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Pixar

Turning Red: Embrace the Panda

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Growing up is hard. Embracing the changes as they happen can be even harder.

Directed by Academy Award-winner Domee Shi (Bao), Red is a delightful coming-of-age story that is easily one of Pixar’s best films in years. Filled with bright colours and fueled with humour and heart, there’s simply an infectious joy about the film that charms and delights throughout. With fun and furry… er… fury, Turning Red becomes a wild ride into one young girl’s journey into the madness of puberty.

Taking place in 2002, Turning Red tells the story of Mei Lee (voice of Rosalie Chiang), an enthusiastic pre-teen girl who lives in Toronto, Canada. Though she loves her family dearly, the expectations and pressure created by her over-protective mother, Ming (voice of Sandra Oh), is a cause of stress for her as she endures the chaos of adolescence. Things become even more frenzied when Mei discovers a family secret: whenever she gets too excited, she changes into a giant red panda! Freaked out by this shocking truth, Mei must try to figure out whether or not this change can be controlled… and whether or not she wants to.

While the premise may sound similar to Pixar’s Inside Out, the two films could not be more different. Written by Pete Doctor, Inside Out has an unavoidable level of distance as he writes from his own perspective. However, Red feels much more personal. As Mei wrestles with the changes within her, Shi brings an empathy and understanding that stems from her own experiences as a young girl that makes Red feel more real. As a result, whereas Inside Out feels like a man attempting to comprehend his daughter, Red seems much grounded from personal understanding.

Set in the urban jungle of Toronto, there’s also little question that the film is a love letter to her upbringing in Canada. Having immigrated at a young age, Shi grew up in the city and Red unashamedly adores its hometown. References to loonies, Wilfred Laurier, rides on the TTC and more all allow the city to have its moment in the sun. (Set in 2002, they even refer to the Rogers Centre as its proper name, the SkyDome.) 

More importantly though, Red is also a loving testament to her upbringing as an immigrant Canadian. While the film is not about Shi herself, the film celebrates her Asian heritage yet also remains willing to show the challenges that growing up in a different culture may cause within the home. Caught between the traditions of her parents and her life as a Canadian teen, Mei attempts to make sense of her world and her place within it. Although she remains committed to honouring her parents and their values, Mei’s life feels like a threat to her parents’ traditions. Pop music, boys and sexual attraction begin to create a rift between her and her mother that begins to break down their relationship.

In this way, Red fearless in its exploration of growing up. Using the red panda as a metaphor for Mei’s changing emotions and body, Red feels authentic and honest. Dealing with issues ranging from sexual attraction to a girl’s first period, the film feels grounded in all of the awkwardness of youth, even in the midst of its wild premise. 

While Mei’s world begins to change, Red points out that all of us are fueled by a complex mixture of imperfections, anger and sadness. As she attempts to balance her new and unpredictable emotions and her mother’s expectations of her, Mei becomes frightened of what’ happening to her. However, as she begins to navigate these changes, she also begins to understand what it means to accept the pieces of herself that don’t always fit into the box. (In fact, she becomes empowered by them.) Yes, the changes in her life may be scary and cause tensions at home, but there’s something incredible about them as well.

In the end, Turning Red definitely turns into something special. Mei’s journey may be her own, yet this is a story for everyone who has (or are) going through the chaos of growing up. Whether it’s learning to accept who you are or the ever-changing dynamics between teenagers and parents, these moments in our lives can be really difficult. Even so, Red reminds of the power that comes when we embrace the panda. 

Turning Red is available to stream on Disney+ on Friday, March 11th, 2022.

Soul: Jazzing through Life Together

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Every now and then, Pixar releases a film that is not just enjoyable or even powerful but truly special. 

Soul is one of those films. 

Directed by Pete Docter, Soul is a film that admittedly feels like it’s been made for adults but kids should still love as well. While Docter’s previous hits Monsters Inc. and Inside Out targeted the fears and dreams of children and youth, Soul takes a more mature approach that places the emphasis on the middle-aged Joe Gardner. While the film makes every effort to incorporate Pixar’s trademark sense of humour and joy, the film’s focus on Joe’s journey makes it noticeably different in its tone. As a result, this is arguably Pixar’s most ambitious piece since Inside Out by attempting to grapple with the spiritual realities of the afterlife in a way that feels authentic but still remains relevant to kids. 

