul Greengrass is both entertaining and interesting as he details behind the scenes info about the production. Although it probably would have been more fun if Damon had sat in on the commentary, as the best ones usually feature more than one person.

  • Jet Li shines in ‘Hero’

    Jet Li in 'Hero'
    Jet Li in ‘Hero’

    After catching House of Flying Daggers, I was curious to see Hero, as it was the director’s first attempt at wuxia — a type of martial arts film. As you can see in my Flying Daggers review, I wasn’t too impressed with that film. However, Hero had much more going for it and proved to be a far superior effort.

    Hero stars Jet Li as a “nameless” warrior who is summoned before the king to report how he killed the country’s most deadly assassins. But all isn’t as it seems, and the king begins to suspect that perhaps the nameless warrior is really a killer in disguise.

    What struck me from the very beginning of the film was the beautiful imagery. Zhang Yimou has a clear love of color, as is apparently not only in this film, but also some of his other work, such as House of Flying Daggers and Raise the Red Lantern. Both make great use of color.

    In the case of Hero, color dominates each portion of the film. The story is told in a series of flashbacks. In several cases, the flashbacks are retold repeatedly, all slightly different and all featuring a different dominate color. Be it red, green, white or blue, it just pops off the screen with vibrant electricity. The color is complimented by stylish uses of slow-motion, which serve to highlight several of the fight sequences.

    However, I was actually found the House of Flying Daggers fight sequences much more interesting and entertaining than Hero. There were several battles throughout Hero, but I didn’t find myself impressed by any of them. The best sequence was when the king’s army lays siege to a small village by firing hundreds of arrows into it. I thought it was pretty unique, and a rare moment of real suspense. People repeatedly get cut down by the storm of arrows, until the nameless warrior and one of the assassins he was looking to kill go outside to stop the falling arrows in Jedi-like fashion.

    The part where this film really begins to drag, however, is the repeated “retelling” of the relationship between two of the characters, Broken Sword and Flying Snow. It isn’t until the end where we really understand the two, but it gets told and retold in so many different ways throughout the majority of the film that it’s a little old by the time the truth is revealed. And, honestly, as that point I was ready for the film to just end.

    I did like the moral dilemma of the main character, “Nameless”, played by Jet Li. Everything that he does throughout the movie is for one goal — to kill the king. However, his mission gets thrown into question by an unlikely source, and the moral dilemma is an interesting one. It’s basically a case of “do the ends justify the means”? If peace can only be achieved through bloody violence, does that mean one must accept that violence?

    I also liked the way the story was told, through flashbacks that are more about perception than reality. First we are treated to Jet Li’s version of events. When the king begins to suspect that he has lied, he offers his own version of what happened. Through each retelling, we eventually arrive at the truth. It was a unique storytelling method which I thought was really cleverly used. Plus, Yimou’s use of color to separate each retelling helped make the flashbacks interesting to watch.

    When I viewed the film, I tried an experiment and listened to it in English, while the subtitles played at the bottom of the screen. I highly recommend that if you get this DVD, avoid listening to the English dubbing. Stick to the subtitles, because the dialogue is much more interesting. The English audio version dumbs it down.

    There are only a few special features on this DVD. They include “Hero Defined”, a basic fluff piece, and “Inside the Action: A Conversation with Quentin Tarantino & Jet Li”, which is interesting to watch if you’re curious about the career of Jet Li. It focuses primarily on his experience in martial arts films, with a few observations and gushes from Tarantino.

  • Brad Bird makes Pixar’s ‘The Incredibles’ simply incredible

    Brad Bird makes Pixar’s ‘The Incredibles’ simply incredible

    Pixar's 'The Incredibles'
    Pixar’s ‘The Incredibles’

    It would have been easy for this latest Pixar/Disney outing to pander to the cynical nature of a lowest common denominator movie audience. Easy to poke fun at its source material with an air of hindsight superiority. Easy to look down on the super hero/spy-fi efforts and styles of generations past. Easy to present us with a dysfunctional family that derides rather than supports, bickers rather than communicates. All for the sake of comedy. But this would have been the cheap and easy laugh. And there isn’t a mocking bone in this whole film.

