The Incredibles

A visually inventive and quite clever animated feature from writer-director Brad Bird (who also voices the funniest character in the film) and courtesy of Pixar and its army of code writers. The movie tells the tale of Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) and Elastigirl (Holly Hunter), two superheroes, married to each other, who were forced to retire from saving the world after a spate of expensive lawsuits. They chafe under the constraints of everyday life--especially Mr. Incredible, who sneaks out with his pal Frozone (Samuel Jackson) to do some heroics on the sly. In the end, they, along with their two children Dash and Violet (both of whom have their own superpowers) must embrace their superhero destinies. The Incredibles doesn't have quite the same anarchic energy and lethal wit of, say, the “Shrek” pictures; it seems longer than it is, but it is fun nonetheless. By this time, Pixar's animation techniques (check out Violet's hair and note that there is a separate credit for "hair and clothing" animation) have become so good that after a while you stop noticing them and just get caught up in the story and the characters. The movie carries off the neat trick of simultaneously sending up and embracing the conventions of both the superhero and James Bond (well, they're pretty similar, aren't they?) genres, and, towards the end, when Bird really lets the stops out, it is remarkably thrilling.