Now airing on Disney+, Soul tells the story of Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx), a middle-school band teacher who yearns for something more. Passionate about jazz music, Gardner wants to be on stage yet he feels stuck. After his sudden death, Joe meets 22 (Tina Fey), a soul who has yet to begin her life on Earth and seems unable to find her ‘spark’. Together, the two fight to help Joe reclaim his life while also helping 22 discover why life is worth living in the first place.

Featuring endearing performances from Foxx and Fey, Soul’s characters feel true to life. As Gardner, Foxx brings a relentless ambition to the character yet never loses his earnestness in the process. Meanwhile, Fey bring an innocence and enthusiasm to 22 that counterbalances Gardner’s cynicism. However, despite solid work from its leads, the stand out performances stem from secondary characters played by icons Angela Bassett and Phylicia Rashad. At every opportunity, Bassett and Rashad steal their respective scenes as they embed their characters with their own unique blend of gravitas and confidence. 

As one would hope, the music of Soul is one of the film’s most inspiring aspects. Featuring a stellar soundtrack by John Batiste, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (?!), the film is a testament to the power of music and its spiritual qualities. In each musical number, Soul showcases music as a transcendent experience that speaks to the very… well… soul of the performer. To Gardner, music isn’t just something he plays. It releases a deep joy within him that transports him into a higher plane. In this way, Gardner interacts with spiritual realm, unleashing an inner creativeness. that (literally here) points to the Divine.

Co-written by Kemp Powers (One Night in Miami), the film is willing to engage African American culture in New York. Beyond the music itself, Soul makes sure to celebrate everyday moments like a quick stop at the barbershop or buying a new suit. Coming in the midst of a year when racial conversations have been brought to the forefront, these subtle inclusions provide the film with an additional layer of importance that inspires the viewer.

In fact, that spirit of the everyday speaks directly into the heart of the film. Though portions of the film take place in the afterlife, Soul is most interested in the way that we interact with the world around us. (In fact, much of the afterlife depicted within the film is shown as either a place of transitioning between realms or preparing for their new life, rather than eternity itself.) By partnering the two souls together, Gardner has the opportunity to reclaim his sense of wonder for the world around him while 22 continues to grow in strength about her new journey. Emphasizing the value of ‘jazzing through life’, Soul understands that there’s beauty in experiencing the moments around us, whether it’s helping a friend or grabbing a slice of pizza. In essence, this is a film which wants to encourage kids to step out and engage their lives while, at the same time, encouraging adults to support them along the way.

What’s most interesting about Soul, however, is the film’s more grounded take on realizing your dreams. For a company that calls us to ‘Wish Upon a Star’, Soul takes an almost anti-Disney approach by pointing out that one can’t always bank on their hopes and dreams to come true. For example, though he yearns to play on stage, Gardner cannot seem to get his ‘big break’. Struggling as a Jr. High music teacher, he lives his life in a constant state of waiting, making endless backup plans in an effort to be ready when his chance at success finally comes. However, in doing so, Gardner is never satisfied with the impact he makes on the lives of others. As a result, he fails to recognize the true beauty of the moment and his place within the world. While never stating that one shouldn’t have ambition, this is a staggeringly sober realization for any animated film, especially from the House of Mouse. (In fact, the film even goes so far as to suggest that those who remain trapped by their dreams can become ‘lost souls’ who never realize their potential on Earth.)

Ambitious and poignant, the spiritual journey of Joe Gardner feels relevant to anyone who has ever felt like their dreams remain out of reach. Though Soul feels more appropriate for adults than youth at times, it’s passion for embracing life is appropriate for all ages. As Joe and 22 work together to find their ‘spark’, the spiritual bedrock bubbles to the surface, challenging and encouraging families at the same time.

In other words, this is a film which knows the power of a Soul.

To hear our conversation with director Pete Docter and producer Dana Murray, click here.

Soul is available on Disney+ on December 25th, 2020.

Soul – Pixar’s Holiday Present (but…)

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“You can’t crush a soul here; that’s what life on earth is for.”

Since Pixar’s Soul is coming to us on Christmas Day, I can’t help but compare it to a present. This is the largest present under the tree. It has the most amazing wrapping paper and beautiful ribbons. We can hardly wait to get to it, but when we open it up . . . we discover it has clothes from Grandma. It’s not shabby clothes, but still ….

