I bought this movie on DVD today and that alone is quite a departure for me. I almost never buy recent Hollywood blockbusters. It's not that I don't like them...but I don't need to be blowing my DVD budget on the same movie that all my friends are buying.

However, I make the occassional exception. My usual excuse for this departure is "technical reasons". I have an enormous collection of 1.33:1, B&W movies with glorious mono sound. As you might guess, that wastes a lot resources when my home theater uses a 51" 16x9HDTV, upscaling DVD player and surround sound. So, every now and then, I'll a buy a DVD that actually takes advantage of my significant audio/visual investment.

THE INCREDIBLES seemed like a logical choice. I actually prefer to watch computer based animation on my TV...the format seem more "native" than theater projection. Having just watched the movie (calling it a "film" doesn't seem right), I'm thrilled to say that I'm not dissappointed. It's been a tough week of struggling through some steaming piles of horse#$%* transfers. THE INCREDIBLES was a delight an ALL levels.

If ever there was a movie designed to be seen on widescreen HDTV, this is it. The aspect ratio is an astounding 2.39:1. That's wider than most current scope films. It's certainly wider than previous computer animated films I've seen. Honestly, I'm not sure why they made it this wide...but they did. My sympathies to those of your trying to watch this on a 4x3 set. Of course, it's enhanced for widescreen TVs and the picture is as near to perfect as I've seen. In the introduction, we learn (not surprisingly) that the DVD transfer is from the orignal digital source. That may sound obvious but the truth is that some earlier films of this nature had the DVD's encoded from the film prints even though the computer generated the animation. The anamorphic enhancement really pays off due to the extreme wdescreen. I get the extra bonus of my DVD player which uses a pure digital connection via the DVI cable.

Other than the technical superiority of the transfer, I must say that, even more importantly, it just plain LOOKS good. It has depth and color that some CG films lack (ICE AGE). No matter how clean a transfer is, a movie can be visually dull if you're looking at flat scenery and flat lighting. THE INCREDIBLES ventures from urban landscapes to jungles, lakes, sky and volcanos...both day and night shots. A treat to watch.

The sound is near perfect. The use of 5.1 is, in my opinion, done just the way it should be. That doesn't mean having sound buzzing out of every damn speaker all the time. You get directional sound when NEEDED and when it has the most impact. When it's time for the LFE track to rumble, don't worry, it won't let you down.

Finally, the single most important point. After all that about the transfer, the look and the sound, is the STORY any good? Of all the CG animated films I've seen to date (most but, admittedly, not all) THE INCREDIBLES has the strongest story. Furthermore, I'd say it certainly has the strongest adult appeal. The DEATH OF A SALESMAN element is something everyone over 40 (except Bill Gates and hugh Hefner :)) can relate to . Even a grouch like me can appreciate the love story (the kids can ignore it).

It get's my rare recommendation (how often do I say anything nice about a new movie?).

Next, I'll check out the special features.

Wonderful movie all the way around. How the music composer was overlooked for an Oscar I'll never know.

Hey Brent - as a guy with a two and a half year old running around the house at warp 9.5 on a slow day, I found the short featurette on Jack Jack and the babyitter to be hilarious.

Loved the movie too.
Huzz

Best. CG. Movie. Ever.

I loved the Bond-spoof elements mixed with the superhero-spoof elements.

The movie was almost over before I suddenly went "FRO-zone!!! I get it!"

The animated storyboards they did for the film were better than the best animation anyone did in my art school class.

You can skip the detleted scenes if you want - none of them are rendered, it's just the director talking over the storyboards.

"Jack-Jack Attack" is every bit as good as the rest of the movie.

"Boundin'" is ... odd. But something about the naked sheep stirred my Scottish blood :freak:

The making-ofs were fascinating. I liked when the animators told the director, well into the production, that the kind of hair he wanted Violet to have was "still theoretical."

Just after my wife asked why Elasti-Girl's butt was so big, Elasti-Girl stopped at a mirror to look at it and frown. I told my wife she was mean.

I wanna go watch it again.

Wonderful movie all the way around. How the music composer was overlooked for an Oscar I'll never know.

It's my current favorite in the soundtrack listening cycle. The big brassy sound, with the homage to Bond and other 1960s spy flicks, is just a lot of fun to listen to.

And there are quite a few Easter Eggs. I'm sorry I haven't had time to catalog them all but the trick is to watch for the Omni-droid silhouette in the top right of a menu screen. When it appears, click the right arrow button, the droid turns white. Now press Enter to see the Easter Egg.

I've found four on disk 2 and the best one was Brad Bird's tribute to Disney animators Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas. He has nice things to say about these two original animators and how he put them into "The Incredibles" as characters (the two old men making comments at the end of the movie).

There's also a storyboarded deleted scene of Dash harrasing his teacher that's pretty funny.

Jim

There's one other especially well done thing about this disc that most people probably aren't aware of. All of the extras are anamorphic 16x9. In other words, it's all enhanced for widescreen TV.

On the vast majority of DVDs, the extra features are either 4x3 or unenhanced letterbox. That means that they not only drop in resolution, but you have to reset the aspect ratio on the TV. People without 16x9 sets won't notice that now but they will appreciate it in the future.