    The Incredibles is as much an homage to all that’s come before, as it is fresh and new. And writer/director Brad Bird (Iron Giant, The Simpsons) has imbued his latest effort with sincerity and heart amidst genuine humor and nail-biting action.

    Once upon a time, the world was rife with super-heroes. They patrolled the streets of our fair cities foiling criminals and keeping us safe. But as time passed, we became cynical and litigious, resenting their efforts on our behalf and ultimately demanding they cease and desist their heroics. Suddenly pariahs, the “Supers” found themselves the objects of suspicion and lawsuits, forced to give up their actions in the public good, and adopt underground existences with the aid of the government’s new Super-Hero Re-Location Program.

    Forsaking their public, their gadgets, and their powers, the Supers moved to the suburbs to take on lives of quiet desperation at mundane jobs that squashed their spirits and their potential.

    Such is the case with Bob Parr, a.k.a. Mr. Incredible. The strongest man in the world, he finds himself at a dead-end insurance job where he is “encouraged” to cheat his customers. Once a defender of the public, he now must put profit over people. And Bob is having a mid-life crisis.

    'The Incredibles'
    ‘The Incredibles’

    Married to the wonderful Elastigirl, Bob and his family live innocuous lives as they try desperately to “fit in.” But Bob longs for the good old days when he felt special and useful. Then a chance comes along for Bob to relive his glory days and be of use. This sets off a series of events that ultimately leads Bob to appreciate his family even more, and to once again feel appreciated.

    If The Incredibles were only a fun Super Hero movie, that would have been enough. But it’s much more than that. Much deeper. Even though the heroes are super, their feelings and motivations are all too human. They feel frustration, disappointment, loss, and they question their place in the scheme of things just as we mere mortals do. And we care about them and relate to them because of this. The Incredi-kids wrestle with the same problems as real-world children. They worry about what the cute boy at school thinks, and they want to live up to their potential and be true to themselves. And their powers underscore their personalities. Violet (see “shrinking”), the shy older sister has the literal ability to disappear, and the extroverted younger brother (Dash) can literally run circles around anyone. Helen Parr/Mom/Elastigirl is ultimately flexible, able to adapt and commit to any circumstance. And woe be-it to the villain who threatens her family. But whether they’ve yet to learn it, forgotten it, or repressed it, they’re all heroes under the skin. Just like us. And that’s why we relate to them.

    Stylistically, The Incredibles fires on all cylinders. For those of us who remember, it’s the lost James Bond film, taking us back to a time (the 60s) before the disillusionment of Watergate and the total distrust of our leaders and heroes. The plot, art direction, devices, even the cinematography are vintage 007. And the score by Micahel Giacchino (TV’s Alias, Lost) is spot-on John Barry.

    The villain is clever, believable and oh-so Bondian (he lives in a volcano, releases killer rockets, and has a beautiful assistant with an unusual name). And he is out to kill our heroes, not just capture them. This element alone own elevates the film from an adolescent outing to a more complex adult one — especially when children are the targets.

    The vocal performances by Craig T. Nelson as Mr. Incredible, Helen Hunt as Elastigirl, and Seth Greene as Buddy Pine are subtle, effective, and believable. And the style of delivery is more in the mode of a Nick Park project (Wallace & Gromit, Creature Comforts) where not every line is billboarded, but some are under the breath — and more effective because of it. Samuel L. Jackson and Wallace Shawn turn in terrific performances in supporting roles, but Brad Bird himself steals the show as an Edith Head-type fashion designer named Edna, or just “E” (see “Q”) who is responsible for the Incredi-suits.

    The trappings and the suits of “Whoa!” not withstanding, in the end, it’s the love and support of each family member for the others that makes them really super. And despite Bob’s assertion to his loved ones that he must work alone, he learns that they’re ultimately stronger together. Multi-faceted and intelligent, The Incredibles works on many levels. See it more than once.