This really is a big package, as are all Pixar films. Not only is it Pixar, but it’s Pete Docter, who co-directs along with Kemp Powers, and co-writes with Powers and Mike Jones. Docter’s writing and directing credits include some of Pixar’s best: Toy Story, WALL-E, Inside Out, Monsters Inc, and Up. Originally slated for a summer theatrical release, the COVID-19 pandemic pushed it into the Christmas slot with in home viewing on Disney+ streaming service.

As to the amazing wrapping, Pixar always brings its A-game to animation. The animation here is a mixture of its familiar round seeming three-dimensional characters, astonishing realistic renderings of cities and nature, with some Picasso-esque art thrown in. Add to this the music. Jazz is integral to the story line, and it adds life, joy, and anguish to the film.

That gets us to the content.

Here is the story of Joe Gardner (voiced by Jamie Foxx), a middle school band teacher, who has struggled for years to be a jazz musician. The same day he gets an offer to make his teaching job full time, he gets a call from a former student who now plays drums for a well-known jazz quartet that needs a pianist to sit in with them. On his way home from a successful audition, there is an accident, and Joe wakes up as a sort of peanut shaped being on a conveyor belt headed to a bright light—The Great Beyond. Not ready to go there, he tries running back, but ends up falling through a strange vortex into The Great Before—a park-like setting filled with new souls waiting to get their personalities, and most importantly their “spark”, before they go to earth.

The counselors of the camp assume he has been sent there to mentor a soul. He is assigned Number 22 (Tina Fey), a cynical soul who has burned through a plethora of mentors—some pretty big names among them: Gandhi, Lincoln, Mother Teresa, Copernicus, Marie Antoinette, and Mohammed Ali. 22 just isn’t interested in living. And as her failures to find her spark accumulate, she has settled into being a loner who will never go to earth.

Joe’s plan is to help her find her spark, then steal her ticket to earth and use it to get his life back and begin his career as a jazz pianist. But when the two of them get past the barriers between the worlds, 22 ends up in Joe’s body, while Joe is in the body of a cat. They can speak to each other, but naturally no one else knows that the cat is speaking. He must try to shepherd 22 though the streets of New York to try to find a way back to Before and set things aright. That process gives them both new understandings that tell us all that every moment of life is worth cherishing.

So what makes this clothes from Grandma? First of all is that there are a whole lot of concepts that won’t be understood by many of the children who see it. But that really is only a minor problem since I don’t think Pixar makes movies for kids. Pixar makes movies that will draw kids into the theaters (or in this case to Disney+). The real audience for Pixar films ais the adults who bring the kids. Since it seems like a kids’ movie, adults watch with their defenses down. We often pay more attention to what we overhear than what is said directly to us. Pixar makes movies that adults will overhear.

In this case, however, there really isn’t that much to overhear. Here the film is clearly aimed at adults. We see a character facing a midlife crisis. In one scene Joe tells his mother, “I’m just afraid that if I died today, my life would have amounted to nothing.” Some of the language may even be over the head of many adult viewers. For example, 22 explains that “I was a theoretical construct existing in a hypothetical waystation between life and death.” The only real façade of this being for kids is that it is animated. The usual multi-layered humor that is a hallmark of Pixar films is missing. I wouldn’t be surprised if children came away deeply disappointed in the film. There really isn’t that much here for them.

I also note in my Christmas present analogy that these aren’t shabby clothes. There are times when the message about the importance of enjoying the life we have comes through. Sometimes it’s when Joe is told that he is important to students. He doesn’t really seem to appreciate that, but we do. Perhaps my favorite scene in the film is when Joe (inhabited by 22) goes to the barber. The barber tells of his dreams that didn’t play out, but the happiness he has as a barber. It is something Joe needs to understand in his own life. But that revelation is actually countered in a scene about rescuing a lost soul—an account manager who is stuck in his job without having any joy. The key should not be escaping your life, but rather finding joy in it. In the end, we have hope that both 22 and Joe will have a chance to live life more fully than either ever imagined.

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But the best thing in the box is the concept of the “spark”. Joe and 22 mistakenly think that the spark is a purpose that animates your life, as music does for Joe. But it turns out the spark is really more akin to Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount: “No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” The spark is the light we share in the world to light the way for other. Maybe Joe will share that spark through his music, or maybe through his teaching, or finding a way for both. But he now knows that taking that spark into the world is the real purpose in his life.