An amazing movie with an exceptional soundtrack, gotta love that jazzy bigger-than-Barry score! Loved the winks to everything from Aliens to Johnny Quest. I totally agree the transfer is amazing, it's been awhile since any picture made me say "wow". And Holly Hunter proves she's still strangely sexy and appealing even as a animated character with a big butt.

There was nothing wrong with Holly Hunter's cartoon rear-end. It was probably her most appealing feature, IMHO. Narrow waist, shapely rear--can't beat that combination!

I love the movie! The best one of that Pixar sort I've ever seen.

Just after my wife asked why Elasti-Girl's butt was so big, Elasti-Girl stopped at a mirror to look at it and frown. I told my wife she was mean.

Ha ha ha! That's hilarious! My friend said "Holly Hunter's character is rendered pretty hot, but she's really got a JLo thing going on with her butt." He said that JUST BEFORE she looked at it an the mirror as well... great timing! :lol:

Dan

Since she is elastic, she could make her butt any size she wanted. I noticed the cartoonists copied Hunters 'talk out of the side of her mouth' style acting.

... did I mention that I love Holly Hunter?

And if you're desiging a superhero outfit, remember: No capes! :D

Sean
http://www.mcfergesondvd.com/

Wonderful movie all the way around. How the music composer was overlooked for an Oscar I'll never know.
My only guess is that maybe they thought he was too young, or possibly that the score was too derivative. Too bad. Interesting that he didn't conduct the orchestra in the recording sessions.

He scores every episode of Alias and Lost, and will also do the same for Mission Impossible III, which seems appropriate in light of what he did on The Incredibles, especially if MI3 gets a little retro feel as well.

Qapla'

SSB

Really? I love the way Alias is scored.

Really? I love the way Alias is scored.
Yep! Michael Giacchino.

http://imdb.com/name/nm0315974/?fr=c2l0ZT1kZnxteD0yMHxsbT01MDB8ZmI9dXxwbj0wfHE9bW ljaGFlbCBnaWFjY2hpbm98aHRtbD0xfG5tPW9u;fc=1;ft=20

Alias was his big break into television work. Prior to that, he'd done music for a bunch of video games. It was his music for one of the Medal of Honor games that caught the ear of JJ Abrams.

He's still done a good bit of work for games even since he started doing Alias. But according to the link above, it looks like he's getting into movies in a big way. Three in post-production plus MI3, which is still in pre-production.

Qapla'

SSB

Have you seen that really awful cartoon on the extras disk?
"Mr. Incredible and Pals"?

You won't get the joke until you listen to the commentary track! :p

Mr. Incredible and Frozone are giving their reactions to this cheap piece of trash! It's a hoot!

Reminds me of "Clutch Cargo" and "Space Angel" as far as the animation goes.
But the story is as bad as any in "The Adventures of Hercules"! At least Mr. Skipperdoo doesn't talk...

"HERcules, hero of ancient glory!
HERcules, hero of song and story!..."

-Leelan

^But that was the point! It was a spoof of the early 60s cartoons with the scarey live-human mouths. I was laughing my ass off at it even before I watched it with the commentary. It was a PERFECT parody.

I thought it was funny the first time.
But watching it with the "commentary" just made it better! :lol:

-Leelan

Y'all are talking me into buying this one! The extras sound like a hoot!

Well, the little woman went and gave the DVD to me - enjoying the extras, and I really like the background about Bud Luckey and his "Boundin'" short. The "Mr. Incredible and Friends" was a hoot, and as mentioined, the commentaries only made it better. The jumping Mr. Skipperdo and boat on the river jagging to the right to avoid the bridge pier were samples of animation at it's finest! Reminded me of the old limited animation Marvel Super hero cartoons...

I just checked out the extras this weekend. "Jack Jack Attack" had me on the floor! When the baby started floating through the walls, I was dyin'!

I just checked out the extras this weekend. "Jack Jack Attack" had me on the floor! When the baby started floating through the walls, I was dyin'!

To those of us with toddlers, "Jack Jack Attack" feels like a documentary.

I love the sitter just sitting there with the fire extinguisher, waiting. Flame on! Squirt! Jack-Jack giggles at the "game." :lol:

Hey, uh, anybody else notice the baby's full name is Jack Parr?

When the baby started floating through the walls, I was dyin'!


I can't even think about that moment without laughing.

God, I love this movie! Ordinarily I'm not big on sequels, but this particular group of characters is one I wouldn't mind spending more time with.

On the other hand, I suspect Brad Bird is anxious to move to something new, and (memo to Disney) I have ZERO interest in a Brad Birdless "Incredibles" sequel.

Switching gears slightly; is it just me, or is Syndrome's Manta-Jet channeling the "Fantastic Voyage" Voyager (among other things). In any case, what a delicious amalgam of 60's coolness that design is! The brief montage depicting Mr. Incredible's Flying-Subish commute to the volcano island is one of my favorite sequences in the film.

Switching gears slightly; is it just me, or is Syndrome's Manta-Jet channeling the "Fantastic Voyage" Voyager (among other things). In any case, what a delicious amalgam of 60's coolness that design is! The brief montage depicting Mr. Incredible's Flying-Subish commute to the volcano island is one of my favorite sequences in the film.

It definately had a sixties Fantasic Voyager/Johnny Quest look to it. I thought the gorgeous shot of it diving into the water and traveling into the island was a homage to the great shot in "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" when the Nautilus dives and then resurfaces in Vulcania.