  • ‘Shrek 2’ nearly outshines the original

    ‘Shrek 2’ nearly outshines the original

    Shrek and Donkey meet Puss in Boots in 'Shrek 2'
    Shrek and Donkey meet Puss in Boots in ‘Shrek 2’

    Sequels. They are a tricky and sometimes disappointing follow ups to their successful predecessors. And while I wasn’t much of a fan of the original Shrek, its sequel proves far funnier and stronger.

    Shrek 2 picks up virtually directly after the events of the blockbuster original. Shrek and his wife, Fiona, enjoy their honeymoon and revel in their happiness. However, upon their return, they receive a request from Fiona’s parents to come home so they could meet her new husband.

    Shrek is reluctant to go. Being an ogre, he is traditionally harassed and threatened by humans with pitch forks and torches. He quickly submits to Fiona’s wishes, however, and along with his trusty sidekick, Donkey, travel to Far, Far Away.

    Which, like its name, is far, far away.

    Things don’t go well between Shrek and Fiona’s father and mother. We also discover that Fiona was supposed to be rescued by Prince Charming, whose mother — the Fairy Godmother — then plots to ruin Shrek and Fiona’s marriage in order to bring Charming and Fiona together.

    One of the main reasons why I felt this sequel surpasses its predecessor is because of the story. The first Shrek seemed to discard a portion of its storyline, and the predictable ending fell flat as a result (one of the reasons I think its Oscar win was highly questionable). The sequel, however, is much cleaner and smarter.

    I also enjoyed how the relationships between the characters developed. Shrek and Fiona’s relationship is at the heart of this film, but so is the relationship between Shrek and Donkey. In both cases, the relationships grow instead of sink backwards. Many times in sequels the filmmakers revert the characters and then try to re-establish the relationships. People who fall in love in the original break up during or before the sequel, so we’re treated to another story of them getting together.

    Although some of that happens here, it does so in different and expanded ways where it feels more like a continuation from the first and not an attempt to recapture the same emotions.

    While this was said several times when the film was first released, I have to echo that Puss in Boots was a highlight of the film. My first concern was that he would overshadow Donkey, but he is quickly put into his place early on — Donkey says, “The role of loud, annoying sidekick has already been taken!” — and instead of usurping the comic role that Donkey serves in the film, Puss in Boots adds to it.

    Even the minor characters who get conveniently forgotten in the sequel — such as the fairy tale characters like Pinocchio — get more screen time in this film. They add to the terrific climactic adventure in some of the funniest and most entertaining moments of the film.

    The “Cops” spoof is outstanding!

    The only place this film really falls short is the music. While both Shrek films poke fun at fairy tales and pop culture, it seemed to fall victim to the latter with its over dependence on re-recorded pop songs. In one scene, when Shrek, Donkey and Puss in Boots steal a potion from the Fairy Godmother’s factory, the song used fails miserably to heighten or even add to the action. I would go so far as to say it diminishes the sequence.

    The performances throughout by the actors are all terrific. Antonio Banderas does a perfect job as Puss in Boots, and I am curious to see how the supposed spin-off adventure for that character will develop.

    While the animation is clearly more sophisticated than in the original, I don’t really find anything inspired by it. This is more a personal taste that a criticism. The hair and motion are clearly outstanding. Technically, its nearly flawless.

    As for the DVD, it of course includes the usual collection of documentaries and features. The behind the scenes bits are informative, and the filmmaker’s commentary is entertaining and has some good stories. But I found the “technical goofs” bit a little lame. Okay, some of the goofs are funny, but they’re not that funny.

    The DVD release also included a special ending, which starts when the credits stop rolling. “Far, Far Away Idol” is a spoof on the popular reality show/contest. And, yes, its funny, but isn’t American Idol a little old at this point? The show’s been on for three seasons, so I think this spoof was a little late. Kind of like how the Matrix spoof in the original were a few years off.

    It is rare that a sequel outshines its original, but in the case of Shrek 2, this rare gem out performs and out jokes.