And yes, I suppose I should write Grandma a thank you note for the clothes. They are, after all, very nice and I need them. It’s just not what I really hoped for or expected.

To hear our conversation with director Pete Docter and producer Dana Murray, click here.

Photos courtesy of Pixar.

6.24 Finding Purpose in the Quest in ONWARD

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Julie, Paul, and Jolie bring their thoughts on Onward, Pixar’s latest feature about two brothers on a quest to bring back their late father before sundown.

With voices of Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Octavia Spencer, is Onward too star heavy to be rich in content? Or does it deliver a classic, fun, and heart warming story?

Listen in as we talk about discovering who you truly are, what matters most, and finding what you’re looking for where you least expected it.

You can also stream the episode above on podomatic, Alexa (via Stitcher), Spotify or Soundcloud! Or, you can download the ep on Apple Podcasts or Google Play!

Onward: The Magic is Within

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“Long ago, the world was full of wonder. It was adventurous, exciting and best of all, there was magic. And that magic helped all in need. But it wasn’t easy to master. And so the world found a simpler way to get by. Over time, magic faded away….”

Disney/Pixar’s Onward is set in this world that used to be so full of wonder, adventure, magic. But technology made it easier to get by without the magic, so things settled into a ho-hum suburban lifestyle. The world is still filled with magical creatures—elves, pixies, unicorns, mermaids, cyclopes, centaurs, fauns, manticores, dragons—but because they haven’t been in touch with the magical nature of the world, all those gifts have become dormant.

It is in this fantasy world that elf Ian Lightfoot (voiced by Tom Holland) is turning 16. Ian is shy, but wishes he could be bold. He feels a bit empty because he never knew his father. His older brother Barley (Chris Pratt) has three memories of their father and though they are rather banal, because of their rarity, both brothers venerate those memories. Barley is as boisterous and outgoing as Ian is reserved and quiet.

Because it’s Ian’s birthday, their mother Laurel (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) gives the two boys a gift from their father meant for when they are both over 16. It is a magical staff with a note that includes a spell to allow him to come back for one day so he can see how they’ve grown up. Barley can’t make it work. But when Ian picks up the staff, it is obvious that he is the one with the magical gifts. When the spell goes awry part way through, leaving Dad materialized only up to his waist, the boys must set out on a quest to find another magical crystal so they can complete the spell before the day is over.

The odd-couple nature of the brothers is the engine that drives the story. Ian is quiet and timid. He has no idea of what magic is or how to make it work. Barley has no fear (even when he should). But he is a veteran Dungeons and Dragons player who believes that the game reflects the real history of the world. He knows spells, but he must encourage Ian to use them when needed. As they try to complete the quest, the brothers learn about each other and themselves. They find a way through their common grief. They also begin to show that the world is full of magic, if only the world will connect with it.

As I look back at previous Pixar films, I think of films that rely on stories that touch the viewers. Onward touches us, but not to the same extent of other Pixar films. That may be due to the frenetic pace of the brothers’ journey. It feels more like an action movie than some of the more thoughtful nature of past films. Because of the pace, there is little time to appreciate the comedy involved. There are some funny spots, but they blow by way too fast.

In the end, we may see this as a film about faith. Barley is a man who believes and trusts in the magic of the world. Even though others don’t see that magic, for Barley it is waiting to be rediscovered. Through the brothers’ journey, that forgotten nature of the world becomes visible yet again, changing not only Ian and Barley, but everyone who sees what they have done—and come to believe as well.

Onward casts its spell in theatres on Friday, March 6th, 2020.

Photos courtesy of Walt Disney Studios

5.21 Lost Toys in TOY STORY 4

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To infinity and beyond… the house? In Toy Story 4, the latest (and final?) entry into the beloved franchise, Woody and the gang take a trip out on a the open road with Bonnie and her parents. Along the way, when her latest ‘creation’ Forky goes out on the run, Woody ventures out on his own to bring Bonnies beloved toy back to her. However, when the two accidentally come across a new foe who is desperate for Woody’s voice box, the two must rely on their friends (both old and new) to rescue them. This week, Steve welcomes back returnee Jolie Featherstone (@TOFilmFiles) and ScreenFish’r Julie Levac to talk about the film’s portrayal of what it means to be lost, finding one’s voice and the complexity of being broken.

You can also stream the episode above on podomatic, Alexa (via Stitcher), Spotify or Soundcloud! Or, you can download the ep on Apple Podcasts or Google Play!

Want to continue to conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

5.21 Toy Story 4Download

Toy Story 4 – Old Friends, but…

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After nine years, the beloved Disney-Pixar Toy Story franchise continues in Toy Story 4. It brings back the characters that we have enjoyed and even loved in the previous films. For that reason alone, I’m sure that many people will be enthralled with the newest part of the story and love this film as much as the previous three. And everyone I have heard talk about the film has had glowing opinions. But for me the glow is a bit dimmer. Encountering Woody and Buzz (and some new characters) is enjoyable, but for me the film doesn’t reach the same heights as the other Toy Story films.

When the story left off nine years ago, Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen), and the rest of Andy’s toys had been taken to Bonnie (Madeleine McGraw). (Nine years hasn’t passed in the Toy Story universe, but there is a prologue of something in that universe nine years ago). Things are different for Woody. Bonnie doesn’t play with him as much as the other toys. She even takes his sheriff’s badge and pins it on Jessie (Joan Cussack). But Woody is determined to keep Bonnie happy. When she is apprehensive about a kindergarten orientation, Woody sneaks into her backpack in case she needs him.

©2019 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

When Bonnie ends up at a table alone with nothing to do, Woody gets things out of a trash can that the inventive little girl uses to craft a toy out of a spork, marker, pipe cleaner, and glue-on eyes. Thus, Forky (Tony Hale) is born. But Forky can’t grasp being a toy. He assumes he is trash, having been used already. As he keeps trying to get back into the trash can, Woody tries to educate him about the purpose of being a toy.

When Bonnie and her parents set off on a road trip, Forky tries one more time to escape being a toy by jumping out of the moving RV. Woody follows and as they work their way back to Bonnie (who is distraught at not finding Forky), the adventures begin.

©2019 Disney•Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

On the way through town Woody sees a lamp in the Second Chance Antique store window that reminds him of his friend Bo Peep who was in Andy’s sister’s room. Sneaking into the shop, Woody and Forky encounter other toys, but the toys in the shop are ruled by Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks) and her band of ventriloquist dummy henchmen. Like Woody, Gabby understands the role a toy can play in a child’s life, but she has never had that because her voice box was defective. So she has been on a shelf for 60 years, hoping for a chance. In Woody, she believes stealing his voice box will give her that chance.

As the adventure plays out, Woody is reunited with Bo Peep (Annie Potts) who is running a gang of lost toys, but for them that status has brought a sense of freedom, not the fear that Woody has always understood that to mean. Bo Peep and the others help to bring all the trials and dangers to an emotional ending.

©2019 Dinsey/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

And that ending will be satisfying for most viewers. But for me, it came up short. My first reaction was that this film stripped part of the humanity away from the characters. The value of the past films was not that we were watching toys, but that we sensed that we were watching ourselves. Woody has to deal with jealousy, with loss, with a midlife crisis. Buzz is constantly dealing with his hubris. This time around, there’s much more problem solving than personal growth–even though the story has ample opportunity to deal with personal issues. For example, Woody is reaching something akin to retirement. What is his role going to be if he’s not played with? Because he has spent his life doing the job he was built for, he must feel a bit of being lost at the prospect of being put out to pasture.

The film also raises an issue about disabilities that doesn’t quite fulfill its promise. Gabby Gabby was made with a defect. That defect has relegated her to a world without love. Her story line has a happy ending, but only after her disability is fixed. Another character, Duke Caboom (Keanu Reeves), a posable action figure of Canada’s greatest stunt rider, was discarded when he couldn’t do the jumps that were in commercials. Are people’s value dependent upon their abilities or could these toys (and people like them) have been loved for other qualities they have? I wonder how someone born with a disability or deformity would find themselves in this story. Are they lovable only after being fixed?

©2019 Dinsey/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

This is a story that had the possibilities of greatness that the other Toy Story films reached. I don’t think my problem is that I’ve outgrown my love for these toys, or that I’ve moved on to flashier toys. But I think this time around they just aren’t quite the same friends that I found in the past.

4.20 Exploring Gender Roles in INCREDIBLES 2

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Picking up where they left off, INCREDIBLES 2 reintroduces us to the Parr family as they seek to bring evil-doers to justice in a world where superheroes are illegal. When a mysterious billionaire invites them to work with him, Elastigirl goes back to work while Bob takes care of the homefront. As a result, Pixar takes a swing at gender dynamics in a #MeToo world by its reversal of stereotypes… but does it work? This week, ScreenFish’rs Alan Sharrer and Heather Johnson join Steve to discuss the film’s portrayal of gender, screen slaves and power of children.

Want to continue to conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

4.20 Incredibles 2

Thanks Alan and Heather for joining us!

Incredibles 2: Together We Rise

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It’s been a while.

The goal of a film critic is to encourage people to go and see high quality movies while steering people away from titles that aren’t very good. To do this, the critic watches a film, then dissects it like an expert surgeon, analyzing it for plot holes, characterization, quality of CGI, music selection, theme, and at least a hundred additional items.  With so many variables, a film can receive vastly different reviews depending on the reviewer.  And to make things even more interesting, theater-goers may feel differently than the critic when the credits roll.

In the case of director Brad Bird’s latest film Incredibles 2, I believe the two groups will agree the film is a fantastic way to spend a couple hours in an air-conditioned theater.  Whether I2 holds up to fourteen years of waiting will depend on your personal perspective.

If you recall, the end of The Incredibles found the Parr family—burly Bob (Craig T Nelson), Stretch-Armstrong-like Helen (Holly Hunter), teenager Violet (Sarah Vowell), lightning-fast Dash (Huck Milner), and baby Jack-Jack (Eli Fucile)—preparing to take on a burrowing villain called the Underminer.  In Incredibles 2, we finally get to see how the battle turns out.

It’s not pretty. At least half the town is destroyed, including cars, freeway overpasses, buildings, and at least one character’s emotional stability. As a result, the Supers are forced underground yet again (and the Parr family into living out of a hotel room). But there may be some hope in the form of Winston Deavor (Bob Odenkirk), a multi-billionaire who has been fascinated with superheroes his entire life (even singing their theme songs). He meets Bob, Helen, and Frozone (Samuel L Jackson) in order to reveal a plan to get Supers back on the good side of the general public. But in a surprise to Bob, Winston wants Helen to be the face of positive public perception, leaving him to stay home and take care of the kids.

Helen Parr (AKA Elastigirl) meets some new Supers.

Helen, in her Elastigirl outfit, immediately has to deal with a runaway monorail in New Urbem that showcases her talents as well as the new motorcycle Winston’s sister and uber-talented Evelyn (Catherine Keener) designed.  Her success leads to more Supers coming out of hiding, including Void (Sophia Bush), a superfan of Helen’s who creates interdimensional portals out of thin air. But there’s a more sinister villain than the Underminer on the loose—one that always seems to be a step ahead of Helen.  The Screenslaver hypnotizes people who are looking at video screens into obeying their commands, threatening to destroy Supers once and for all.  Helen thinks she’s got the villain figured out—but is sorely incorrect.

Meanwhile, Bob struggles mightily to be an effective full-time dad. Dash can’t figure out his math homework; Violet is an emotional mess regarding a boy; and Jack-Jack keeps Bob up at all hours while harboring multiple superpowers that are beginning to manifest themselves.  It all exhausts Bob, leaving him gruff and unshaven, and in one of the craziest scenes in the film, asleep while Jack-Jack combats his new arch enemy—a territorial raccoon.  Thankfully, the kids intervene in the form of Frozone and a diminutive yet pugnacious fashion designer named Edna Mode (Brad Bird himself).

In order to defeat the Screenslaver, it’s going to take more than Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl.  As a result, the final portion of the film is an action-packed spectacle I won’t spoil for you.  When the credits rolled, the crowd applauded and cheered loudly.

In the end, I felt Incredibles 2 was just as good as the original film.  Michael Giacchino’s score delivered the right amount of gravitas while keeping pace with the action onscreen. All the actors did well with their roles, but I’ll single out Vowell for her emotional portrayal of an uncertain, surly, yet teenage Violet who needed some form of support from her parental unit.  Animation has always been one of Pixar’s hallmarks, and Incredibles 2 is no exception.  They’ve come a long way in fourteen years with gradation, shading, water effects, and sense of speed.

“We’re all in this together.”

As for the film itself, Dash seemed to fall to the wayside on a few occasions and was a bit one-note with his performance.  Jack-Jack stole each scene he was in, but was surprisingly tame in the final sequences.  But when he and Edna were on the screen together, it was absolutely electric.  I wanted more.  The Screenslaver was a worthy villain and provided caution for each of us about devoting our lives to video screens—be they televisions, tablets, phones, or computers.  Another line that struck me was when Evelyn said, “People will trade quality for ease every time.”  Perhaps we all need to up our standards in our daily activities and not settle for second best when something better is available.

The focus of Incredibles 2, despite the superhero title, remains the family.  In many ways, I saw in the Parrs a microcosm of my own family.  Not everything in life goes the way we would like it to (and often doesn’t).  We struggle, we run away, we argue, we lose hope, but we always fall back on each other when the day is over. And in that, the Bible reminds us to “encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception” (Hebrews 3:13 HCSB).  The world can be a very evil place, so we must make sure we’re not falling captive to the issues around us while making a difference for good wherever we go. Together we rise; apart we fall.

That’s something all film critics can agree with.

Incredibles 2 – Family Bonds

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Incredibles 2 continues the story of the Parr family from The Incredibles. While it is ostensibly a superhero story, at its heart this is a film about family and especially about parenting as children go through all the changes of growing up.

As in the original, superheroes are still illegal, but with the supervillain The Underminer on the loose, the family of superheroes goes into action—rather heavy-handedly, creating a mess of the city and being relocated. Forced to live in a motel, the family tries to think about what the future will hold for them. The parents, Bob, aka Mr. Incredible (voiced by Craig T. Nelson), and Helen, aka Elastigirl (Holly Hunter), know that one of them will need to get a job to support the family. Meanwhile, their middle school aged daughter Violet (Sarah Vowell) is attracted to a boy at school, son Dash (Huckleberry Milner) struggles with his homework, and toddler Jack-Jack is a handful just in himself.

But Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, and their friend Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson) get an offer from industrialist siblings Winston and Evelyn Deavor (Bob Odenkirk and Catherine Keener). They want to improve the world’s opinion of superheroes and make them legal again. Their plan is to use Elastigirl to stop some crimes (she does far less damage in the process that Mr. Incredible or Frozone). So Helen goes off to the big city while Bob stays home with the kids.

It turns out that Bob is a stereotypical incompetent father. He tries, but he can’t grasp new math, has no idea how to help Violet with the boys, and Jack-Jack is impossible to get down for the night. Plus, Jack-Jack now is manifesting his own superpowers—a wide array of powers.

Helen is busy doing battle with The Screenslaver, a villain who uses screen (TV, computer, whatever) to hypnotize people and have them do his will. She feels bad that she isn’t with her family, but relishes the opportunity so show off her skills. It’s not unlike the juggling of priorities that many parents experience. But when The Screenslaver gets the upper hand, Bob and the kids head off to save the day and the world (mostly it’s the kids, including Jack-Jack, that get their parents out of hot water).

What is charming about the Incredibles films is that they give us a chance to see superheroes who aren’t sullen loners, but rather people with happy family lives—happy even when the going is hard. The film, I think, allows parents to be reminded that the job they do matters.  As the diminutive designer to the superheroes Edna Mode (Brad Bird) says, “Done properly, parenting is a heroic task.” As Bob mopes about being left out while Helen is fighting crime, this is a reminder of what the really hard job is. Parents aren’t gifted with super strength and powers—only with the love they have for their children. With that, parents face years of problems but also years of joy.

For the Parrs, a family where everyone has special powers, what really ties them together is not being strong, fast, elastic, invisible, or having lasers shooting out of their eyes. The connection they have is really the bond that can exist in the families of all those who go to watch the movie together.

Let me also put in a word here for Bao, the short directed by Domee Shi (the first woman to direct a Pixar film), playing along with Incredibles 2. It is a delightful story of a woman whose handmade dumpling comes to life. We watch as she and the dumpling go through the years. The dumpling passes through all the phases of childhood and into being a young adult. It is hard for the woman to let go of her baby dumpling, but in the end, we see just how wonderful it is to see your child grow into an adult.

Photos courtesy of Walt Disney Studios